127 
In the reprint of Blyth’s ‘Report,’ which was edited by Speke in 1860 
after his return to this country, this Gazelle was erroneously referred to 
G. cuviert of Ogilby. In 1863, however, Blyth, who had discovered that 
this was a mistake, proposed the name Gazella spekei for this species in his 
‘Catalogue of the Mammals of the Asiatic Society's Museum,’ and this 
appellation has been generally adopted for it ever since. 
When the late Sir Victor Brooke wrote his Monograph of the Gazelles in 
1873 Speke’s Gazelle was hardly known in this country, and Brooke was 
only acquainted with it from photographs of the type specimens in the 
Calcutta Museum. But since that date Somaliland has been fully opened 
to British travellers, and the numerous explorers and sportsmen who have 
visited that much-hunted country have brought back good sets of specimens 
both of Speke’s and of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, and made us well acquainted with 
the ranges and other peculiarities of these two species. 
One of the first British travellers who visited Somaliland, and made the 
acquaintance of Speke’s Gazelle, was the late Mr. F. L. James, who proceeded 
there on a shooting-expedition in January 1884, accompanied by his brother 
and Mr. E. Lort Phillips*. Mr. Lort Phillips read some notes on the 
Antelopes obtained on this occasion before the Zoological Society in 
December 1885, and in alluding to this Gazelle called it the ‘‘ Flabby-nosed 
Gazelle,’ to which term Sclater attached a footnote stating that it was 
probably of a new species,’ but required further examination. This 
examination Sclater bestowed upon Mr. Lort Phillips’s specimens shortly 
afterwards (see P. Z. 8. 1886, p. 504), and came to the correct conclusion 
that the so-called Flabby-nosed Gazelle was quite distinct from the species of 
the coast land. He unfortunately did not perceive that it was the species of 
the high plateau and not that of the coast land, which had already been 
named Gazella spekei by Blyth, and therefore gave it a new name, Gazella 
naso, under which appellation it will be found described and its characteristic 
head figured in Sclater’s article in the Zoological Society’s ‘ Proceedings ’ 
for 1886. But, as Thomas has subsequently shown (P. Z. 8. 1891, p. 210), 
there can be no doubt that Gazella naso is merely a synonym of Gazella 
speket. 
Another well-known author, who must not fail to be quoted in any 
* See Mr. F. L. James’s “ Journey through the Somali to the Webbe Shebeyly,” Proc. R. G. S. 
vii. p. 625 (1885). 
2 
