OF SELBORNE. 73 



Mr. Ray observed that, at Malta, the owners slit up 

 the nostrils of such asses as were hard worked: for 



some probability to the theory which ascribes to the suborbital sinuses a 

 sexual relation. R. O.] 



[It seems probable that these organs, on the use of which it is by no 

 means creditable to naturalists to have now to speculate, may be designed 

 for the promotion of that intimate acquaintance between animals of the 

 same species which a primary law of nature requires : but it would be 

 difficult to explain in what manner they may avail to such an end. That 

 they have some connexion with the full developement of the animal powers 

 will appear, I think, from the consideration of a series of individuals now 

 living at the Zoological Society's Gardens. 



Among the whole of the deer and antelopes that are provided with 

 suborbital sinuses, none have them more strongly marked than the Indian 

 antelope ; and in none of those animals are they more frequently brought 

 into use. A fully grown male, the moment you approach him, throws 

 back his head and thrusts himself rapidly forwards, as though about to 

 make an attack ; but the backward direction of his long spirally twisted 

 horns, and the freedom with which he offers to you his exposed neck and 

 chest, are scarcely indicative of a hostile movement. He has at this time 

 fully expanded the large bag beneath his eye ; its thick lips, which pout 

 considerably in the quiet state of the animal, are widely separated and 

 thrown back ; and the intervening space is actually everted, the base of 

 the sac forming a projection instead of a hollow. We see the bare skin, 

 covered only by a coating of a dark ceruminous secretion. This, if the 

 hand be within his reach, the animal attempts to rub against the knuckles ; 

 and we then feel that though the lining skin of the sac has no general 

 covering of hair, it is not destitute of a few bristles, which grate against 

 the finger subjected to the friction. The friction is evidently agreeable 

 to the animal, for it is often repeated : at times, it is even continued for a 

 minute or two. After the finger has been subjected for some time to this 

 rubbing, it will be found to have acquired a heavy odour, of a salt and 

 peculiar character. 



The Zoological Society has at present, in its gardens in the Regent's 

 Park, four individuals of the Indian antelope : an adult and aged male, 

 brought by Col. Sykes from Bombay, and presented to the Society nearly 

 five years ago; a younger, yet adult, male, that was presented, in an 

 immature condition, about two years since ; an immature male, lately 

 arrived, and in about the same state of developement as that in which the 

 last mentioned individual was when he was originally presented ; and 

 an emasculated specimen of full growth. The series is singularly com- 

 plete as regards one sex : the other sex has not yet been possessed by the 

 Society, and is, indeed, rarely seen in Europe. Destitute of horns, and 

 never acquiring the rich deep colour of the males, the female is probably 

 considered as less worthy of exportation from the native country of the 

 species. 



During the time that the old male has remained in the Gardens he has 

 constantly behaved in the manner described above : the conduct of his 



