THE COMMON ANTELOPE.

Capra Cervicapra. LINN. L'Antelope. BUFF.

Of this numerous tribe of animals, there is perhaps no species so truly elegant in its appearance as this; and although it is one of the commonest, yet its habits are but little known. It is very numerous in Barbary, and in all the northern parts of Africa. In size it is rather smaller than the fallow deer. Its colour is a dusky brown, mixed with red; the belly, breast, and inside of the limbs, are white; and on the head, back, and outside of the limbs, the hair is darker than on any other part; the orbits of the eyes are white, and there is a small patch of the same colour on each side of the forehead; the tail is short. The horns, which are about sixteen inches long, are black, distinctly annulated almost to the top, and have three curves: the brachia, or sides of the lyre, were frequently made of these horns, as appears from ancient gems. The female is destitute of horns, and may also be known by a white stripe on the flanks.

THE SWIFT ANTELOPE.

Le Nanguer. BUFF. A. Dama. PALLAS.

This antelope has its horns hooked forward at the ends. The upper parts of the body are of a tawny yellow; the under parts white, with a white spot on the chest. It is the dama of Pliny, Gesner, Ray, &c., and the swift antelope of Pennant. It inhabits Senegal; and is three feet ten inches in length from the nose to the origin of the tail; and two feet eight inches high at the shoulder. The greater part of the body is white; but the back, upper part of the sides, and the head, are tawny, or yellowish. There are, however,

varieties as to colour.

Both sexes have round horns, about eight inches long, bent or hooked forwards, and sharp-pointed. There are only six fore-teeth in the lower jaw. The Nanguer is the swiftest of the genus, and can be but rarely taken; yet it is easily tamed. Elian compares its flight to the rapidity of a whirlwind.

THE RED ANTELOPE

(Le Nagor. BUFF. Antelope Redunca. PALLAS.)

Is very similar to the preceding, with horns five inches and a half long, having one or two slight rings at the base; the ears are much longer than the horns; the hair is stiff, and on all parts of a reddish colour, but palest on the chest. It inhabits Senegal and the Cape, is about two feet three inches in height, and four feet in length.

THE SENEGAL ANTELOPE.

Le Koba. Buff.

The horns of this species are thick, and annulated very close at the roots, much bent in the middle, then approaching, and receding at the ends, which are smooth, sharp, and bent backwards. This animal, which inhabits Senegal, is a large species, being seven feet long. The head is large and clumsy, with long ears; the horns are about seventeen inches in length, and are surrounded with fifteen prominent rings; the head and body are of a reddish brown colour, with a narrow black list down the hinder part of the neck; the rump is a dingy white; and there is a dusky mark on each knee, and above each fetlock joint. The tail is about a foot long, and is covered with longish black hairs.

THE BEZOAR ANTELOPE.

Capra Bezoartica. LINN. Algazel. BUFF.

This species inhabits India, Persia, Egypt, and Ethiopia : it runs swiftly up hill, but slowly on level ground. It is gregarious, and is easily tamed. The general colour of the fur is red, with a white breast, belly, and buttocks; the horns are very long, slender, upright, and bending at the upper part towards each other. Some are smooth, and others much annulated.

THE AFRICAN ANTELOPE.

A. Oreotragus. Cuv. Le Klippspringer. BUFF.

The horns are very straight, short, tapering, sharppointed, and slightly wrinkled at the bases; the head is of a reddish colour; the upper parts of the body a greenish yellow, and the under parts of a whitish ash-colour; the tail is very short. This antelope runs with such swiftness, and makes such large bounds, even upon the most rocky places, that it generally eludes the hunter and dogs. It inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.

THE GUINEA ANTELOPE.

Capra Grimmia. LINN. La Grimme. BUFF.

Dr. Grimm, from whom this animal takes its name, was the first person that described the species. He represents it as hornless; but he evidently only saw the female, as the male has straight black horns, about three inches long, slightly annulated at the base, slender, and sharp at the points. The form of this little animal is most elegant, and its height does not exceed eighteen inches. The colour of

the neck and body is brown, mixed with cinereous, and a tinge of yellow; the belly is white, as is also the under part of the tail, which is short; and it is remarkable for an upright, pointed tuft of strong black hair, rising from the top of its forehead, about two inches and a half high, between the horns. Beneath each eye is a cavity that contains a strong-scented oily liquor, which smells somewhat like musk; and when exposed to the air, becomes black and hard. This species lives among the brush-wood, in that part of Africa between Guinea and the Cape of Good Hope.

THE ELAND.

3

This is a variety of the oreas of the Systema Naturæ, or Indian antelope; and to that accurate delineator of nature, Mr. Daniels, are we indebted for permission to make the representations which we have given of the male and female eland. This species is the largest and most awkward of the antelope tribe in Southern Africa; the body, legs, and hoofs, are completely bovine, as are also the head, the thick neck, and the remarkable dewlap of the male. Its size, its habits, and general appearance, partake more of the ox than the antelope; and the only affinity to the latter is indicated by the horns and the tail. The female is distinguished by her tapering and slender horns, which are distinctly annulated at the base her form is also of a more delicate character than that of the male, and she has a peculiar oval mark on her rump, and another on each side of the upper part of her body. Both the male and female have a dark mark upon the upper part of the throat, reaching downwards to the dewlap. Whole herds are met with consisting entirely of females, arising from the circumstance of the males being much larger, fatter, and of a tougher hide than the females; they are consequently always selected from the herd by the hunters, chased down with dogs, or killed with the musket;