214 THE SPRINGER OB SPRINGBOCK. 



flock described by Mr Burchell, and their numbers- 

 everywhere met with is immense ; but Pringle again 

 observes, that, on the banks of the little Fish River, 

 " so numerous were these herds, that they literally 

 speckled the face of the country as far as the eye 

 could reach, insomuch that we calculated we hail 

 sometimes within view not less than 20,000 of these 

 beautiful animals." 



The general colour of the Springbock is fulvous 

 brown, beneath white, but the colours are distinctly 

 separated by a dark brown band upon the flanks ; 

 but the most curious appearance in the structure of 

 the animal, is two folds of skin ascending from the 

 root of the tail, and terminating upon the croup. 

 They dilate when the animal is bounding, and expose 

 a large triangular space (otherwise concealed) of pure 

 white-coloured hair, edged by two dark-coloured 

 streaks. 



It is this animal winch commits so much damage 

 during the passage of its vast migratory herds ; while 

 at the same time it affords a most ample sustenance 

 to the African beasts of prey. 



Plate Twenty-eight exhibits another animal belong- 

 ing apparently to this group, inhabiting Northern Af- 

 rica. 



