SALTS ANTELOPE DUIKERBOK 897 



of a tawny yellow above and white beneath, the horns being about five inches in 

 length. These antelopes range in South Africa to some distance north of the Zam- 

 bezi, and are found in parties of two or three on open ground, but are very local. 

 Their color harmonizes closely with the ground, and their speed is very great. The 

 flesh forms excellent venison. There are three other species of this section, among 

 which is the Abyssinian steinbock (IV. montanus). 



The grysbok (TV. melanotis} , which is met with only to the north 

 of the lyimpopo, differs from the oribi by the absence of the tufts of 

 hair on the knees. It is of about the same size as the steinbock, and of a chocolate- 

 red color. It is fairly numerous in hilly districts and extends far into the interior. 



SALT'S ANTELOPE 

 Genus Neotragus 



The Beni-Israel or Salt's antelope (Neotragus saltianus) of the Red Sea littoral 

 and Abyssinia, which is only slightly larger than the royal antelope, is the best- 

 known representative of a genus distinguished from the preceding by the presence 

 of a tuft of hair on the crown of the head, and by the hairy muzzle, as well as by 

 the horns of the males sloping backward in the plane of the face. Moreover, the 

 skull is distinguished by the great size of the aperture for the nose and the short- 

 ness of the nasal bones, while the last molar tooth in the lower jaw, instead of being 

 composed, as in other Ruminants, of three distinct lobes, has either only two 

 such lobes, or two with a mere rudiment of the third. The female of the 

 Beni-Israel is only sixteen inches in height. In central Somaliland, Kilima-Njaro, 

 and Damaraland, this species is replaced by Kirk's antelope (N. kirki), differing 

 from the first by having a rudiment of the third lobe in the last lower molar. 

 Kirk's antelope also has a more puffy nose than the Beni-Israel, while its horns are 

 cylindrical instead of being flattened on the inner side. So common is Kirk's ante- 

 lope in parts of Somaliland, that two or three may be killed at a shot. When dis- 

 turbed, they start up with great bounds, uttering a shrill cry; the flesh has an 

 unpleasant musky flavor. 



DUIKERBOK 

 Genus Cephalophus 



The elegant little South-African duikerbok brings us to an assemblage of small 

 or medium-sized antelopes, differing in many important respects from the preceding, 

 or Cervicaprine group, which includes all the species from the rietboc to the Beni- 

 Israel. The name duikerbok properly applies, of course, only to the typical species, 

 but it may be conveniently extended to include the whole group. These antelopes, 

 which are exclusively African, are mainly inhabitants of thick forest, although the 

 typical form frequents brush-covered or open country. They are characterized by 

 their small straight horns, which are generally present in both sexes, being placed 

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