1895.] OK LODEB,*S GAZELLE IN EGYM. 863 



most enamel-folds. There is no trace of the presence of more than 

 one pair of upper premolars. The palatine foramina are elongated, 

 and the tibia and tibola united. Whether the skull had the well- 

 developed postorbital processes characterizing existing Squirrels, I 

 am unable to determine ; but it was evidently constricted in the 

 orbital region, like Sciurus, and thus unlike that of Xerus. The 

 restoration of the lower jaw given by Leith Adams is probably 

 incorrect. It is certain that Leithia does not belong to the 

 Myomorpha, and I do uot think the features in which it diffei-s 

 from other Sciuromorpha are sufficient to justify its reference to a 

 suborder by itself. 



5. On Loder's Gazelle in Egypt^ and the Mode of its Capture 

 by the Arabs. By W. E. Jennings Bramley.' 



[Eeceived October 23, 1895.] 



On the 27th of June I started from the Pyramids in order, if 

 possible, to catch some living specimens of Loder's GsizeWe (Gazella 

 locleri) ^, known to the Arabs as Easal Abiad (the White Gazelle), 

 which the shikaries whom I took with me reported to be found in 

 the desert at some thirty or forty miles distant from Cairo. 



Leaving at 4 p.m. on the 27th, we started, taking a south-easterly 

 direction. We travelled till 12 that night, and at 4 next morning 

 resumed our march. Soon after the sun had risen, one of the 

 shikaries, pointing to the ground, showed what he made out to be 

 the spoor, evidently but lately made, of a fine male Loder's Gazelle. 

 This, being larger than that of the Dorcas Gazelle, is very easily 

 recognizable; the bluntness of the hoof in the case of Loder's 

 Gazelle shows a marked difference. About 12 o'clock one of the 

 camel-meu called out that a Gazelle could be seen ahead, but the 

 many heaps of white stones, scattered all over the desert, are so 

 deceiving at a little distance that both shikaries shook their heads. 



The habit that all Gazelles have, when first viewing an approach- 

 ing danger, of standing motionless for some time, is carried to 

 such an excess in this particular species that it is often possible to 

 get -within easy rifle-range by quietly walking up, without taking 

 any particular care to hide the approach. On the other hand, the 

 animal is often missed entirely, and passed by at some little distance 

 as a heap of bones or of white stones. 



The camel-man, however, in this case proved to be correct, as we 

 soon noticed the Gazelle walking leisurely away. It disappeared 

 behind a mound of sand, where it must have remained, for, on 

 reaching the place about half an hour later, we were surprised to 

 come suddenly on the Gazelle, now only some 200 yards off. It 



^ [Mr. Bramley has kindly drawn up these notes at my request. It will be 

 reoollected that the existence of Loder's Gazelle in Egypt has only lately been 

 established upon a specimen procured by Mr. Bramley. Vide supra, pp. 400, 

 522.— P. L. S.] 



^ Thomas, P. Z. S. 189*, p. 470, pi. xxxii.; Sol. supra, pp. 400, 522. 



55* 



