18 The National Collection 



strongly twisted, but in length not quite commensurate with the commanding 

 size of the animal. Were the Eland horned in proportion to. the Sable Ante- 

 lope, for example, its horns would be seven feet long! Instead of that, how- 

 ever, they rarely exceed 30 inches ; but the Giant Eland, a species not yet seen 

 in America, either alive or dead, is said to possess horns that are 39 inches 

 long and 39 inches between tips. This species is of rare occurrence, and the 

 very few specimens that have been obtained were taken in Uganda. 



There are two species of Kudu (Plate V, Figs. 10 and 3), the Greater 

 and Lesser. From base to tip, the horns of the first are a succession of beauti- 

 ful curves. Nature surely was in sportive mood when she fashioned their huge 

 open spirals, 50 1 /; inches in length on the curve, 41 inches in a straight line 

 from base to tip, and 11 inches in basal circumference. As to annulations, 

 they are so free as to be almost smooth, and the keel of the front angle con- 

 tinues well denned almost to the tip. The horns of all save a very few African 

 antelopes are black throughout. Those of the Greater Kudu are clear white 

 at their tips, and dark brown or black for the remainder of their length. In 

 the opinion of the writer, horns of the Greater Kudu which have open spirals 

 and are not too far apart at the tips are the most beautiful in form of all horns. 



It is a great pity that the Kudu is now so very rare that it is seen in cap- 

 tivity by comparatively few persons. In the zoological gardens of the world it 

 is now almost non-existent. It is a short-bodied animal, standing very high on 

 its legs, and its horns give it a most stately appearance. 



The Lesser Kudu (Plate V, Fig. 3) is merely a small understudy of the 

 preceding species, with horns scarcely longer or larger than those of the Black 

 Buck, of India. 



The Harnessed Antelopes and Bushbucks are small creatures with horns 

 that in 15 inches of length humbly suggest those of the Eland. But with the 

 antelopes of the genus Oryx, the case is quite different. The head of the 

 Gemsbok, Oryx gazella (Plate V, Fig. 9) a beautiful white creature with 

 showy black markings is surmounted by two great, black spears of bone, of 

 far-reaching consequence in every duel with young lion, leopard, or wild dog. 

 Those figured herewith are 40 inches long, and practically straight from base 

 to tip. The horns of the Beisa (Plate V, Fig. 2) and the Arabian Beatrix 

 also are straight, but smaller. Those of the Leucoryx are almost as long as 

 those of the Gemsbok (Plate V, Fig. 9) , and they make a sweeping curve 

 which gives the animal its alternate name of Sabre-Horned Antelope. The 

 Leucoryx takes kindly to captivity, and the pair in the New York Zoological 

 Park breed regularly. 



