RUMINANTIA. 235 



to the height of six or seven feet, the folds are expanded and 

 form a broad circular mark of the purest white extending over 

 the whole croup and hips, producing a very remarkable and 

 pleasing effect. Immensely large herds of these animals are 

 found on arid plains of the interior of South Africa; but when 

 the pools and pastures to which it has been wont to resort, are 

 dried and burnt up by the excessive heat, it migrates to the cul- 

 tivated districts of the Cape. Travelers who have witnessed 

 these marches estimate the numbers that unite in their migra- 

 tions at from 10,000 to 50,000. "Cumming's Adventures" give 

 some graphic views of these " grand migrations." Before the 

 migration is closed, it is said, those which happen to get in the 

 rear of the troop are lean and half starved, being left nearly 

 destitute of food in consequence of the cropping of the scanty 

 pastures almost bare by the preceding ranks ; but when the troop 

 begin to retrace their steps northward, those which formed the 

 van during the advance, are necessarily in the rear returning ; 

 hence they soon lose their plump condition, and, in their turn, 

 are subjected to want and starvation. In their approaches to the 

 settlements of men, thousands of these animals are killed for 

 food. Great numbers of them are also destroyed by panthers, 

 hysenas and wild dogs. On the return of the rainy season, they 

 retrace their steps to the plains of the interior, and in a brief pe- 

 riod not a Spring-Buck is to be seen. So fearful is this animal 

 of man, it is said, that "if it has to cross a path over which a 

 man has passed before, it does not walk over, but takes a leap 

 ten or twelve feet high and about fifteen feet long, at the same time 

 curving its back in the most extraordinary manner." It is from 

 this habit of leaping, the dwellers at the Cape have given it the 

 name of Spring -Buck. 



A. cervicapra. (Lat. stag-goat.) The COMMON ANTELOPE, 

 or SASIN, of India. 



This species is spread in large families, over every part of In- 

 dia's rocky and open plains. It is remarkable for the form and 

 beauty of its horns, which are ringed and spirally convoluted, 

 (Plate VII. fig. 18,) having two or more turns, according to the age 

 of the animal. When full grown, it is four feet long and two and 

 a half feet high ; almost black above and white beneath ; on the 

 knees are tufts of long bristles, forming small knee brushes; the 

 other parts have the hair short and close. The Sasins are soswift 

 that except when taken by surprise, greyhounds are slipped after 

 them in vain ; the dogs are more likely to be injured than the 

 game. Capt. Williamson, in his " Wild Sports of the East," 

 says he has seen an old buck Antelope lead a herd of females 



