ANTELOPES. 



275 



Measured in a straight line, the horns vary from about 17 to 25 inches in length. 

 The lesser kudu, although very common about Kilima-Njaro, is but seldom seen, as 

 it rarely leaves the bush. In Somaliland Captain Swayne states that while the 

 large kudu frequents the mountain ranges, the present species inhabits the thicket- 

 clad slopes at their feet. 



An imperfect skull appears to indicate the occurrence of a kudu in India 

 during the Pliocene period. 



The Harnessed Antelopes. 



Genus Tragelaphus. 



The harnessed antelopes, or bush-bucks, of which five species are now 

 recognised, come so close to the kudus that it may be a question whether they 

 ought not to be included in the same genus. They are, perhaps, the handsomest 

 of all the antelopes, being generally ornamented with vertical stripes like the 

 kudus, while in some cases the ground-colour is of a most brilliant hue. The 

 harnessed antelopes resemble kudus in the females being hornless ; but they differ 

 in that the horns, which are placed behind the eyes, have but one or two turns to 

 the spiral, while the ridge 011 their front surface is less strongly marked. More- 

 over, the skull generally lacks the deep depression in the middle of the forehead 

 characteristic of the kudus, and the vacuity below the eye is of smaller size. The 

 throat may be either fringed or smooth ; and in some species the hoofs are extra- 

 ordinarily elongated. The coloration of the two sexes is usually very different. 

 The group is confined to Africa ; and whereas four of the species are of large size, 

 the fifth does not exceed the dimensions of an ordinary goat. 



The largest of all is the West African bongo (Traqelaphus 

 Bongo. & . b \ & 1 



euryceros), from Liberia, Fanti, the Ashkankolu mountains, and the 



Gabun. It has short hoofs, and is distinguished by its short hair, the deep chestnut 



colour of the males, the numerous and distinct narrow white stripes, the want of a 



fringe on the throat, and the smooth and massive horns, forming rather more than 



a single turn, and wearing yellow at their tips. The chest is marked by a white 



crescent, and there are two white spots on the face below the eye. The males 



attain a height of 3 feet 7 inches at the shoulder ; and the horns may reach a 



length of 30 or 31 i inches in a straight line. We have practically no knowledge 



of the habits of this species, except that, like the rest, it is a forest - dwelling 



one. 



In East Africa, in Zululand, and St. Lucia Bay, the bongo is 

 Nyala. 



replaced by the nyala (T. angasi). The males stand about 3 feet 



4 inches at the withers, and have horns varying from 22 to 28 inches in length. 

 The hair is long, and the general colour of the males dark bluish grey, with the 

 white stripes faintly marked and few in number, and a fringe of long hair on the 

 neck and under-parts of the body. The horns are characterised by their rough 

 surface. Mr. Drummond states that these antelopes are only to be found in low- 

 lying, fever-stricken swamps, where they frequent the densest jungle they can find. 

 They are shy and difficult to stalk ; and from this circumstance, coupled with the 



