The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
After the description was made the specimen was unfortunately sent off
to America before we had time to make a special examination of it. In
reply to our enquiries, however, Mr. F. W. True, of the U.S. National
Museum at Washington, has most kindly forwarded to us a large-sized
black-and-white drawing of the head of this species, from which the
accompanying reduction (fig. 43, p. 184) has been made by photography.
In the absence of a coloured figure, this we trust will serve to make
Chanler’s Reedbuck, if rediscovered, more easily recognizable by future
travellers.
This is, we fear, nearly all that we can say respecting the present
Antelope, of the claims of which to specific separation we are by no
means certain. In fact, it appears to be doubtfully separable from
_C. fulvorufula_, with which Mr. Rothschild did not compare it,
and we should not have given it a separate heading had it not been for
its very wide difference in locality. Up to the present time _C.
fulvorufula_ has not been found north of the Zambesi, while the
district of British East Africa in which Mr. Chanler shot the type of
this species lies nearly under the Equator.
Our knowledge of the proper position of this Antelope is mainly due to
an accurate cast of the typical skull prepared by Messrs. Rowland Ward
& Co., and generously presented by them to the National Museum.
* * * * *
P.S.--Since this was written Thomas has examined some examples of
Chanler’s Reedbuck obtained by Mr. F. J. Jackson in British East
Africa, probably near the Ravine Station, where he is now resident.
So far as can be made out in their present condition, these specimens
are very similar to the South-African _C. fulvorufula_, without
special face-markings, and therefore confirm our view that _C.
chanleri_ cannot be well distinguished from its South-African
relative.
_February, 1897._
GENUS III. PELEA.
(See p. 93.)
Type.
_Pelea_, =Gray=, P. Z. S. 1850, p. 126 P. CAPREOLUS.
Size small. Fur rather woolly. Naked muzzle large. No subauricular
glandular patch. Skull much as in _Cervicapra_. No anteorbital
fossa. Lacrymal fissure long and narrow. Premaxillæ not reaching the
nasals. Bullæ small. Horns medium in length, slender, ringed, nearly
vertical, straight or slightly curved forwards; absent in the female.
_Distribution._ South Africa. (One species only.)
[Illustration:
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL XLVI.
_Wolf del. J. Smit lith._ _Hanhart imp._
The Vaal Rhebok.
PELEA CAPREOLUS.
_Published by R. H. Porter._]
75. THE VAAL RHÉBOK.
PELEA CAPREOLUS (BECHST.).
[PLATE XLVI.]
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