The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Horns quite different from those of any other species; at their base
they start upwards, then curve down and out, then diverge and slant
backwards, and finally they curve evenly forwards, so that their
terminal halves point directly upwards. In general form, therefore,
they present a slight resemblance to those of the Pallah, a very
different animal in all other respects. Good male horns attain a length
of 20 to 25 inches (largest recorded 26¼ inches) measured round the
curve, but female horns are in this species but little inferior to male.
_Hab._ Southern Somaliland, north bank of River Tana.
[Illustration: Fig. 7 _a_.
Head of _Damaliscus hunteri_.
(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 373.)]
We take this species of _Damaliscus_ first in the present work
because it is clearly divergent from the typical members of the genus,
as seen in the Blessbok and Bontebok, and approaches in some respects
the genus _Bubalis_. It is, however, as already pointed out,
quite different from all the other species of both these genera in the
shape of its horns, and is also unique in exhibiting the curious white
line between the eyes across the forehead, which renders it easily
recognizable.
[Illustration: Fig. 7 _b_.
Skull and horns of _Damaliscus hunteri_, ♂ ad.
(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 374.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 7 _c_.
Skull and horns of _Damaliscus hunteri_, ♀ ad.
(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 375.)]
Hunter’s Antelope has been called after its discoverer Mr. H. C. V.
Hunter, F.Z.S., who met with it under the following circumstances:--
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