ANTELOPES. 
2 93 
24 inches at the shoulder; and the horns are relatively long and slender, with their 
tips incurved, their length being sometimes a little over 13 inches. Like most 
other gazelles, this beautiful little animal is of extremely delicate build, and is re¬ 
markable for its great speed. When running, it appears to skim the ground like a 
bird, and often takes leaps of a yard or more in height. Closely allied to this 
species is the isabelline gazelle ( G.isabellina ) of Kordofan and Senaar, distinguished 
by the tail being rufous, instead of black, above. Other species are the korin ( G. 
rufifrons) of Senegal; Sunclevall’s gazelle (G. loevipes) of Senaar; and the black¬ 
tailed gazelle ( G . tilonura) of Bogosland; the latter being characterised by its 
superior size, reaching 29 inches at the shoulder, and the horns varying from 7 
to 10| inches in length. 
Indian Gazelle. 
The Indian gazelle ( G. bennetti), brings us to a subgroup dis¬ 
tinguished from the preceding by the horns not being distinctly 
lyrate, but generally having a slight S-shaped curvature when seen from the side. 
The general colour of this well-known species—the ravine-deer of Indian sports¬ 
men—is light chestnut above, while the tail is blackish. 
In height the buck stands 26 inches at the withers; and 
the horns, which usually have fifteen or sixteen rings, 
average 10 to 12 inches in length along the curve. This 
species inhabits the plains of Central and North-Western 
India, whence it extends through Baluchistan to Persia. 
It is commonly found in parties of from two to six, 
although occasionally from ten to twenty may be found 
together. Its swiftness is such that it can but seldom 
be taken with dogs; but it does not leap in the air like 
the dorcas. Mr. Blanford writes that this gazelle 
“ keeps much to waste ground, especially where that is 
broken up by ravines, but it is seldom seen on alluvial 
plains, and it haunts cultivation less than the [Indian] 
antelope. It is frequently found amongst scattered 
bushes or thin tree-jungle, and may be met with on 
undulating ground even on the top of hills; it is com¬ 
monly found amongst sand-hills, and is nowhere so 
abundant as in parts of the Indian desert. It lives on 
grass and the leaves of bushes, and I believe never drinks, for it is common in 
tracts where there is no water except from deep wells.” Other members of this 
group are the mountain-gazelle (G. cuvieri) of Morocco and Algeria, which reaches 
a height of 27-| inches; the small-horned gazelle (G. leptoceros) of the Sudan; 
the well-known Arabian gazelle (G. arabica ); and Speke’s gazelle ( G. spekei) of 
the plateau of Somaliland. The latter species is of very small size, and remark¬ 
able for the loose flabby skin of the nose, and is further distinguished by the 
length of its hair and dull coloration. The length of the horns ranges from 9| to 
11J inches. 
Another group is formed by three Asiatic gazelles, which differ from all other 
P ' G n mem ^ ers the g enus by the females being hornless. Of these, the 
’ Persian gazelle ( G . subgutturosa ) inhabits the highlands of Persia and 
SKULL OF INDIAN GAZELLE. 
