448 NATURAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. 
of the swiftest and most restless of the antelope 
tribe, and is about three feet eight inches high, 
and five feet eight inches long. It is worthy of re- 
mark that the antelope does not occur in the new 
world. 
Animals of the goat and sheep tribes (capra) 
appear to be rare in Africa. The different spe- 
cies mentioned by travellers, as occurring in the 
northern parts of this continent, are very dubious. 
The wild goat (capra aegagrus), which is alleged 
to be the original of the domestic goat, is said to 
inhabit the north of Africa ; and the mouflon of 
Africa occurs in rocky deserts in Barbary, and 
also in Egypt. The only species of the ox 
tribe peculiar to Africa, is that named the Caffra- 
rian buffalo (bos Caffei ), which is of great size, and 
remarkably wild and ferocious. 
The ancients have reported the existence of 
several animals in Africa, which there is now rea- 
son to regard as fabulous. Among these, the 
most celebrated was the unicorn, on which we 
shall extract the excellent remarks of Cuvier, in 
his Theory of the Earth. 
" The most famous among these fabulous animals 
of the ancients was the unicorn. Its real existence 
has been obstinately asserted even in the present 
day, or at least proofs of its existence have been 
eagerly sought for. Three several animals are fre- 
quently mentioned by the ancients as having only 
