ORDER RUMINANTIA. 187 



back of the head, along the neck and spine to the tail, 

 which is of the same colour together with the tuft, and 

 reaches to the houghs ; a broad dark band surrounds the 

 upper arm, then passes in a narrower line along the flanks, 

 dividing the blossom colour or vinous yellow of the body 

 and neck from the pure white of the belly, and expanding 

 about the lower thigh into a broad dark space, surround- 

 ing the limb just above the houghs. On all the legs below 

 the joints there is another dark space, leaving the rest of 

 the extremities pure white ; the hoofs have their points 

 somewhat prolonged, and, together with the spurious 

 hoofs, are shining black. 



The Caffrarian Oryx is an animal of remarkable beauty 

 and vigour, inhabiting the mountainous forests and rocky 

 regions of Southern Africa. They live in pairs, are vigi- 

 lant, and particularly in the rutting season, or when 

 wounded, exceedingly fierce. From the information of a 

 friend, we learn, that having fired at one on the edge of a 

 forest, the animal instantly turned upon his dogs, and trans- 

 fixed one before he fell. When pressed in their escape to- 

 wards cover, they will strike to right and left at the dogs 

 with their pointed horns, and often wound them severely; 

 but when they have reached the edge of the wood, they 

 will sit down on their hams, and in that attitude keep the 

 pack at bay. Their venison is said to be the best of any 

 in South Africa. 



The female is not more than three feet six inches at the 

 shoulder, and more delicately made. Of the period of 

 gestation nothing is known. We have compared eleven 

 specimens, and a great -variety of spoils and horns ; the 

 most perfect stuffed one is in the Museum of the Mission- 

 ary Society of London. There is as yet no good evidence 

 that this species is found to the north of the Equator, al- 

 though it must have been known anterior to the Portuguese 

 voyage round the Cape of Good Hope, if we admit the 



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