168 



ANTILOPID.E. MAMMALIA, 



-AjTTILOPIDJE. 



to be seen grazing like droves of oxen on the more 

 verdant meadows, through which some silver rivulet 

 winds in rainbow brightness betwixt fringes of sighing 

 bulrushes. Fat and lethargic groups may be seen scat- 

 tered up and down the gentle acclivities, some grazing 

 on the hillside, and others lazily basking in the morning 



sunbeam. Advancing, they appear to move like a 

 regiment of cavalry in single files, the goodliest bulls 

 leading the van; whereas, during a retreat, these it 

 is that uniformly bring up the rear." At one time 

 Elands were abundant in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Cape Town, but now very few are found within the 



borders of the colony. Considering the facilities which 

 exist for their destruction, every effort should be made 

 to follow up the experiments of domestication so suc- 

 cessfully commenced by the Zoological Society, and 

 steps should be duly taken to secure more specimens 

 from the colony, ere they are driven far up into the 

 interior, or altogether exterminated. Finally, we may 

 remark that Dr. Livingstone discovered to the north of 

 Sesheke a beautiful striped variety of Eland, distin- 

 guished by vertical streaks on the back, and by black 

 patches on the outer side of the fore-arm. 



THE HAKTE-BEEST (Acronotus Caama), or CAAMA, 

 is also called Intoosel by the Matabili. It is a large 

 species, with a long head and much elevated shoulders. 

 The horns are of moderate length, approximating closely 

 at the base, diverging at first, and again converging 

 towards the tips. The back, the nose, and the hind 

 and fore legs are marked with dark streaks ; the chin 

 being also black. The general colour of the fur is 

 greyish-brown, with a deep red cast. The tail is hairy 

 and reaches down to the hocks. The Harte-beest occu- 

 pies the plains of the interior of Southern Africa in 

 immense herds, and is one of the most common species. 

 Its flesh, though inferior to that of the eland, is never- 

 theless fine-grained and highly esteemed. The female 

 is provided with two mammse, and produces only one 

 calf at a birth. 



THE S ASS ABE (Acronotus lunata), or BASTARD 

 HAKTE-BEEST, is likewise a native of Southern Africa, 

 occurring in small herds in the district inhabited by 

 the Bechuanas. A full-grown example stands about 



four and a half feet high at the shoulder, and is fur- 

 nished with horns nearly twelve inches in length. The 

 body is stoutish, the neck short, the limbs slender, the 

 withers elevated, the lachrymal sinus inconspicuous, 

 the ears being eight or nine inches long. The general 

 colour of the fur is rufous-grey ; the upper parts and 

 legs have a deep brown tint, the forehead being marked 

 by a dark longitudinal band. The Sassabe is natu- 

 rally tame, but is much hunted by the natives. The 

 female is comparatively small, and furnished with two 

 mammae. 



THE BUBALE (Alcephalus bubalus) is widely distri- 

 buted over the entire regions of Northern Africa, being 

 especially abundant in Barbary. It is gregarious in 

 its habits, and naturally docile in disposition. By 

 the Arab natives it is termed the wild ox, or Bekker-el- 

 Wash. It is a large species, and is readily distinguished 

 by its remarkably compressed and straight forehead. 

 The horns are of moderate length, lyrate, stout at the 

 base, and strongly annulated throughout. 



THE COMMON ANTELOPE (Ant Hope cwvicapra), or 

 SASIN Plate 19, fig. 65 is a native of Persia, India, 

 and the southern parts of Asia generally, .where it 

 dwells on rocky hills and open plains. It stands some- 

 thing less than three feet high at the shoulder, and is 

 furnished with slim legs, a short tail, and a pair of large 

 horns, which are beautifully annulated and spirally 

 curved. The full-grown male is almost black above ; 

 the inside of the legs, under parts of the neck and 

 belly, and the rump remaining white. The Sasin is 

 altogether an elegant species, and remarkably swift of 



