A NTILOPE.fi. 



ANTILOPR*. 



of the thigh* and arms, nod th region below the tail, white ; the 

 back in muted longitudinally by a band of deep shining black. whi.h 

 divides on the cnmp, and passes down along each hip in the form ( 

 a crescent, separating the pure white of the buttock* an<l interior of 

 the thighs from the general rufous colour of the up|x>r part-; the 

 outride of the knee and heel are likewise marked by brilliant black 

 spots, which oontnut strongly with the general rust-colour of the 

 extremities, and from which the animal derives it* specific name of 

 mtJiimpm The ears are very long, particularly in the females, which 

 are without horns, and of a smaller nine than the males, hut similar 

 in other respects ; the ears are covered on the ouUide with short red 

 hair, bordered and tipped with black, and the knees are without 

 brushes. We are as yet very imperfectly acquainted with the cha- 

 racters of this magnificent species of antelope, so that it is in it without 

 considerable doubt, and only on the authority of Colonel Smith, that 

 we venture t.i ineltide i in the present group. 



The Pallah inhabit* Kaffraria and the country of the Bachapins or 

 Betchuanas, never descending farther south than the Koosges valley 

 in the one direction and the Kamhanni Mountain* in the other. They 

 reside on the open plains in families of six or eight individuals, run 

 with amazing swiftness, and occasionally leap like the Spring-Buck, 

 which, according to Mr. Burchell, they much resemble in their general 

 habits and manners. They are extremely numerous on the elevated 

 plains in the neighbourhood of Latakoo, and e. institute a favourite 

 object of the chase with the natives, as their flesh, though deficient in 

 fat, is well-tasted and wholesome. Pallah or Phaala is the liachapin 

 name of the animal ; but the mixed Hottentots, who travel into that 

 country from the Cape, distinguish it by the Dutch term Xooge-Boc or 

 Red-Buck, on account of the prevailing colour of its hair. 



AntUope 



Has elongate, sulwpiral, erect, diverging boms; a tapering face; a 

 simple nose; a large crumen; the male with a small suborbital fissure, 

 and a very large suborbital pit; the tubercles and median grooves of 

 the basi-occipital bone well developed. 



15. A. Bczoartica (A. cervicapra, Pallas), the Sasin, or Common 

 Antelope, is remarkable for the form and beauty of its horns, which 

 compose a spiral of two or more turns, according to the age of the 

 This beautiful animal is, when full grown, about 4 feet in 





rnon Antelope (A. cerricapra}. 



length, and 2J feet high at the shoulder ; the head, measured from the 

 DOM to the root of the horn. JK 7 inches long, the ears 54 inches, and 

 the tail, without the hair, 6 inches. The legs are long and delicate ; 

 the body round, but light, and well formed ; the head small ; the eye 

 large, lively, and expressive ; the ears long and cylindrical, the subor- 

 bital sinus particularly developed, and in continual motion ; and the 

 horns forming a complete spiral of two or three turns, wrinkled at the 

 base, distinctly annuhited in the middle, and smooth for a couple of 

 inches next the points. The females, and young males for the first three 

 years of their age, are of a uniform tawny -brown on all the upper parU 

 of the body, with a light silvery band passing longitudinally from the 

 shoulder to the hips, about six inches Mow the spine, on either side ; 

 the breast, lielly, nnd interior of the fore arms and thighs are white ; 

 as is likewise the under surface of the tail, which in rather broad, 

 and furnished with a small tuft of black hairs at the extremity. 

 After their third year, the males begin to assume the adult colours of 

 their sex, and gradually darken on all the upper parts of the bodv, 

 till they finally become almost entirely block above and white beneath ; 

 the nose, lips, and a large circle round each eye being likewise white, 

 but the light bands of the sides completely obliterated. The hair is 

 uniformly short and close over the whole head, body, and extremities, 



except on the knees, which are furnished with tufU of long bristles, 

 forming small knee-brushes. 



The Hasina are so swift that it is useless to slip grin-hound 

 them; as, unless taken by surprise, which their extreme precaution 

 .-1.1 mi tillows, it H ini]KHwible to overtake them, and experience has 

 convinced the Indian sportsmen that the dogs are more likely to be 

 injured in the chase than the game. The bounds also which these 

 animals occasionally take, either for their own amusement or over 

 the long grass when pursued, are said to be almost inconceivable. 

 Captain Williamson, in his splendid work on the 'Wild Sports of the 

 East,' assures us that he has seen an old buck Antelope lead a her.! 

 of females over a net at least 11 foot high, and that they frequently 

 vault to the height of 12 or 18 feet, and pass over 10 or 12 yards at a 

 single bound. They reside on the open plains of India, where they 

 can see to a great distance in every direct! m, live in large families of 

 from 5 or 10 to 60 or 60 grown females to a single male, anil v h. M 

 they feed, or lie down to ruminate, detach a number of the 

 bucks to a distance of 200 or 300 yards on every side to watch ..\.-r 

 the common safety. Nothing escapee the notice of these careful 

 -rutiuels; every bush or tuft of grass that might be suspected to 

 conceal an enemy is strictly and attentively examined, and < 

 first alarm the whole herd betakes itself to flight, following clo- 

 the footsteps of the old buck, and is soon beyond the reach of | 

 The venison is dry and unsavoury, and being held in small esteem, 

 consequently holds out no inducement either to the occasional sports- 

 man or to the professional Indian hunter. The species extends over 

 every part of India, from the borders of Persia to the most eastern 

 parts of which Europeans have any distinct knowledge. It is found 

 on rocky open plains, avoids woody localities and the thick < 

 the forest ; nor is there any certainty of its existing beyond the limits 

 of India, though many zoologists, from Ray to Hamilton Smith. 

 opinion that it likewise inhabits some parts of Africa, The fak 

 dervishes polish the horns, and form them into a kind of otl'.-nsive 

 arms by uniting them at the base ; these they wear at their girdle* 

 instead of swords and daggers, which their vows and religious character 

 prevent them from using. 



Tetratenu 



Has the muffle large; the crumen large, longitudinal; four horns, 

 the front pair very short, placed over the orbita, the hindmost, whieh 

 are conical and straight on the back edge of frontal bone. The skull 

 is like that of Ceplii'/"i'i>*. with the nasal bones not expanded. The 

 suborbital fossa large, shallow, occupying nearly the whole of the < 

 It has no knee-tufts ; and the females are hornless. 



16. T. qvadritornis (Anlilope quadricornit, Blainville), the Chon- 

 singha, is about 2 feet 9 inches in length from the muzzle to the root 

 of the tail ; the tail itself is 5 inches long, and the height at the 

 shoulder about 1 foot 8 or 9 inches. The superior or common horns 

 are about 8 inches long, smooth, black, pointed, erect, and moderately 

 divergent, bending very slightly forwards, and without the least 

 indication of annuli. The spurious or additional pair of horns are 

 placed in front of these, immediately between the orbits, and consist 

 of short, erect, blunt stumps, about three quarters of an ineh in 

 length, 14 inch in circumference at the base, and of the same smooth 

 and black appearance as the real horns. The head is 7 4 inches long, t he 

 ears 4j inches, erect and pointed ; the general colour of the U]I|HT 

 parts is uniform bright bay, and that of the under parts silvery white, 

 more or less mixed with sandy-coloured hairs ; the lips are border..! 

 with black. The females differ frem the males by the absence of 

 horns, and likewise by being of a lighter colour, which character is 

 conspicuous at a very early age, and continues throughout life. 



This species, as well as Tragopt, called Chikara by the Hindoo,. 

 is common in all the wooded parts of India, particularly in Bengal, 

 liahar, and Orissa ; it is monogamous, and lives in pairs -in the forests 

 and thick jungle, being exceedingly wild and active, ami rarely 

 suffering a state of confinement unless taken young. During the 

 rutting Reason the male becomes particularly mischievous, and it is 

 then dangerous tr> approach him, as he buttn at everything within his 

 reach ; the female produces two young at a birth, but the period of 

 gestation has not been recorded. Baron Cuvier supposes, and 

 apparently with reason, that the ancients were acquainted with this 

 species, and that the Four-Horned Oryx of yKlian refers to the 

 modern Chikara. 



17. T. fodet, the Rusty-Red Chousingha, is an Indian species 

 described by It. II. H.idgson, Esq. 



18. T. paccervw, the Full-Horned Chousingha, is another Indian 



-p. -el.--. 



19. T. tubquadricornultu, the Junglib'urka, is distinguished by its 

 front pair of horns being rudimentary and tulM-reular. It. is a native 

 of r.ombny. and there are four specimens, two male and two female, 

 in the collection of the British MIH.-UIII. 



Oatot 



Has the muffle large; the crumen arched, transverse; the horns 

 subulate, elongate, erect ; the hoofs triangular, flattish beneath, acute 

 in front; the false hoofs small or none; the crown of tin- head 



-n th: tin- tail very short; the ears elongate ; the knees not tufted ; 



the females hornless ; the teats four. 



20. C. eampatrif (At, '"tun, Lichtenstein), the Stein-Boc 

 is one of the most graceful and elegant of the antelope tribe. Its 



