THE ANTELOPES AND GAZELLES 147 



THE SABLE AND ROAN ANTELOPES 



We come now to two of the most magnificent of all 

 the long array of African antelopes. First discovered 

 by Cornwallis Harris in the year 1837, in the 

 Magaliesberg Mountains of the country we now call 

 Transvaal, the sable antelope (Hippotragus niger\ 

 by reason of its grand horns, great size, and fine 

 shape and colouring, has ever since been one of the 

 most prized of all African game. Standing as much as 

 4 feet 6 inches at the withers, the sable is one of the 

 noblest and most aristocratic-looking, as it is one of 

 the largest of all the antelopes. Only the eland, the 

 koodoo, and roan antelope exceed it in stature. The 

 horns are truly magnificent sweeping, scimitar-like, 

 in a fine backward curve over the withers, strongly 

 annulated and very sharp at the points. No horned 

 beast in Africa can defend itself more desperately 

 with these weapons, or is more dangerous to approach ; 

 and a bull sable-antelope will kill half a dozen dogs 

 with a few lightning-like sweeps of its terrible horns. 

 A good average pair of bull horns measure from 38 

 to 40 inches, but fine specimens attain as much as 

 48 and even 50 inches. A pair, recorded by Mr. 

 Rowland Ward in the last edition of his Records of 

 Big Game, measure no less than 50-^ inches over the 

 curve. These were obtained in Barotseland, and are 

 in the collection of the Hon. Walter Rothschild. 

 The coat of the full-grown male is wonderfully 

 handsome, almost jet black upon the upper parts, 



VOL. II L 



