The Antelopes 



247 



At tlie present day the saiga is only found iu Europe on tlie ])lains liftwecn the Don 

 and the Volga, but to the east of the Ural I-vivcr its range extends o\er the Kii-gliiz Steppes 

 and the higli plains of all Western Siberia. Li\ing in o]ien country, and luniug the senses of 

 hearing, sight, and scent all highly developed, the saiga is a ditficult animal to ap|iroacli. and 

 can only be successfully st.dked by an expert hunter. In summer it is usually luet with iu 

 small, scattered bands, which, when driven southwards ])y snow and cold, are collected into 

 consideralile herds in the more southerly portions of its range. In very severe wintei-s whole- 

 herds have been known to perish in snow-drifts, and in such incleuient seasons large numbers 

 are also killed by the natives. The flesh of the saiga is said to resend)le mutton, and is held 

 in much esteem. 



The Gazelles. 



^^'e now come to the Gazelles, among which are comprised many of the best known 

 and most beautiful of the small or medium-sized antelopes. In the true gazelles both sexes 

 generally carry horns. Indeed, this rule is universal in those of Africa and Arabia ; and there 



uOn rif Hi. 



These 





I- 1- Cad Iluilijihn-ti 



OOITRED GAZELLES FEOJI MES0P0TA31IA. 



animals are iDlialiitants of rocky uBd desert grOTind. TLey are often kept tame bj the wanderiDg Arabs. 



[Haidljurrf. 



are only fom- species known — all Asiatic — in which the females are hornless : viz. the Tibetan 

 Gazelle, Prejevalski's Gazelle, tlie jNIongoliax Gazelle, and the Persl^n Gazelle, 



The range of the various species belonging to this large group is very extensive, comprising- 

 the whole of Northern and Eastern Africa, Arabia, and Western and Central Asia, as well as- 

 Mongolia and India. The gazelles are inhabitants of the open plains and arid desert regions 

 of the Old World, and, although sometimes met with in tracts of country wliere there is a 

 certain amount of scattered bush or open stunted forest, are never found in any kind of jungle 

 or thick cover. 



On the sandy pLuns of North-western Africa are found the Ped-fronted Gazelle of 

 Senegal and Gambia; the little-known jMiiORii Gazelle of Sontli-western Morocco; and the 

 Dama Gazelle, a si:)ecies which has been known to naturalists ever since the time of Buffon. 

 A near ally of the last-named animal is the Ped-necked Gazelle of Dongola and Senaar. In 

 North-eastern Africa are foimd the large and handsome Soemmekring'.s Gazelle ; the Isabella 

 Gazelle, of the coastlands of the Ped Sea ; Heuglin's Gazelle ; Pelzeln's ( iazelle, of the- 

 maritime plains of Northern Somaliland ; and Speke's Gazelle, of the interior of the same 

 country ; wdiilst farther south the group is rejiresented by the large and beautiful Grant's- 



