254 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



Phut by S. G. Paynt, Aylubury^ by ftrmission of the Hon. If alter Rothschild 



WHITE ORYX 



Found in Northern Africa from Dongola to Senegal 



those thirsty regions. It is killed in considerable 

 its flesh and hide, and is either stalked or hunted on 

 by Europeans. 



The last of the sub-families into which modern 

 naturalists have divided the antelopes of the 

 world comprises some of the handsomest species 

 of the whole group, and includes the largest of 

 all antelopes, the Eland, as well as such small 

 and beautifully marked creatures as the Harnessed 

 Bushbucks. 



With one exception the Nilgai all the 

 members of this sub-family are denizens of the 

 great African Continent. 



The NILGAI, or BLUE BULL, is an inhabitant 

 of India, and is found throughout the greater 

 portion of the peninsula, from the base of the 

 Himalaya to the south of Mysore. It is an animal 

 of large size, standing about 4 feet 6 inches at the 

 shoulder. In general colour the male is of a dark 

 iron-grey, the female tawny fawn. White spots 

 on the cheeks and just above the hoofs on the fore 

 and hind feet are the outward signs of its affinity 

 to the African harnessed antelopes. The male 

 alone carries horns, which are nearly straight and 

 very small for the size of the animal, rarely exceed- 

 ing 9 inches in length. 



Passing now to the Harnessed Antelopes of 

 Africa, our attention is first claimed by the BUSH- 

 BUCKS. Excluding the Inyala and the Broad- 



a length of about 28 inches in 

 a straight line, and about 36 

 inches following the spiral. In 

 the female they are thinner and 

 less spirally curved. The addax 

 is confined to the desert regions 

 of Northern Africa from Dongola 

 to Senegal, and the broad, rounded 

 hoofs, so unlike those of any 

 other antelope, would seem to 

 show that it inhabits countries 

 where the soil is deep, soft 

 sand. 



Very little is known of the 

 life history or habits of this 

 antelope. It is said to associate 

 in pairs or small herds, and to 

 be entirely independent of water, 

 though it travels great distances 

 over the desert in the track of 

 thunder-storms for the sake of 

 the young herbage which grows 

 so quickly wherever rain falls in 

 numbers by the Arabs for the sake of 

 horseback, with the help of greyhounds, 



Photo by IV. P. Dando] [Rigint' i Park 



BEISA ORYX 



The beisa is found in North-east Africa ; by some it is believed 

 to have, suggested the original idea of the unicorn 



