BUMINANTIA.. 237 



ing " scarcely the size of a good English hare ; " the color is like 

 that of the American Gray Squirrel, intermixed with deep red- 

 dish brown above, and pure unmixed white beneath ; the tail is a 

 mere stump ; the legs very long in proportion to the weight of 

 the body, and so small that they scarcely equal the little finger 

 in thickness. 



A. perpusilla. (Lat. very small.) KLEENE.BOC. 



This is an exceedingly small species, about a foot high with 

 horns only an inch and a half long ; found at the Cape of South 

 Africa, and called by the Dutch Colonists, Kleene-Boc, (Little 

 Goat-) When domesticated, it soon becomes familiar, and learns 

 to answer to its name. 



CERVINE ANTELOPES. 



A. oryx. (Gr. "ou, orux, a gazelle.) The GEMS-Boc or 

 ORYX.) 



This strong cervine animal is about five feet long, and from 

 three to four feet high, found in the southern and central parts 

 of Southern Africa, and once common but now rare in the Cape 

 Colony. It possesses many of the beautiful peculiarities of the 

 antelopes, but in form it is somewhat anomalous. The horns are 

 black and almost perfectly straight, and situated in the plane of 

 the forehead, about 2^ feet long, blunt in the male, but very sharp- 

 pointed in thtf female ; (Plate VII. fig. 20.) the general color cf 

 the body is dark rusty iron gray above, but the head and under 

 parts are white. There are beautifully black bands on the head 

 and flanks, producing a contrast of colors which has a singular 

 effect upon the animal's appearance. In coloring and height, 

 the Gerris-Boc resembles the Ass ; but in its erect mane and its 

 long sweeping tail it is like the horse, while its head and hoofs 

 are those of the antelope. It always keeps to the open field, 

 living in small families. 



Anderson says "it is the swiftest quadruped he met in South 

 Africa, and lives on grass, succulent plants, (often of a very ac- 

 rid taste,) shrubs, &c. It rarely if ever attacks man, but can 

 defend itself with its formidable horns, even against the lion." 

 Others say that even " the lion himself is afraid to attack this 

 powerful and courageous animal, and that sometimes when 

 pressed by famine, he has ventured to do so, he has been beaten 

 off* with disgrace, or even paid for his temerity with his life." 

 The Oryx has been said to live without water, but Anderson re- 

 marks that "troops" of this animal "have been found dead or 

 dying near pools purposely poisoned by the natives to capture wild 

 animals." 



