The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 3 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
Following Hemprich and Ehrenberg’s MS., Lichtenstein named the species
“_Antilope arabica_,” and a short time afterwards it was again
described and figured by Ehrenberg in his ‘Symbolæ Physicæ’ under the
same designation.
Ehrenberg informs us that he and his fellow-traveller Hemprich obtained
their first specimens of this Gazelle at Hamam el Faraun, on the coast
of the Sinaitic Peninsula between Suez and Tor, and subsequently found
it abundant on the island of Farsan on the Arabian coast of the Red
Sea. They also observed Gazelles which they believed to be of the same
species near Baalbec in Syria, but these, we think, are more likely to
have been _Gazella dorcas_.
Succeeding authorities have added very little to our knowledge of
this Gazelle. Canon Tristram, in his ‘Fauna and Flora’ of Palestine,
mentions a Gazelle occurring in the “desert-country east of the Jordan”
as being probably of this species; but we believe that he did not
obtain any good specimens of it. Dr. Blanford, in his volume on the
‘Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia,’ has figured (for comparison) a head
of this species obtained by Captain Heysham near Mocha, S.W. Arabia;
and in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1874, the late Sir
Victor Brooke gave a woodcut of the head of this Gazelle, which, by the
kind permission of the Society, we are enabled to reproduce.
[Illustration: Fig. 60.
Head of Arabian Gazelle.
(P. Z. S. 1874, p. 141.)]
Living examples of the Arabian Gazelle are easily obtained at Aden and
at Hodeidah, Jeddah, and other Arabian ports on the Red Sea, and are
often brought to Europe. We have little doubt that the Gazelles in the
Derby Menagerie figured by Waterhouse Hawkins in the third plate of
the ‘Gleanings,’ and there called by Lord Derby’s MS. name, _Gazella
vera_, were of this species, though in the text they are referred to as
_G. dorcas_ and in the list of plates as _G. cuvieri_. The Zoological
Society of London appear to have received their first specimens in
1874[9], and since that date (as will be seen by their published Lists
of Animals) have acquired many examples, chiefly by presentation. At
the present time there are two fine males in the Society’s Gardens,
both brought from Aden and presented--one by Mr. R. G. Buchanan and the
other by Mr. J. Benett Stanford, F.Z.S. From the former of these Mr.
Smit’s drawing (Plate LIX.) was taken.
The British Museum has lately acquired from the Zoological Society
a good male example of this Gazelle, which was obtained at Aden and
brought alive to London. It has been mounted for the Mammal Gallery.
The Museum also has the skull from Mocha figured by Dr. Blanford, as
already mentioned, and since presented by him to the collection, and
the skin of a young animal from Gilead, obtained by Canon Tristram, the
determination of which is, however, somewhat doubtful.
_January,_ 1898.
[Illustration: THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LX.
_J. Smit del. et lith._ _Hanhart imp._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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