96 



THE TWO-TOED ARTIODACTYLA. 



brownish-gray colour: the sides and the thighs 

 of a rusty red, and upon these parts there 

 are white spots and stripes, of the arrange- 

 ment of which the illustration will give a 

 better idea than a long description. The 

 horns of the male are thick, flattened, and 



provided with two keels or ridges, which 

 meet at the extremity of the horn. The 

 two horns have an elegant curve inwards. 

 This beautiful animal lives in pairs in the 

 forests; it is easily tamed, stands our climate 

 pretty well, and on account of its gentleness 



Fig. 173. — The Nylgau (Portax pictus). 



and easiness of management has become 

 one of the favourites as well as one of the 

 most frequent ornaments of our zoological 

 gardens. 



The Saiga (Colus tartaricus {Saiga tar- 

 iarica)), fig. 172, is the only European an- 

 telope besides the chamois. Its domain for- 

 merly extended as far as the foot of the 

 Pyrenees; but at the present day it is con- 

 fined to the steppes of Russia, from the 

 frontiers of Poland to the Altai Mountains. 

 It is a rather abnormal type, with a sturdy 

 massive body and short legs, and is spe- 

 cially distinguished by the peculiar form of 



its nose and upper lip, which are swollen and 

 wrinkled, the lip hanging down over the 

 mouth like a short but very mobile proboscis. 

 The horns of the male are short, curved 

 slightly in the form of a lyre, almost trans- 

 parent. The animal possesses a large num- 

 ber of skin-glands, which exude fragrant oily 

 fluids. Besides the very deep tear-pits there 

 are glands in the region of the groin. The 

 fur, gray on the back and the flanks, whitish 

 on the abdomen and brow, is almost like the 

 fleece of a sheep. The animal lives in troops, 

 which are often very numerous, is very timid 

 but easily tired out when pursued, and in 



