TIIK ANTELOPES. 



99 



white chin-stripe. The under side of the 

 breast and the belly, as well as the inner 

 sides of the legs, are white. Formerly this 

 animal was considered to be a "blauw-bok 

 (//. Icucopluca) in its summer dress, but it 

 has now been ascertained to be an inde- 



pendent though rare species. Blauw-boks 

 and swarte-boks live in troops under the 

 leadership of an old male in the rocky and 

 mountainous parts of Central Africa. In the 

 Cape region they are almost extirpated. They 

 are extremely shy and timid, darting off on 



Fig. 176. The Leucoryx or Sabre Antelope (Oryx leucoryx). 



the least hint of danger. The flesh has an 

 abominable taste like that of a he-goat. 



The Spietboks (Oryx) are large African 

 antelopes, heavy-looking and clumsy in form. 

 They are of about the size of a stag, and are 

 distinguished by their enormous horns, which 

 are usually as long as the body, They are 

 straight or very slightly curved, thin, pointed, 

 plainly ringed, and are developed in both 

 sexes. The head and the tail resemble those 

 of the cow, of which the short and massive 

 neck also remind us, especially since it often 

 carries a slight dewlap. The species repre- 

 sented in fig. 176, the Leucoryx or Sabre 

 Antelope (O. leucoryx}, is found in the deserts 



of Central Africa, especially in Sennar, and 

 it advances up to the Egyptian frontier. 

 Formerly its domain extended further to the 

 north, as is shown by the numerous figures 

 seen on the ancient monuments. These 

 beautiful animals wander about in small 

 troops in the dry steppes, and in spite of their 

 apparent clumsiness rival the best horses in 

 running. Bold and defiant, they make a 

 stand against both beasts of prey and hunters, 

 endeavouring to transfix their assailants with 

 their horns. Where they have made acquain- 

 tance with fire-arms, however, they flee before 

 the hunter, whom they scent at a great distance. 

 The species represented is whitish -yellow 



