NKW FIELDS TO CONQUER. 415 



There are upward of 150 species of antelopes, most all of 

 which are African, and range in size from the madoqua, about the 

 dimensions of a hare, to the eland, as large as a horse. Some 

 frequent the water courses, while others live in the desert far from 

 streams of any sort. One of the chief factors in savins: many of 

 the species from extinction is the ability of the antelopes to go with- 

 out water. 



The chamois, which is one of the half-dozen species of ante- 

 lope found outside of the Dark Continent, frequents the loftiest 

 mountain peaks of Europe, and is said to rarely drink. Our own 

 so-called Rocky Mountain goat is an antelope of similar habits to 

 the chamois. 



DISTINGUISHING POINTS OF THE DEER AND ANTELOPE. 



It was easy enough to separate the antelopes from the deer 

 (although many approach the deer so closely that the hornless 

 females of the two families can hardly be distinguished apart), 

 because all deer have a peculiar kind of horn, properly called antler. 



The horns of the antelopes are highly characteristic, being 

 always rounded or conical and never branched, as are the deer's 

 antlers. Aloreover, they are bent backward, cylindrical or com- 

 pressed and ringed at the base. They assume the most fantastic 

 forms in different species, the corkscrew-like twist being not un- 

 common, while spirals, undulations and wavy effects are much in 

 vogue. 



The sable antelope has great, long, sweeping, scimitar-shaped 

 horns, which look as if they were made up of many separate buttons 

 of bone strung together on a rod. Some of the long, slender, 

 rapier-like horns make excellent substitutes for swords when well 

 polished, and the Dervishes, whose vows forbid them to touch 

 weapons made by human hands, taking advantage of this fact, 

 make most satisfactory daggers and swords of the sharp-pointed 

 horns of the antelopes. 



Not until the second day's hunt near Kampala was either of 

 the part}^ successful in securing any game, then Kermit bagged a 

 fine specimen of the male sitatunga. 



