The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Dimensions of type, immature ♂:--Height at withers 16 inches, ear 3,
hind foot 8·1.
_Hab._ West Africa.
[Illustration: Fig. 21.
Skull of _Cephalophus coronatus_.
(P.Z.S. 1871, p. 599.)]
The Crowned Duiker is a species established by Gray in 1842 upon
specimens brought by Whitfield, Lord Derby’s collector, from the
Gambia. The typical specimen in the British Museum appears to be
immature, as are likewise other examples obtained in its company, and
perfectly adult specimens of this obscure species are much required.
Along with the skins Whitfield brought home a single adult female
for the Derby Menagerie. This was figured in 1842 in two positions by
Waterhouse Hawkins on the sixth plate of the ‘Gleanings.’ In the text
of the ‘Knowsley Menagerie’ we are told that Whitfield’s name for it
was the “Coquetoon,” but in the plate the native name of the present
species is given as “Sinani,” while that of “Coquetoon” is assigned to
_C. rufilatus_ figured in its company, and this vernacular name
has certainly been more generally applied to the latter species.
We suppose that the Antelope described by Pallas as _Antilope
grimmia_ from living specimens brought from the Guinea Coast may
probably have belonged to this species, as may also many references of
the older authors to an _Antilope grimmia_ from Western Africa.
But the true _Capra grimmia_ of Linnæus, as we shall presently
show, refers to another species.
We cannot find that any modern authority refers to fresh examples of
this Antelope, and from the immaturity of the available specimens, to
which we have already referred, we are quite unable to come to any
definite conclusion as to its relationship. In its general appearance,
however, the Crowned Duiker has a certain amount of resemblance to
_C. abyssinicus_ and _C. grimmi_, and we therefore place it
provisionally in its present position.
The accompanying figure (Plate XXII. fig. 2), probably representing the
male of this species, was drawn by Mr. Smit for the late Sir Victor
Brooke, but we are unable to say from what specimen it was prepared.
_August, 1895._
37. THE ABYSSINIAN DUIKER.
CEPHALOPHUS ABYSSINICUS, THOS.
[PLATE XXII. FIG. 1.]
_Antilope madoqua_, =Rüpp.= N. Wirb. Abyss., Säug. p. 22, pl.
vii. fig. 2 (animal) (1830) (description and figure, but not
references to =Bruce=, =Lichtenstein=, and others, which refer
to _Madoqua saltiana_), nec _A. madoka_, H. Sm.; =Schinz=, Syn.
Mamm. ii. p. 423 (1845); =Wagn.= Schr. Säug. Suppl. v. p. 422
(1855).
_Tragelaphus madoqua_, =Rüpp.= Verz. Senck. Mus. p. 37 (1842).
_Sylvicapra madoqua_, =Sund.= Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844,
p. 190 (1846); =id.= Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr.
ii. p. 142; Reprint, p. 66 (1848); =Fitz.= SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1,
p. 168 (1869).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account