EDMI GAZELLE 251 



THE EDMI OR ATLAS GAZELLE 



(Gazella cuvieri) 



Edmi OR At/wi, ARABIC, IN ALGERIA ; Edem IN TUNISIA 

 (PLATE ix, figs. 4 and 5) 



Although its range includes a portion of the country coming 

 within the distributional area of the dorcas, namely Morocco, Algeria, 

 and western Tunisia, the edmi is never found in association with the 

 latter. On the contrary, while the dorcas is a dweller on the plains, 

 the edmi is essentially a mountaineer, and has been obtained at an 

 elevation of between 6000 and 7000 feet on the Algerian border of 

 Tunisia. It is said, indeed, to be as good a cragsman as the 

 chamois ; and may often be found amid the juniper -forests on the 

 slopes of the Atlas. 



From the dorcas the present species is readily distinguished by 

 its superior stature (26 to 27 inches at the shoulder), the imperfectly 

 lyrate form of the horns, which diverge more or less regularly upwards, 

 the presence of a black spot on the top of the muzzle, and the rough 

 character of the hair, which is also more fulvous in colour. The 

 general colour of the upper-parts is dull fawn, with an indistinct dark 

 flank-band, well-defined face- markings, a black crest on the terminal 

 portion of the tail, and the under-parts, buttocks, and inner surfaces of 

 the fore-legs white. The record horn-length is 14^ inches. 



In Asia the edmi is represented by the rather smaller Merrill's 

 gazelle (Gazella merrilli, or G. gasella) of Palestine, by the Arabian 

 gazelle (G. arabica], and by the saikik gazelle ( G. yarcandensis\ typically 

 from Yarkand, but represented by a race (G. y. kenniont) in eastern 

 Persia and Afghanistan which is the largest of all. 



SPEKE'S GAZELLE 



(Gasella spcket} 



Dhero, SOMALI 



(PLATE ix, fig. 6) 



The East African representative of the edmi appears to be Spckc's 

 gazelle of the high plateau of Somaliland, ranging from the Golis 



