THE NUBIAN IBEX 
CAPRA NUBIANA 
T HOUGH readily distinguished both from the European and all 
species of Asiatic ibex by the general appearance of its horns, 
which, though they sometimes grow to a great length, are very 
slender, with a very narrow front surface, the Nubian ibex is 
closely allied to the other members of the genus to which it 
belongs, and, like the audad and the Barbary stag, is doubtless 
an intruder amongst the ^Ethiopian fauna from a more northern habitat. 
In height the Nubian ibex stands about thirty -two or thirty -three 
inches at the shoulder. The general colour of the upper parts in both 
sexes is a sandy brown, with the chin, beard, flanks, chest and lower part 
of the legs dark brown or black. A black dorsal line also runs down the 
back. In fine examples the horns of the Nubian ibex grow to forty inches, 
and instances have been recorded of lengths of forty-six and fifty-one 
inches. In the females the horns are very small, being only five or six 
inches long. The horns of the males are beautifully curved and the knobs 
on the front portion well marked. This species of ibex was first met with 
in Africa, in Upper Egypt and Nubia, but it is also plentiful in the 
mountains bordering the Red Sea, in the neighbourhood of Port Sudan 
and Massowah. It is also thought to exist in the mountains of Morocco, 
and in the interior of Senegambia. 
Living as they do in arid rocky mountains almost devoid of all vegetation, 
and in an excessively hot part of the world, and being at the same time 
very wary and watchful, to fairly stalk these wild goats is a most fatiguing 
pursuit, and they are much more easily shot by driving. 
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