The Living Animals of the World, Volume I: Mammals

The Antelopes 249

line of their advance, and causing considerable anxiety to farmers, whose flocks of sheep and goats are sometimes swept away by the migrating springbucks. In former years the migration of these antelopes in countless thousands from the deserts of Namaqualand to the countries farther south was a common occurrence, an unerring instinct guiding the wandering herds to districts where rain had lately fallen and caused a new growth of green grass. The animals composing these migrating herds were called by the Dutch settlers of the Cape Colony " Trekbokken," or " travelling-bucks." Two other antelopes, the DIBATAG and the GERENUK, are included in the present group; but both, whilst typically gazelline in certain respects, differ so much in other ways from all members of that group that Photo by W. P. [Regent's Park. each has been placed in a separate genus. BED-FRONTED GAZELLE.

The DIBATAG is a very remarkable- Inhabits Dongola and Senaar. looking antelope, only found in certain districts of Central Somaliland, where it was first discovered by Mr. T. W. H. Clarke in 1890. This species shows the face-markings of the gazelles, whilst the horns, which are only present in the males, much resemble in shape those of a reedbuck. They are rather short, attaining a length of only 11 or 12 inches, and their basal halves are strongly ringed in front. is held curvedThe neck of this antelope is singularly long and thin, and the tail, which forwards over the back when the animal is in motion, is also much elongated, and only tufted at the tip. The dibatag frequents sandy ground sparsely covered with low thorn-bushes, and lives in small families, being usually met with in twos or threes, whilst it is rare to find more than four or five consorting together. The GERENUK, like the last-named animal, is an East African species, but has a more extended range, being found all over Somaliland, and thence southwards to the Tana Valley and the Kilimanjaro district of British East Africa. The most remarkable external characteristic of this species is the excessively long neck. The males alone carry horns, which attain an average length of 12 or 13 inches, and, though somewhat gazelle-like in shape, are more strongly crooked forwards at the points. The skull of this species is more dense and solid in structure than in the true gazelles, and the cheek-teeth are smaller in size.

Coming now to the Sable Antelope Photo by W. P. Dando]group, we find an assemblage of antelopes which are all of large size and handsome RED-FRONTED GAZELLE. appearance, and in all of which both the Another view of the specimen shown above. 32

of the World250 The Living Animals

Photo by Percy Ashenden] [Cape Town.

MALE SPRINGBUCK.

Once the most numerous species in South Africa, where it is still not uncommon. Its migrations, or "treks," at certain seasons were one of the sights of the veldt.

males and females are horned. With the single exception of the BEATRIX ORYX, which inhabits Arabia, all these antelopes are denizens of Africa. One species of the group, the BLUEBUCK, which appears to have been entirely confined to the mountainous districts of the Cape Peninsula, became extinct during the first decade of the last century. Little is known as to the life history of this animal, but it was undoubtedly nearly allied to the larger and more handsomely marked KOAN ANTELOPE. This latter animal once had a more extensive range than any other antelope, as it was found in almost every part of Africa south of the Sahara, with the exception of the Congo forest region. It has now been exterminated in the more southerly portions of the country, but from the Limpopo to the Upper Nile, and thence to the Niger, it is still to be found wherever the surroundings are suitable to its requirements. A large bull roan antelope will stand 4 feet 9 inches at the withers. The general colour of the body differs in individuals, even in the same district, varying from a very light shade of brown to dark grey or red-roan. The front and sides of the face are jet-black in the adult male, and dark reddish brown in the female, with two long white tufts of hair under the eyes. The muzzle and extremity of the lower jaw are white. The hair on the under side of the neck is long and coarse, and a stiff mane about 3 inches in length runs from behind the ears to the withers. The ears are very long, and in the females and young males tufted. The horns are curved backwards, and in the male are very stout and strong, attaining

The Antelopes 251

a length of from 26 to 34 inches. In the female the horns are shorter and slighter, and not so strongly ringed. Eoan antelope are usually met with in small herds of from six to a dozen members, and never congregate in large numbers. I do not think I have ever counted as many as thirty together. I have found them fairly common in certain districts, but nowhere very plentiful. They frequent open plains and thinly forested country, and are never found far away from water. Bucks often become savage when wounded, and will sometimes charge viciously if approached incautiously. They can use their horns with great dexterity, and play havoc with a pack of dogs. is yet a handsomer The SABLE ANTELOPE, though considerably smaller than the roan, animal. In colour the adult male, when in high condition, is jet-black all over with the exception of the white face-markings and the snow-white of the belly and insides of the thighs. The mane is longer and more bushy than in the roan antelope, and often hangs down on either side over the withers. The horns, too, are much finer, and, sweeping backwards in a bold curve, are commonly upwards of 42 inches long, and have been known to reach it one of the50 inches. The striking colour, large size, and horns of this creature make most-prized trophies of the sportsman. The skin, when prepared and laid down as a rug in halls or dwelling-rooms, is far more handsome than that of any deer. The female of this species is usually of a rich red-brown in colour instead of black as in the male. South of the Zambesi, however, old cows become almost absolutely black. North of the Zambesi both male and female sable antelopes are dark red in colour rather than black. The horns in the female are slighter and less curved than in the male, and are also considerably shorter, as a rule not measuring over 30 inches in length. The range of the sable antelope extends from the northern districts of the Transvaal to German East Africa. In the country between the Limpopo and the Central Zambesi it used to be a very common animal, especially in the northern districts of Mashonaland. It is partial to open forests intersected by grassy, well-watered glades, and is never found on open plains entirely devoid of bush. It is usually met with in herds of from Photo ly S. G. Payne, Aylesbury, by permission of the Hon. Walter Rothschild. twelve to twenty individuals, SABLE ANTELOPE. but I have often seen as A near ally of the Boan Antelope, from which it is broadly distinguished by its striking colora-many as fifty, and once tion black and white.

of the World252 The Living Animals

counted between seventy and eighty together. However large a herd of sable antelopes may be, it is very exceptional to find with it more than one fully adult male, from which fact I should judge that these animals are of a very jealous and pugnacious disposition. ^ When wounded and brought to bay by dogs, a sable antelope defends itself with the utmost fury, using its long scimitar-shaped horns with most wonderful quickness and dexterity. If badly wounded it will lie down, otherwise it fights standing. Keeping its face to some of its foes, with a sideways twist of its head it will transfix and throw into the air any dog which attempts to attack it from behind. I have seen a wounded sable antelope, when lying down, Photo by the Duchea of Bedford} [ Woburn Abbey. drive one of its horns clean

KOAN ANTELOPE.

through a large dog deep into In common with the Sable Antelope and the Oryx group, both sexes of this species carry horns. its own haunch, and I have

had four valuable hounds killed and four others grievously wounded by one of these animals in less than a minute. I once knew a native hunter who was stabbed through the kidneys and killed by a sable antelope cow.

The nearest allies of the sable and roan antelopes are the various species of the genus Oryx. In this group are included the WHITE ORYX, which inhabits the desert regions of the interior of Northern Africa from Dongola to Senegal; the BEATRIX ORYX of Southern Arabia; the G-EMSBUCK of Southwestern Africa; the BEISA,. which is found in North-east Africa from Suakim south- Photo by Norman B. Smith, Esq.] wards to the river Tana; and MALE OP GRANT'S GAZELLE. the TUFTED BEISA, which is This fine East African species is one of the handsomest of its kind.

The Antelopes 253

very nearly related to the last-named species, whose place it takes south of the Tana River in certain districts of British and German East Africa. In general appearance there is a strong family resemblance between the different species of oryx. In all of them both sexes carry horns, which are considerably longer, though somewhat slighter, in the females than in the ; but in the other four species theymales. In the white oryx the horns are curved backwards are straight, or nearly so. In all the faces are conspicuously banded with black and white, and the tails long, with large dark terminal brushes. The two most desert-loving species, the white and the Beatrix oryx, are paler in general body-colour than the other three, and the latter animal is considerably smaller than any other member of the group, standing not is the largest and undoubtedly themore than 35 inches at the withers. The gemsbuck handsomest of the group, standing 4 feet at the shoulders; the horns of the females are often upwards of 40 inches long, and have been known to attain a length of 48 inches.

In habits ail species of oryx seem to be very similar. They are denizens of the arid sun-scorched plains of Africa, which are not necessarily devoid of all kind of vegetation, but are often covered with stunted bush, and carry a plentiful crop of coarse grass after rain. Oryx usually run in herds of from four or five to fifteen or twenty, though the beisa, the most abundant of the group, has been met with in troops numbering 400 or 500 head. All the oryx are shy and wary, and in the open country they usually frequent are difficult to approach on foot. If pursued on horseback, they run at a steady gallop, which they can maintain for long distances, swinging their bushy black tails from side to side, and holding GROUP OF BEISA ORYX. their heads in such a This most interesting photograph, taken by Lord Delamere, shows a group of these fine antelopes on the way that their long Bast African plains. straight horns are only I am ofsloped slightly backwards. Fleet and enduring, however, as oryx undoubtedly are, opinion that in these respects the gemsbuck of South Africa, at any rate, is inferior to all other large antelopes living in the same country, with the single exception of the eland. I have often, when mounted on a fast horse, galloped right up to herds of gemsbuck, and on two occasions have run antelopes of this species to an absolute standstill. Oryx of all species should be approached with caution when badly wounded, as they are liable to make short rushes, and can use their horns with great effect.