CHAPTER VII 



ANTELOPES AND DEER 



ADDAX ANTELOPE. — This, the first of the Antelopes chosen 

 as worthy of inclusion in this section, is an inhabitant of Northern 

 Africa and Arabia. It belongs to the genus Addax, the members 

 of which are characterized by the possession of long cylindrical 

 horns in both male and female. In the Addax (Fig. 80) the horns 

 "attain a length of from twenty to twenty-eight inches in a straight 

 line, and from twenty-six to thirty-five and three-quarters along the 

 spiral." The curious open spiral shape of the horns may be seen 

 to advantage in the photograph. 



For the most part this Antelope is covered with short and thick 

 hair of a yellowish-white colour, but on the head, neck and mane 

 it is brown. As Fig. 80 depicts, there is a prominent transverse 

 band of white below the eyes ; the lips and a spot on the outside of 

 the ears are also white. The male is more thickly clothed than the 

 female, the colour of the hair is darker, and during the Winter the 

 yellowish-white merges into grey. 



The Addax stands over thirty-six inches high, and inhabits 

 sandy and waterless wastes. Shy in disposition and wary, few 

 observers seem to have had any opportunity of studying this animal 

 to any extent. Its flesh is highly regarded, and for this and other 

 reasons the Addax is sought after by the Bedouins, who organize 

 protracted expeditions among the barren, . sandy deserts which it 

 frequents. 



BEATRIX ANTELOPE.— Still less appears to be known of the 

 Beatrix Antelope (Fig. 81) of Western Arabia, but it will at once 

 be seen that the spiral horns are absent in this species, and it is 

 a smaller animal than the last named, standing about thirty-two 

 inches high. It is whitish in colour, with a dark spot on the face, 

 and, as the photograph clearly indicates, a large dark patch on 

 each cheek. These patches meet underneath the throat. The legs 

 are also dark coloured and the tail is tipped with black. 



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