2 84 ANTELOPES 



spear-like horns of these antelopes are founded on fact. Indeed, the 

 testimony as to the bodies of lions and gemsbucks having been found 

 lying together — the antelopes having been unable to withdraw their 

 horns from the carcases of their adversaries — is too numerous and well 

 authenticated to be rejected. Gemsbuck-meat is of good quality ; 

 while the tough hide of this antelope is in demand for thongs and 

 lashes. 



THE BEISA 



{^Otjx beisa) 



Beida OR Beit, SOMALI ; Chiroa, SWAHILI ; Ngosorok, Nemps ; 

 Sala, Abyssinian (Danakil) 



(Plate xi, figs. 2 and 3) 



From the gemsbuck the beisa (or beida, as it apparently ought to 

 be called) is distinguishable at a glance by the relatively broad white 

 eye-stripe being continuous with the white of the muzzle, or, in other 

 words, by the absence of a connection between the lower ends of the 

 middle and lateral blackish-brown face-streaks, which are often shorter 

 than in the southern species, and by the much smaller tail-tuft. There 

 is also no tuft of hair on the throat, while there are no dark markings 

 on the buttocks and thighs ; the dorsal stripe is short, and most of 

 the tail is sandy. The horns, too, are much smaller, and also less 

 divergent than those of the gemsbuck. The shoulder-height reaches 

 to as much as 48 or 49 inches ; and the weight has been given at 

 458 lb. A pair of female horns is known which measures 39 inches, 

 while there is a statement to the effect that a pair seen at Aden 

 measured 40 inches. 



The beisa, which may possibly be the true oryx of the ancients, 

 and is commonly alluded to by sportsmen under the latter name, is an 

 eastern species, of which the typical race ranges from the neighbour- 

 hood of Suakin, on the Red Sea, through the Danakil country and 

 northern Somaliland, southwards along the valleys of the Webbi 

 Shebeyli and Juba to British East Africa as far south as the Tana 

 river. The ears are without tufts, and the light markings on the face 

 and limbs white. 



The beisa of Ennia Gallaland has been distinguished by Mr. O. 

 Neumann {^Sitzungs-Bericlite Ges. Naturfo7\ Berlin, 1902, p. 99) as Oryx 

 beisa gallarum, on account of the deeper and more reddish colour of the 



