THE SABLE ANTELOPE I41 



said to have been exhibited by the blaauwbok. 

 Black saturation most marked on the sides below 

 the middle, Mane abundant, and since part lay on 

 one side, part on the other, resembled a lady's fur 

 boa laid along the neck. The animal being fully 

 adult (over ten years old) a few of the mane 

 hairs had become tipped with white. Very free 

 mobility of muzzle and nostrils. When at rest 

 the tail was carried incurved between the hind les^s : 

 when rubbing horns against the railings it was, 

 however, allowed to hang free, while if the animal 

 dashed playfully round its yard the tail was whisked 

 about. This animal when chewing would stop 

 abruptly and hold its mouth open for a few seconds, 

 as if it had bitten its tongue. 



It is interesting to remember that the type sable — 

 the actual animal shot by Cornwallis Harris — is still 

 in the National Collection, where the present writer 

 has carefully inspected it. Save for a brownish 

 tint due to fading (or perhaps to immaturity, since 

 the horns tape only 2)1 inches with a curvature 

 obviously incomplete) this historic specimen remains 

 much as it left Verreaux' workroom at Capetown, 

 though the gallant hunter who shot it has long been 

 dead.^ To gaze upon it was to vividly recall the 

 past : the long years seemed to have vanished, and 

 one almost heard the crack of Harris' rifle echoing 

 among the mountains of Cashan. There were the 



1 To tlie great loss of Zoology, Harris died in 184H at the early age of 

 forty-one. 



