RUMINANTIA: CAVICORNIA. 103 



heights, and up and down precipices where it would seem 

 no animal could get a foothold, often leaping upon a 

 shetf of rock of scarcely more than a hand's breadth, or just 

 large enough to' receive its four feet placed close together. 



The Long-horned Antelope or Oryx, A. oryx, Pall., of 

 Central and Southern Africa, is as large as the stag, and 

 has straight, slender, round and pointed horns two or 

 three feet long, with the lower third obliquely annulated. 

 The tail is long and blackish, and the hairs of the spine are 

 directed towards the neck. It is often called Gemsbok. 



The Canna or Eland, A. oreas, Pall., of South Africa, 

 is an antelope which attains the weight of eight hun- 

 dred or a thousand pounds, and has horns very long and 

 straight, and with a spiral ridge. 



The Koodo, A. strepciseros, Pall., is another very large 

 antelope of the same region as the preceding one. 



The Gnu, A. gnu, Gm., is a curious animal which Cuvier 

 describes among the antelopes, and which is one of the 

 most extraordinary forms of life to be found among the 

 Ruminantia. Its head and horns remind us of the Cape 

 Buffalo ; the body, mane, and tail resemble those of a 

 horse, and its feet are as light as those of a stag. The 

 muzzle is large, flattened, and encircled with projecting 

 hairs, and the general color is brownish. 



2. Ovinae, or Sheep and Goats. 



The Genus Ovis Sheep is characterized by horns 

 which are directed backwards, and then incline more or 

 less spirally forwards ; the chanfrin is convex, and there 

 is no beard oh the chin, as in the goats. 



The Mountain Sheep or Big Horn, O. montana, Cuv., 

 of the Rocky Mountains, is much larger than the do- 

 mestic sheep, with very large horns. The female has 

 smaller horns similar to those of the goat. A large in- 

 dividual of this species weighs about three hundred and 

 fifty pounds. The Argali of Siberia, O. ammon, Linn., is 



