154 CATALOGUE OF UNGULATES 



GuiB ; BusHBUCK ; Harnessed Antelope ; Guib ; Decula. 

 Typical locality Senegal. 



The typical and smallest species, the shoulder-height 

 reaching about 30 inches in males of the larger races ; sexes 

 differing in colour, the females being generally lighter and 

 redder than the males, with a greater development of the 

 white markings, which, when in their full intensity, include 

 a chevron and spots on the face, a chin-patch, a gorget on 

 the throat and another on the chest, an upper and a lower 

 longitudinal band on each side of the body, between which 

 are a number of narrow vertical stripes, a series of spots on 

 the haunches, and a variable amount of stripes and blotches 

 on the limbs, of which a pair of spots above the main hoofs 

 are the most constant ; a short crest of hair on nape of neck 

 and back ; coat of moderate length, but apparently always 

 short-haired on the neck of aged males, in which the under- 

 parts are black or blackish; and thus often darker than 

 the back ; tips of horns black. Maximum horn-length 

 (2 specimens) 19| inches. 



This species, as here understood, presents such an extra- 

 ordinary amount of variation in colouring and markings, 

 due to differences of sex, age, and locality — and in some 

 instances perhaps individual — that it is at present impossible 

 to give a key to the local races entitled to recognition. 

 Some of the races are indeed characterised by the white and 

 others by the black dorsal crest, but as there are indications of 

 a transition in this respect, no sufficient grounds for dividing 

 the species into groups can be founded on this character. 

 Much the same may be said with regard to the presence of a 

 short-haired and perhaps glandular collar on the nape of the 

 neck, or its absence, since all bushbucks apparently tend to 

 acquire short-haired necks when fully adult. The lightness 

 or darkness of the under-parts has also been taken as a 

 racial character ; but it seems that in old males of all the 

 forms this area tends to become black or dark brown. This 

 is but one exemplification of the tendency in the whole group 

 towards a general darkening in colour and the obliteration 

 of the white markings with age ; a tendency which- attains 

 its maxima in regions so far apart as Gallaland and Cape 

 Colony. In the forest-zone, on the other hand, the rufous 



