114 



ANTELOPES 



rump-patch. As a similar dorsal stripe occurs in the young of one of 

 the species of gnu, it is probable that the adult of both hartebeests 

 and gnus were originally marked in this manner, and that the occur- 

 rence of a dorsal stripe in one variety of the lelwel hartebeest (p. 108) 

 is thus a reversion to the ancestral type. 



THE HEROLA OR HUNTER'S HARTEBEEST 



(Damaliscus Jiunteri] 



Herola, GALLA ; Aroli, SOMALI 

 (PLATE v, fig. i) 



With this species we come to a group of antelopes close akin to 

 the more typical hartebeests, from which they are distinguished by 

 the shorter face, the absence of a distinct horn-pedicle, the want of a 

 sudden angulation in the horns themselves, which generally form a 

 simple curve, and the less marked elevation of the withers and falling- 

 away of the hind-quarters. The species may be arranged in the 

 following three groups : 



A. Horns doubly curved, at first directed upwards and outwards/ 

 then bending slightly downwards, after which their long smooth tips 

 again point upwards. 



Herola, or Hunters Hartebeest. 



B. Horns curving regularly backwards or slightly lyre -shaped, 

 with only the short tips recurving upwards. 



Korrigum, Topi, or Tiang. 



Bontebok. 



Blesbok. 



C. Horns at first inclined outwards, with a single crescentic curve 

 upwards and backwards. 



Tsessebe or Sassaby. 



Standing about 48 inches at the withers, the herola, which ranges 

 from southern Somaliland to the north bank of the Tana river, is 

 sufficiently distinguished from the other members of the group by 

 its long doubly-curved horns. Its general colour is rufous fawn, much 

 like that of Coke's hartebeest, but the forehead has a distinct white 

 chevron, with the angle directed upwards, and the lower half of the 

 tail is white. . The horns are heavily ringed for the first twelve 



