1837.] 



The Indian Antelope* 



407 



characteristic of the male, but these organs are yet of small growth, are 

 only beginning to be annuiated at their base, and are commencing their 

 first spiral turn ; its colour, as is very generally the case among the 

 young of animals that in adult age are differently coloured in the sexes, 

 is that of the female, which in this instance is a dull fawn with a pale 

 stripe along the side : it has, consequently, in these two striking par- 

 ticulars, full evidence of immaturity. The emasculated individual was 

 probably, at the period when that accident or operation occurred which 

 prevented the development of its sexual characters, at nearly the same 

 age as the one last adverted to : it has since continued to increase in 

 bulk, and it even exceeds in size, as often happens in castrated animals, 

 the perfect adult male of the same species : but the secondary sexual 

 characters of the male have not been developed in it : it retains the dull 

 fawn colour of immaturity, and its horns have not acquired the strength, 

 the annulation, or the spiral turns which belong to those of the adult 

 and perfect male. One of the horns has been broken off ; perhaps the 

 more readily from some weakness in its structure, consequent on its 

 unimportance to an animal so degenerated : the other retains at a short 

 distance from its normally formed tip, a few rings, but beyond these 

 the surface has become smooth, the substance remains weak and com- 

 paratively small, and the direction, instead of being in a succession of 

 spiral turns, is in a single sweep, passing backwards above the base of 

 the ear and then descending along the curve of the neck : it has, though 

 weaker, much of the "character of the horns of the African race of 

 Sheep. Trie general appearance of the animal is also sheep-like and 

 tame. 



Mr. Bennett proceeded to remark that these animals, although cu- 

 xious and interesting on account of the variations exhibited by them, 

 in accordance with their several conditions, in those acknowledged 

 secondary sexual characters, colour and horns, were yet more interest- 

 ing when considered with reference to the state of another organ, the 

 use of wdiich has long remained a problem to zoologists, but which, it 

 appeared to him, must be referred to sexual relations ; he alluded now 

 to the lacrymal sinus. Referring to its structure as to that of a sac, 

 opening externally by a lengthened slit, but perfectly closed within, he 

 remarked, that that organ could not possibly be in any degree connect- 

 ed with the functions of respiration ; there being no aperture through it 

 for the passage of air. Its inner surface is covered by a smooth skin, 

 with a few scattered and very short bristles, and is defeuded by a dark 

 coloured and copious secretion of ceruminous matter, which has a slight 

 urinous or sexual odour. He did not feel himself competent, he stated, to 

 explain the precise manner in which this organ is available for sexual 

 purposes; yet he felt convinced that such is its use, from the consider- 



