THE SABLE ANTELOPE AND ROAN ANTELOPE 875 



c^ 

 Perhaps the handsomest member of the genus is the sable antelope 



?e (H. niger), represented in the left-hand figure of the cut on p. 873. 

 This species is rather smaller than the roan antelope, but has much longer horns, 

 smaller ears, and a longer and more abundant mane, which is partly pendent. With 

 the exception of portions of the face, buttocks, and the under parts, the fur is en- 

 tirely of a deep glossy black ; the contrast formed by the white of the under parts 

 being very striking; the markings on the face differ from those of the roan 

 antelope in that the white streak in front of the eyes is continued to join the 

 white of the muzzle, and is separated by a dark streak from that of the throat. 

 The horns of the males not unfrequently attain a length of forty-two or 

 forty-three inches, but they may reach as much as forty-four and one-half or 

 even forty-six inches along the curve. In the females thirty-six inches seems to 

 be the maximum. 



The sable antelope is a southern species, ranging some distance to the 



north of the Zambezi, and being now most abundant in Mashonaland. 

 and Habits 



This antelope, unlike the various species of oryx, generally frequents 



forest-clad highlands. In Mashonaland, according to Mr. Selous, it is commonly 

 met with in herds of from ten to twenty individuals, although occasionally as many 

 as fifty may be seen together. The same writer observes that, " as a rule, the sable 

 antelope runs very swiftly and has good bottom; but in this respect different indi- 

 viduals differ considerably, as is the case with all animals, and I have run down 

 without much difficulty individual sable antelopes and roan antelopes, and one 

 gemsbok, while others have gone entirely away from me. The sable antelope 

 is often very savage when wounded, and, like the roan antelope and gemsbok, 

 will commit terrible havoc among a pack of dogs. Indeed, I have known one 

 to kill three dogs with three consecutive sweeps of its long scimiter-shaped 

 horns." As mentioned on p. 578 in the first volume, the sable antelope is some- 

 times successfully chased by the Cape hunting-dog. From having been dis- 

 covered by Sir C. Harris, it is frequently termed the Harris buck by the inhabitants 

 of the Cape. 



All who have seen this antelope in its native wilds seem to be impressed with 

 its beauty and majestic appearance. Gordon Cumming, writing of his first sight of 

 the sable antelope, says, that " I shall never forget the sensation I experienced on 

 beholding a sight so thrilling to the sportsman's eye; he stood with a small troop of 

 palas right in our path, and had, unfortunately, detected us before we saw him. 

 Shouting to my pack, I galloped after him, but the day was close and warm, and the 

 dogs had lost their spirit. My horse being an indifferent one soon lost ground, and 

 the beautiful creature, gaining a rocky ridge, was quickly beyond my reach, and 

 vanished for ever from my view. I sought in vain to close my eyelids that night, 

 for the image of the sable antelope was still before me. ' ' 



Baker's Ante * n the Sudan tne g enus is represented by Baker's antelope (H. 

 lope bakcri) , standing upward of four feet eight inches at the withers, and 



distinguished by its pale liver-colored, penciled ears, and some black 

 stripes across the shoulders. Its horns are of a massive type. 



