132 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



brought to bay, lowered his horns and charged. 

 Harris retreated ; on the sable standing came up 

 again; and as the great antelope again tilted, 

 toppled him over and killed him. The prize was 

 won. Richardson long remained silent in admira- 

 tion : Harris made a drawing on the spot and wrote 

 a description there and then with the victim's blood. 

 Then the magnificent trophy was carefully flayed 

 and packed away, the enthusiastic Harris keeping 

 it night and day on his own bed. The long journey 

 south began on the morrow : arrived in Capetown, 

 Harris eagerly inquired for Sir Andrew Smith that 

 he might show him his prize, a treasure hitherto 

 undreamt of by Science, and a worthy rival to the 

 roan antelope already in the South African Museum. 

 Unfortunately Sir Andrew had already sailed for 

 England. The unique specimen was carefully 

 mounted by Verreaux, and was seen by many 

 persons, to whom it was a great novelty. Harris 

 generously presented the sable to the National 

 Collection, sending it to England under the care of^ 

 Capt. Alexander, himself a naturalist of considerable 

 ability, who had been a member of Sir Andrew's 

 Committee. Harris also sent to Sir A. Smith a 

 description of the new antelope, and posted a 

 letter dated Capetown, October loth, 1837, in which 

 he gave some interesting particulars of the Aigoceras 

 niger'^ to the Zoological Society of London. The 



1 Aiffoccras nir/er was the original Latin name of the saVjle antelope. 

 Ater (= jet black) would have better expressed the <ilossy appearance of 

 this splendid buck : nigcr merely — dull black. Hipjyotragus ni(fcr is 

 the scientific term now employed oy naturalists. 



