THE CAPRINE ANTELOPES.
The SEROW(sometimes written Surrow) of India, the CAMBING-OUTANof Sumatra, with the GORALof North India, form a small group of strongly-built Goat-like Antelopes, with short, conical, upright horns, ringed at the base, and of nearly equal size in both sexes. The feet are large, and the tapering tail short.
Captain Kinloch gives us the following account of the Serow. He says it “is an ungainly-looking animal, combining the characteristics of the Cow, the Donkey, the Pig, and the Goat! It is a large and powerful beast.... The body is covered with very coarse hair, which assumes the form of a bristly mane on the neck and shoulders, and gives the beast a ferocious appearance, which does not belie its disposition. The colour is a dull black on the back, bright red on the sides, and white underneath, the legs also being dirty white. The ears are very large; the muzzle is coarse.... The Serow has an awkward gait; but in spite of this can go over the worst ground; and it has, perhaps, no superior in going down steep hills. It is a solitary animal, and is nowhere numerous; two or three may be found on one hill, four or five on another, and so on. It delights in the steepest and most rocky hillsides, and its favourite resting-places are in caves, under the shelter of overhanging rocks, or at the foot of shady trees.”
GORAL.
GORAL.
Of the Goral, the same author remarks that it “is an active little beast, and much resembles a small Goat, but the back is more arched. The prevailing colour is a brownish-grey, with a dark stripe along the back, and dark markings on the legs. Underneath the throat is a large white spot, which is very conspicuous when the animal is standing above one, and often betrays its presence when it would otherwise have escaped observation. The hair is soft but rather coarse, and about two inches long.” In the male the horns reach nine inches in length.
The Cambing-outan stands about two feet and a quarter at the shoulder. Its long, coarse hair is brown-black in colour, the mane and throat alone being white. The horns are not more than six inches in length, cylindrical, slightly annulated and curved backwards at their lips. Mountain forests, where it leads a particularly active life, are its haunts.
Dr. J. Anderson remarks of the TAKIN, or BUDORCAS, another allied species, “Major Stewart informs me that it is found in all the high ranges of the north-east of Debrooghur, and is far from uncommon. The Mishnees, with their very inferior appliances to shoot and catch them, are, nevertheless, frequently dressed in their skins, or have a part of a skin with the hair on as an ornament, which would seem to indicate that they are numerous.... They are seen in pairs, and sometimes in herds of twenty or more. They are swift of foot and good climbers.”
In Formosa and Japan there are also Goat-like Antelopes, that from the former locality being named after Mr. Swinhoe, who discovered it. Its horns are short and conical, its brown fur harsh and crisp. Both closely resemble the Cambing-outan. There is still another with a long tail inhabiting Northern China.
The MAZAMA, or Mountain Goat of California and the Rocky Mountains, is an allied species, with short, thick, conical, recurved horns, and long, straight, soft hair of a white colour, specially abundant in the region of the throat, shoulders, sides, and tail. Its size is that of a large Sheep, which it much resembles in physiognomy. The flesh has an unpleasant musky flavour, the skin is thick and spongy, at the same time that the hair is considered of but little value.
THE CHAMOIS.[19]
This well-known Goat-like Antelope inhabits the snow-clad mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Caucasus, ascending during the summer, and in winter going below the line of snow in search of food. Both sexes possess horns—black, short, and cylindrical—rising perpendicularly and parallel from the forehead for some distance, then forming a small hook directed backwards to their pointed tips. These rarely exceed seven inches in length. The female is slightly smaller than the male, which stands a little over two feet at the shoulder. In winter the colour of the lengthy, hairy coat is dark brown, which becomes a brownish-yellow in the summer, a darker streak along the back alone remaining. The head is pale yellow, darker from the nose upwards to between the ears and around the eyes. Behind the horns and between the ears is a pair of peculiar glands, opening externally, the function of which is unknown. The voice of the species is a rough bleat under all ordinary circumstances; but when the one which watches whilst the others feed—and there is always found to be one such in every herd—finds cause to fear, it gives a shrill whistle as a danger signal to its companions.
HEAD OF THE CHAMOIS.
HEAD OF THE CHAMOIS.
The senses of sight, hearing, and smell of the Chamois are developed to a maximum, and this fact, taken in association with the animal’s great sure-footedness among the lofty, snow-covered Alps, in which it has its home, makes hunting it a task of no mean difficulty and danger. Dogs are of no service on the rocky eminences to which the Chamois will retreat when it is pursued, and the sportsman has to rely upon his own sure-footedness and courage in climbing the steep and slippery precipices, whither he is tempted by the sight of game. If so hard pressed that it is driven to some height beyond which it cannot go, it is said that it will precipitate itself upon its pursuer, sending him down into the depths below. Besides man, the eagle is an enemy whose constant endeavour is to obtain the kids from their watchful mothers. Its skin is much valued for its toughness combined with its pliability. Its flesh is also greatly esteemed.
THE ORYXES.[20]
Of the Antelopes there is a fairly well-marked section, distinguished by the possession of horns in both sexes, at the same time that the body is peculiarly deep at the shoulder, whilst the lengthy tail is cylindrical and tufted at the extremity. Among these there is a mane along the neck in three closely-allied species, the BLAUBOK, or Equine Antelope of South Africa, the SABLEANTELOPEof the Transvaal and the eastern coast of Africa, andBAKER’SANTELOPE, or the Maarif of Upper Nubia, as well as in the ORYX, which is found in many parts of Africa, the BEISAof Abyssinia, the BEATRIXANTELOPEof Arabia, and the GEMSBOKof South Africa; whilst in the not distant ADDAXANTELOPEof North Africa there is no nape-mane, but a slight one on the throat.
ORYX.
ORYX.
In the Blaubok, which stands more than four feet and a half at the shoulder, with a glaucous, grey coat upon a black skin; in the Sable Antelope, which stands four feet and a half, being black except upon the abdomen, as well as in streaks upon the face, which are white; and in Baker’s Antelope, which stands four feet eight inches, being of a pale fulvous liver colour, the horns are two feet and more in length, and curved gently backwards, being ringed transversely except at the tips, where they are smooth. In the Oryx, the Beisa, the Beatrix Antelope, and the Gemsbok, the lengthy conical horns, although similarly ringed, are much more slender, starting backwards in a line with the face, whilst in those previously mentioned they rise at an angle from it, being straight in the Gemsbok and Beisa, very slightly curved backwards in the Beatrix, and more so in the Oryx. In the nearly allied Addax the similarly-constructed horns are gently twisted in a corkscrew manner. All these last-mentioned Antelopes are pale in colour, being almost white, with the throat protected by long black hair.
Whilst speaking of the Beisa Antelope, Mr. Blanford remarks that “the appearance of a herd of Oryx is very imposing. They are some of the most elegant and symmetrical of animals, the motionsbeing those of a Wild Horse rather than of an Antelope. Their favourite pace appears to be either a steady quick walk or a trot; they rarely break into a gallop unless greatly alarmed. When frightened they dash off, sometimes snorting and putting their heads down, as if charging, raising their long tails, and looking very formidable. They are wary animals, though far less so than some other Antelopes. It is said that they frequently attack when wounded, and their long, straight horns are most deadly weapons.”
Of the Gemsbok, Captain Harris tells us that it “is about the size of an Ass, and nearly of the same ground colour, with a black list stripe down the back and on each flank, white legs variegated with black bands, and a white face, marked with the figure of a black nose-band and head-stall, imparting altogether to the animal the appearance of being clad in half-mourning. Its copious black tail literally sweeps the ground; a mane reversed, and a tuft of flowing black hair on the breast, with a pair of straight, slender horns (common to both sexes) three feet in length, and ringed at the base, completing the portrait.” The resemblance between the Gemsbok, when seen from the side view, and the Unicorn of heraldry, is sufficiently striking to make it more than probable that the conception of the latter originated in the former.
The author just quoted says of the Blaubok, or Roan Antelope, by which name it is also known, that it “is an inhabitant of the elevated downs and ridges about the source of the river Limpopo [four degrees to the west of Delagoa Bay, and a little north of it], and being utterly destitute of speed, may be ridden to a standstill without difficulty.... It is heavily built, and has an upright mane, long asinine ears, and robust scimitar-shaped horns.”