126 
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
for the first introduction of many rare and interesting 
animals. Shortly afterwards a second pair, which had 
been presented to the Queen, were placed by her 
Majesty at the disposal of Dr. William Hunter, who 
published, also in the Philosophical Transactions, a 
full and detailed description of them, together with an 
excellent figure from the pencil of Stubbs, the most 
distinguished animal painter of his day. They were 
immediately adopted by Pennant in his Synopsis, where 
they were again figured, as a species of Antelope ; and 
his classification has been followed by Pallas, and all 
subsequent systematists. 
The male Nyl-ghau is superior in stature to the Stag, 
as well as more robust in his proportions. His head is 
rather large ; his muzzle long and narrow ; his ears 
middle-sized, open, and terminating abruptly in an 
obtuse point ; his neck long and thick ; his shoulders 
surmounted by a slight hump ; his hinder quarters 
much less elevated than his fore parts ; his legs thicker 
than those of most other Antelopes ; and his tail of 
considerable length, reaching below the joint of the leg, 
and ending in a tuft of long hairs. His eyes are full, 
black, and prominent ; and his suborbital sinuses large 
and obvious. The form of his horns is conical and 
slightly curved, with the concavity directed inwards 
and the points turned forwards. They take their origin 
by a triangular base of considerable thickness, marked 
with two or three indistinctly elevated rings, but become 
perfectly round and smooth above, tapering rapidly into 
a rather obtuse point. Their length is from seven to 
eight inches; and their colour a uniform dull black, 
corresponding with that of the hoofs. 
On all the upper parts of the body the general colour 
is of a slaty gray, the bases of the hairs being for the 
most part white with an occasional tinge of brown, and 
their tips dusky black. A thin mane of long black and 
