124 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



are few and far between and may, when reached, be 

 found hopelessly silted up. Then the desert wind 

 or sirocco may rise and drive the sand in stinging- 

 blasts over man and beast, perhaps obliterating 

 important landmarks into the bargain ; while the 

 feuds between Touareg and Chaamba, and the inde- 

 pendent attentions of desert robbers, will induce 

 most Europeans to leave the pursuit of the add£ix 

 severely alone. The Arabs, indeed, accept commis- 

 sions to shoot addax for unbelievers. Besides takinsf 

 the meat for themselves and using the hide for shoe- 

 soles and sandals, wise in their generation they also 

 cut off the horns of their quarry to keep for sale to 

 chance travellers. When at Biskra in 1903, the 

 present writer saw a good pair of horns in a stall in 

 the native market, amongst the jumble of odds and 

 ends with which the Mozabite trader loves to cram 

 his box-like shop. Two other pairs which had been 

 brought in some time previously were also observed. 

 Young addax, born in winter or early in spring, are 

 often taken alive by the hunters, and are disposed 

 of, like the trophies of their seniors, to European 

 purchasers.^ 



The addax was known to the early Egyptians 

 under the name of "nu"; they figured it at Beni 



1 A female addax Avith tliirty-six inch liorns was sliot in 1903 by 

 Lieutenant Hod<i;son in tlie Soudan. In I90.> Cajitain A'au^ihan of the 

 E<,'yi)tian Army, when in I)onj,^ohi, sliot a male addax (horns taped 

 thirty-02ie inch over the curve) and saw a herd of thirty-seven and otner 

 enialler hands 



