170 



Antilopid^.- 



-MAMMALU.- 



-Antilopid^. 



twenty prominent annulations, and curved inwards at 

 the tip. The fur exhibits a bright rufous-dun colour, 

 the Hanks being marked on either side by a broad, rich, 

 and deep chestnut-colom-ed band. The belly and in- 

 sides of the legs are quite white. One of tlie most 

 curious features in this species consists in the presence 

 of several foUs of integument over the rump and loins, 

 which, when the animal is excited, are unfolded, and 

 by the snow-white aspect of the fur at this point, pre- 

 sent a very singular appearance. The tail is about 

 eight inches in length, and tufted witli black hairs. 



THE GAZELLE { Ga-ella Dorcas) is a native of North- 

 eastern Africa, and from its extreme elegance of form, 

 coupled wth large, full, lustrous eyes, has deservedly 

 acquired distinction. The Gazelle or Cormne, as the 

 female is sometimes called, stands less than two feet 

 high at the withers, and is furnished with a pair of 

 strongly aimidated horns about ten inches m length. 

 The ears are conspicuous and sharplj' pointed. The 

 fur is more or less fawn-coloured or fulvous, but varies 

 according to age. The habits of the Gazelle are gre- 

 garious. Considering tlieir slender build, they are 

 remarkably courageous, and will imite to defend them- 

 selves against the strongest Carnivora, althougli they 

 usually fall victims to these overpowering enemies. 



THE STEEN-BOC {Aniilojte tragulus) was formerly 

 a very common species, iidiabiting the momitainous 

 plauis and open valleys of Southern Africa ; but now it 

 is becoming comparatively rare in the colony. It 

 stands about twenty-two inches high at the shoulder, 

 and is furnished with round slender horns, about four 

 indies long. The ears are large, but the tail is only 

 ruilimentary, and scarcely an inch in length. The fur 

 has a rich rufous colour. The habits of the Steen-boc 

 are monogamous, or solitary ; the females being horn- 

 less, and provided with four mamma;. 



THE GRYS-BOC [Antilope melanotis) pretty closely 

 resembles the steen-boc, both as respects its solitary 

 haliits and general appearance. The horns are about 

 three and a half inches long, the general colour of 

 the fur being of a deep chocolate red. The ears are 

 broad and rounded. The Grys-boc is foimd more par- 

 ticidarly among the wooded districts bordering the sea- 

 coast. The females are hondess, and proNdded with 

 only two mamuuie. 



THE DUIKEE-BOC [Anlilope Grimmia), or Impoon 

 of the Matabili, is also a Cape species frequenting those 

 districts near the sea-coast, and possessed of mono- 

 gamous habits. It is about two feet m height, tlie 

 horns being four mches long, and marked by a longi- 

 tudinal ridge in front, which traverses foirr or five 

 rings at the middle. The fur is yeUowish-brown ; but 

 in mnter it assumes a cmereous olive tuit ; the fore- 

 head being clothed with a patch of long fulvous- 

 coloured hair. The tail is short, black, and tipped 

 ■with white. The female has four mammaB ; her bonis 

 being very short, and concealed beneath the hair. 



THE BLESS-BOC [Antilope alhifrons), or WlllTE- 

 Faci:l> Antelope, is a native of Southern Africa, 

 iiiluiliitiiig the plains bordering on the Vaal river, 

 and herding in immense flocks. A fidl-gi'0'\ni buck 

 stands three feet and a half in height, and carries a 

 pair of diverging annulated horns, measuring from 



twelve to fifteen inches in length. The fur has a deep 

 chocolate colom' m front, gi'adually passing into a hoary 

 bluish-wdiite on the back and shoidders, the belly being 

 quite white. The tail is long, reaching to tlie hocks. 

 The female is similar, but of lighter build. 



THE BHEE-BOC {AiUllope Capreolus), is a gracefully 

 formed Cape species, occurring in small herds amongst 

 the hills and rocks in the neighbourhood of water pools 

 and diied-up rivers. It .stands about two feet four 

 inches high, and is furnished with straight, slender, 

 vertically-pouited horns, nine mches in lengOi. The 

 fur has a light rufous-grey colour, being white under- 

 neath the belly ; its texture is woollj'. The females 

 have four mamma?, and are hornless. 



THE EEIT-BOC {Antilope eleotragiis), or Ingii.\lla, 

 possesses similar habits, and is a comparatively rare 

 species, occurring only in Uie more northern parts of 

 Cape colony, and higher up in the interior. It is 

 larger than the foregoing, standing three feet high ; 

 the horns measure about a foot in length, and are 

 annulated. The ears are long and pointed ; the tail 

 being also conspicuously developed. The fur exhibits 

 a dull ash-grey colour, having a rufous tinge above, 

 ■while it is lighter underneath. The females have four 

 raammre, are smaller than the bucks, and hornless. 

 The rcit-boc is gregarious in small families. 



THE WATER-BOC [Antilopje ellipsiprimna), or Plil- 

 TOMOK of the Matabili, stands upwards of four feet 

 at the shoulders. The horns are strongly annu- 

 lated, upright, diverging, of a whitish-gi'een colour, and 

 upwards of tliu'ty inches in length, the last six inches 

 being smooth and destitute of rings. The fur has a 

 grejdsh-browm tint generally ; a white patch occurs on 

 the throat, and a similar streak before each eye. The 

 ears are full and rounded ; the tad being brown and 

 tufted, and scarcely reaching to the hocks. There are 

 no suborbital sinuses. The females are hornless, and 

 have two mammfe. The Phitomoks are gregarious, 

 inhabiting the banks of the rivers of Soutliern Africa, 

 especially those of the Limpopo and Mariqua. 



THE GEMS-BOC {AntilojK Oryx), or Kookaam, of 

 the Matabili, is foimd chieily m die Karroo, or in the 

 ojien plains of Namaqualand in Southern Africa. It is 

 a strong, bulky, and courageous species, and is armed 

 ■nith a pair of formidable horns, which are upwards of 

 three feet in length, almost straight, divergent, annu- 

 lated below, horizontally disposed, and tapering to a 

 point ; between them a black stripe passes dowTi the 

 forehead, which is crossed by a siniUar band above the 

 muzzle. The ears are ■white, with black margins. The 

 fur has a rusty iron-grey colour generally ; it supports 

 a mane, the hairs of which are reversed in direction ; 

 tlie under parts of the belly and thorax, as ■well as the 

 legs, being white. The tad is bushy, black, and three 

 feet long. The females have two mamm», whilst their 

 horns are even longer than those of the buck. 



THE BLAUW-BOC {Antilope loicojihcea). —iiot a 

 little confusion has arisen in regard to this species, tlie 

 name here given having been applied to tlie little slate- 

 coloured antelope. The Blauw-boc is, with its varieties, 

 also known as the P)astard Gcms-boc, Roan Antelo]ie, 

 EtdL of the Matabili, and Takhaitze ; the latter ooii- 

 stiluting a ■\veU-marked variety, known by its increased 



