The Antelope tribe is so closely related to that of the Deer, that it is
often difficult to distinguish one from the other. Indeed, certain
species of antelopes are more like to certain species of deer, than
either to their own kind. This is more especially true of the females,
where the horns--the chief point of distinction--are absent. In such
cases, even the accomplished naturalist is perplexed by the close
resemblance--which extends beyond mere outward appearance, and is found
throughout all their habits.
It may be remarked, however, that the different species of antelopes
differ not only in size, shape, and colour, but quite as much in their
modes of existence. Some, like the African Eland and the Nyl-ghau of
India, are clumsy creatures both in shape and movements; while others,
as the Gazelles, are models of symmetry and grace. Some are dwellers in
the arid recesses of the desert; while others affect the most fertile
pastures, or the deepest shades of the thick forest. Others, again,
find their home amidst the sedge on the banks of lakes and rivers,
passing half their time in the water; while several species--as the
Chamois of Europe and the Klipspringer of South Africa--dwell in the
mountains, making their way among cliffs and ravines, with an agility
scarce equalled by any other animal. Again, some species are
gregarious, and herd together in vast flocks; while others are found
only in small droves, or families, and not a few species lead what is
termed a solitary life. In all these respects the antelopes resemble
the deer; and, indeed, no very marked distinction can be pronounced
between the two. As already remarked, the main point of difference,
upon which scientific naturalists rely, is found in the horns; those of
the deer being termed osseous, or bony, while these appendages in the
antelopes are true horns--that is, of the same material as the horns of
oxen. Furthermore, the horns--or rather antlers--of the deer are
caducous, shedding annually; while those of the antelopes are
persistent, remaining throughout the life-time of the animal--as with
goats, sheep, and oxen.
The antelopes appear to stand, as it were, in a central position,
surrounded by these three last-mentioned groups; in other words, there
are species of antelopes that can scarcely be distinguished from goats,
others equally like sheep, and others that come very near being true
oxen! Nay, further, there are one or two species--the Gnus of South
Africa--that bear a considerable resemblance to horses!
At one time the antelopes were all classed in a single genus; but since
the species have increased--or rather the knowledge of them--this
arrangement has been deemed inconvenient; and the systematic naturalists
have separated them into a great many genera--twenty or more--and to
these genera they have given such a variety of pedantic titles, that it
would be wellnigh impossible for one man's memory to retain them all. I
do not hesitate to say, that it would have been much wiser to have
retained the nomenclature of the old naturalists, and called all these
animals _antelopes_--leaving the specific appellations to distinguish
them from one another.
In a popular sketch it is necessary to treat them in this way; for to
give even a list of the generic characters of the systematic naturalists
would occupy the whole of our space.
First, then, of the number of these ruminants--that is, the number of
kinds. In this respect they exceed the deer tribe, amounting in all to
between eighty and ninety distinct kinds. Perhaps there are one hundred
species upon the whole earth, since several new ones have been recently
discovered in the interior regions of Asia and Africa.
It is scarcely necessary to say that Africa is the great head-quarters
of the antelope tribe--more than half the species belonging to that
continent. In number of individuals, too, it far excels; the vast herds
of these animals that roam over the karoos and great plains of South
Africa consisting sometimes of numbers countless as locusts or the sands
of the sea! Asia, however, is not without its share of species; and
especially that portion of it--the Oriental region--so rich in other
mammalia. In Australia no antelope has yet been found; nor even in the
large island of Madagascar, so African in its character. Only one
representative of the antelopes is indigenous to the New World--the
Prong-horn of the prairies; for the Bighorn of the Rocky Mountains is a
sheep, not an antelope. To say the least, this is a natural fact of
some singularity; for from all we know of the habits of these animals,
no country could be better suited to their existence than the great
prairies of North America, or the llanos of the Orinoco, the paramos of
Brazil, and the pampas of Buenos Ayres and Patagonia. And yet on these
South American plains no animal of the genus _antelope_ has yet been
discovered;--and on the prairies, as already mentioned, only one
species, the Prong-horn.
It is worthy of remark, also, that in Africa, where the antelopes most
abound, no deer are found to exist in the few African species of the
latter being denizens only of the extreme north of Africa, where that
continent approximates in character to the southern countries of Europe.
In Europe there are two species--the well-known Chamois of the Alps, and
the Saiga of Eastern Europe, which last is also an Asiatic animal.
In describing the different species--and we can only say a word or two
of each--we shall class them, not according to generic distinctions, but
rather by their geographical distribution; and we shall begin with the
_Antelopes of Africa_.
Of these the Eland is the largest (as it also is the largest of
antelopes), being sometimes of the size and weight of a full-grown
horse! It is an animal of rather an ungainly appearance; but its
beautiful buff colour and mild disposition make up for its ungraceful
shape; and it is scarcely ever out of good condition. Its home is
Southern Africa, where it is still found in large herds; and its flesh
affords a plentiful subsistence both to travellers and the half-savage
natives of the land.
Hunting the eland is a common pastime; and no craft is required to
insure success, since these creatures are almost as tame as domestic
cattle; so tame that the horseman usually rides into the middle of the
drove, and, singling out the fattest bull, shoots him down without any
difficulty. The eland thrives well in England; and Dr Livingstone
remarks it strange that it has not long since been introduced to our
pastures--since its flesh is better than beef, and the animal itself is
as large as an ox.
The Gingi Jonga is a distinct variety of the eland, found in Western
Africa.
The Koodoo is another large species, of which South Africa is the home.
This is remarkable for a noble appearance; but its most striking
characteristic is its magnificent horns--each of which is four feet in
length, sweeping widely outwards in an elegant spiral curvature. The
koodoo loves the shade of the forest, and especially delights to dwell
on the banks of rivers--taking freely to the water and swimming well.
The Gnu next merits attention. In point of fact this is the most
singular of the whole genus--being that which in many respects resembles
the horse. There are two kinds, both belonging to South Africa, and
known as the Gnu and Brindled Gnu. When seen galloping at a distance,
they bear a marked resemblance to quaggas, or wild horses. They live in
extensive herds on the karoos; and are hunted by the natives for their
skins--out of which the Kaffirs make their karosses. Their flesh is
eaten; though it is not so much esteemed as that of some other
antelopes.
The Oryx, or Gemsbok, is a middle-sized species, dwelling in the same
neighbourhood with the gnus. It is a heavy, stout animal, with a long
bunch tail, and a pair of tapering slender horns, almost perfectly
straight, and sweeping back towards the shoulders. It is truly a
creature of the open desert plains; and can go for a long time without
water. It is bold and dangerous--especially when wounded--and will give
battle to the hunter even, it is said, when that hunter chances to be
the lion himself!
The true Oryx, or Milk-white Antelope, mentioned by early writers, is a
kindred species to the Gemsbok; and is found in Northern Africa--in
Sennaar, Nubia, Abyssinia, and Senegal. This last is a celebrated
species, on account of the supposition that it is the animal figured on
the temples of Egypt, and known as the _Unicorn_. It would not be
difficult, I imagine, to point out the absurdity of this belief; and to
prove that the Unicorn of the ancients was either the Gnu of South
Africa, or an allied species--supposed to exist at the present time in
the inter-tropical region of the same continent.
A third species of oryx, the Beisa, inhabits Abyssinia.
The Addax is a large, heavily-formed antelope, with spiral horns and
ox-like appearance, inhabiting the greater part of the Central African
region. It frequents sandy plains, and is noted for its broad hoofs,
which seem designed to prevent it from sinking in the soft yielding sand
of the desert. The addax is not gregarious, living in pairs or
families.
One of the handsomest of South African antelopes is the Water Buck, a
fine large species, with long, widely-spreading horns. It is called
Water Buck on account of its habit of frequenting the marshy banks of
rivers and lakes, where it spends most of its time half immersed in the
water!
The Lechee is another species, allied to this, and of very similar
habits; and two, if not three species of _water_ antelopes have been
lately discovered by Livingstone and other South African explorers. The
Sing-sing is an antelope belonging to Western Africa. The English on
the Gambia call it the "Jackass Deer," from its resemblance to a donkey.
The negroes believe that its presence has a sanitary effect upon their
cattle; and hardly a flock is seen without having one or two sing-sings
along with it. A similar fancy is entertained in our own country in
regard to the common goat--many people keeping one in their stables,
under the belief that it is beneficial to the health of the horses!
Another Sing-sing is the Equitoon, or Kob, of Senegal--often confounded
with the former species.
A very beautiful antelope is the Blue buck, or Blauwboc of the Cape
colonists. It is a large, bold animal, with horns ringed, and gently
curving backwards. Its skin is jet black; and it is this colour
reflected through the ashy-grey hair that gives the animal that purplish
or blue tint, whence it derives its name. It is found in small troops
on the plains north of Kurrichane; and when wounded, or in the rutting
season, the males are dangerous creatures. Another similar species, but
larger, is the Tah-kaitze, which is plentiful in the country of the
Bechuanas. It is so ferocious in its disposition, that the native
hunters fear to attack it with the asseghai; but prefer capturing it in
pitfalls.
The Black buck is a species of similar character and habits; and in
Senegal there is one, not unlike the foregoing, known among the French
as _vache-brune_, and called by the Mandingoes _white mouth_.
The Pallah is another fine species of South African antelope. Its horns
are of the lyrate form, and its colour a bright rufous. It is on this
account known among the Dutch colonists as the Rooye-boc (Red buck). It
runs in small troops, and is found in the country of the Bechuanas, who
hunt it for its flesh.
The Stein-boc is one of the slenderest and most graceful of antelopes.
It lives upon stony plains and in mountain valleys in South Africa--
hence its name of _stein-boc_, or stone buck. It is very swift, and,
when at full speed, will often spring over fifteen feet at a single
leap. Its flesh is much prized, and on this account it is hunted
eagerly by the natives; so that, although one of the swiftest of
animals, it is now rare in most parts of the Cape colony.
The Grys-boc is a closely allied species, but not so elegantly formed,
nor yet so swift. It hides when closely pursued--thrusting its head
into a bush, or squatting like a hare in her form. The stein-boc has a
similar habit.
The Bleek-boc, or Ourebi, is one of those antelopes which have the
curious appendages upon the knees called brushes. It is a large animal,
and its flesh is eaten by the Kaffirs, in whose country it is chiefly
found. A very similar species, called the _gibari_, exists in Northern
Africa--Abyssinia--and also on the western coast.
Of all the South African antelopes, perhaps none is more known and
admired than the Spring-boc (springbuck). Its name is derived from a
curious habit the animal has of, every now and then, springing upward
from the ground, while going at full speed across the plains. This leap
is sometimes made to the height of many feet, in an almost perpendicular
direction, and apparently without any other motive than for amusement!
The spring-bucks are eminently gregarious; indeed, they may be said to
swarm. Herds have been met with, numbering as many as 50,000
individuals, migrating from one part of the country to the other, and
paying but little heed to the crowds of hyenas, wild dogs, and other
predatory creatures, who keep them company only to destroy and devour
them.
The Klipspringer is a small antelope that inhabits the most inaccessible
mountains of Southern Africa; and, like its near congener, the chamois
of the Alps, is as much at home on the narrow ledges of cliffs as its
kindred are upon the open plains. It is a long-haired, shaggy little
creature; but its long hair does not protect it from the bullet of the
hunter; and its young frequently fall victims to the eagle, and the
great lammer-geyer vulture, which also dwells among these mountains.
In addition to those described, there are many other species of
antelopes in Africa. The Duyker-boc, or Diving-buck--so called from its
habit of ducking or diving under the bushes when pursued--is a Cape
species; and there is another diving-buck, called the Black-faced; and
still another of these bush antelopes, termed Burchell's bush-boc. Then
there is the Four-tufted antelope of Senegal; the Red-crowned bush-boc,
also of Western Africa; and, belonging to the same region, the
White-backed bush-boc. In the Island of Fernando Po there is found the
Black-striped bush-boc; and in Abyssinia, the Madoqua, or Abyssinian
bush-goat, of a yellow colour. The Bay bush-buck and Bay bush-goat are
two species described as natives of Sierra Leone; while the Black
bush-boc, of a sooty black colour, is found on the coast of Guinea.
The Coquetoon is a species of a deep-reddish bay colour, belonging to
Western Africa; and on the Senegal and Gambia we meet with another sooty
species, called the Guevei. At Port Natal, in South Africa, there is a
red species called the Natal bush-boc; and the Kleene-boc, a diminutive
little creature, only about twelve inches in height--a very pigmy among
the antelopes--also belongs to the same region. Several other small
species--or pigmy antelopes, as they are termed--are found along the
west coast of Africa, viz., the Black-rumped guevei of Fernando Po; the
Grisled guevei of Sierra Leone; and the White-footed guevei of the same
region. The little creature known as the Royal antelope, or
Guinea-musk, is a native of Guinea. Still others in South Africa are
the Ree-boc and the Reed-boc--the latter deriving its name from its
habit of frequenting the reeds that grow along the banks of the South
African rivers. In the Island of Zanzibar there is a very small species
of antelope; and another found in Abyssinia, and called also the
Madoqua, is said to be the smallest of all horned animals--being not so
large as an English hare!
In North Africa--in the Sahara Desert--exists a large species, called by
the Arabs the Wild Ox. It is one of the clumsiest in shape of the whole
tribe. In the south two kinds are near akin to it--the Harte-beest or
Secaama, and the Sassaby or Bastard harte-beest. The Korrigun is
another of these large antelopes, belonging to Western Africa; and the
Bonte-boc and Bles-boc are two similar kinds, existing in the country of
the Hottentots. The Bosch-boc, or Bush-goat, is still another of the
southern antelopes, which derives its name from its dwelling-place--the
bushy thickets--out of which it never shows itself; and, in addition to
all these, there is the Decula of Abyssinia, the Guib of the western
coast, the Ingala of Natal, and the Broad-horned antelope of the Bight
of Biafra.
We have not yet mentioned the _Gazelles_, which are, perhaps, the most
interesting of all the antelope tribe. It is not necessary to describe
their forms, or dilate upon the gracefulness of their movements and
appearance. Their beautiful eyes have been a theme for the admiration
of all ages. We shall only remark here, that there are several species
of antelopes called gazelles, and that they are all natives of Africa.
There is the Dorcas gazelle of Egypt, Barbary, and Asia Minor; the
Isabella gazelle of Egypt and Kordofan; the Mhorr of Western Africa; the
Abyssinian mhorr of the eastern parts of the continent; the Andora of
Sennaar, Dongola, and Kordofan; and, lastly, the Korin. These are all
gazelles; and it is believed that several other species may yet be found
in the interior parts of Africa. Such is the list of African antelopes.
With regard to the Asiatic species, we can only find space to give their
names, and point out the localities they inhabit.
The Nyl-ghau claims to be mentioned first, as it is one of the largest
antelopes known. It inhabits the dense forests of India, and is a
creature of interesting and singular habits. The Goral and Serow are
also two large species inhabiting the Himalayas--especially in the
kingdom of Nepaul--while the Chousinga is a denizen of the wooded plains
of Bengal, Behar, and Orissa. Two others, Chousingas, are the Rusty red
and Full horned, both natives of India; and the Jungliburka, a species
found in the Bombay Presidency. In Persia we find the well-known Sasin,
or common antelope, as it is usually called; and in the Oriental
Islands, Sumatra furnishes us with the Cambing outan, and Japan with the
Japanese goat antelope. The Mahrattas have the Chikara, or Ravine-deer,
a species peculiar to the rocky hills of the Deccan. China is not
without its representative in the Whang-yang, or yellow-goat, which also
inhabits the arid deserts of Central Asia, Thibet, and Southern Siberia.
The Goa is another Thibetian species; and this ends our list of the
tribe: for the two European antelopes, the Chamois and Saiga, and the
one peculiar to the prairies of North America--the Prong-horn--have
already received mention.