THE GAZELLE. 



207 



IS inhabited by the Esquimaux, and is known to them under the name 

 of Oomiugnoak. It is a fleet and active animal, and traverses with 

 such ease the rocky and precipitous ground on which it loves to dwell 

 that it cannot be overtaken by any pursuer less swift than an arrow or 

 a bullet. It is a rather irritable animal, and becomes a dangerous foe 

 to the hunters by its habit of charging upon them while they are per- 

 plexed amid the cliffs and crevices of its rocky home, thus often escap- 

 ing unharmed by the aid of its quick eye and agile limbs. The flesh 

 of this animal is very strongly perfumed with a musky odor, very va- 

 riable in its amount and strength. Excepting, however, a few weeks 

 in the year, it is perfectly fit for food, and is fat and well flavored. 



The Musk Ox is a little animal, but, owing to the huge mass of 

 woolly hair with which it is thickly covered, appears to be of consider- 

 able dimensions. The color of this animal is a yellowish brown, deep- 

 ening upon the sides. 



ANTELOPES. 



The Antelopes form a large and important group of animals, find- 

 ing representatives in many portions of the globe. Resembling the 

 deer in many respects, they are easily to be distinguished from those 

 animals by the character of the horns, which 

 are hollow at the base, set upon a solid core 

 like those of the oxen, and are permanently 

 retained throughout the life of the animal. 

 Indeed, the Antelopes are allied very closely 

 to the slieep and goats, and in some instances 

 are very goat-like in external form. In all 

 cases the Antelopes are light and elegant of 

 body, their limbs are gracefully slender, and 

 are furnished with small cloven hoofs. The 

 tail is never of any great length, and in many 

 species is very short. The horns, set above 

 the eyebrows, are either simply conical or are 

 bent so as to resemble the two horns of the 

 ancient lyre, and are therefore termed " ly- 

 rate" in technical language. 



The well-known Gazelle is found in great numbers in Northern 

 Africa, where it lives in herds of considerable size, and is largely hunt- 

 ed by man and beast. 



Trusting to its swift limbs for its safety, the Gazelle will seldom, if 

 ever, attempt to resist a foe, unless it be actually driven to bay in some 

 spot from whence it cannot escape, but prefers to flee across the ^andy 

 plains, in which it loves to dwell, with the marvellous speed for which 



The Antelope. 



