The Antelopes 



253 



very nearly related to the last-named species, whose place it takes south of the Tana River in 

 certain districts of British and German East Africa. In general appearance there is a strong 

 family resemblance between the different species of oryx. In all of them both sexes carry 

 horns, which are considerably longer, though somewhat slighter, in the females than in the 

 males. In the white oryx the horns are curved backwards ; but in the other four species they 

 are straight, or nearly so. In all the faces are conspicuously banded with black and white, 

 and the tails long, with large dark terminal brushes. The two most desert-loving species, the 

 white and the Beatrix oryx, are paler in general body-colour than the other three, and 

 the latter animal is considerably smaller than any other member of the group, standing not 

 more than 35 inches at the withers. The gemsbuck is the largest and undoubtedly the 

 handsomest of the group, standing 4 feet at the shoulders ; the horns of the females are 

 often upwards of 40 inches long, and have been known to attain a length of 48 inches. 



In habits ail species of oryx seem to be very similar. They are denizens of the arid sun- 

 scorched plains of Africa, which are not necessarily devoid of all kind of vegetation, but are 

 often covered with stunted bush, and carry a plentiful crop of coarse grass after rain. Oryx 

 usually run in herds of 

 from four or five to fifteen 

 or twenty, though the 

 beisa, the most abundant 

 of the group, has been 

 met with in troops 

 numbering 400 or 500 

 head. All the oryx are 

 shy and wary, and in the 

 open country they usually 

 frequent are difficult to 

 approach on foot. If 

 pursued on horseback, 

 they run at a steady 

 gallop, which they can 

 maintain for long 

 distances, swinging their 

 bushy black tails from 

 side to side, and holding 

 their heads in such a 

 way that their long 

 straight horns are only 



sloped slightly backwards. Fleet and enduring, however, as oryx undoubtedly are, I am of 

 opinion that in these respects the gemsbuck of South Africa, at any rate, is inferior to all 

 other large antelopes living in the same country, with the single exception of the eland. I 

 have often, when mounted on a fast horse, galloped right up to herds of gemsbuck, and on 

 two occasions have run antelopes of this species to an absolute standstill. Oryx of all 

 species should be approached with caution when badly wounded, as they are liable to make 

 short rushes, and can use their horns with great effect. 



Nearly related to the antelopes of the Oryx group in many essential characteristics, yet at 

 once distinguishable by its spiral horns and broad reindeer-like feet, the desert-haunting ADDAX 

 has been placed in a separate genus, of which it is the sole representative. 



This remarkable animal stands about 38 inches in height at the withers, and varies in 

 general colour at different seasons of the year, from brownish grey to a reddish hue. The 

 forehead is covered with a thick growth of bushy black hair, beneath which there is a patch 

 of white extending across the nose to under the eyes. The hindquarters, tail, and legs 

 are white. The horns are spiral, aiid are present in both sexes. In the male they attain 



GROUP OF BEISA ORYX. 



This most interesting photograph, taken by Lord Delamere, shows a group of these fine antelopes on the 



Bast African plains. 



