A FIRST PRIZE OF SUDAN 151 



virtually an amphibian) the degree of elongation becomes 

 almost grotesque ; while, secondly, the long toes are also 

 widely flexible that is, provided with a power of lateral 

 extension which, in effect, approximates to the wide- 

 spreading 1 toes of marsh-birds such as the jacanas, or 

 even our common British waterhen enabling these birds 

 safely to traverse floating lily-leaves and such-like frail 

 support. Thirdly, not only are the pasterns of these 

 antelopes also elongated, but the under-surfaces instead 

 of being hair-clad, as in other animals are furnished with 

 a naked horny substance, virtually a sort of pad as 

 elastic as the rubber-tyres of an automobile! 



The combined effect of this triple adaptation i.e., 

 elongated hoofs and elongated pasterns, plus rubber- 

 tyres to the latter practically doubles or trebles the 

 "bearing surfaces" of the hoofs upon their selected 

 ground. And the merit of this adaptation becomes 

 painfully demonstrated when the unequipped human 

 biped seeks to compete with specialised creatures upon 

 their own (abominable) domain of swamp and sudd. 



The following table (together with the sketches 

 annexed, shows the respective degree of specialisation in 

 each of these three groups of animals, namely (i) The 

 "amphibian"; (2) the mere "bog-trotter"; and (3) their 

 dry-land cousin, thrice removed. 1 



1. Limnotragus ( = " Amphibian") Fore Hoof. Hind Hoof. 



Situtunga .... 7 inches. 7j inches. 



2. Onotragus ( = " Bog-trotter ") 



Saddle-backed lechwi . . 3^ 3^ 



3. Adenota ( = " Dry-land Cousin") 



White-eared cob . . . ijf if 



The personal characters that, in the life, strike an 

 observer as differentiating the lechwi from every other 

 antelope in Sudan are, first the short cobby head, blunt, 



1 For assistance with these measurements I am indebted to Sir S. F. 

 Harmer, F.R.S., Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum (Natural 

 History), and to Messrs Rowland Ward. 



