472 



MR. O. THOMAS ON GAZELLES EROM ALGERIA. [June 5, 



for the species to be described merely on the specimens I then 

 saw. 



Loche, in his work on the Mammals of Algeria, speaks of a 

 Gazelle known to the Arabs as " el Eim," the name now used by 

 them for G. loderl, and no doubt the same species was intended. 

 His reference runs as follows : — " Les Arabes distinguent encore 

 sous les noms de el Rim et el Chergui deux autres Gazelles que 

 nous n'avons pas jusqu'ici eu occasion d'examiner, et qui pourraient 

 etre des metis des especes precedentes " \ This sentence was 

 quoted by Lataste in 1885", but he had no information of his own 

 to add to it. 



It has therefore been reserved for Sir E. Loder to clear up the 

 history of this interesting Gazelle, so long known by reputation, 

 but until now an unsolved mystery to the scientific world. As 

 his expedition into the desert was undertaken expressly to obtain 

 the Keem, and thereby settle a doubtful problem, it is only right 

 that the species should bear his name, which I have therefore had 

 great pleasure in attaching to it. 



Whether the companion problem of " el Chergui " is equally 

 solved by Sir E. Loder's specimen of G. rufiyxa above described is 

 a point which can be settled only when we know the exact locality 

 and Arab name of the latter. 



Shull-measurements(in millimetres) of the Algerian Gazelles referred to. 



(All adult males.) 



Greatest length 



Basal length 



Greatest breadth 



Anterior iiares, length (gnathiou 



to nasal tip) 



Anterior nares, greatest breadth . 



Nasals, length 



Nasals, breadth 



Gnathion to orbit 



Palate, length 



Gnathion to alveolus of front pre- 

 molar 



Length of molar series 



Horns — length round curves in 



front 



Basal circumference 



Least distance of horns apart 



at base 



Breadth across outside bases 



of two horns . . , , 



Tip to tip 



Gazella 

 dorcas. 



170 



158 



78 



50 

 20 

 44 

 19 



85 

 83 



37 



55 



303 ■' 



16^ 



70 3 

 112^ 



^ Espl. Alg., Mamm. p. 69 (1867). 



2 Mauim. Barb. p. 174 (1885) (Act. Linn. Soc. Bord. xxxis.). 

 ^ In another finer specimen, vt'hose basal length is about 5 mm. longer than 

 in that meaaured. 



