168 



ANTIT-OriP-T^-.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-ANTII.oriD.1?. 



to be Been grazing like droves of oxen on the more 

 verdant meadows, through which some sQver ri\iilet 

 winds in rainbow brightness betwixt fringes of sighing 

 bulrushes. Fat and lethargic groups may be seen scat- 

 tered up and down the gentle acclivities, some grazing 

 on the hillside, and othera lazily basking in the morning 



sunbeam. Advancing, they appear t» move like a 

 regiment of cavalrj' in smgle files, tlie goodliest bulls 

 leading the van; whereas, during a retreat, these it 

 is that uniformly bring up the rear." At one time 

 Elands were abundant in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Cape To^m, but now very few are found witlu'n the 





Tlie EIrmd (Bosclaplms orcas). 



borders of the colony. Considering the facilities which 

 exist for their destruction, every effort should be made 

 to follow up the experiments of domestication so suc- 

 cessfully commenced by the Zoological Society, and 

 steps should be duly taken to secure more specimens 

 from the colony, ere they are driven far up into the 

 interior, or altogether exterminated. Finally, we may 

 remark that Dr. Livingstone discovered to tlie north of 

 Sesheke a beautiful striped variety of Eland, distin- 

 guished by vertical streaks on the back, and by black 

 patches on the outer side of tlie fore-arm, 



THE HAKTE-BEEST {Acronotiis Caama), or Caama, 

 is also called Intoosel by the Matabili. It is a large 

 species, with a long head and much elevated shoulders. 

 The horns are of moderate length, approxiinatmg closely 

 at the base, diverging at first, and again converging 

 towards the tips. The back, tlie nose, and the hind 

 and fore legs are marked with dark streaks ; the clmi 

 being also black. The general colour of the fur is 

 greyish-brown, with a deep red cast. The tail is hairy 

 and reaches down to the hocks. The Harte-beest occu- 

 pies tlie plains of Uie interior of Southern Africa in 

 immense herds, and is one of the most common species. 

 Its flesh, though inferior to that of the eland, is never- 

 theless fine-grained and higlily esteemed. The female 

 is provided with two mamma;, and produces only one 

 calf at a birth. 



THE SASSABE [Acronotus lunata), or Bastaed 

 IIarte-beest, is likewise a native of Southern Africa, 

 occurring in small herds in the district inhabited by 

 the Bechuanas. A full-grown example stands about 



four and a half feet high at the shoulder, and is fur- 

 nished with horns nearly twelve inches in length. The 

 body is stoutish, the neck short, the limbs slender, tlie 

 withers elevated, tlie lachrj-mal sinus inconspicuous, 

 the ears being eight or nine niches long. The general 

 colour of the fur is rufous-grey ; tlie upper parts and 

 legs have a deep brown tuit, die forehead being marked 

 by a dark longitudinal band. The Sassabe is natu- 

 rally tame, but is much himted by tlie natives. The 

 female is comparatively small, and furnished witli two 

 mammje. 



THE BTTBAXE (Alcephalus hvhalus) is widely distri- 

 buted over the entire regions of Northern Africa, being 

 especially abundant in Barbary. It is gregarious in 

 its habits, and naturally docile in disposition. By 

 the Arab natives it is termed the wild ox, or Behker-el- 

 Wash. It is a large species, and is readily distinguished 

 by its remarkably compressed and straight forehead. 

 The horns are of moderate length, IjTate, stout at the 

 base, and sti'ongly annulated tlu'oughout. 



THE COMMON ANTELOPE {Antihpe ccrvicopra), or 

 Sasin — Plate 19, fig. G5 — is a native of Persia, India, 

 and tlie southern parts of Asia generally, where it 

 dwells on rocky hiUs and open plauis. It stands some- 

 thing less tlian three feet high at the shoulder, and is 

 furnished with slim legs, a short tail, and a pair of large 

 horns, which are beautifully annulated and spirally 

 curved. The full-grown male is almost black above ; 

 the uiside of tlie legs, under parts of the neck and 

 belly, and the nimp remauung white. The Sasin is 

 altogether an elegant species, and remarkably swift of 



