The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Peters records the Pallah as met with in the mountainous parts of the
Portuguese province of Mozambique, near Tette, Chidima, and Sena,
and gives its native names as here ‘Psuara’ or ‘Suara.’ Passing into
British Central Africa we find this Antelope recorded by Mr. Crawshay
as not common anywhere in Nyasaland, but where met with, as a rule,
found in even larger numbers than the Waterbuck. Mr. Crawshay has
seen it in companies of one hundred or more, and gives a number of
localities around Lake Nyasa in which he has come across herds of it.
No Antelope, Mr. Crawshay tells us, can compare with the Pallah in
fleetness of foot, and certainly “no other can display such wonderful
leaping powers. They go off like the proverbial arrow from the bow, and
with most beautiful gliding bounds, cover the ground without apparently
the least effort.” In Northern Nyasaland, Mr. J. B. Yule tells us,
the Pallah is found only along the stony ridges between Deep Bay and
Karonga.
In the highlands of Zomba and the adjacent districts of Nyasaland
a local race of the Common Pallah is found, distinguished by its
slenderer skull and much shorter horns; but as regards the colour of
its fur it is precisely similar to the South-African form. Thomas was
at one time of opinion that this highland form should constitute a
separate subspecies, and proposed to name it after its discoverer, Sir
Harry Johnston, who has done so much in investigating the fauna of
British Central Africa, _Æpyceros melampus johnstoni_. Thomas,
however, since the examination of further specimens is not disposed to
insist upon the necessity of recognizing this subspecies as distinct.
In the low, dry, thicket-covered hills to the north of Lake Mweru both
Mr. Crawshay and Mr. Sharpe have obtained specimens of this Antelope,
which, according to the latter, is often confounded by the natives with
the Lechee and Vardon’s Antelope under the common name “_msala_.”
In German East Africa, according to Dr. Matschie’s excellent Handbook,
the Pallah occurs in many localities all over the country. At first
misled by the association of the horns of a Lesser Koodoo and a skin
of a Pallah, Dr. Matschie proposed to found a new species of Koodoo
upon this animal, and to call it _Strepsiceros suara_. Afterwards
recognizing his mistake he proposed to retain the term _suara_
for the East-African Pallah, and to separate it specifically from the
South-African animal as _Æpyceros suara_, on the ground of certain
small discrepancies in colour. But after examining many specimens of
the Pallah from East Africa we have come to the conclusion that the
differences pointed out by Dr. Matschie are not confined to individuals
from the same locality, and we cannot therefore regard _Æ. suara_
as a distinct species.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account