The Bushbucks 45 



THE BUSHBUCKS 



Genus Tragelaphus 



The harnessed antelopes, or bushbucks, are so closely allied to the 

 kudus that there may be doubts as to the propriety of separating them 

 generically. The spiral of the horns of the males, is however, very often 

 shorter, and the keel on their front surface less developed. Very generally 

 the sexes are strikingly unlike in colour, the hair of the body is often long 

 and coarse, and the throat may be fringed with long hairs. The depression 

 in the fore part of the skull is generally shallower than in the kudus, and 

 the unossified spaces in the neighbourhood of the nose-bones are smaller. 



The species may be arranged as follows : — 



A. Size large. 



a. Hoofs normal. 



1. The Bongo (T. euryceros). 



2. The Nyala {T. angas'i). 



b. Hoofs elongated. 



3. West African Bushbuck (T. gratus). 



4. Situtunga (T. spekei). 



B. Size small. 



5. Lesser Bushbuck ('/'. scriptus) 



The last is represented by several local races distinguished by colour 

 and markings. 



The foregoing are the species recognised up to 1898, in which year 

 two other specific names were proposed ; but before definitely recognising 

 them, further investigations seem advisable. The long-hoofed East 

 African situtunga (T. spekei) was named by Mr. Sclater in 1864 ; it is devoid 

 of spots or stripes, but further evidence is required as to the coloration 

 of the two sexes. The West African situtunga (T. gratus) was named 



