The Living Animals of the World, Volume I: Mammals

THE WATERBUCKS.

The largest animals in the first of three groups now to be considered are the WATERBUCKS,. antelopes of stout and sturdy build, standing from 45 to 50 inches at the shoulder, and covered with long, coarse hair, especially on the neck, in both sexes. The males alone carry horns, which vary from 20 to 36 inches in length, and are strongly ringed in front for three-fourths of their length. They are sublyrate in shape, being first inclined backwards and then forwards at the tips. There are three well-marked species of waterbuck viz. the COMMON WATERBUCK of South Africa, whose range extends from the Limpopo northwards, through Nyasa-land to German and British East Africa, and to the Shebeyli Eiver, in Somaliland; the SING-SING of Senegal and Gambia; and the DEFASSA WATERBUCK of Western Abyssinia and the Nile Valley, south to Uganda and British and German East Africa. In habits all species of waterbuck are very similar. They live generally, though not Photo by S. ff. Payne, Aylesbury, by permission

SAIGA MALE ANTELOPES.

Russianinvariably, in herds of from These antelopes inhabit the Bast steppes. The thick woolly coat turns nearly white in ten to twenty individuals, and winter. in such small herds there is seldom more than one full-grown male present. In the interior of South Africa the waterbuck is often met with amongst steep stony hills and at a distance of more than a mile from the nearest river. Speaking generally, however, this antelope may be said to frequent the near it alwaysneighbourhood of water, but to prefer dry to swampy ground. When chased by dogs makes for water, and will plunge fearlessly into broad, deep rivers, regardless of crocodiles, to which ravenous reptiles it sometimes falls a victim. In South Africa waterbuck vary much in colour even in the same district, some being reddish brown, whilst others are of a very dark grey. The flesh of the waterbuck is coarse, and sometimes rather strongly tasted, and when in good condition the fat is very hard.

The REEDBUCKS are similar in essential characters to the waterbucks, but are of smaller size, and have more bushy tails, and naked spots on the sides of the head beneath the ears. is the best known. This animal Of this group the COMMON REEDBUCK of South Africa stands 3 feet at the withers, and is of a soft greyish fawn-colour, with a large fluffy tail, which is always thrown up when the animal runs, exposing the white under-surface. The males alone carry horns, which curve backwards and then forwards, and attain a length of from 12 to 16 inches. Reedbucks are met with singly or in twos and threes, and never congregate in herds,

though I have seen as many as eight, belonging probably to three or four families, feeding in close proximity to one another on young green grass. is the Eooi EHEBUCK of South Africa. This Another member of the reedbuck group latter species, though a much smaller animal, is very similar to the common reedbuck in colour, shape, and general appearance; it is quite distinct in its habits and mode of life, as it lives in small herds of from four or five to fifteen head, amongst rugged stony hills, often far from water.

THE BLACKBUCK OF INDIA.

This handsome species is found throughout India wherever there are open cultivated is of aplains. The male stands about 32 inches at the shoulder, and when full grown glossy black colour, with the exception of a chestnut-coloured patch at the back of the neck, and some markings of the same colour about the face. The belly and insides of the limbs are pure white, the line between the black and white being very clearly defined. The whole body and frame are very compact, strong, and beautifully proportioned, and the head is carried high. The males alone carry horns, which are spiral in shape, annulated almost to the tips, and vary in length from 18 to 28 inches. Young bucks and does are fawn-coloured instead of black, These antelopes are usually met with in considerable herds on open plains in which cultivated tracts alternate with waste land, and they often do much damage to the natives' crops. When alarmed, they first execute a series of pro- digious bounds into the air before finally settling down to a steady run. They are surprisingly fleet, and can seldom be overtaken by the fastest greyhounds, although they can be caught and pulled down without difficulty by trained cheetas, or, as they are often called, hunting- leopards.

The PALLA, which is found in Southern and Eastern Africa from Bechuana- land to Kordofan, is one of the most graceful of animals, It is a forest-loving species, and is never found far from water. Both sexes are of a general bright reddish brown, with white bellies. The males alone carry horns, which are very graceful in shape, and vary from 14 to upwards of 20 inches in length. The finest specimens of the palla are met with in the extreme southerly and most northerly portions of its range, the animals inhabiting the inter- Photo by Miss. J. Beck. mediate districts being smaller and carrying shorter horns, ARABIAN GAZELLE Pallas are gregarious, living in herds of from twenty to Gazelles are someof allof antelopes.the most slenderly built over one hundred. When alarmed, they bound over bushes or any other obstacles with the utmost ease and grace, and appear to get over the ground at a high rate of speed. They are, however, very commonly run down and torn to pieces by wild dogs, which hunt in packs, and are very destructive to African game. is the SAIGA, which, Of far less graceful appearance than the two preceding species though structurally closely allied to the gazelles, has been placed by naturalists in a genus by itself. This curious-looking animal, which is chiefly remarkable for its large swollen-looking nose and light-coloured horns, is an inhabitant of the steppes of South-eastern Europe and Western Asia. In height it stands about 30 inches at the withers, and is of a dull yellowish colour in summer, turning to nearly white in winter. The males alone carry horns, which are sometimes 13 or 14 inches long, and of a peculiar colour which has been likened to pale amber.

The Antelopes 247

At the present day the saiga is only found in Europe on the plains between the Don and the Volga, but to the east of the Ural Kiver its range extends over the Kirghiz Steppes and the high plains of all Western Siberia. Living in open country, and having the senses of hearing, sight, and scent all highly developed, the saiga is a difficult animal to approach, and it is usually met with in can only be successfully stalked by an expert hunter. In summer small, scattered bands, which, when driven southwards by snow and cold, are collected into considerable herds in the more southerly portions of its range. In very severe winters whole herds have been known to perish in snow-drifts, and in such inclement seasons large numbers are also killed by the natives. The flesh of the saiga is said to resemble mutton, and is held in much esteem.

THE G-AZELLES.

which are comprised many of the best known We now come to the Gazelles, among and most beautiful of the small or medium-sized antelopes. In the true gazelles both sexes generally carry horns. Indeed, this rule is universal in those of Africa and Arabia; and there

By permission of fferr Carl Hagenbeck] [Hamburg.

GOITEED GAZELLES PROM MESOPOTAMIA.

These animals are inhabitants of rocky and desert ground. They are often kept tame by the wandering Arabs.

are only four species known all Asiatic in which the females are hornless: viz. the TIBETAN

GAZELLE, PREJEVALSKI'S G-AZELLE, the MONGOLIAN GAZELLE, and the PERSIAN GAZELLE.

is very extensive, comprising The range of the various species belonging to this large group the whole of Northern and Eastern Africa, Arabia, and Western and Central Asia, as well as Mongolia and India. The gazelles are inhabitants of the open plains and arid desert regions is aof the Old World, and, although sometimes met with in tracts of country where there of junglecertain amount of scattered bush or open stunted forest, are never found in any kind or thick cover. On the sandy plains of North-western Africa are found the BED-FRONTED GAZELLE of Senegal and Gambia; the little-known MHORR GAZELLE of South-western Morocco; and the DAMA GAZELLE, a species which has been known to naturalists ever since the time of Buffon. InA near ally of the last-named animal is the EED-NECKED GAZELLE of Dongola and Senaar. North-eastern Africa are found the large and handsome SOEMMERRING'S G-AZELLE; the ISABELLA GAZELLE, of the coastlands of the Eed Sea; HEUGLIN'S GAZELLE; PELZELN'S GAZELLE, of the maritime plains of Northern Somaliland; and SPEKE'S GAZELLE, of the interior of the same country; whilst farther south the group is represented by the large and beautiful GRANT'S

of the World248 The Living Animate

GAZELLE, with its allies PETERS'S GAZELLE and THOMSON'S GAZELLE. The well-known DORCAS GAZELLE is an inhabitant of Morocco and Algeria, ranging through Egypt into Palestine and Syria; the MARICA GAZELLE, the MUSCAT GAZELLE, and the ARABIAN GAZELLE inhabit the deserts of Arabia; the EDMI GAZELLE is found in the mountain-ranges of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunis; while LODER'S GAZELLE inhabits the sandy tracts of the interior of Algeria and Tunis. In Asia, besides the four species of gazelle already enumerated in which the females are ledland, F.Z.S.'} [Sortlt. Fincldey. hornless, one other member of the is the INDIAN SPEKE'S GAZELLE. group is met with. This Found in the interior of Northern Somaliland. GAZELLE, a species very closely allied to the Arabian form. Of the whole genus GRANT'S GAZELLE is the most beautiful. This handsome animal, which was first discovered by the explorers Speke and Grant in 1860, is an inhabitant of Eastern Africa, from the neighbourhood of Lake Kudolph southwards to Ugogo. In size the average is close andheight at the shoulder of males of this species is about 34 inches. The coat short and of a general fawn colour, the rump and belly pure white, and the face marked with a rufous band from the horns to the nose and with streaks of white on each side. The upper surface of the tail is white, with a black and tufted tip. The horns, which are very elegant in shape, being first curved slightly forwards and then backwards, are much longer and more powerful than in any other gazelle, and attain a length of 30 inches in the males and 17 inches in the females. Grant's gazelles, though they undoubtedly find their most congenial home in open country, have also been met with by recent travellers in bush-sprinkled wastes and stony, rugged hills. They are, however, never found in dense jungles or high mountains. They live in herds of from half a dozen to twenty or thirty individuals, though in certain localities as many as 200 have been seen together. They are fond of consorting with other game, such as Burchell's and Grevy's zebras, Coke's hartebeest, and the beisa oryx, and are often met with at long distances from the nearest water. They are keen-sighted and wary, and from the open character of the country in which they are usually encountered are often difficult to stalk. of this gazelleWhen in good condition, the meat is said to be excellent. The nearest ally of the true gazelles is undoubtedly the SPRINGBUCK of South Africa. Owing to the protection which it has received of late years, this graceful antelope is now a common animal in many parts of South Africa, and in the north-western portions of the Cape Colony still sometimes collects into prodigious Photo iy w. p. Dando] [Regent* Park. herds, which travel through the country in dense GAZELLES FROM EGYPT. crossed the Bayuda Desert. masses, destroying every Vestige of graSS On the Seen in great numbers when our troops