MAMMALIA 345 



crescent patches across the throat, on the under surfaces, and in a broad 

 heart-shaped patch around the brown scut of a tail." This whiteness of 

 stern belongs in a greater or less degree to nearly all the ruminants and to 

 other gregarious animals. It is thought to be a recognition mark by which 

 the young and other members of a herd follow the leader or one another. 

 The prong-horns are gregarious. The prong-horn is, or used to be, a crea- 

 ture of the plains, living on the dry bush grass, and avoiding these wolf- and 

 wildcat-inhabited thickets, but now frequently seeks their cover. The 

 young fawns (usually two) cling close upon the heels of the mother, which 

 defends them with lowered horns and sharp, striking feet. The fur is use- 

 less, but the flesh is delicious. 



The cattle family {Bo'vidoe) contains the wild cattle, the bison or buffalo, 

 sheep, goats, and antelopes. They are distiiiguislied l)y divided hoofs and 

 unbranched horns, which consist of a hollow slieath growing over a horny 

 core, which are never shed. As a rule they are present in both sexes. 

 They have no upper canine teeth. They are heribvorous, preferring grass 

 and herbage. Only a few examples can be mentioned here. 



The antelopes, so far as we know, are the oldest of all bovine animals. 

 They date from tlie Miocene. They differ from true cattle in their more 

 graceful form, in that the horns, when curved, curve backward toward 

 the neck. Their skin is usually smooth and sleek. They are now limited 

 to Europe, Asia, and Africa, predominating in tropical Africa. The 

 sable antelope {Hippot'ragus nVger), says Gumming, "is the rarest and most 

 beautiful animal in Africa. It is large and strong, looking much like the 

 ibex. Its back and sides are glossy black and the under parts pure white. 

 The horns are upward of 3 feet in length and bend strongly back with a bold 

 sweep, reaching nearly to the haunches." The mane is erect, the hide satin- 

 like, and the whole attitude fearless and noble. Like all the antelopes, it 

 has an equine form and gait. It is readily tamed and seems able to breed 

 in captivity. These antelopes love to pasture on the open plain, a few to- 

 gether, mostly chestnut cows, says Ingersoll, and "the horns are used with 

 undaunted courage even when attacked by lions." 



We cannot refrain from mentioning the small, active, beautiful gazelle. 

 "The skin is as sleek as satin, of a color difficult to describe, as it varies 

 between the lightest mauve and yellowish brown," the belly and legs from 

 the knee down are white, the hoof tapers to a sharp point. "The head of 

 the buck is ornamented by gracefully curved, annulated horns, perfectly 

 black, and generally from 9 to 12 inches long on the bend. The eye is the 

 vtell-known perfection, the full, large, soft, and jet-black eye of the gazelle." 

 The Dorcas gazelles are found in twos and threes all over Egypt. They feed 

 upon juicy plants and shrubs, and visit the crops at night. They may stand 

 motionless untii the hunter is within rifle shot and then fairly skim the groud 

 in their flight. 



A.ssociated with the antelopes are the ugly gnus of South Africa. 



Sheep and goats are very closely allied, the goats differing from the 

 sheep in their -slight build, in the beard of the male, and in the horns, which 

 are arched over the back instead of spirally curved, as is the rule with sheep. 



True goats {Ca'pra) are almost exclusively Patearctic. They are repre- 

 sented by the Spanish ibex iC . iiijrnKiinA. tlie steinbock {C. ibex) of the 

 Alps and Tyrol, and the Persian wild gd.il (' '. lujiuinis). The Persian wild 

 goat is probably the principal species frdin w iiicli tlie tame goats are derived. 

 According to Mr. Blanford, the "bezoar stones," the concretions of various 

 lime salts found in the stomach, were supposed to be of great virtue as an 

 antidote for poison. One stone of 4 ounces once sold in Europe for £200. 



