128 



Div. 1. YERTEBRATE ANBIALS.— MAMMALIA. 



Class 1. 



-'ix^ 



¥\g. 59— Great Bash Antelope. 



I ig. (iU.— Meen bok {.-I. tra^ulus). 



Small, straight, or but slightly curved horns, shorter than the head ; peculiar, in most of the species, to the 



male sex, [and placed far backward, behind the eyes : these 

 animals have a distinct maxillary gland, and naked muzzle ; 

 there is generally a tuft of long hair between the horns. The 

 crupper is broad and elevated, the body heavy, and general 

 form approximating that of the small Musks (Tragidiu), 

 the Hog Deer, and, we may add, the Agoutis : they are de- 

 nominated Bush Antelopes (Philantomba, Ogilby), from their 

 natural haunts. 



At their head may be placed the Great Bush Antelope 

 (A. silvicultrix), much larger than the rest, and dark-coloured, 

 with a white stripe along the back, becoming very broad on 

 the crupper. In its train follow, — A. mcrgens, pygnuea, Max- 

 wellii, perspicilla, Natalensis, philantomba, BurchelUi, 

 grimmca, and one or two others ; some of them very dimi- 

 nutive : the delicate little A. saltiana appears to rank on the 

 extreme confines. The author likewise admits a very peculiar 

 species, the Klip-springer (A. oreotragm), distinguished by its stiff brittle hair, of a greenish-yellow colour, and espe- 

 cially by the singular structure of its hoofs, which do not expand 

 or project forwards, their outline being perpendicular with the 

 leg : its name signifies rock-springer. He also places here the 

 Woolly Antelope {A. lanata, Desm.).] 



e. Annulated horns with a simple curve, the point directed 

 forward (lledunca. Smith). [Tlie muzzle still naked. 



To this group belong the A. redunca, scoparia, quadriscopa, 

 montana, traguliis, capreolus, eleotrngiis, isabellina, Lalandii, 

 pedeotragus, ruftsceni, viadagua, melanotis, &c.] 



/. Horns annulated, straight, or a little curved, and longer 

 than the head (Oryx, Smith, in part). 



llie Oryx {A. oryx, Pallas). — As large as a Stag, with slender 

 boms two or three feet long, straight, pointed, round, the basal 

 third obliquely annulated, and smaller in the females. It is found 

 northward of the Cape, and in the interior of Africa. The length 

 of its hoof, which is greater than in the other species, enables it to climb rocks, and it prefer.s mountain 

 districts. 

 The Algazel (A. gazella, Lin. j [A. bezoastica, H. Smith]. — Inhabits North Africa, from Nubia to Senegal. It is 



often sculptured on the monuments of Egypt and Nubia ; 

 and M. Lichtenstein thinks that it is the true Oryx of the 

 ancients. [The A. leuron/.r, which is distinct, and A. bcisa, 

 require to be here ad<led. Perhaps also the Anoa depressi- 

 rostris, Auct.] 



g. Horns annulated, with a simple curve, the points di- 

 rected backward. 



The Blue Antelope (A. leiicop/uca, Gni.). — A little larger 

 than the Stag, of a bluish ash-colour ; large horns in both 

 sexes, uniformly curved, with more than twenty rings. 



The Equine Antelope (A. equina, Geof.).— .\s large as a 

 Horse, aud reddish-grey, with the head brown, a white spot 

 before each eye ; a mane on the neck, large horns, &c. [A 

 nearly allied species, of equal size (A. nigra), has lately been 

 discovered in South Africa, the males of which are almost 

 wholly black. We may here mention also the A. ellip- 

 siprymnui, which is larger than a Stag, with a conspicuous 

 white ring on the buttocks, and rather long coarse hair ; which 

 latter character is enhanced in A. koba and A. sing-sing.] 

 Tlie Cambing-outan, or Antelope of Sumatra (A. suma- 

 trentit, Sliaw).— Size of a large Goat ; black, with white hair on the neck and throat ; the horns small and pointed. 

 [The affinity of this species with the preceding is not obvious : it is more nearly alUed to A. thar and A. ghorral.] 

 h. Horns encircled with a spiral ring. 



The Impoof (A. orcas, Pall.).— iVA of the Cape colonists. As large as the largest Horse, with stout, conical, and 

 straight horns, surrounded by a spiral ridge ; greyish hair, with a small mane along the spine ; a kind of dewlap 

 under the neck ; and tail terminated by a tuft. It lives in herds on the mountains, to the north of the Cape oi 

 Good Hope. [Allied to it is the A. canna, from the same locality, which is smaller and more slender.] 



The Coudou (A. strepsicerot, Pal.)— Size of a Stag, with large horns in the male only, that are smooth with a 

 triple cun-e, and a single longitudinal and slightly spiral ridge : a small beard on the chin, and a mane along the 

 spine. This animal Uves soUtarily, to the north of the Cape of Good Hope. 



tig. Cl.— Ory» Aiilcl.i 



