THE CAMELEOPARD OF NORTH AFRICA 



Cameleopardalis antiquorum. 

 PLATE XXI. 



MODERN zoologists have considered that the nor- 

 thern and southern regions of Africa possessed sepa- 

 rate species of this extraordinary animal, and have 

 lately appropriated to that of the north the title of " 6* 

 antiquorum" as being the animal known to the an- 

 cient Greeks and Romans, and to the old Egyptians, 

 as proved by the appearance of the creature on the 

 sculpture of the latter, and by the histories of the 

 former, which we have handed down with apparent 

 authenticity. We are ignorant, however, yet how 

 far the limits of each extend, but know that ooe or 

 other of them range from the most southern extre- 

 mity of the Cape to the very north ; not very un- 

 common in the more unexplored regions, but rapidly 

 decreasing wherever a commencing civilization has 

 begun to plant her steps. 



The present figure is that of an animal from the 

 north, taken in the vicinity of Senaar and Darfour ; 

 and the woodcut at the commencement of the de- 

 scription is also from the northern animals described 

 by Ruppel; and as it is in this organ that che princi- 



