676 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



The discoverer of the species, T. W. H. Clarke, writes (in Thomas, 

 1891, pp. 209-210) : 



"I saw this Gazelle for the first time on December 17th, 1890, 

 about three hours from 'Bairwell,' or about one day from 'Buroa 

 Well, Habergerhagi's country/ and afterwards on the road all the 

 way into the Marchan [ = Marehan] district, 8 N. 47 E. . . . 



"The new Gazelle ... is more numerous than any other kind of 

 game, excepting G. soemmeringi .... 



"I never saw more than eight in a bunch." 



Swayne (1894, pp. 318-319) gives the following account: 



The Dibatag is common enough where it is found at all, but it is very 

 local in its distribution. 



Since Mr. Clarke first discovered it in the distant Marehan country, to 

 the south-east, and in the Dolbahanta country, a few have been met with and 

 shot by sportsmen in the eastern parts of the Haud Waterless Plateau. . . . 



I searched for Dibatag at Tur, a jungle due south of Toyo grass-plains, 

 the distance being some eighty miles from Berbera. . . . 



I saw a good many Dibatag, but all were wild and shy. This is their ex- 

 treme western limit, and they never by any chance come so far south [= north] 

 as the Golis range. Further east, towards Buro, they are more plentiful and 

 less shy. . . . 



The Dibatag goes singly or in pairs, or small families up to half a dozen 

 or so. 



Elliot (1897, p. 124) secured six specimens south of Toyo Plain 

 in British Somaliland and met with the species from that area "east- 

 ward to the land of the Dolbahanta. It does not seem to be very 

 numerous." 



Aylmer (in Sclater and Thomas, 1898, vol. 3, p. 224) refers to the 

 Leopard as the Dibatag's deadliest enemy. 



Jackson writes (in Sclater and Thomas, 1898, vol. 3, pp. 224-225, 

 map) : 



I first saw Dibatag between Bair and Kirrit. They appear to be scattered 

 all over the country between Bair and Hodayu [Ethiopia], and I found them 

 most plentiful about 25 miles from Kirrit. . . . 



Travelling eastward from Hodayu they gradually appeared to grow less 

 plentiful, and the last record I have of having seen one was about 150 miles 

 from Hodayu. After this I saw no more until between Dagha Dalola [Italian 

 Somaliland] and Mudug, about 130 miles from the former, in the Mijourten 

 country. Here I was surprised to find them again very plentiful for three 

 days, and I saw a few on the following three days, after which they again 

 ceased. A week afterwards I found them again plentiful in the Marehan 

 country, gradually diminishing in numbers as we travelled south; the last 

 I saw was about 40 miles before we struck the Webbe Shebeyli. On the 

 homeward journey I came across an odd pair now and then in the south 

 of the Ogaden country [Ethiopia]. 



"This antelope . . . has been found 30 miles north-east of Ber at 

 Galol Dobleh (Parkinson), but it is more commonly found through- 



