THE DOG WHO KNOWS 161 



The male and female oryx are identical in 

 the matter of marking and are of approxi- 

 mately the same height, but the male is the 

 heavier in build. The horns of the female arc 

 longer and straighter than those of the male, 

 but are not so thick. 



Occasionally, in the cool season of the year, 

 one used dogs in hunting the oryx. But unless 

 a dog had been specially trained to the busi- 

 ness, it was speedily killed. Under ordinary 

 circumstances a dog most effectively attacks 

 an animal behind or on the flank, but the oryx, 

 without breaking his stride, can give a light- 

 ning-quick sweep with his formidable horns and 

 impale anything within four feet of his heels 

 or on either side. The dog that knows its busi- 

 ness runs in front of the oryx, for the latter 

 cannot depress his head sufficiently forward to 

 make the horns effective against anything 

 before it which is low on the ground. A 

 trained dog can thus easily bring an oryx to 

 bay, and hold him engaged until the hunter 

 comes to close quarters. 



Here may be noted a contrast between the 

 habits of the larger desert antelopes and of 

 those antelopes which live in the forest. In 

 the desert it is the males which head the flight, 

 leaving the females and the weaklings to fend 



K 



