218 
Avabia, which 
1s a near rela- 
tive of the 
oryx group, 
differs from 
the great 
majority of 
tropical and 
sub-tropical 
mammals in 
exhibiting a 
marked sea- 
sonal change 
of colour, as 
is well shown 
by two photo- 
graphs re- 
cently pub- 
lished by Mr. 
G. Renshaw in “The Zoologist.” According 
to these photographs the summer coat is 
much lighter than the winter dress, although 
the dark patch on the forehead is retained 
at all seasons. This photograph of the 
Ghiza specimen was taken in the early part 
of October, when the animal, judging from 
the analogy of more northern species, should 
have assumed its winter dress; nevertheless 
it appears to be in the yellowish white 
summer livery. Perhaps, therefore, the 
seasonal change of colour becomes more 
marked in menagerie specimens, from which 
Mr. Renshaw’s photographs were taken. Be 
this as it may, the retention of such a colour- 
change in this particular species is not very 
difficult to account for. In the first place, 
Canon Tristram definitely asserts that the 
addax is found in Arabia, although there do 
not appear to be any specimens in this country 
to support this statement. Whether, however, 
it occurs north of the tropic in that country, 
it certainly does so in southern Tunisia. Here 
it comes close to, if not within, the range of 
the fallow-deer, which is, of course, one of 
the species which undergo a marked colour- 
change. But this is not all, for remains 
WHITE, 
OR SABRE-HORNED, ORYX 
In Ghiza Zoological Gardens. 
Animal Life 
assigned to a 
species of 
addax have 
recently been 
described 
from China, 
which ap- 
pears to indi- 
cate that 
these animals 
are immi- 
grants from 
the north 
into their pre- 
sent habitat, 
and conse- 
quently that 
they have 
not yet been 
able to get entirely rid of their seasonal 
colour-change. Confirmation of this is 
afforded by the length of the hair in the 
addax, which is unusually long fora tropical 
animal. It may be added that the darker 
colour of the head and neck, as compared 
with the body, is analogous to the colouring 
of the sabre-horned oryx. 
On the other hand the broad, spreading 
hoofs of the addax, so admirably adapted for 
walking on loose sand, may be taken as an 
indication that the addax and its ancestors 
have long been desert-haunting animals. 
The spiral twist of the horns of the addax 
at once serves to distinguish the animal from 
all the species of oryx. The longest pair of 
horns known measure a little over 39 inches 
along the curve; but all specimens between 
35: and 38 inches may be considered good. 
The creature derives its scientific name of 
Addax nasomaculatus from the presence of 
a white chevron across the upper part of 
the nose, which terminates on each side in 
the white tuft of the tear-gland. According 
to Canon Tristram the name addax is derived 
from the word adas, or akas, used by the 
Arabs for this or some other antelope. 
