THE SOMALI KLIPSPRINGER 

 Oreotragus somalicus, Neum. 



Somali name, AHkut 



DESCRIPTION. The Klipspringer is the most peculiar of all 

 the Somali antelopes, especially as regards the bristly hair of its 

 coat and the cylindrical formation of its hoofs, on the very tips of 

 which it appears to balance itself when on the alert. In the coat, 

 each hair looks not unlike a diminutive porcupine quill, giving the 

 whole a speckled bristly appearance. The tail is very short. The 

 hair on the abdomen and chest is of a creamy white colour with a 

 tinge of pink in it. The horns, which are short and straight, rise 

 up vertically from the skull, and are parallel to each other through- 

 out their extent they are annulated for about half their extent, 

 and seldom exceed 4 in. in length. The hoofs, as above 

 mentioned, are peculiar both the fore and hind ones being abso- 

 lutely identical they are perhaps more conical than cylindrical 

 in shape. As a rule, only the males bear horns. 



MEASUREMENTS. The following are measurements of one shot 

 on the Golis Range : 



Length from nose to root of tail . . . 30^ in. 



Length of tail 3 



Height at shoulder 20 



Weight 25 Ib. 



Horns : 



Length 4^ in. 



Circumference at base 2 



Ti P to tip 3j 



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