THE BLACK BUCK 



Angola Pala 



On the West Coast, in Angola and Hasholand, the genus is repre- 

 sented by the Angola pala (/. petersi}. This pala is distinguished by 

 the presence of a black streak down the middle of the face, from the eyes to the 

 upper part of the nose, and also by a black patch below each eye. 



THE BLACK BUCK 

 Genus Antilope 



The handsomely -colored black buck or Indian antelope (Antilope cervicapra) is 

 the sole representative of its genus, and at the same time the last member of the 

 present group. The black buck stands about thirty-two inches at the shoulder, and 

 has a short and compressed tail, large glands, with a linear aperture below the eyes, 

 tufts of hair on the knees, and small but distinct lateral hoofs. The horns of the 

 bucks rise close together, and are cylindrical, divergent, and spiral, with complete 

 blunt rings throughout their length. The number of turns in the spiral of the horns 

 varies from less than three to as many as 

 five, and there is great individual variation 

 in regard to the degree of divergence of 

 the . horns. The usual length of horns 

 varies from sixteen to twenty inches in a 

 straight line, and in Peninsular India the 

 length seldom exceeds twenty-two inches; 

 but in Rajputana and Harriana the horns 

 are longer, and have been known to attain 

 a length of twenty-eight and three-fourths 

 inches. Does and young bucks are yellowish- 

 fawn color above and on the outer sides of the 

 limbs, and white on the under parts; the two 

 colors are sharply defined, and just above the 

 line of division there is a distinct pale streak. 

 Save for a rufous patch on the nape of the 

 neck, the old bucks are blackish brown above, 

 and also on the sides of the neck and the 

 whole of the face, with the exception of a 

 white ring round each eye. In very old indi- 

 viduals the blackish brown becomes almost 

 completely black. Occasionally does are met 

 with having small recurved horns. 



The black buck is an inhabit- 

 ant of open plains from the foot 

 of the Himalayas nearly to Cape Comorin, 

 and from the Punjab to Lower Assam, and is 



most abundant in the Northwest Provinces, Rajputana, and portions of the 

 Deccan. It frequents either grassy districts or cultivated lands, and is generally 



Habits 



SKULI, OF BI.ACK BUCK. 



