(one of our most recent authorities on the subject), speak of the
Steinbuck as the “most common and widely distributed Antelope of
South Africa from Cape Town to the Zambesi, frequenting the open
flats either singly or in pairs.” As the hares of the Cape afford
little or no sport for coursing, the Steinbok has been employed as
their substitute. These authors give us the following notes upon this
subject:--“At Kimberley, in Griqualand West, a regular coursing club
was organized shortly after the discovery of the diamond fields, and
it has been carried on ever since with the greatest success, the
colonists being just as much interested in the result of the annual
Club Cup as sportsmen are in England over the Waterloo Cup, large
sums of money changing hands at the meetings. It requires, however,
a really fast powerful greyhound with a lot of bottom to run up on a
Steinbuck. As nearly all proprietors strictly preserve the species in
Griqualand West, they are there very numerous, perhaps even more so
than in the native territories further north. This Antelope commences
feeding about sundown, and continues its wanderings during the night,
at sunrise retiring under cover of some low thick clump of bush or
patch of long grass, where, unless disturbed, it passes the entire
day in concealment. As it usually lies asleep during the great heat
of the sun, it can then be easily walked up to and readily disposed
of with a charge of buckshot. When severely wounded or hard pressed
by dogs, it will often take refuge in the burrow of the Aard-vark
(_Oryctoropus_). At all times the Steinbuck is rather a difficult
shot with the rifle; but if the half-hour before dusk or sunrise be
chosen, some pretty rifle-shooting may be obtained, and a quiet stalk
at such times through a _veldt_ which they frequent will often
well repay the sportsman when larger antelopes are not at hand. The
wind has no influence with regard to the direction in which it goes, as
it will run either up or down wind. It does not frequent very hilly or
thick bush country, and is capable of existing for long periods without
water. The Steinbuck is very easily tamed, but invariably becomes blind
when kept in captivity for any length of time. The flesh is excellent.”
Mr. Selous, in his valuable notes on South Central African Antelopes
read before the Zoological Society of London in June 1881, gives us a
list of the various native names of this little Antelope, and says that
it is spread all over South Africa from the Cape to the Zambesi, except
in the mountainous districts and in tracts of very thick bush. North
of the Zambesi Mr. Selous did not meet with any Steinboks. But it is
certain from the researches of Mr. Crawshay in Nyasaland, of Herr Oscar
Neumann in German East Africa, and Mr. Jackson and other authorities
in British East Africa, that the Steinbok, or a very closely allied
representative, is found, in suitable localities, nearly up to the Tana
River. For the present, however, we shall follow Herr Matschie’s views
in considering the East-African form _Raphicerus neumanni_ as
possibly belonging to a distinct species.
From the western frontiers of the Cape Colony the Steinbok, or a very
nearly allied form, appears to extend up to the Cunene River in the
interior of Angola, whence specimens, referred by M. Du Bocage, with
some hesitation, to the Steinbok, were forwarded in 1874 to the Lisbon
Museum by M. d’Anchieta.
The only example of the Steinbok registered in the Zoological Society’s
Catalogues is a female specimen presented by Sir George Grey, K.C.B.,
then Governor of the Cape Colony, in 1861. We are not aware of any
other examples of this Antelope having been brought to Europe.
Our figure of this species (Plate XXVII. fig. 1) was put on the stone
by Mr. Smit from a drawing by Wolf prepared under the directions of
the late Sir Victor Brooke. The drawing is now in Sir Douglas Brooke’s
possession. We regret to be unable to state from what specimen it was
taken.
The National Collection contains a pair of mounted specimens of this
Antelope obtained by Wahlberg in Cafferland, and several skins without
exact localities. A skull from Port Elizabeth was obtained by Mr. F. C.
Selous. Further specimens of both sexes with exact dates and localities
would be highly appreciated.
_December, 1895._
48. NEUMANN’S STEINBOK.
RAPHICERUS NEUMANNI (MATSCH.).
_Nanotragus tragulus_, =Hunter=, in Willoughby’s E. Afr. p. 290
(1889) (?).
_Nanotragus campestris_, =Jackson=, Big Game Shooting, p. 285
(1894) (?).
_Pediotragus neumanni_, =Matsch.= SB. nat. Freund. 1894, p. 122
(N. Ugogo); =id.= Thierw. Ost-Afr. Säugeth. p. 120.
VERNACULAR NAME:--_Dondoro_ in Ugogo (_Neumann_).
Similar to _R. campestris_, but without any black colour on the
head.
_Hab._ East Africa, from the Tana to Nyasaland.
As already stated in our remarks on the preceding species, we are by no
means satisfied as to the specific difference of the Steinbok of East
Africa from the corresponding form met with south of the Zambesi. But
until further evidence on this point is available we will not dissent
from the views of Herr Matschie, who has decided that the East-African
form is distinct, and has proposed to call it after Herr Oscar Neumann,
to whom the Berlin Museum is indebted for its specimens.
Herr Neumann, who has recently returned from a most successful
expedition, in which he traversed unexplored portions of German East
Africa up to Lake Victoria and returned through British territory, met
with this Antelope, as he kindly informs us, in Northern Ugogo, Iranga,
Usandawe, and near Mount Gurui. He describes its habits as almost like
those of _Madoqua kirki_ and _Cephalophus harveyi_, with
which it is often found in company in the thinly-bushed districts. But
it also occasionally goes out into the open prairies, and then lies
concealed in the tall grasses like the Reedbucks. Its Swahili name is
given as ‘Dondoro.’
In his appendix to Sir John Willoughby’s ‘East Africa and its Big
Game,’ Mr. Hunter includes the “Steinbok” amongst the Antelopes met
with in the plains round Kilimanjaro, where, he says, it is very
often seen in the long grass. Mr. F. J. Jackson also speaks of the
“Steinbok” in his account of the Antelopes of the same district. He
says that its Swahili name is “Ishah,” but that it is better known to
some sportsmen as the Grass-Antelope, and continues as follows:--“It is
more plentiful at Kilimanjaro than elsewhere, though I have seen a good
many all along the caravan-route, wherever it passes through open grass
country, between Mombasa and Nzoi in Ukambani. This little Antelope is
the smallest of those found in the open plains. It is a stupid little
beast, and requires very little stalking to outwit it. It will often
stand gazing at anyone who approaches, and allow him to walk up to
within 100 yards of it.”
If it should turn out that _R. neumanni_ is a good species, it is
probable that that Steinbok or Ishah of British East Africa, referred
to by these two distinguished sportsmen, will be found to belong to it.
In his ‘Field-notes on the Antelopes of Nyasaland,’ published in 1890,
Mr. R. Crawshay includes the Steinbuck. But he had only procured one
specimen, and admits that he was uncertain as to its identification.
As will be seen by this and by previous remarks that we have made, our
knowledge of the Antelopes of East Africa is still far from complete,
and there is a large opportunity for further discoveries on this
subject by those who will kindly assist us with notes and specimens.
The British Museum contains two skulls, probably of this species,
obtained between Mombasa and Kilimanjaro by Mr. H. C. V. Hunter.
_December, 1895._
GENUS IV. NESOTRAGUS.
Type.
_Nesotragus_, =Von Düb.= Öfv. K. Vet.-Ak. Förh.
iii. 1846, p. 221 (1847). N. MOSCHATUS.
No auricular glands or accessory hoofs.
Skull with very large anteorbital fossæ, sharply defined above and
below, almost as in _Ourebia_; anteorbital vacuity present on each
side of the hinder end of the nasal bones; on the sides of the muzzle
a long oval vacuity present on the suture between the premaxillary and
maxillary bones; nasal opening oval, its sides bowed outwards as usual.
Horns half or more the basal length of the skull, strongly slanted back
almost to the continuation line of the facial profile; strongly, but
finely, closely ridged for their basal half or three-fourths.
_Distribution._ East Africa.
To this genus there belong two closely allied species, which may be
distinguished as follows:--
_a._ Horns small and Colour fawn-grey. Tip of tail like back.
slender. 49. _N. moschatus_.
_b._ Horns longer and Colour more Tail blackish above.
thicker. rufous. 50. _N. livingstonianus_.
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. XXVIII.
_Wolf del. Smit lith._ _Hanhart imp._
The Zanzibar Antelope.
NESOTRAGUS MOSCHATUS.
_Published by R. H. Porter]_
49. THE ZANZIBAR ANTELOPE.
NESOTRAGUS MOSCHATUS, VON DÜB.
[PLATE XXVIII.]
_Nesotragus moschatus_, =Von Düben=, Öfv. K. Vet.-Ak. Förh. iii.
1846, p. 221 (1847) (French Is., off Zanzibar); =Sund.= Pecora,
K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1845, p. 322 (1847); =id.= Hornschuch’s
Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 314; Reprint, p. 134 (1848);
=Gray=, Knowsl. Men. p. 8 (1850); =id.= P. Z. S. 1850, p. 119;
=id.= Ann. Mag. N. H. (2) viii. p. 137 (1851); =id.= Cat. Ung.
B. M. p. 75 (1852); =Temm.= Esq. Zool. Guin. pp. 192, 209
(1853); =Scl.= P. Z. S. 1864, p. 101; =Fitz.= SB. Ak. Wien, lix.
pt. 1, p. 164 (1869); =Gray=, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 30 (1872);
=id.= Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 99 (1873); =Huet=, Bull. Soc.
Acclim. 1887, p. 49; =Ward=, Horn Meas. p. 80 (1892); =Matsch.=
Thierw. Ost-Afr. Saügeth. p. 119.
_Antilope moschata_, =Wagn.= Schr. Säug., Suppl. v. p. 415
(1855).
_Nanotragus moschatus_, =Brooke=, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 642;
=Flow. & Lyd.= Mamm. p. 339 (1891); =Lyd.= Horns and Hoofs,
p. 217 (1893); =True=, P. U. S. Nat. Mus. xv. p. 478 (1892)
(Kilimanjaro); =Jackson=, Badm. Big Game Shooting, i. pp. 285,
310 (1894).
_Cephalophorus zanzibaricus_, =Layard=, Cat. Mamm. S. Afr. Mus.
p. 72 (1861).
_Nesotragus kirchenpaueri_, =Pagenst.= JB. Mus. Hamb. ii. p. 36
(1885) (Kilimanjaro).
VERNACULAR NAMES:--“_Grave-Island Gazelle_” of E.-African
Sportsmen (_Jackson_); _Suni_ of Kichagas of Kilimanjaro
(_Abbott_); _Paa_ of Swahilis (_Fischer_, teste _Matschie_).
Size small; height about 13 inches at withers. General colour dull,
finely grizzled fawn-grey, with a tinge of rufous, which is especially
strong on the face and sides of the neck. Top of nose with a brown
patch. Throat pale rufous. Chin, belly, and inner sides of limbs white.
Upper part of outer sides of limbs like flanks, lower part, from elbows
and hocks downwards, pale rufous; pasterns brown. Tail grizzled
greyish above like the back, whitish below.
Skull with the bony palate ending, in the middle line, just in front of
the level of the back of the last molar.
Dimensions of a good male example:--Basal length 4 inches, greatest
breadth 2·3, muzzle to orbit 2·15.
Horns from 2½ to 3 inches long, very slender, their circumference at
their thickest part only about 1·4 inch.
_Hab._ Islets in Zanzibar Harbour and the coast-districts
of the mainland from Kilimanjaro southwards to Mozambique.
The discovery of this little Antelope is due to the researches of the
Swedish naturalist Baron von Düben, who described it in 1846 from
specimens procured by himself at Zanzibar, and named it _Nesotragus
moschatus_--“_Nesotragus_” from its supposed insular habitat,
and “_moschatus_” from the musky smell of its facial glands.
Little more was known of this species until 1861, when Mr. Layard
described it as new under the name _Cephalophorus zanzibaricus_
from specimens in the South-African Museum which he had himself
obtained during the voyage of H.M.S. ‘Cantor’ on the island off
Zanzibar used as a European burial-ground. According to what Mr. Layard
was told the species had been introduced here by Col. Hamilton, and
had multiplied so largely that sixteen were shot in an hour by a party
of the ship’s officers. “The island was covered with low bush, out
of which the men beat the Antelopes, which ran along the beach like
rabbits. Their runs could be traced in all directions through the
bushes.”
In 1864 Sclater recorded this Antelope among the mammals obtained by
Capt. Speke during his celebrated expedition into East Africa. Speke’s
specimen, an adult male, obtained at Zanzibar, is now in the gallery
of the British Museum, and is, we believe, the original of Wolf’s
water-colour drawing (now in the possession of Sir Douglas Brooke),
whence Mr. Smit’s figure (Plate XXVIII.) was engraved under Sir Victor
Brooke’s superintendence.
Sir John Kirk, so long known as H.B.M. Consul-General at Zanzibar, who
furnished a set of skins and skulls of this Antelope to the National
Collection, has most kindly supplied us with the following notes on
it:--
“The small Antelope (_Nesotragus moschatus_) which you ask about
was common on two small coral islands that guard the entrances to the
harbour of Zanzibar (which is situated on the land or western side of
the island of that name) about 1866, when I first took up residence
there. I never knew of it having been seen anywhere else, not even
on the main island of Zanzibar. I have heard it said, however, on
reliable authority that it has been met with on the continent; this,
however, I cannot confirm from personal experience. To me, therefore,
the little Antelope is known only on these two small islands that I
have indicated. Both of them are made of coral-rock raised about 15
feet above sea-level. They are much eroded on the exposed sea face
and on the surface, where the sharp angles of rock make progress
most difficult and even dangerous. There is no fresh water on these
islands, unless it be the little that gathers in the pot-holes, but
these are generally deep with sharp edges, and out of reach of the
_Nesotragus_, which for many months cannot get fresh water other
than rain or dew on the leaves.
“These islands are covered with dense bush and tangled creepers, and
the _Ipomœa pescapræ_ and _Canavalia_ bean form a green mat
down to the water-edge. Elsewhere all is evergreen bush and trees;
the only grass there has a wiry texture, and is never eaten. The
_Nesotragus_, like so many other Antelopes, lives on leaves and
twigs of trees and scrub, and this is probably why it is so difficult
to keep in captivity. I made many attempts to rear young ones and send
them to the Zoological Gardens, but failed. Only once was I able to
keep one alive for any time by gradually accustoming it to eat native
millet or sorghum.
“When first I went to Zanzibar there was no cultivation on either of
these islands, but in time Bawe, the larger of the two, was planted
with cocoanuts where there was sand. Two thirds of the island, however,
were nothing but bare coral-rock, covered with tangled jungle, and
useless for any purpose, and there the Antelope held its own, or rather
just managed to resist extermination.
“On the other island, which was only used as a burial-place for
Europeans, the Antelope was much more numerous. This island was
nearly all bare rock, cut up with pot-holes, and covered with tangled
vegetation; only at one point was there sand, and this was the spot
converted into a cemetery.
“As Europeans began to arrive in Zanzibar it became a favourite
afternoon’s amusement to go to this island to shoot pigeons; and then
the Antelopes got reduced in numbers, and became very rare.
“For some years before I left it was seldom that a good head with
horns, such as were common in former times, was ever secured, so that
unless the _Nesotragus_ has been preserved by the authorities I
should think by this time it must be nearly extinct.
“The Antelope lives in the thick bush, it is seldom met with in the
open spaces between the clumps of vegetation, and has to be shot as it
darts from one bush to another.
“So far as I know, it has only one natural enemy on these little
islands, namely, a python, which is often of a great size, and which
can find little to live on here except these Antelopes and mice.”
In his volume on the Mammals of German East Africa, Herr Matschie
records the occurrence of the Zanzibar Antelope in several localities
on the continent. Stuhlmann met with it in Ukama and Usaramo, Fischer
at Gross-Aruscha, and Böhmer near Mpapwa.
The German explorers say that this Antelope feeds ordinarily on fresh
leaves, but accustoms itself to grass and bananas in captivity. Gravid
females were found in August and October, so that it seems to breed
twice a year. Fischer found it common everywhere during his journeys in
German East Africa. It is easily to be observed, early in the morning
and in the evening, if the sportsman hides away among the bushes, as at
these times it is on the feed. On being alarmed it utters a peculiar
cry.
In British East Africa Mr. Jackson, in his volume of the Badminton
Library Series on “Big Game Shooting,” tells us that the “Grave-Island
Gazelle,” as the British sportsmen call this species, is found in the
thick bush behind Frere-town, near Mombasa, and also in the Duruma
country. Like the “Paa” (_Madoqua kirki_) it is a bush-feeder, and
requires little or no water.
Dr. W. L. Abbott, as recorded by Mr. True, obtained a young male of
this species at a height of about 6000 feet on Kilimanjaro, where it
was brought to him alive by the natives.
There are no examples of this species from the mainland in the British
Museum.
_December, 1895._
50. LIVINGSTONE’S ANTELOPE.
NESOTRAGUS LIVINGSTONIANUS, KIRK.
_Antilope moschata_, =Peters=, Reise Mossamb., Säug. p. 189
(1852) (_nec_ v. Düben) (Tette).
_Nesotragus moschatus_, =Jent.= Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus.
Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 134 (1887); =id.= Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (op.
cit. xi.) p. 165 (1892).
_Nesotragus livingstonianus_, =Kirk=, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 657
(Shupanga); =Gray=, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 31 (1872); =id.= Hand-l.
Rum. B. M. p. 100 (1873).
_Nanotragus livingstonianus_, =Thos.= P. Z. S. 1893, p. 237
(fig. skull) (Umkozi R., Zululand).
VERNACULAR NAMES:--_Rumpsa_ at Tette; _Injasorro_ in Mozambique
(_Peters_); _Inhlengana_ of Zulus (_A. H. Neumann_).
Size larger than _N. moschatus_, and in other respects a finer
and more richly coloured animal. General colour deep rufous, verging
on chestnut; flanks and limbs more fawn-coloured than in _N.
moschatus_. Top of tail darker than back, approaching black; its
underside white.
Skull with the posterior palate produced backwards about a quarter of
an inch behind the level of the back of the last molar.
Dimensions of a fine male example:--Basal length 4·4 inches, greatest
breadth 2·45, muzzle to orbit 2·35.
Horns thick and heavy, especially in southern specimens, strongly but
closely ridged to within an inch of their tips. In Mr. Neumann’s fine
Zululand specimen there are no less than 25 rings to a horn-length of
3·3 in., and in the same example the circumference of the horns is
about 1·7 in.
_Hab._ South-east Africa from Mozambique to Zululand.
In the Portuguese territory of Mozambique, and so on to Zululand, we
find the place of the Zanzibar Antelope occupied by a nearly allied
but larger species, with much thicker and more strongly ridged horns.
This is Livingstone’s Antelope, discovered by Sir John Kirk during his
companionship with the celebrated traveller after whom he named it. Sir
John Kirk obtained his specimens at Shupanga and Lupata on the Zambesi,
where, he says, it is called “Ramsa” or “Lumdsa,” and described them
in an article on the Mammals of Zambesia, published in the Zoological
Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1864. In habits, he tells us, Livingstone’s
Antelope much resembles its ally of Zanzibar; it frequents dense
underwood, and lives in pairs. On being started it runs off quickly,
not unlike a hare, and conceals itself in some tuft of grass or small
bush.
It is probable, as suggested by Sir John Kirk, that the _Antilope
moschata_ of Peters, met with by that distinguished naturalist at
Tette on the Zambesi, should be referred to the present species.
Little more was known of this Antelope until 1893, when the British
Museum received from the well-known African sportsman Mr. A. H. Neumann
specimens of a small Antelope obtained in Northern Zululand in April of
the previous year. On comparing these with the scalp and skull on which
_Nesotragus livingstonianus_ had been based by Sir John Kirk,
Thomas came to the conclusion that they belonged to the same species.
Although the horns of Mr. Neumann’s specimen were stouter and heavier,
the differences appeared to be such as might be attributable to age.
In a letter published in the ‘Field’ newspaper (of September 3rd,
1892) Mr. Neumann has given the following particulars respecting this
Antelope:--
“I have known of the existence of this Antelope in South-eastern Africa
for many years, but have only lately had an opportunity of obtaining a
specimen. The native name for it is ‘Inhlengana.’ It is barely larger
than the tiny Blue-buck of S. Africa, but carries very much larger
horns in proportion to its size. The specimen sent is an old male. The
white hairs on the head are said to be from age, and not general to the
species. This one was killed in North-eastern Zululand, which district
seems to be the southerly limit of its range. It frequents the densely
bushed parts of the low flats between the coast and the Bombo range.
How far north it ranges I cannot say, but I first heard of it in the
neighbourhood of the Lower Limpopo and Komati rivers.
“It has a very strong musky scent, the source of which appears to
be the large glands (the hollows for which are conspicuous in the
skull) below the eyes, and of which the openings appear in the skin.
So powerful is this odour that it may often be perceived pervading the
bushes that the bucks frequent. Even the flesh (of the male, at all
events) is so highly flavoured by this peculiar essence as to be barely
eatable.
[Illustration: Fig. 25.
Skull of _Nesotragus livingstonianus_, ♂.
(P. Z. S. 1893, p. 238.)]
“The animal from which this skull and skin were taken was killed by a
native, and spoilt as a specimen for mounting before I got it; hence
the skin is sent merely for purposes of identification. It would not be
difficult, however, to procure others, as they seem fairly plentiful in
parts.”
Mr. H. M. Barber, F.R.G.S., a well-known authority on the game-animals
of South-east Africa, has lately forwarded to Sclater a description of
an Antelope and a photograph of its head, which are, no doubt, also
referable to the present species. Mr. Barber states that the Antelope
in question is found in the neighbourhood of Delagoa Bay, between
the Tembe and Maputa Rivers, and is of a mouse-colour with a reddish
head, standing about a foot in height. He describes its habits as
follows:--“It frequents reeds and low-lying scrub along the river
banks, and is also found amongst the bracken which constitutes the
undergrowth of the forests in those parts. The annulations of the horns
of the living bucks are often completely filled up by bark of the trees
which the buck is in the habit of rubbing up against. This gives the
horns a peculiar yellowish-brown appearance.”
Our illustration of the skull of this Antelope (fig. 25) has been
kindly lent to us by the Council of the Zoological Society of London.
It may be remarked that the most southern (Zululand) examples of this
Antelope seem to exceed those of the Zambesi in size and richness
of colour. It is therefore possible that intermediate specimens,
connecting the Zambesi form with the _N. moschatus_ of the north,
may hereafter be found in the intervening districts, but until this
occurs it is better to recognize the two species as distinct.
_December, 1895._
GENUS V. NEOTRAGUS.
Type.
_Neotragus_, =H. Sm.= Griff. An. K.
v. p. 349 (1827) N. PYGMÆUS.
_Tragulus_, =Ogilb.= P. Z. S. 1836, p. 138
(nec Pall.) N. PYGMÆUS.
_Minytragus_, =Glog.= Naturg. p. 154 (1841) N. PYGMÆUS.
_Spinigera_, =Less.= N. Tabl. R. A., Mamm. p. 178
(1842) N. PYGMÆUS.
_Nanotragus_, =Sund.= Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl.
1844, p. 191 (1846) N. PYGMÆUS.
Size very small. No auricular glands nor accessory hoofs. Tail of
median length.