GAZELLA BENNETTII, 279 



this coursing used to be practised successfully : one at Pooree, on 

 the east coast, south of Cuttack, where the antelopes are found in the 

 morning on an extensive plain of heavy sand, and if the dogs are slipped 

 favourably, they are sometimes pulled down before they can get on to 

 hard ground. Another is in the desert near Sirsa, where the ground 

 is entirely sandy. The third locality is at Point Calymere, also on the 

 east coast, very far south, not far from Trichinopoly, where thei-e is a 

 tract of fine pasture land always green and elastic, and on which first- 

 rate English dogs have repeatedly pulled down black buck. I rather 

 think that the antelopes here are in somewhat soft condition, the grass 

 being always green, and that from this cause they ai^e more easily caught 

 than elsewhere. During the rains, indeed, if antelopes are found in the 

 fields where the soil is very soft and heavy, they fall an easy prey to 

 good dogs. 



The venison of this antelope is at times excellent, the meat very fine- 

 grained, but not fat. Colonel W. Campbell says, that of old bucks is 

 infijiitely superior to that of young ones. If taken young, this antelope 

 becomes very tame, and will follow its owner about, or wander forth by 

 itself all day and return at evening. I haA^e often seen one accom- 

 panying a regiment on the line of march. 



This antelope is living in the Zoological Gardens, in London. A large 

 herd of them is kept in the park round Government-house at Madras. 

 It is one of the constellations of the Indian zodiac, and is sacred to 

 Chandra. There is no other species of this genus. 



Gen. Gazella, H. Smith. 



Syn. Tragops, Hodgson (partly). 



Char. — Horns rather short, lyrate, ringed, approximate at the base, 

 diverging at the tip, present in the female, but very small ; ears long, 

 acuminate ; tail moderate ; eye-pits small, obliquely transverse ; groin- 

 pits distinct ; large feet-pits in all feet ; knees tufted, and calcic tuft 

 posteal. 



This genus comprises the Gazelles, so called from the Arabic word 

 Al-ghazal, the name of the Antilope Dorcas. They are animals of rather 

 small size, with large eyes, and very active and graceful, inhabiting bare 

 and desert countries, chiefly in Africa, Arabia, and Persia, one species 

 at least extending to India. Several species are known. 



