290 ANTELOPES 



the reader may refer to an article in the Field newspaper for 1907 

 (vol. ex. p. 249). 



Before leaving this portion of the subject, it should be mentioned 

 that those naturalists who transfer the name Oryx leucoryx to the 

 Beatrix oryx employ the designation 0. algazael for the present 

 species. 



Of the white oryx in its native haunts there is a dearth of informa- 

 tion. Its habits are, however, doubtless in the main similar to those 

 of the other members of the group, although, so far as can be ascer- 

 tained, this oryx associates in parties of smaller size than is the case 

 with its darker-coloured relatives. 



THE SABLE ANTELOPE 

 (Hippotragus niger) 



Zwart Wtt Pens, CAPE DUTCH ; Potoquani, SOUTHERN BECHUANA ; 

 Qualata inchu, BAMANGWATO AND MAKALOLO ; Umtjiele, 

 AMANDEBILI ; Palapala, MAKALAKA ; Impetigo, MASUBIA ; 

 Ukwa, MAKOBA ; Impalampala, SWAZI AND ZULU ; Solupi, 

 MASARA BUSHMEN ; Pala-hala, SWAHILI ; Kwalala n'tso, 

 BAROTSI ; Mperembi, CHILALA AND CHIBISA ; Mpalara, 

 M'RUA. 



(PLATE xii, figs. 4 and 5) 



With this magnificent antelope, which runs the kudu hard as a 

 claimant to be considered the finest representative of the whole tribe, 

 we come to the typical genus of the subfamily Hippotragina. This 

 genus includes the largest members of the group, and is characterised 

 by the stout and heavily ridged horns rising at an obtuse angle to the 

 plane of the face, and then sweeping backwards in a scimitar-like curve. 

 A well-developed and often upright mane clothes the neck ; the throat 

 is more or less distinctly maned ; the moderate tail is terminally tufted ; 

 the long pointed ears are characterised by their excessive size ; and 

 there are tufts of long white hair below the eyes. 



The sable coat of both sexes, white under-parts, gazelle-like face- 

 markings, in which the white eye-stripe is continued downwards to join 

 the white of the muzzle, the moderate size of the ears, the length of the 

 mane, and the enormous horns of the bucks, render this antelope so 

 easy of recognition that detailed description is superfluous. It will 



