The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Bennett’s observations were made on two specimens of this Gazelle which
were presented, while living, to the Zoological Society by Mr. E. W.
A. Drummond-Hay, C.M.Z.S., then British Consul-General at Tangier, for
whom they had been procured by Mr. E. W. Willshire, C.M.Z.S., British
Vice-Consul at Mogador. Bennett also had before him a third specimen
in the shape of an imperfect skin of this Antelope, also presented
to the Society by Mr. Drummond-Hay. All these specimens are stated
to have been brought “from the territories of the Sheik of Wednoon,
twelve days’ journey inland from the latter place”; but, in spite of
the expression “inland,” we suppose “Ouednoon,” as it should be more
correctly written, to be the valley of the River Noon in the extreme
southern coast district of Morocco, opposite the Canary Islands.
In the article in question, which is accompanied by an excellent
coloured figure of the “M’hoor,” Bennett informs us that this Antelope
“is regarded in the kingdom of Morocco as an exceedingly rare animal,”
and continues as follows:--
“Mr. Willshire states that the one earliest obtained by him was
the first individual of the race which had been seen in Mogador.
It is highly esteemed, according to Mr. Drummond-Hay, on account
of its producing the bezoars, so precious in Oriental medicine,
which are known in Morocco as the Baid-al-Mhorr, or eggs of the
M’horr. Mr. Hay conjectures that Baid-Mhorr may possibly be the
source whence, rather than from the Persian Pazahar, the name of
Bezoar has sprung. It is pretended that two of these calculous
concretions are met with in the intestines of every individual
of the race, but none were found in that which died in the
Society’s collection, and which, as is stated by Mr. Spooner
and Mr. Langstaff, who examined it after death, agreed in its
visceral anatomy with the Antelopes in general.”
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