water, my theory is that it may be true that water is not always
obtainable where it is, and that in that case it makes shift
with the succulent desert plants that are to be found even
in the most arid, seemingly waterless, and barren plains! Of
these desert plants, I have collected more than sixty varieties
from the limestone hills of Mariout, in the arid stretches
running from Wady Natron to Wady Siwa, and in the still more
unfavourable ground of the dunes that intersect the road running
from Fayoum to the oases of Farafseh and Dakleh. All have the
same characteristic succulence, and one, known to the Bedouins
as ‘broth of the Gazelle’ (which looks more like a bundle of dry
thorns than anything else), is most delightfully aromatic (when
snapped off) as well as succulent! These seeming deserts after a
rain are plains of verdure, but in a few months return to their
primitive wildness.”
So far as we know, besides the original specimens of _G.
leptoceros_ received at Paris in 1884, the female presented to the
Zoological Society by Mr. Birdwood is the only example of this Gazelle
that has reached the Menageries of Europe alive. By the kindness of
the Zoological Society we are able to give a copy of Mr. Smit’s drawing
of the head of this animal.
[Illustration: Fig. 67.
Front view of head of a female Loder’s Gazelle.
(P.Z.S. 1896, p. 781.)]
But the identity of the Egyptian _Gazella leptoceros_ with the
Algerian _G. loderi_ is perhaps not yet exactly certain, although
we have combined the English name of the latter with the scientific
name of the former.
On comparing specimens from Tunis and Algeria with others from Egypt,
the size of the former is slightly greater, the markings are even less
defined than in Egyptian examples, the horns are less closely ringed,
the nasal bones are markedly longer, the nasal opening is both longer
and broader, and the premaxillæ articulate less broadly with the sides
of the nasal bones.
An old male is 26 inches in height at the withers, and the
skull-measurements of the type are:--Basal length 6·75 inches, greatest
breadth 3·35, muzzle to orbit 4.
These differences seem to be quite constant, so far as we have
materials for comparison, and we therefore think that as the Algerian
form has had a name given to it, it may be provisionally retained as a
subspecies, at least until these characters are shown to be variable.
The accompanying figure, for the use of which we are indebted to the
kindness of the Zoological Society, gives a side view of the skull and
horns of the Algerian form.
[Illustration: Fig. 68.
Skull of _Gazella leptoceros loderi_, ♂.
(P.Z.S. 1894, p. 471.)]
Our representations of this Gazelle (Plate LXIII.) have been prepared
by Mr. Smit--that of the male (front figure) from a mounted specimen in
the British Museum obtained by Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker in the Tunisian
Sahara, and presented by him in 1894; that of the female from the
example from Egypt living in the Zoological Society’s Gardens.
In the British Museum are likewise the typical skin and horns of
_Gazella loderi_ obtained by Sir Edmund Loder in the desert about a
hundred miles south of Biskra, some frontlets and horns from Biskra,
presented by Mr. Rowland Ward, and a skin and skull of a female from
Tunis, presented by Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker along with the male now
mounted. The example of _Gazella leptoceros typica_ sent to Sclater by
Mr. Birdwood is also now in the National Collection. We have also to
thank Dr. J. Anderson, F.Z.S., for the loan of a skin and skull of an
old male of the Egyptian form of this Gazelle obtained near the Natron
Lakes in Egypt.
_May,_ 1898.
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXIV.
_Wolf del J Smit lith_ _Hanhart imp._
The Isabella Gazelle.
GAZELLA ISABELLA.
_Published by R.H. Porter._]
94. THE ISABELLA GAZELLE.
GAZELLA ISABELLA, GRAY.
[PLATE LXIV.]
_Antilope dorcas_, =Licht.= Darst. Säug. pl. v. (1827)?
_Gazella dorcas_, =Blanf.= Zool. Abyss, p. 261, pl. i. fig. 1
(1870).
_Gazella isabella_, =Gray=, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. pp. 214 &
231 (1846); =id.= Knowsl. Men. p. 4 (1850); =id.= P. Z. S. 1850,
p. 113; =id.= Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 57 (1852); =Gerr.= Cat. Bones
Mamm. B. M. p. 233 (1862); =Fitz. & Heugl.= SB. Wien, liv. pt.
1, p. 591 (1866); =Fitz.= SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 158 (1869);
=Gray=, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 38 (1872); =id.= Hand-l. Rum. B. M.
p. 107 (1873); =Brooke=, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 539; =Huet=, Bull.
Soc. Acclim. 1887, p. 65; =W. Scl.= Cat. Mamm. Calc. Mus. ii.
p. 157 (1891); =Ward=, Horn Meas. (1) p. 116 (1892), (2) p. 158
(1896).
_Antilope isidis_, =Sund.= Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1845, p.
267 (1847); id. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p.
263; Reprint, p. 83 (1848).
Height at withers about 25 inches. General colour pale fawn, rather
variable in tone, sometimes tending towards brownish. Light lateral
band very indistinct; dark band generally fawn like the back,
occasionally darker, almost smoky brown. Central dark facial band deep
rufous, a darker nasal patch often developing in old individuals. Light
facial streak well defined, white. Pygal band almost obsolete, little
or not darker than the back.
Skull rather variable in the shapes of the nasal bones and premaxillæ.
That of a male measures 6·55 inches in basal length, greatest breadth
3·1, muzzle to orbit 3·65.
Horns of male, as well figured by Blanford under the name of _G.
dorcas_, evenly diverging and curving backwards for four-fifths
their length, their tips strongly bent inwards and upwards nearly or
quite to a right angle.
_Female._ Similar to the male, but the horns slender, scarcely
ridged, their tips curved inwards rather than upwards; in length nearly
equal to those of the male.
_Hab._ Coast-lands of the Red Sea from Suakin to Massoua,
and over the interior to Bogos, Barca, and Taka.
It is possible that the Gazelles described and figured by Lichtenstein
in the first part of his ‘Darstellung der Thiere’ as “_Antilope
dorcas_,” which were stated to have been procured by Hemprich and
Ehrenberg in Sennaar, may have belonged to the present species.
Sundevall certainly considered them to be referable to a species
distinct from the true _Gazella dorcas_, and proposed to call them
“_isidis_,” from Lichtenstein’s vernacular name “Isis Antelope.” But
this identification is by no means certain, and, at all events, the
name “_isabella_,” under which this Gazelle was shortly diagnosed
by the late Dr. Gray in 1846, will take precedence of Sundevall’s
appellation. Gray’s description is very short, and does not allude
to the shape of the horns, which are one of the most characteristic
features of this species. His type specimen is still in the British
Museum. It is an immature male, mounted, and stated to have been
received from “Abyssinia,” though Gray in later papers gives “Egypt”
and “Cordofan” as the localities for his _G. isabella_.
Heuglin, in his various memoirs on the Antelopes of N.E. Africa, did
not keep _G. isabella_ separate from _G. dorcas_, and united their
localities. Sir Victor Brooke, in his monograph of the Gazelles,
though he divides them and says that “amongst the smaller Gazelles no
two species could produce two more dissimilar animals than typical
specimens of _G. dorcas_ and _G. isabella_,” states his conviction that
“every intermediate degree between them will be found represented in
intermediate localities.” It is indeed true that _G. isabella_ is a
very inconstant species and requires further careful study.
There can be no doubt that Dr. Blanford’s _Gazella dorcas_, in his
volume on the ‘Geology and Zoology of the Abyssinian Expedition,’ is
what we here call _G. isabella_. The figure of its horns (_op. cit._
plate i. fig. 1) shows the characteristic twist inwards at the upper
end. Moreover, a skull of a male (from Zoulla) and a skull and skin of
a female (from Amba), obtained by him during the expedition, and now
in the British Museum, are evidently referable here. Mr. W. L. Sclater
has also catalogued four heads in the Calcutta Museum, obtained by Mr.
Blanford on the same occasion, as _G. Isabella_. Mr. Blanford gives us
the following field-notes on the present species:--
“So far as my observation extends, neither this nor Bennett’s
Gazelle are ever seen in large flocks, like the animals of the
Springbok group. Usually both are seen solitary or in parties
of from two to five together, inhabiting thin bushes, generally
on broken ground. They feed much upon the leaves of bushes.
The male has a peculiar habit when surprised of standing still
and uttering a short sharp cry. Like most Antelopes, they keep
much to the neighbourhood of some particular spot. After long
observation, I am convinced that Bennett’s Gazelle never drinks,
and all that I could ascertain of the present Gazelle leads to
the same conclusion in its case.”
In our efforts to obtain further information about the Isabella
Gazelle, we did not fail to apply to the officers of the Anglo-Egyptian
garrison at Suakin for a set of specimens of it for the National
Collection. In reply to our requests Major Sparkes, Surgeon-Capt.
Fleming, and Lieut. Carleton were kind enough to send to the British
Museum five examples of it; but we cannot say that the examination
of these specimens has enabled us altogether to understand this very
difficult species. Of the five examples from that locality, three have
and two have not a black nasal patch, while the dark lateral band in
some is fairly distinct and in others almost obsolete. It is thus
evident that these characters, of systematic importance elsewhere, are
not, in _G. isabella_, even of local constancy.
Among the Gazelles registered in the Zoological Society’s ‘List of
Animals’ (1896) as received during the past twelve years there have
been several which, doubtless, should have been referred to the present
species, but have been entered under _Gazella dorcas_. Amongst these
may be specified an example presented by Commander W. Crofton, R.N.,
in July 1890 (specimen _e_), a female presented by Col. Holled Smith,
C.B., in July 1892 (specimen _g_), and a pair (_h_, _i_) received on
deposit in May 1894.
After the arrival of these specimens from Suakin, Mr. A. Thomson, the
Head-Keeper, called Sclater’s attention to their differences from the
ordinary _G. dorcas_. They were of a more reddish colour, and had a
broad and somewhat distinct side-stripe and a blackish nasal spot, in
addition to other smaller differences.
Besides the specimens of this Gazelle in the British Museum which we
have already referred to, there is a mounted male from the Anseba
River, formerly in Sir Victor Brooke’s collection, and presented to
the Museum by Sir Douglas Brooke. We believe that our coloured figure
(Plate LXIV.), which was prepared by Mr. Smit under Sir Victor’s
superintendence, was taken from this specimen.
_May,_ 1898.
[Illustration: Fig. 69.
Fig. 69_a_.
Heads of Isabella Gazelle, ♂ & ♀.
(From specimens in B. M.)]
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXV
_Wolf del. J. Smit lith._ _Hanhart imp_
The Muscat Gazelle.
GAZELLA MUSCATENSIS.
_Published by R. H. Porter._]
95. THE MUSCAT GAZELLE.
GAZELLA MUSCATENSIS, BROOKE.
[PLATE LXV.]
_Gazella muscatensis_, =Brooke=, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 141, pl.
xxii.; =Scl.= List An. Z. S. (8) p. 141 (1883); =id.= (9) p. 155
(1896); =Lyd.= Horns and Hoofs, p. 179 (1893); =Thos.= P. Z. S.
1894, p. 451.
Size small, height at withers 21–22 inches. General colour dark
rufous fawn, darker than in any other species except _G. arabica_,
which it much resembles in colour. Light lateral band scarcely or not
perceptible; dark lateral band blackish, its upper edge little defined.
Central facial band dark rufous, a distinct blackish patch over the
nasals; light facial streak narrow, well defined, dark band below it
not defined from the general colour of the cheeks. Knee-tufts present,
brownish. Limbs darker in colour than usual, being only white on the
inner sides of the forearms and thighs.
Skull very similar to that of _G. isabella_. Premaxillæ scarcely
touching nasals. Basal length in an old female 5·7 inches, greatest
breadth 2·9, muzzle to orbit 3·6.
Horns of males curved like those of _G. isabella_, but decidedly
shorter, not or little longer than the skull.
_Female._ Similar to the male, but the horns slender, scarcely
ringed, nearly as long as those of the other sex.
_Hab._ Oman, Eastern Arabia.
On the 15th of August, 1873, the Zoological Society of London received
as a present from Major C. B. Euan Smith (now Col. Sir Charles B.
Euan Smith, K.C.B.) a male Gazelle which he had brought with him
from Muscat. On September 20th of the same year a female, obviously
of the same species and obtained at the same place, was received by
the Society on deposit from Mrs. Harris, then of Limefield, Kirkby
Lonsdale. Sir Victor Brooke having then lately published his well-known
monograph of the Gazelles in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings,’
and being specially interested in the group, Sclater lost no time in
calling Sir Victor’s attention to these animals, with which he was much
delighted. Sir Victor described them as belonging to a new species at
the meeting of the Zoological Society on Feb. 27, 1874, under the name
_Gazella muscatensis_, and pointed out the clear differences which
separated them from _G. arabica_, which up to that time he had
believed to be the only Gazelle met with in any part of Arabia.
[Illustration:
Fig. 70. Fig. 70 _a_.
Heads of Muscat Gazelle, ♂ & ♀.
(From specimens in B. M.)]
Instead of the massive, nearly straight, non-lyrate horns of _G.
arabica_, Sir Victor showed that the new species had rather slender
horns, compressed from side to side and distinctly lyrate, with their
points turned boldly forwards and inwards. In general appearance also
the Muscat Gazelles differed from _G. arabica_ in their long and
soft coats of a silvery-grey colour, instead of the short close-set
pelage of a rich grizzled bay. From _G. dorcas_, to which they
bore more resemblance, the Muscat species was recognizable by its
smaller size, its different colour, and by the intensity of the facial
and lateral markings.
Sir Victor’s paper on this new Gazelle was illustrated in the
‘Proceedings’ by a good coloured plate drawn by Keulemans, in which,
however, the general colour is made rather too dark.
In 1874 a second male specimen of this well-marked species was
presented to the Zoological Society’s Menagerie by Mr. J. H.
Bainbridge, and in October 1881 a pair of the same Gazelle were
presented by the late Lord Lilford. These last bred a young one, which
was born in the Society’s Gardens on the 6th of March, 1882.
No more examples of the Muscat Gazelle reached the Regent’s Park after
this date until 1894, when a female of this species was obtained
“in exchange,” and a pair were received “on deposit” from the Hon.
Walter Rothschild, F.Z.S. The male of this pair is still living in the
Society’s Menagerie.
The only other specimens of the Muscat Gazelle ever received in Europe,
so far as we know, are five examples in the British Museum, presented
to that Institution by Dr. A. S. G. Jayakar, of whose many and valuable
contributions to science we have already spoken[14]. Among the several
consignments of the Mammals of Oman sent home by Dr. Jayakar, of which
Thomas has given an account in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’
for 1894, were five examples of this Gazelle collected in 1892 and
1893 in several localities in Oman--Khode and Barkah-al-moze, and in
Sharkeeyeh, the eastern part of that country. These specimens agree
very closely with the type of the species as described by Sir Victor
Brooke, which is also in the National Collection.
Our figures of both sexes of this Gazelle (Plate LXV.) have been
prepared by Mr. Smit from the specimens in the British Museum.
_May,_ 1898.
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXVI.
_Wolf del. J. Smit lith._ _Hanhart imp._
Heuglin’s Gazelle.
GAZELLA TILONURA.
_Published by R.H.Porter._]
96. HEUGLIN’S GAZELLE.
GAZELLA TILONURA (HEUGL.).
[PLATE LXVI.]
_Antilope melanura_, =Heugl.= Ant. u. Büff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act.
Leop. xxx. pt. 2) p. 6 (1863) (_nec_ Bechstein, 1799).
_Gazella melanura_, =Fitz=, SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 159 (1869).
_Antilope tilonura_, =Heugl.= Reise Weiss. Nil, p. 315 (1869);
=id.= Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 101 (1877).
_Gazella tilonura_, =Ward=, Horn Meas. (1) p. 126 (1892), (2) p.
170 (1896); =Lyd.= Horns and Hoofs, p. 233 (1893).
_Gazella lævipes_, =Brooke=, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 541 (_nec_ Sund.).
VERNACULAR NAME:--_Tel-badu_ in Tigré (_Heuglin_).
Height at withers about 27 inches. General colour deep sandy. Central
facial band but little more rufous than the back; no black patch on
muzzle. Light facial streak scarcely or not perceptible on sides of
muzzle; the area round the eye dull whitish, not sharply defined. Back
of ears scarcely lighter than nape. Light lateral band present, not
strongly defined. Dark lateral band black, strongly marked, though
narrower than in _G. thomsoni_; a sandy line present between it
and the white of the belly. No dark pygal band. Tail sandy at base, the
remainder black. Knee-brushes present, dark sandy.
Horns not, or little, longer than the head, lyrate, parallel at base,
curving outwards above and then abruptly twisted inwards towards each
other at the tip, the ends each forming a sharp hook, similar to that
found in _G. soemmerringi_, but even more strongly bent inwards.
_Hab._ Bogosland, North-east Africa.
[Illustration:
Fig. 71. Fig. 72.
Heads of Heuglin’s Gazelle, ♂ & ♀.
(From specimens in B. M.)]
What little we know of this Gazelle is chiefly due to the researches
of the late Baron Theodor von Heuglin, an energetic collector and
observer of the Mammals and Birds of North-eastern Africa, whose name
we have already had frequent occasion to mention in the pages of this
work. In the absence of any better designation, we have selected
“Heuglin’s Gazelle” as its English name, which is so far applicable
that, besides being its first describer, Heuglin is the only naturalist
that has recorded observations on it as met with in its native wilds.
Heuglin passed several months in the fertile territory of Bogos, north
of Abyssinia (now, we believe, included in the Italian colony of
“Eritrea”), when attached to the German expedition sent out in search
of the much-lamented traveller Dr. Eduard Vogel. He thoroughly explored
this country, which is traversed by the River Anseba, and discovered
many new birds and mammals, which were subsequently described in his
various works. Amongst the mammals was the present species of Gazelle,
which he met with only “on the bushy plains round Ain-Saba from 3000
to 5000 feet above the sea-level, in small families of from three to
six individuals.” In his original description Heuglin called this
Gazelle _Antilope melanura_, but subsequently altered its specific
name to “_tilonura_,” there having been already an _Antilope melanura_
of Bechstein, which term is, however, a useless synonym of the Oribi
(_Ourebia scoparia_). We have not been able to discover what the term
“_tilonura_” means, but follow the change, which has been adopted by
Sir Victor Brooke and other authors.
Little more, we regret to say, can be told of this beautiful species,
which is readily distinguishable amongst its congeners by its broad
black lateral stripe and lyre-shaped horns with incurved points. Sir
Victor Brooke gave a figure of it from a stuffed specimen in his own
collection to illustrate his article on the Gazelles in the Zoological
Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1873. Our figure (Plate LXVI.), which was
prepared by Smit under the direction of Sir Victor Brooke, was probably
taken from the same specimen, now in the British Museum, to which it
has been presented by Sir Douglas Brooke. It was obtained in Bogosland
by Essler about 1872. Four other examples of this Gazelle procured
at the same time by the same collector are also in the National
Collection. From two of these the accompanying illustrations of the
head and horns (figs. 71 & 72, p. 160) have been prepared by Mr. Smit.
_May,_ 1898.
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXVII.
_Wolf del. J. Smit lith._ _Hanhart imp._
The Red-fronted Gazelle.
GAZELLA RUFIFRONS.
_Published by R. H Porter_]
97. THE RED-FRONTED GAZELLE.
GAZELLA RUFIFRONS, GRAY.
[PLATE LXVII.]
_Le Kevel_, =F. Cuv.= H. N. Mamm. (fol.) i. livr. 1, pl. 368
(1818); _Corine_, ii. livr. 36, pl. 369 (1822), and _Corine
jeune_, iv. livr. 72, pl. 370 (1842).
_Gazella rufifrons_, =Gray=, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. pp. 214
& 231 (1846); =id.= Knowsl. Men. p. 5, pl. iv. (1850); =id.= P.
Z. S. 1850, p. 115; =id.= Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 60 (1852); =id.=
Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 39 (1872); =id.= Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 108
(1873); =Brooke=, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 540; =Scl.= List An. Z.
S. (8) p. 140 (1883); =Lyd.= Horns and Hoofs, p. 232 (1893);
=Ward=, Horn Meas. (2) p. 159 (1896).
_Antilope lævipes_, =Sund.= Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1845, p.
266 (1847); =id.= Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii.
p. 262; Reprint, p. 82 (1848) (ex _Kevel_ and _Corine_, F. Cuv.,
_nec_ Buff.); =Wagn.= Schr. Säug. Suppl. v. p. 404 (1855).
_Gazella lævipes senegalensis_, =Fitz.= SB. Wien, lix. p. 159
(1869).
VERNACULAR NAME:--_Seni_, on the Gambia (_Whitfield_ fide
_Gray_).
Size medium, form comparatively rather stout. General colour deep
sandy rufous, brightening into rich rufous on the forehead and
muzzle. Nose-spot blackish. White facial streaks well defined, dark
cheek-stripes rufous. Light lateral band broad, sandy buff, about the
colour of the shoulders, sharply defined from the colour of the back;
dark lateral band narrow, black, sharply defined, very prominent,
succeeded below by a narrow edging of sandy. Knee-tufts absent. Tail
blackish, except just at the base above, where it is sandy.
Skull of medium build; nasals rather broad and short, broadened behind;
nasal opening long and narrow, the upper line of the premaxillæ
straighter and less concave than usual. Dimensions of a slightly
immature male:--Basal length 7 inches, greatest breadth 3, muzzle to
orbit 3·95.
Horns rather short in proportion to the size of the animal, evenly
divergent, slightly curved backwards below and forwards above, heavily
ringed except for the terminal two or three inches.
_Female._ Similar to the male, but the horns straight, slender,
and less ringed; those of an adult rather less than six inches in
length.
_Hab._ Senegal and Gambia.
The existence of a Gazelle of the group allied to _Gazella dorcas_
in West Africa was first made known to us by the authors of the great
folio work called ‘Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères,’ issued at Paris,
in which the figures were taken mostly from living specimens. In one
of the early livraisons of this publication, in which French names
only are primarily used, this species was referred to the “Kevel” of
Buffon, and under this name a young male was figured, stated to have
been brought to France from Senegal. In a later livraison two young
specimens of the same species, also from Senegal, were figured as
the “Corine” of Buffon, which was declared to be identical with the
“Kevel.” We have, however, already shown (under the head of _Gazella
dorcas_) that both these terms of Buffon are referable to the
last-named species, and that neither these terms nor the scientific
names founded upon them can be properly used for any other species.
Hence it follows that the first scientific name that can be employed
for this Gazelle is _Gazella rufifrons_ of Gray, under which term
it was curtly described by that author in the ‘Annals and Magazine of
Natural History’ for 1846. Shortly after that period the same species
was figured in ‘Gleanings from the Knowsley Menagerie’ by Waterhouse
Hawkins, whose well-drawn plate contains portraits of two males, a
female, and a young one of the present species.
As the drawings in the ‘Gleanings’ were not in all cases taken from
animals living in Lord Derby’s Menagerie, some of them having been
prepared from specimens in the British Museum, it is nearly certain
that this was the case in the present instance. It will be observed
that Gray in his description mentions almost exactly such a series
as being in the Museum as is drawn in the ‘Gleanings,’ and it is not
probable that a similar set should also have been living at Knowsley at
the same time.
All the specimens mentioned by Gray, with one exception, are still
in the National Collection, and, as “co-types” of the species, show
clearly to what animal the name “_rufifrons_” should be applied.