RELATIVE VIABILITY IN MAMMALS AND lilROS. 457 



■ The most striking feature about these recoi'ds of Antelopes is 

 that in proportion to their size, they appear to have better lives 

 than the cattle, Within the group there is a fairly close 

 correspondence between size and dui-ation, but a few species 

 such as the Beatrix and the Chamois are specially delicate. Tlie 

 conditions under which these animals have been kept vary as to 

 the provision of artificial heat, most of the Gazelles having been 

 least well provided with it, but in nearly every case there has been 

 access to the open air. 



Oapt. Flower's records of maximum duration are specially 

 inteiesting, as it is to be expected that the climate of Egypt 

 would be specially favourable to Antelopes. His highest figures, 

 however, do not differ much from ours ; 8 years for a Cobus 

 defassi, still alive, over 11 years for a Dorcas Gazelle, 10 years 

 for a Scemmerring's Gazelle and for a Sabre-horned Oryx. 



Caprine. 



No. of Av. dui'. ]\[a\-. duv. 

 Indiv. in mouths, in months. 



Cwpra^ whole genus 50 50 1 (36 



C. regagrus (Grecian Ibex) 5 59 1 57 



C. caiccasica (Caucasian Ibex) 2 54*5 78 



C. hircus (Angora Goat) 18 53-5 166 



(7. Aispanica (Spanish Ibex) 1 32 32 



G.ibex (Alpine „ ) 2 103 103 



C. megacei-os (Mfxrkhooi) 15 55 133 



C nubiana (Nubian Ibex) 6 24 101 



C. sinaitica{\i\mdt\c ,, ) 1 45 45 



Hemitrag us jenilaicus (Thai-) 10 51 143 



Ovis, whole genus 68 46 231 



0. blavfordi {BhidonVs ^heep) 1 46 46 



0. 6«rrAe^Burrhel Wild Sheep) 21 46-7 193 



0. cydoceros (Punjab ,, ,, ) 6 51 137 



6>. ^fZgrsom (Great Tibetan Sheep) ... 2 20 31 



0. mz<smo?i (Mouflon) 15 50 231 



0. tragelaphus (Barbary Wild Sheep) .21 43 134 



O.vigneiiJjTiiiX) 2 15 28 



Sheep and goats are supposed to have a shorter life than 

 cattle. Metchnikoff, quoting Grindon, assigns 14 years as an 

 extreme age for domestic sheep, 12 an old age, and 8 to 10 as 

 the time when senile changes are expected. These records show 

 that wild species of sheep and goats may attain great ages, a 

 goat having lived about 14 years and a Mouflon over 19 years in 

 the Gardens. The average duration is lowered by the number of 

 lambs the life of which was not good, and if this allowance be 

 made, it is clear that the sheej) and goats have a fairly good 

 viability. They are of course kept with free access to the open air. 



Capt. Flower gives no higher recoixls. 



