THE SABLE ANTELOPE 1 33 



type specimen was subsequently exhibited at a 

 meeting of the Zoological Society, held on January 

 9th, 1838. With this abundant preface one may 

 now turn to a careful study of this prince of antelopes. 

 The sable antelope i^Hippotragus niger) — zwart 

 wit pens of the Boers — potaquane of the Southern 

 Bechuanas — pala hala of the Swahilis — stands about 

 46 inches high at the withers. The muzzle is sharp 

 and somewhat slender ; a pair of cylindrical horns, 

 heavily annulated for the anterior two-thirds, sweep 

 up from the head, passing backwards to end in a 

 splendid scimitar-like curve. The neck is stout, flat, 

 and surmounted with a whorled upstanding mane 

 which in summer is thick and luxuriant, in winter 

 thin and patchy. The feet are small and pointed : 

 the tail reaches the hocks. Bull sable when adult 

 are rich glossy jet above, snow white beneath : 

 females are of a dark chestnut, which in the regions 

 south of the Zambesi becomes almost black. Both 

 sexes have the face smartly pied. The median area 

 of the face is black : the white cheeks beingf bisected 

 by a black line, while the muzzle and throat are 



white. ^ The ears in both sexes are black-tipped, 

 white inside, and chestnut externally. Young calves 



1 The .saV)le antelope, like its roan cousin, is remarkable for a curious 

 brush of white hair which passes downwards and outwards across the 

 face inmiediately below the eyes. Seen from the side it presents a 

 radiating arrangement of the hair composing it, AlthoTigh smaller than 

 in the roan antelope, the facial brush of the sable is quite recognisable : 

 yet it has apparently been entirely overlooked by modern artists and 

 naturalists. Harris in his (igure of the head of the "black antelope" 

 renders it with great skill and minuteness. 



