CiiAP. XXXV.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 309 



The boute-biick is the twentieth and last known 

 species of the antelope tribe * that is to be met with 

 in Southern Africa, remote from the sea-coast. It 

 was formerly common in the Cape Colony, and a 

 few are even still preserved in the district of Swel- 

 lendam, a fine of five hundred rix dollars beinor 

 attached to their destruction, unless by special 

 license from Government. In point of shape and 

 size, the bonte-buck bears a close resemblance to the 

 bles-buck, being equally robust, hump-backed, and 

 broad-nosed; but it is more remarkably piebald, 

 the legs being perfectly white, and the horns black, 

 instead of being hght-coloured. The tw^o animals 

 have in common, a broad blaze down the face, a 

 giazed bluish -white back, wearing the appearance 

 of a saddle, and fiery red eyes. The horns are 

 placed vertically on the summit of the head, and 

 both species alike invariably scour against the wind, 

 with their noses close to the ground. Numbers of 

 these antelopes had fallen to our rifles during the 

 last few days, and several of the common quagga 

 also. That quadruped had now entirely supplanted 

 Burcheirs zebra, and its flesh, although infinitely 

 more yellow, rank, and oily than that of a horse, 

 was greatly esteemed by the Hottentots. 



During this part of our journey, I again met 

 with the oryx, or gemsbok, which splendid antelope 



* I have retained the term antelope as applied to the eland, 

 gnoo, koodoo, and others, with the view of avoiding confusion. 

 The modern classification of these aniir.als v, ill l>e found in the 

 Appendix. 



