THE BLUE ANTELOPE. 271 



Blue antelope obtained by M. Le VailJant. 



colour. The breast and belly are white, and 

 there is a broad white mark beneath each eye. 

 The tail is about seven inches in length, and is 

 covered with long hairs. The horns form a 

 handsome curve, gracefully inclining backward: 

 they are adorned with twenty-four rings or an- 

 nulations ; the uppermost quarter of the horn is 

 very smooth, and runs tapering to a sharp point. 



When M. Le Vaillant was at a place called 

 Tiger-Hoec, at some distance from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, he once saw such flocks of ante- 

 lopes that the whole country seemed covered 

 with them ; when one of his Hottentots, who was 

 armed with a fusee, running up to him, informed 

 him that he perceived a blaazv-bok, or blue goat : 

 squatting down, he then begged him to remain 

 quiet, assuring him that he would 3OQn put him 

 in possession of the animal. 



He immediately made a turn round, creeping 

 on his knees, while his master, who had not per- 

 ceived the animal, could not comprehend the 

 meaning of this stratagem. Soon after it rose 

 up, and began to browse quietly without remov- 

 ing from the place, appearing at a distance not 

 unlike a white horse, till its horns became ob* 

 servable. 



In the meantime the Hottentot continued to 

 drag,himself along on his belly, and approaching 

 quickly near enough to take aim, fired at it, upon 

 which it instantly fell. He then made up to the 



VOL. IJ. NO. XIV. <l M 



