606 DR. GtJNTHER ON THE EAST-AFRICAN REED-BUCK. [NoV. 4, 



south-west of tlie mountain. It is of a light yellow colour, the hair 

 being rather long and coarse." 



The British Museum possesses skulls of the Common Reed-hnck 

 {Cervicapra arundinacea) and of the species to which the name 

 Cervicnpra redunca has been applied by Gray, Our specimens of 

 the latter species are from the Cape Colony (coll. Burchell) and from 

 the Orange River. But we do not possess specimens of this species 

 from AYest Africa, so that I cannot offer an opinion as to whetlier 

 tlie so-called West-African C. redunca is really identical with, or 

 distinct from, our South-African specimens. Tiiis, howerer, is a col- 

 lateral question which, as we shall see presently, has no bearing upon 

 tlie determination of the Masai Reed-buck. 



Riippell (N. Wirb. p. 20, Taf. vii. fig. 1) describes the Abyssinian 

 Reed-buck under the name of Jnfilope redunca ; but at a later period, 

 after he had had an opportunity of comparing its skull with one from 

 ^yest Africa, he came to the conclusion that it is distinct, changing 

 its name \\\ioJiedunca bohor (Verz. Mus. Senckenb., Siiugeth. 1842, 

 p. 38). I have no doubt that this Abyssinian Reed-buck is the 

 same as the one from the Masai country. Although Riippell's 

 craniological notes are extremely meagre, they apply pretty well to 

 the skull brought home by Mr. Hunter and another obtained by 

 Capt. Speke. 



There cannot be the least doubt that (as stated by Mr. Hunter) 

 this animal differs widely from the common Reed-buck (^Cervicapra 

 arundinacea), being of considerably smaller size and having horns of 

 an entirely different shape. In fact the Masai Reed-buck comes 

 nearer to the South-African specimens in the British Museum 

 named Cervicapra redunca, but the cranial differences sufficiently 

 indicate a distinct species. 



Cervicapra redunca (fig. 1, p. 004) is distinguished by its very 

 large orbit ; in a skull 230 millim. long tlie vertical dimensions of 

 the orbit is 45 millim. ; the eyeball is supported below by a largely 

 expanded concavity of the jugal bone, the lower edge of the orbit 

 being particularly sharp and thin, merging into the suture between 

 the jugal and lacrymal bones. The cheek part of the skull is flat, 

 rather concave, so that the facial portion of the cranium between 

 the orbit and the antorbital foramen appears rather compressed when 

 viewed from above. The ascending ramus of the intermaxillary 

 reaches to, or nearly to, the nasal bone. The horns are but slightly 

 divergent and very little bent forwards. 



In Cervicnpra holior (fig. 2, p. 605) the orbit is comparatively 

 smaller ; in a skull 245 millim. long the vertical diameter of the orbit 

 is only 40 millim. ; the jugal bone is much less expanded to form 

 the bottom of the orbital cavity ; the lower rim of the orbit has two 

 edges, the lower of which does not merge into the jugo-lacrymal 

 suture, but runs parallel to it at a distance of about 8 millim. The 

 cheek part of the skull is swollen and convex, so that the facial portion 

 of the cranium above the molar teeth cannot be termed compressed. 

 The ascending ramus of the intermaxillary is short, terminating at 

 a considerable distance from the nasal bone. 



