1894.] SIR B. G. LODEB OS THE " REEM'' ATfTELOPE. 475 



lots containing both males and females (4, 5, and 2), but did not 

 get a chance of another shot. Pease also saw a few. 



We hunted the sand-hills for two more days ; on the third day 

 our negro guide took us much farther from camp, running before 

 us with surprising speed and endurance for three and a half hours 

 before we halted and tied up our horses. In the evening, after 

 walking all day in a hot sun and on soft sand, he showed himself 

 still untired and ready to run at the same pace back again to camp. 

 This remarkable man said that he had lived for seven years in the 

 desert without sleeping in a house or tent, and had hardly tasted 

 water, meat, or bread ; during tlie whole of that time his food con- 

 sisted of dates and camel's milk, and he attributed his strength to 

 this diet. The long distance of our carnp from the sand-hills where 

 the Reem is found was a great hindrance, as we could not hunt for 

 them at the time they were feeding. By the time we got to the 

 ground they were already lyins do'.vn for the day, generally on the 

 top of the sand-ridges, and keeping a watchful look-out. "We saw 

 sever.il small herds each day, but neither of us ever got another 

 chance of a shot. 



We were lucky in having calm weather, as a sand-storm in that 

 country is a very serious matter. The air gets as thick as during 

 a bad London fog and one cannot see even a few yards ahead, 

 making it quite impossible to regain camp, all tracks being blotted 

 out in a few minutes by the wind. Our experience of sand-storms 

 was limited to one day, our last day in the desert, luckily for us 

 well outside the region of the sand-hills, when leaving our caravan 

 behind we rode in 50 kilometres to Biskra in the teeth of a cutting 

 wind filled with dust and sand, an extremely painful experience ; 

 but we were in no danger of losing our way as we were then on the 

 broad track worn by the caravans travelling between Biskra and 

 Touggourt. 



The Reem is remarkable for its light and uniform coloration, the 

 ordinary Gazelle- markings being hardly noticeable. The long 

 slender hoofs are also very peculiar, reminding one of those of 

 Tragelaplms spelcii, which lives in the swamps on the borders of 

 lakes and rivers. 



It is quite certain that the Reem can never drink, as there is no 

 water in this country at all, except in the comparatively deep wells 

 dug by the natives. 



The following measurements of the male Reera were taken di- 

 rectly after it was killed : — Height at shoulder 2 ft. 4 in. ; girth at 

 brisket 2 ft, 1 in. ; lengtli of horns 13 in. It weighed, after being 

 brought into camp (without entrails), 34 lb. These are about 

 the measurements and weight of Gazella dorcas. 



For comparison I give the measurements of a good male Gazella 

 cuvieri which I killed in the mountains a few weeks after the Reem : 

 Height at shoulder 2 ft. 7 in. ; girth at withers 2 ft. Si in. ; weight 

 without entrails 58 lb. 



As to the distribution of these species, 1 may say that Gazella 

 cuvieri is found entirelv in the mountains, never down in the true 



