NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



I\i. Le Vuillaut's description ol the blue antelope. 



the place, and had the pleasure of contemplating 

 orfe of the most curious and beautiful species of 

 antelope that Africa produces. 



When he returned, he rewarded his Hottentot 

 generously, and gave him one of his best knivesj 

 with which he flayed the animal with the same 

 dexterity as he had killed it; and the skin was 

 preserved as a valuable acquisition. 



" This antelope," says Vaillant, has been de- 

 scribed by Pennant, under the name of the blue 

 antelope, and by Buffon under that of the tseirdir. 

 The latter has given the figure of a part of its 

 horns : it is rare, and very little known. During 

 my residence in Africa, I never saw more than 

 two of these antelopes, and another which was 

 brought to the governor some years before, when 

 I lived at the Cape Town. These, as well as 

 mine, came from the valley of Soete-Melk, the 

 only canton which they inhabit. I was assured 

 that I should see some of them in the country of 

 the great Nimiquas ; but, notwithstanding this 

 information, and all my researches, I found my- 

 self disappointed: all the savages affirmed that 

 they were unacquainted with them. I was as- 

 sured also, that the female had horns, as well as 

 the male; but 1 can say nothing on that head, 

 since the three which 1 saw were all of the samQ 

 kind. 



" The principal colour of this animal is a faint 

 blue, inclining to grey; but the belly aud the 



