THE GEMS-BOK. 171 
successful duel with the lordly lion, and fairly to beat off its antagonist. 
Even when the lion has overcome the Gems-bok, the battle may sometimes 
be equally claimed by both sides, for in one instance the dead bodies of a 
lion and a Gems-bok were found lying on the plain, the horns of the Antelope 
being driven so firmly into the lion’s body, that they could not be extracted 
by the efforts of a single man. The lion had evidently sprung upon the 
Gems-bok, which had re- 
ceived its foe upon the points 
of its horns, and had sacri- 
ficed its own life in destroy- 
ing that of its adversary. 
As is the case with many 
long-horned animals, one of 
the horns, usually the left, is 
shorter than the other. In 
a fine pair of Gems-bok horns 
in my collection, the left horn 
is nearly three inches shorter 
than the right. 
Although the Gems-bok / 
is nearly independent of 
water, it stands as much in 
need of moisture as any other 
animal, and would speedily 
perish in the arid deserts 
were it not directed by its 
instincts towards certain suc- 
culent plants whichare placed 
in those regions, and which 
possess the useful power of 
attracting and retaining every GEMS-BOK.—(Oryx Gazella.) 
particle of moisture which 
may happen to settle in their vicinity. The most common and most valuable 
of these plants is a bulbous root, belonging to the Liliacea, called, from its 
peculiar property of retaining the moisture, the Water-root. Only a very 
small portion of the valuable plant appears above the ground, and the 
water-bearing bulb is so encrusted with hardened soil that it must be dug 
out with a knife. Several other succulent plants also possess similar qualities, 
among which may be noticed a kind of little melon which is spread over 
the whole of the great Kalahari desert. 
RESEMBLING the Gems-bok in many particulars, the ORYX can be easily 
distinguished from its predecessor by the shape of the horns, which, instead 
of being nearly straight, are considerably bent, and sweep towards the back 
in a noble curve. 
It uses these horns with as much address as its near relative the gems-bok, 
and if it should be lying wounded on the ground, the hunter must beware of 
approaching the seemingly quiescent animal, lest it should suddenly strike at 
him with its long and keenly pointed horns, while its body lies prostrate on 
the earth. Should it be standing at bay, it is a very dangerous opponent, 
having a habit of suddenly lowering its head and charging forward with 
a quick, lightning-like speed, from which its antagonist cannot escape with- 
out difficulty. 
The colour of this animal is greyish white upon the greater part of its 
person, and is diversified by sundry bold markings of black and ruddy brown, 
which are spread over the head and body in a manner that can be readily 
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