ON THE ZEBRAS AND SOME ANTELOPES OF ANGOLA. 317 



16. Notes on the Zebras and some Antelopes o£ Angola. 

 By GiLBEKT Blaine, F.Z.S. 



[ Heceived February 7, 1922 : Kead March 21, 1922.1 

 (Plates I.-YIII.*) 



Part I. 



In the summer of 1918, Mr. P. Van der Byl and I, who had 

 both for a long time been contemplating a trip to Angola to ob- 

 tain specimens of the Great Sable Antelope, on the subject of 

 which letters had from time to time beeri appearing in the 'Field' 

 from the pen of Capt. H. F. Varian, were able to fulfil our 

 intention. 



We set out under very favourable auspices Avith the kind 

 assistance of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), and of Mr. 

 Yarian in Angola, to whom are due our grateful thanks for 

 the attention he gave us and the unremitting care he took to 

 insure the success of our enterprise. Unfortunately, Mr. Yan 

 der Byl, after spending six weeks up country, contracted malaria, 

 whicli left him in such a condition that he found it necessary to 

 return to the Kapango Mission Station in the Bihe District, 

 whence, after a few weeks' convalescence, he reached the coast and 

 went home. 



Mr. Oldfield^ Thomas (P. Z. S. 1916, p. 298) bad already 

 described the Angolan Sable Antelope as a new subspecies 

 from material provided by Capt. Yarian, taking as his type a 

 face-skin and a frontlet with horns. He was able to obtain the 

 loan of a single skull for comparison, but owing to insufficient 

 evidence did not feel justified at the time in making a new species. 

 I was able to bring home complete specimens of each sex, including 

 some sub-adult examples, and with this material to work upon, I 

 feel less diffident in establishing its claim to specific rank, and 

 I have the concurrence of Mr. Thomas in so doing. 



There ai-e certain remarkable modifications to be found in the 

 skull, and these, coupled with the large size and immense horns 

 of the males, the entirely black face, and the distinctive body- 

 colour of the females, combine to make a very strong case. 



The Angolan Sable also, although as far as present knowledge 

 goes confined within narrow limits, appears to be completely and 

 widely isolated by natural boundaries from true Sa.ble._ 



The name variani that Mr. Thomas has chosen fits it well, for 

 it is through the active interest of the distinguished Engineer of 

 the Benguela Railway that this splendid Antelope, so far the finest 

 in all Africa, has been brought to light. 



* For explanation of the Plates, see p. 339. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1922, No. XXII. 22 



