470 MR. O. THOMAS ON" GAZELLES FROM ALGERIA. [June 5^ 



with "La Gazelle" and " Le Kevel" (both undoubtedly referable 

 to G. dorcas), it had knee-brushes and was of much the same size 

 and colour as they were, conflicts with his plate, in which the 

 artist has depicted it as without knee-brushes, bulkier in general 

 build, and with a far better marked lateral line than in the other 

 two. This being the case, all attempts to determine it with certainty 

 may be abandoned as futile. 



It is unfortunate that for the present the exact habitat of 

 G. mfina is unknown, as the skin was merely purchased in Algiers. 

 From the richness of its colour it is not likely to be the inhabitant 

 of an arid sandy district such as is the home of G. loderi, but it 

 may come from some of the more brush-covered downs of the 

 Sahara. 



4. Gazella loderi, Thos. 1 (Plate XXXII.) 



Size small ; form light and delicate ; weight of an adult male 

 (teste Loder) about 34 lb. 



General colour very pale sandy or buff, the richest colour of the 

 after-back approximately "pinkish buff " of Ridgway, and even 

 this becomes paler and almost white anteriorly on the neck and 

 crown, and posteriorly on the sides of the rump. Face-markings 

 very faint, the central facial band and dark facial streaks only 

 " buff," and contrasting but little with the ill-defined pale facial 

 streaks. Crown nearly white, as are also the long and well- 

 clothed ears. Light lateral bands scarcely visible, and the in- 

 distinct dark ones below- them hardly as deep as Ridgway's " clay 

 colour," as is also the case with the dark pygal baud. Tail sandy 

 at base, darkening terminally to blackish brown. Front of fore 

 legs pale sandy buff, of hind ones whitish. Knees with short but 

 distinct brushes. Hoofs very peculiar, and evidently specialized 

 for progress over light yielding sand. They are much elongated, 

 very narrow, and produced above into a sharp knife-edge ; the 

 angle at which their plane of wear lies shows that they are 

 habitually widely divergent in life, as might indeed be expected. 



Skull (fig. 2) of about the size and proportions of that of 

 G. bennetti, but rather lighter and more delicate. 



Horns very slender, close together at base, widely divergent 

 above, their tips from 8 to 10 inches apart in well-marked 

 examples. Viewed from the side they are seen to curve slightly 

 but evenly backwards for four-fifths of their length, while their 

 slender tips are slightly recurved upwards, but there is nothing to 

 call a terminal hook ; their anuulations are well defined and 

 rather near together, amounting in number to 20 or more, the 

 most out of a large number of horns being 27 in a particularly fine 

 and graceful pair belonging to Sir E. Loder. 



Measurements of the type, an adult male skin, with perfect 

 skull :— 



Length of body (approximate) 900 mm. ; ear from notch 130; 



1 Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) xiii. p. 452 (1894). 



