106 MAMMALIA. 



M. Geoffrey has advantageously added those afforded by the substance of the 

 frontal prominence or the bony nucleus of the horn. 



ANTILOPB. 



The substance of the bony nucleus of the horns of the Antelopes is solid, and 

 without pores or sinus, like the antlers of the stag. They resemble the stags 

 moreover in the h'ghtness of their figure and their swiftness. It is a very 

 numerous genus, which naturalists have divided, and principally according to 

 the form of the horns. 



Div. a. includes the Gazelle. (A. dorcas, Lin.) Has the horns annulated with a 

 double curvature directed forwards, inwards, or upwards. This species inhabits 

 the north of Africa, where they li ve in large herds. It is the usual prey of the 

 lion and panther. The soft expression of its eye has furnished numerous 

 images to the Arabian poets. 



Div. b. The Antelope of India. (A. cervicape, Pallas.) Is very like the 

 gazelle, but its horns are annulated with a triple curve. They are used in 

 India as weapons. 



Div.c. The Barbary Cow, (A bubalis, Lin.,) belongs to this division; which 

 has the horns annulated, with a double curve, but winding in an 

 opposite direction to those of the preceding division the points 

 being directed backwards as in the engraving. 



Div. d. Horns small, straight, or but slightly curved ; less than the head. 

 The Woolly Antelope (A. lanata, Desmar) belongs to this division. 



Div. e. Horns annulated with a simple curve, the points directed forwards ; 

 the REDUNCE of Smith. 



Div.f. Horns annulated, straight or but slightly curved, and larger than 

 the head. The OXYX, Smith. 



Div. ff. Horns annulated with a simple curve, points directed backwards. 

 The Blue Antelope (A. leucophcea, Gm.) belongs to this division. 



Div. A. Horns encircled with a spiral ridge. 



Div. i. Horns bifurcated, (Antilocapre of Ord ; Dicranoceros, Hamilton 

 Smith) ; of all the forms of hollow horns, this is the most singular ; a com- 

 pressed fork is given off from their base or trunk, almost like the tine or 

 antler of a deer ; the pointed tips curve backwards. 



Div. k. Four horns (Tetracera, Leach.) This subdivision, lately discovered 

 in India, was not unknown to the ancients. JElian speaks of it by the name 

 of the four-horned orya : the anterior pair of horns are before the eyes, the 

 posterior pair completely behind the frontal. 



Div. /. Two smooth horns ; to this division belong the Nylgau (A. pietu, 

 Gm.), and the Gnu, (A. gnu, Gm.) A very singular animal, which at first 

 glance seems composed of parts of different animals. It has the body and 

 croup of a small horse, covered with brown hairs ; the tail furnished with long 

 white hairs, like that of a horse ; and on the neck a beautiful straight mane, 

 the hairs of which are white at the base and black at the tip. The horns 

 approximated, and enlarged at the base like those of the Cape Buffalo, descend 

 outwardly and turn up at the point ; its muzzle is large, flat, and surrounded 



