1896.] ANTELOrBS OF EASTERN ALGERIA. 813 



Eange, which form a sort of transitional zone between the moun- 

 tains and the Sahara proper. Eoughly speaking, this Gazelle is . 

 confined to a belt of country not more than 120 or 150 miles 

 wide (and generally very much narrower). It may be found in 

 plains, or even in low hills, within the southern mountain-chains, 

 and on or near some of the sand-dunes on the confines of the 

 Chotts. I have frequently seen it in the neighbourhood of the 

 Chotts, but once into the Oued Souf and sand desert and all trace 

 of it is lost and the Rhime takes its place. In the district of Sef 

 el Menadi, where I have been twice with Sir E. Q. Loder, and 

 where he secured the first specimen of the Gazelle (the Ithime) 

 which now bears his name, we found both Ehime and Dorcas on 

 the same giound ; and this place may be marked as the most 

 northern limit which the Ehime ever inhabits, as it never leaves 

 the sand, I think, whilst the Dorcas does not go much further 

 south than this. Probably there are several of these isolated 

 islands of sand where the Rhime may be found. 



The best male Dorcas that I have shot had horns a little over 

 31 cm. in length, the best female 25 cm. (measured along the 

 curve). 



They vary a good deal iu colour according to the ground they 

 ' frequent, and there is a slight variety among members of the same 

 band. In 1893 there was on the plain of Ai'n Naga a pure white 

 one, no doubt an albino ; but though my hunter had frequently 

 seen it, he was never able to find it for me. 



(2) The Rhime {Gazella loderi), Arab "El Rhime" Tamahaq 

 " Hankut," is the common Gazelle of the Sahara. Enormous 

 numbers are killed by the Arabs in the neighbourhood of Rhadamis, 

 and their skins dressed and dyed with a dye made from the rind 

 of pomegranates and exported from Rhadamis. They are to be 

 found throughout the region of the great Ergs and everywhere 

 in the Sahara sands where there is vegetation sufficient to 

 support them. The only places where they are to be met with, 

 I believe, north of El Ovied Souf, are to the south-west of Bou 

 Chaama and near Sef el Menadi. A number of their horns are 

 always on sale at Biskra and sou)etimes the skins. The male 

 horns of the Rhime sometimes bear so close a resemblance to 

 those of the Admi {Gazella cuvieri) that they are often sold and 

 bought as such. The Admi horns are much less commonly seen than 

 the Rhime ; as a rule, they are to be distinguished. The general 

 character of the Ehime horns as distinguished from the Admi are, 

 so far as I can describe them, as follows : — 



In the Ehime among average specimens the horns form in their 

 main outline a long evenly-tapering V, whilst in the Admi the 

 horns so far up from their base are more inclined to the parallel 

 before springing out laterally, and towards the points usually take 

 an inward and forward turn ; this turn inward is rarer, though 

 not uncommon, in the Ehime, but the forward bend at the top is 

 common to both. 



I have remarked, too, that the annulations or notches are as a 



