332 ANTELOPES 



white spots in front of the eyes, and two (occasionally three) white 

 spots on each side below the latter. 



The original description of the male nyala, based on a skin 

 obtained from Boer hunters, runs (with a few omissions) as follows : 

 " Legs clean, hoofs pointed and black, with two oval cream-coloured 

 spots in front of each fetlock immediately above the hoof. Horns 

 long, twisted, and sublyrate, very similar to those of the bushbuck, but 

 rather more spiral ; very sharp polished extremities of a pale straw- 

 colour ; rest of horns brownish black, deeply ridged from the forehead 

 to about half the length of the horn. Prevailing colour greyish black, 

 tinged with purplish brown and ochre ; on the neck, flanks, and cheeks 

 marked with several white stripes like the kudu. Forehead brilliant 

 sienna-brown, almost approaching orange ; mane black down the neck, 

 and white from the withers to the insertion of the tail ; ears long, oval, 

 rufous, tipped with black, and fringed inside with white hairs. A pale 

 ochreous circle round the eyes, which are connected by two white spots, 

 forming an arrow-shaped mark on a black ground ; nose black ; a 

 white spot on each side of the upper lip ; chin and gullet white ; and 

 three white marks under each eye ; neck covered with long shaggy 

 hair, extending also under the belly and fringing the haunches to the 

 knees ; two white spots on the flanks, and a patch of long white hair 

 on the interior portion of the thigh, a white tuft under the belly, and 

 another on the dewlap. On the outer side of the fore-legs is a black 

 patch above the knee, surrounded by three white spots ; legs below 

 the knee bright rufous colour ; tail i foot 8 inches long." 



This specimen appears to have been somewhat immature, as in 

 fully adult bucks there are no white stripes on the cheek and neck, 

 while the ochery or tan is replaced everywhere except on the lower 

 portions of the legs by greyish. In young males the general colour is 

 reddish brown, as in the adult females. 



Mr. Angas described his specimen of the female as follows : 

 "General colour of body rich red-brown, becoming very pale on the 

 belly and lower-parts and white inside the thighs ; a black dorsal ridge 

 of bristly hair extends from the back of the crown to the tail ; nose 

 black ; the white spots on various parts of the body nearly resembling 

 those of the male, only the white stripes on both sides are more 

 numerous and clearly defined, amounting to twelve or thirteen in 

 number ; tail rufous above and white below tipped with black." 



The record horn-length is 33!^ inches. 



The range of the nyala is restricted to a comparatively small area 

 in East Africa. As already mentioned, the species was originally 



