THE SABLE ANTELOPE. 615 



about the same as that from the tip to the base. From their roots to 

 within a few inches of their extremities, the horns are covered with 

 strongly marked rings, arranged in an oblique manner, and some of them 

 partially double. The spiral of the horns is as nearly as possible two 

 turns and a half in its whole length. 



Upon the forehead there is a bunch or tuft of long hair, and the 

 throat is also covered with a rather heavy mane of long hair, but there 

 is no mane on the back of the neck. The muzzle and nose are rather 

 peculiar, and bear some resemblance to the same parts of a sheep or 

 goat. The general color of the Addax is a milk-white, with the excep- 

 tion of the black patch of hair on the forehead, a brown-black mane, and 

 a reddish shade on the head and shoulders. Both sexes have horns. 



The next sub-family, HlPPOTRAGlN^, comprises only o)ic genus, but 

 the animals embraced in it are the stateliest and noblest of the tribe. 

 The name Hippotragus, or " Horse-antelope," is derived from the horse- 

 like form which all the tlircc species possess. 



GENUS HIPPOTRAGUS. 



The Sable Antelope, Hippotragus nigcr (Plate XLVIII), is a mag- 

 niScent creature, very shy, and therefore seldom seen by the colonists of 

 South Africa. Gordon Gumming gives the following description of it : 



" Gantering along through the forest, I came suddenly in full view of 

 one of the loveliest animals which graces this fair creation. This was an 

 old buck of the Sable Antelope, the rarest and most beautiful animal in 

 Africa. It is large and powerful, partaking considerably of the nature 

 of the ibex. Its back and sides are of glossy black, beautifully contrast- 

 ing with the belly, which is white as driven snow. The horns are up- 

 ward of three feet in length, and bend strongly back with a bold sweep, 

 reaching nearly to the haunches." 



It lives in herds of no very great size, consisting mostly of ten or 

 twelve does led by a single buck. As a general fact, the buck takes 

 matters very easily, and trusts to the does for keeping a good watch and 

 warning him of the approach of an enemy. Owing to the jealous caution 

 of these female sentinels, the hunter finds himself sadly embarrassed 

 when he wishes to enrich his museum with the horns of their leader, and 

 if any of them should happen to take alarm, the whole herd will bound 

 over the roughest ground with such matchless speed that all pursuit is 

 hopeless, and soon abandoned. 



