II BONTEBOKS AND BLESBOKS 37 



lilac ; whilst, in strong contrast to these rich dark 

 colours, the whole front of the face, a good -sized 

 patch on the rump, the whole belly, and the legs 

 are of a pure and brilliant white. In life, and when 

 they are in good condition, a wonderful sheen plays 

 and shimmers over the glossy coats of these beauti- 

 fully coloured animals, which fully atones for the 

 want of grace and refinement in the shape of their 

 heads and the heavy build of their bodies. 



Now, a practical acquaintance with the very 

 limited extent of country in which the bontebok 

 has been evolved, and where the survivors of the 

 race still live, makes it quite impossible for me to 

 believe that the extraordinarily brilliant colouring 

 of this species of antelope can have been gradually 

 developed in order to make it inconspicuous and 

 therefore difficult of detection by carnivorous 

 animals, nor can I believe that it has been evolved 

 for the purpose of mutual recognition between 

 individuals of the species ; for although the snow- 

 white blaze down the face or the white rump patch 

 might very well subserv^e such a purpose, I see 

 no necessity, looking to the habitat and the habits 

 of the bontebok, for special recognition marks. 



Now, before proceeding further, I think I ought 

 to say a word as to the points of resemblance and 

 the differences between the bontebok and its near 

 ally the blesbok. 



In the latter, the wonderful contrasts of colour 

 to be seen in the former are considerably toned 

 down ; but the difference between the two species 

 is merely superficial. The general body colour of 

 the blesbok is dark brown, but not so dark as on 

 the neck and sides of the bontebok, and the delicate 

 purply lilac colour of the back in the latter species 

 is altogether wanting in the former. In the blesbok, 

 too, the colour of the rump just above the tail, 

 which in the bontebok is snow-white, is brown, 



