382 Great and Small Game of Africa 



plane of the face, or starting in this plane and then curving backwards 

 from it. The African species may be arranged as follows : — 



A. Horns straight, general colour grayish-brown, with blackish mark- 

 ings on the face and limbs. 



1. Gemsbuck (Oryx gazella). 



2. The Beisa (Oryx beisd). 



3. Fringe-eared Beisa (Oryx callotis). 



B. Horns scimitar-shaped, general colour whitish, with the neck 

 chestnut, and markings of the same colour on the face and limbs. 



4. White Oryx (Oryx hucoryx). 



The Gemsbuck (Oryx gazella) 

 Gemsbok of Cape Dutch ; Kukama of Bechuanas and B/ 



lLAH, 



Ko of Masarwa Bushme 



The gemsbuck, or Cape oryx, one of the handsomest and most remark- 

 able of the large antelopes of Africa, is a desert -loving species, confined 

 mainly to the south-west portion of the continent. 



In height, a representative male specimen of this antelope will stand 

 4 feet at the withers. The body is strong and robust ; the legs are some- 

 what short if compared with those of the larger antelopes. In colour the 

 gemsbuck is of a warm gray ; the breast, belly, and lower parts of the legs 

 being pure white. Among the most remarkable features of this antelope 

 are the eccentric and very handsome dark brown— almost black— markings, 

 and the long, spear- like horns, by which the animal may be at once 

 singled out a long way off in the veldt. These dark markings appear on 

 the white head almost in the form of a very ample headstall. They are 

 found upon the upper parts of the fore-legs, continuing right along the 

 Hank, and thence descending upon the outer part of the hind-legs nearly to 



