254 ANTELOPES 



succession ; but in the dry season the gazelles must go sometimes for 

 long intervals before they can find an opportunity of drinking. The 

 dews sometimes are very heavy, and perhaps the moisture obtained 

 from the grass in the early morning is sufficient for their needs. The 

 horns of the male are rather straight, and annulated nearly to the tips, 

 which are inclined to turn slightly forward ; while those of the female 

 are straighter and more slender. The average length of the male's 

 horns would be about I I inches along the curve ; that of the female 

 possibly 7 inches. In colour there is considerable variation among 

 individuals. The typical style has a broad, conspicuous chestnut- 

 band running lengthwise on the body just above the white of the 

 belly ; but certain individuals, evidently of equal age and of the same 

 sex, taken at the same time and place, and in the same condition of 

 coat, were entirely without this distinguishing mark. It is difficult to 

 account for this, unless it be individual variation, as the specimens 

 were not confined to any especial locality ; neither was it due to 

 difference of age, as fully adult animals were destitute of the stripe ; 

 and, as already stated, it was not confined to one sex. Pelzeln's 

 gazelle is a handsome graceful creature, very fleet of foot, and an 

 ornament to any locality where it dwells ; but its flesh has little 

 flavour, is not often tender, and is always destitute of fat." 



THE RHIM OR LODER'S GAZELLE 



(Gazella leptoceros} 



Rhim, ARABIC, IN ALGERIA ; Ghazal abiad, IN TUNISIA AND EGYPT 



(PLATE ix, fig. 8) 



The name by which this species is generally known savours 

 somewhat of false pretences ; for this gazelle was named so long ago 

 as 1842, and was only rediscovered by Sir E. G. Loder in the latter 

 part of the same century. The Arabic title rhim is therefore certainly 

 a better designation. In connection with this it may be mentioned 

 that an animal referred to in the Hebrew text of the Bible as the 

 rhim appears in all probability to be the extinct aurochs or wild ox. 

 If this be so, the transference of the name rhim to a gazelle is precisely 

 analogous to the adoption of aurochs as the designation of the bison. 



From all the species hitherto mentioned the rhim is at once 

 distinguished by the great length, slenderness, and comparative 



