Hab.Interior Plateau of Somaliland.
Hab.Interior Plateau of Somaliland.
There can be no doubt that the two Gazelles which inhabit the maritime plain and the high inland plateau of Somaliland respectively, although they are closely allied, and have been confused together by some writers, belong to distinct species, distinguishable by well-marked characters. The Gazelle of the interior plateau, which we treat of first, when compared with that of the coast-land is at once recognizable by the generally browner colour, the darker lateral band, the black nose-spot, and above all by the wrinkled and elevated nose of the adult, which is not met with in the sister species.
Speke’s Gazelle was first discovered by the energetic African explorer, whose name it appropriately bears, during his expedition to Harar in the summer of 1854 in company with the late Capt. Sir Richard Burton[10]. Speke, who attended to the natural history of the expedition, forwarded the collections made upon this occasion to Blyth, at that time curator of the Asiatic Society’s Museum at Calcutta, and in the zenith of his zoological work. In his report upon the collection, which was published in the twenty-fourth volume of the ‘Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,’ Blyth did not venture to bestow a new name on this Gazelle, although he gave an accurate description of it, and added a note (obtained from Burton) calling special attention to “the elevation of loose replicated skin upon the nose,†so that there can be no doubt as to which of the two allied species Speke’s specimens (which are still in the Calcutta Museum[11]) belong.
In the reprint of Blyth’s ‘Report,’ which was edited by Speke in 1860 after his return to this country, this Gazelle was erroneously referred toG. cuvieriof Ogilby. In 1883, however, Blyth, who had discovered that this was a mistake, proposed the nameGazella spekeifor this species in his ‘Catalogue of the Mammals of the Asiatic Society’s Museum,’ and this appellation has been generally adopted for it ever since.
When the late Sir Victor Brooke wrote his Monograph of the Gazelles in 1873 Speke’s Gazelle was hardly known in this country, and Brooke was only acquainted with it from photographs of the type specimens in the Calcutta Museum. But since that date Somaliland has been fully opened to British travellers, and the numerous explorers and sportsmen who have visited that much-hunted country have brought back good sets of specimens both of Speke’s and of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, and made us well acquainted with the ranges and other peculiarities of these two species.
One of the first British travellers who visited Somaliland, and made the acquaintance of Speke’s Gazelle, was the late Mr. F. L. James, who proceeded there on a shooting-expedition in January 1884, accompanied by his brother and Mr. E. Lort Phillips[12]. Mr. Lort Phillips read some notes on the Antelopes obtained on this occasion before the Zoological Society in December 1885, and in alluding to this Gazelle called it the “Flabby-nosed Gazelle,†to which term Sclater attached a footnote stating that it was “probably of a new species,†but required further examination. This examination Sclater bestowed upon Mr. Lort Phillips’s specimens shortly afterwards (see P. Z. S. 1886, p. 504), and came to the correct conclusion that the so-called Flabby-nosed Gazelle was quite distinct from the species of the coast land. He unfortunately did not perceive that it was the species of the high plateau and not that of the coast land, which had already been namedGazella spekeiby Blyth, and therefore gave it a new name,Gazella naso, under which appellation it will be found described and its characteristic head figured in Sclater’s article in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1886. But, as Thomas has subsequently shown (P. Z. S. 1891, p. 210), there can be no doubt thatGazella nasois merely a synonym ofGazella spekei.
Another well-known author, who must not fail to be quoted in anyreference to the game animals of Somaliland, is Capt. H. G. C. Swayne, R.E. Capt. Swayne has made no less than seventeen trips to that attractive country, and is probably better acquainted with its larger mammals than any other living individual. In his excellent narrative of his adventures[13], Capt. Swayne has given us some capital notes on Speke’s Gazelle and its near ally Pelzeln’s Gazelle, both of which are known to the natives by the same name “Dhero.â€
Fig. 62.Head of adult male Speke’s Gazelle.(Brit. Mus.)
Fig. 62.
Head of adult male Speke’s Gazelle.
(Brit. Mus.)
Capt. Swayne calls the former Antelope the “Ogo, or Plateau Gazelle,†and the latter the “Guban, or Lowland Gazelle,†and describes the peculiarities of the present species as follows:—
“The Plateau Gazelle, which has the ridges of loose skin over the nose well developed, inhabits the elevated country, commencing about thirty-five miles inland. It is foundsouth of Gólis, in Ogo and in the Haud, as well as in Ogo-Gudan, the country near Hargeisa where Guban rises gradually into Ogo.“I have shot large numbers of Gazelles for food at various times, and have always noticed that the plateau variety has a much thicker and longer coat than the other. This is possibly the result of natural selection, as the high plains of the Ogo and the Haud, where it lives, are subject to sweeping cold winds, and the nights are very cold indeed. The altitude of these plains inhabited by the Plateau Gazelle is from three thousand to over six thousand feet, but doubtless they go much lower towards Ogádén. The great steppe of Gólis, with its prolongations east and west, which rises some forty miles inland, and separates Guban, the low coast country, from Ogo, the high interior country, forms the natural line of demarcation between these two Gazelles.â€
“The Plateau Gazelle, which has the ridges of loose skin over the nose well developed, inhabits the elevated country, commencing about thirty-five miles inland. It is foundsouth of Gólis, in Ogo and in the Haud, as well as in Ogo-Gudan, the country near Hargeisa where Guban rises gradually into Ogo.
“I have shot large numbers of Gazelles for food at various times, and have always noticed that the plateau variety has a much thicker and longer coat than the other. This is possibly the result of natural selection, as the high plains of the Ogo and the Haud, where it lives, are subject to sweeping cold winds, and the nights are very cold indeed. The altitude of these plains inhabited by the Plateau Gazelle is from three thousand to over six thousand feet, but doubtless they go much lower towards Ogádén. The great steppe of Gólis, with its prolongations east and west, which rises some forty miles inland, and separates Guban, the low coast country, from Ogo, the high interior country, forms the natural line of demarcation between these two Gazelles.â€
Fig. 63.Head of adult female Speke’s Gazelle.(Mr. F. Gillett, F.Z.S.)
Fig. 63.
Head of adult female Speke’s Gazelle.
(Mr. F. Gillett, F.Z.S.)
A still more recent explorer of Somaliland, Mr. A. E. Pease, M.P., F.Z.S., has most kindly favoured us with some excellent notes on Speke’s Gazelle and its sister species, which we cannot do better than reproduce. Mr. Pease has also sent us along with his MS. remarks a sketch-map of the northern part of Somaliland, in which the ranges of these two species are accurately shown.
He writes as follows:—
“Speke’s Gazelle is called ‘Dhero’ by the Somalis, who do not distinguish it by name fromGazella pelzelni. It is a ‘Dhero,’ just as the other, and yet there is no Somali shikari or any other observer who cannot discriminate at a glance between these two very distinct species—distinct in colour, size, horns, and habitat, whilst the peculiar nose, covered with soft pliable folds of loose skin, of theG. spekeiis alone sufficient to mark it as a species apart.“The Speke’s or Plateau Gazelle has been termed the Mountain Gazelle by some writers; but it is not strictly a mountain Gazelle, but one that frequents the higher plains and low foot-hills north and south of the Golis. But with its distribution I will deal later.“In colour the Speke’s Gazelles are much darker than Pelzeln’s Gazelles, the predominating colour in life being a rich strong burnt-sienna buff, distinctly darker over the back. The side-stripes are very dark brown, strongly marked, and maintaining their depth of colour to the edge of the white under the ribs and belly. The tail is a dark reddish brown, and the colour on the quarters towards the tail is of a deeper shade. The coat, though fine in texture, is very long for a Gazelle, being sometimes fully two inches long on the withers, and the stern is heavily feathered with long white hair. Altogether it is one of the most beautifully coloured of all the Gazelles. The head is also strongly marked, the deep dark brown patch on the nose and the tear-mark sprinkled with dark hairs are very distinctive. The enlargement of the nose is covered with three or four folds of loose pliable skin. The horns are more curved back and forward towards the tips than those of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, and on the average do not reach to quite the same length as in that species. Twelve inches along the curve would be an abnormally long horn forG. spekei, whilst this measurement is not uncommon in Pelzeln’s Gazelle. The female is very slightly lighter in colour, and has weak horns, reaching to about 9 inches in old ones, with slight indications of the annulations, which are deep and strong in the male.“This Gazelle I have observed in large numbers on both sides of the Golis range. I have seen it in bands numbering from fifteen to twenty on the plateaux behind (S. of) Gan Libah and Dunanoof. In the Gadabursi country, on the northern limits of the Haud, west of Lija Uri, I have seen them frequently in small bands of from five to eight, and herds of this size may be said to be the rule in the zone north of the Golis Range and south of the Maritime Plain. I cannot call to mind having seen them much further south than the grass plains of Toyo, but there I have observed them mixed up with the Aoul or Soemmerring’s Gazelle.“I should put down the height of this Gazelle at about 24 inches, and its weight, when living, at about 40 pounds.â€
“Speke’s Gazelle is called ‘Dhero’ by the Somalis, who do not distinguish it by name fromGazella pelzelni. It is a ‘Dhero,’ just as the other, and yet there is no Somali shikari or any other observer who cannot discriminate at a glance between these two very distinct species—distinct in colour, size, horns, and habitat, whilst the peculiar nose, covered with soft pliable folds of loose skin, of theG. spekeiis alone sufficient to mark it as a species apart.
“The Speke’s or Plateau Gazelle has been termed the Mountain Gazelle by some writers; but it is not strictly a mountain Gazelle, but one that frequents the higher plains and low foot-hills north and south of the Golis. But with its distribution I will deal later.
“In colour the Speke’s Gazelles are much darker than Pelzeln’s Gazelles, the predominating colour in life being a rich strong burnt-sienna buff, distinctly darker over the back. The side-stripes are very dark brown, strongly marked, and maintaining their depth of colour to the edge of the white under the ribs and belly. The tail is a dark reddish brown, and the colour on the quarters towards the tail is of a deeper shade. The coat, though fine in texture, is very long for a Gazelle, being sometimes fully two inches long on the withers, and the stern is heavily feathered with long white hair. Altogether it is one of the most beautifully coloured of all the Gazelles. The head is also strongly marked, the deep dark brown patch on the nose and the tear-mark sprinkled with dark hairs are very distinctive. The enlargement of the nose is covered with three or four folds of loose pliable skin. The horns are more curved back and forward towards the tips than those of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, and on the average do not reach to quite the same length as in that species. Twelve inches along the curve would be an abnormally long horn forG. spekei, whilst this measurement is not uncommon in Pelzeln’s Gazelle. The female is very slightly lighter in colour, and has weak horns, reaching to about 9 inches in old ones, with slight indications of the annulations, which are deep and strong in the male.
“This Gazelle I have observed in large numbers on both sides of the Golis range. I have seen it in bands numbering from fifteen to twenty on the plateaux behind (S. of) Gan Libah and Dunanoof. In the Gadabursi country, on the northern limits of the Haud, west of Lija Uri, I have seen them frequently in small bands of from five to eight, and herds of this size may be said to be the rule in the zone north of the Golis Range and south of the Maritime Plain. I cannot call to mind having seen them much further south than the grass plains of Toyo, but there I have observed them mixed up with the Aoul or Soemmerring’s Gazelle.
“I should put down the height of this Gazelle at about 24 inches, and its weight, when living, at about 40 pounds.â€
So far as we know, but one specimen of Speke’s Gazelle has as yet reached this country alive. This was a young male, presented to the Zoological Society’s Menagerie in November last year by Dr. L. de Gébert, who had obtained it at Djibutil, the French port of Abyssinia. Unfortunately it didnot live long in captivity, but after its death Sclater, with Mr. F. E. Beddard’s kind assistance, was able to examine the specimen more closely. It exhibited a slight protuberance on the nose, as shown in the figure (fig. 64), which by the kindness of the Zoological Society we are enabled to reproduce on the present occasion. Underneath the skin of the nose was a slight cavity, which was easily inflated into a protuberance by blowing air into the nostrils. But dissection, which was carried out by Mr. Beddard, revealed no trace of any glandular structure.
Fig. 64.Head of young male Speke’s Gazelle.(P. Z. S. 1897, p. 920.)
Fig. 64.
Head of young male Speke’s Gazelle.
(P. Z. S. 1897, p. 920.)
The collection of the British Museum contains a good mounted example of this Gazelle (procured from Herr Menges, and originally obtained from Gerbatir in Somaliland), from which the coloured figure (Plate LXI.) has been prepared by Mr. Smit. There is likewise in the Museum a good series of skins and skulls from different places in Somaliland collected and presented by Mr. T. W. H. Clarke, Capt. H. G. C. Swayne, R.E., Col. Arthur Paget, and Mr. Ford G. Barclay. From one of these our figure (p. 128) of a good adult head of this Gazelle has been prepared by Mr. Smit; while that of the female (p. 129) has been drawn from a mounted head kindly lent to us for that purpose by Mr. Frederick Gillett, F.Z.S.
May,1898.
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXII.J. Smit lith.Hanhart imp.Pelzeln’s Gazelle.GAZELLA PELZELNI.Published by R. H. Porter.
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXII.
J. Smit lith.
Hanhart imp.
Pelzeln’s Gazelle.
GAZELLA PELZELNI.
Published by R. H. Porter.
Gazella spekei,Scl.P. Z. S. 1884, p. 540;Lort Phillips, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 931 (necBlyth).Gazella pelzelni,Kohl, SB. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1886, p. 4;id.Ann. Mus. Wien, i. p. 76, pls. iii. & iv. fig. 1 (animal & skull) (1886);Thos.P. Z. S. 1891, p. 211;Scl.P. Z. S. 1892, pp. 100 & 118;Swayne, P. Z. S. 1892, p. 306;Ward, Horn Meas. (1) p. 113 (1892), (2) p. 155 (1896);Lyd.Horns and Hoofs, p. 238 (1893);Swayne, Somaliland, p. 316 (fig., head) (1895);Hoyos, Aulihan, p. 178, pl. x. fig. 1 (1895);Elliot, Publ. Chicago Mus. Zool. i. p. 119 (1897).Vernacular Name:—Dheroof Somalis (in common with the last species) (Swayne).
Gazella spekei,Scl.P. Z. S. 1884, p. 540;Lort Phillips, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 931 (necBlyth).
Gazella pelzelni,Kohl, SB. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 1886, p. 4;id.Ann. Mus. Wien, i. p. 76, pls. iii. & iv. fig. 1 (animal & skull) (1886);Thos.P. Z. S. 1891, p. 211;Scl.P. Z. S. 1892, pp. 100 & 118;Swayne, P. Z. S. 1892, p. 306;Ward, Horn Meas. (1) p. 113 (1892), (2) p. 155 (1896);Lyd.Horns and Hoofs, p. 238 (1893);Swayne, Somaliland, p. 316 (fig., head) (1895);Hoyos, Aulihan, p. 178, pl. x. fig. 1 (1895);Elliot, Publ. Chicago Mus. Zool. i. p. 119 (1897).
Vernacular Name:—Dheroof Somalis (in common with the last species) (Swayne).
Size rather greater than inG. spekei; height at withers about 25 inches. Colour brownish fawn, rather more rufous thanG. spekei. Light lateral band distinct; dark band rufous brown, similar to that of the back but rather darker in tone, not blackish. Pygal band distinct, brown. Centre of face dark fawn, without either the black spot or the pale swollen cushion characteristic ofG. spekei. Dark and light cheek-bands short and indistinct. Knee-tufts dark brown.
Skull narrower than inG. spekei, and with long narrow nasals, which articulate broadly with the premaxillæ. Basal length in an old male 6·87 inches, greatest breadth 3·25, muzzle to orbit 3·75.
Horns more evenly divergent, much straighter and less curved backwards than inG. spekei, but otherwise similar. In length they attain to about 11 or 12 inches.
Female.Like the male, but the horns much smoother and slenderer, and only about three-fourths the length.
Hab.Maritime plains of Northern Somaliland.
Hab.Maritime plains of Northern Somaliland.
As we have already mentioned in our account of the last species, the late Mr. F. L. James and his party, who visited Somaliland in 1884, appear to have been the first to bring to England examples of the two allied Gazelles of Somaliland. Unfortunately, however, though perhaps not unnaturally, Sclater, who assisted Mr. E. Lort Phillips in the determination of the Mammals obtained during that expedition, referred the coast-land specimens toGazella spekei, and described the examples from the high plateau as belonging to a new species,Gazella naso. About two years later, however, this error was corrected by Herr H. F. Kohl, of the Natural History Museum of Vienna, who, in an article upon new and rare Antelopes collected by Herr L. Menges in Somaliland, among which examples of both these Gazelles were comprised, rightly referred the upland species toGazella spekeiof Blyth and gave to the lowland species, then still unnamed, the title ofGazella pelzelni, after the late August von Pelzeln, a well-known naturalist, who was at that time Custos of the Imperial Museum of Natural History.
Thomas, in his article on the Antelopes collected in Somaliland by Mr. T. W. H. Clarke, published in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1891, was the first to make this matter perfectly clear, and to establish the nameGazella pelzelnias the permanent designation of the coast-land Gazelle of Somaliland. Since that date the distinctions between the two allied species have become well recognized and understood, and numerous examples of both species have been obtained by the naturalists and sportsmen who have recently visited that country.
Capt. Swayne, in his well-known work on Somaliland and its wild animals (from which, by the kind permission of Messrs. Rowland Ward & Co., the publishers, we have been allowed to borrow illustrations of the heads of both sexes of this Gazelle), tells us that the “short-coated, light-coloured Lowland Gazelle†carries rather longer horns than those of the Plateau Gazelle (Gazella spekei), which are “shorter, thicker, more curved, and better annulated.†“The habits of both,†he continues, “are nearly alike; they go in moderate-sized herds of from three to ten, and resort mostly to stony or sandy undulating ground or ravines thinly dotted over with mimosas. Both species are fond of salt and do not require water. It is hard to understand what they can pick up to eat in the wretched ground which they frequent. They have a curiosity which amounts almost to impudence, but arewonderfully on the alert, and hard to shoot, seeming to know perfectly well the range of a rifle, and presenting but a very small target.â€
Capt. R. Light, writing to Sclater in 1892, tells us that when he visited Somaliland in 1891 he found this Gazelle between Berbera and Zeila, close down by the sea: “they were often observed feeding side by side with camels and flocks of sheep and goats. When startled they move off the ground in a quick trot, taking bounds over any obstacles and finally breaking into a gallop.â€
Fig. 65.Head of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♂.(From Swayne’s ‘Somaliland,’ p. 317.)
Fig. 65.
Head of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♂.
(From Swayne’s ‘Somaliland,’ p. 317.)
Fig. 65a.Skull of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♀.(From Swayne’s ‘Somaliland,’ p. 317.)
Fig. 65a.
Skull of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♀.
(From Swayne’s ‘Somaliland,’ p. 317.)
Mr. Pease, who has kindly supplied us with notes on this Gazelle as well as on the preceding species, writes that Pelzeln’s Gazelle is essentially the species of the maritime plain and could be seen within shot of the town of Bulhar when he was there in 1896, and within a mile or so of Berbera. “In life it appears of a light rich yellow-buff in colour, with the usual Gazelline marks rather faintly indicated. Its coat is short and fine, and its horns arestraighter and longer than those ofG. spekei. The horns of the female are weak and almost smooth, like those of Speke’s Gazelle.†“Within fifty miles of the sea-shore,†he continues, “this Gazelle is exceedingly numerous in suitable places. Half-a-dozen herds may be often seen at a time, but I have seldom observed more than twenty in a single band. In sizeG. pelzelniis larger thanG. spekei, the average height being about 25 inches, while the weight of the carcase is usually a little over 40 lbs.â€
Mr. D. G. Elliot, who made a successful expedition to Somaliland in 1896, for the purpose of obtaining specimens for the Field Columbian Museum of Chicago, gives us the following account of his experiences with the present species:—
“This is the Gazelle of the lowlands and is not often seen much beyond Laferug on the road to Hargeisa, where the following species begins to make its appearance. It is the larger animal of the two, and they resemble each other very much in their habits.“Pelzeln’s Gazelle frequents dry and stony places, covered with low bushes, and it is difficult to see where or how it can obtain sufficient nourishment from the barren, forbidding districts it inhabits. It goes in small troops of from two or three to nearly a dozen individuals. I think eleven was the greatest number I ever saw together at one time. As a rule, it is not a wild creature and readily permits an approach sufficiently near to ensure a fatal shot, but of course when much hunted becomes wary. The males were often seen by themselves, and then it was not difficult to stalk them. Their horns are almost straight and annulated nearly to the tips. The female also carries horns, much straighter and much more slender than those of the male. There is considerable variation in the coloring of individuals and I hardly know what causes it. The typical style has a broad conspicuous chestnut band running lengthwise along the body just above the white of the belly. But some individuals, evidently of equal age, killed practically at the same time and in the same condition of coat, were entirely without the distinguishing mark. It may be possibly an exhibition of individual variation, for these specimens were not confined to any especial locality. I do not think, however, it was in any way an indication of age, for fully adult animals were without the stripe, neither was this peculiarity confined to either sex.â€
“This is the Gazelle of the lowlands and is not often seen much beyond Laferug on the road to Hargeisa, where the following species begins to make its appearance. It is the larger animal of the two, and they resemble each other very much in their habits.
“Pelzeln’s Gazelle frequents dry and stony places, covered with low bushes, and it is difficult to see where or how it can obtain sufficient nourishment from the barren, forbidding districts it inhabits. It goes in small troops of from two or three to nearly a dozen individuals. I think eleven was the greatest number I ever saw together at one time. As a rule, it is not a wild creature and readily permits an approach sufficiently near to ensure a fatal shot, but of course when much hunted becomes wary. The males were often seen by themselves, and then it was not difficult to stalk them. Their horns are almost straight and annulated nearly to the tips. The female also carries horns, much straighter and much more slender than those of the male. There is considerable variation in the coloring of individuals and I hardly know what causes it. The typical style has a broad conspicuous chestnut band running lengthwise along the body just above the white of the belly. But some individuals, evidently of equal age, killed practically at the same time and in the same condition of coat, were entirely without the distinguishing mark. It may be possibly an exhibition of individual variation, for these specimens were not confined to any especial locality. I do not think, however, it was in any way an indication of age, for fully adult animals were without the stripe, neither was this peculiarity confined to either sex.â€
The British Museum contains a good male specimen of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, mounted from a skin obtained by Herr Menges near Berbera in Somaliland. Mr. Smit’s figures of this species (Plate LXII.), which represent the male in two positions, have been prepared from it. The Museum also contains two skins from the plains of Berbera, collected by Capt. Swayne and originally sent home to Sclater.
May,1898.
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXIII.J. Smit lith.Hanhart imp.Loder’s Gazelle.GAZELLA LEPTOCEROS.Published by R. H. Porter.
THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. LXIII.
J. Smit lith.
Hanhart imp.
Loder’s Gazelle.
GAZELLA LEPTOCEROS.
Published by R. H. Porter.
Antilope leptoceros,Geoffr. St.-Hil. et F. Cuv.H. N. Mamm. (fol.) pls. 473, 474, livr. 72 (1842) (Sennaar?);Wagn.Schr. Säug. Suppl. iv. p. 422 (1844), v. p. 407 (1855);Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 445 (1845);id.Mon. Antil. p. 34, pl. 38 (1848);Sund.Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1845, p. 269 (1847);id.Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 265; Reprint, p. 85 (1848);Gieb.Säug. p. 309 (1853);Heugl.Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 100, cum tab. (1877).Gazella leptoceros,Temm.Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 193 (1853);Brooke, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 543;Lyd.Horns and Hoofs, p. 234 (1893).Gazella dorcas, var. 4,Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 57 (1852).Leptoceros abuharabetL. cuvieri,Fitz.SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 160 (1869).Gazella loderi,Thos.Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) xiii. p. 452 (1894) (Algeria);id.P. Z. S. 1894, p. 470, pl. xxxii. (animal);Loder, P. Z. S. 1894, p. 473 (habits);Scl.P. Z. S. 1895, p. 522 (Egypt);Bramley, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 863 (Egypt);Scl.P. Z. S. 1896, p. 780 (Viv. Soc. Zool.);Pease, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 813 (Algeria);Whitaker, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 816 (Tunis);Ward, Horn Meas. (2) p. 169 (1896).Vernacular Names:—Abu el harabatorAbu el harábin Arabic (Heuglin);Reemof Arabs in Algeria (Loder);Ghazal abiad(White Gazelle) of Arabs in Tunis and Egypt (Whitaker & Bramley).
Antilope leptoceros,Geoffr. St.-Hil. et F. Cuv.H. N. Mamm. (fol.) pls. 473, 474, livr. 72 (1842) (Sennaar?);Wagn.Schr. Säug. Suppl. iv. p. 422 (1844), v. p. 407 (1855);Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 445 (1845);id.Mon. Antil. p. 34, pl. 38 (1848);Sund.Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1845, p. 269 (1847);id.Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 265; Reprint, p. 85 (1848);Gieb.Säug. p. 309 (1853);Heugl.Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 100, cum tab. (1877).
Gazella leptoceros,Temm.Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 193 (1853);Brooke, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 543;Lyd.Horns and Hoofs, p. 234 (1893).
Gazella dorcas, var. 4,Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 57 (1852).
Leptoceros abuharabetL. cuvieri,Fitz.SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 160 (1869).
Gazella loderi,Thos.Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) xiii. p. 452 (1894) (Algeria);id.P. Z. S. 1894, p. 470, pl. xxxii. (animal);Loder, P. Z. S. 1894, p. 473 (habits);Scl.P. Z. S. 1895, p. 522 (Egypt);Bramley, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 863 (Egypt);Scl.P. Z. S. 1896, p. 780 (Viv. Soc. Zool.);Pease, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 813 (Algeria);Whitaker, P. Z. S. 1896, p. 816 (Tunis);Ward, Horn Meas. (2) p. 169 (1896).
Vernacular Names:—Abu el harabatorAbu el harábin Arabic (Heuglin);Reemof Arabs in Algeria (Loder);Ghazal abiad(White Gazelle) of Arabs in Tunis and Egypt (Whitaker & Bramley).
Height of male at withers about 25 inches. General colour very pale sandy fawn, the Gazelline markings little defined. Central facial band and darker cheek-bands sandy, not rufous, and but little contrasting with the light facial streaks. Light lateral bands scarcely perceptible, and the darker ones below them only pale sandy with a tinge of brownish, as are the pygal bands, neither being much darker than the general dorsal colour. Ears long, narrow,pointed, pale whitish buff externally. Tail sandy at base, darkening terminally to brownish black. Front of fore limbs sandy, of hind limbs whitish; knee-brushes distinct, but little darker than the general colour. Hoofs variable in shape, those of specimens from the sandy regions of the Sahara much elongated, while in other regions they are of the usual shape.
Skull of normal proportions; premaxillæ broadly articulating with nasals. Basal length in an old male 6·45 inches, greatest breadth 3·3, muzzle to orbit 3·6.
Horns of male long, about twice the length of the skull, slender, closely and heavily ringed nearly to the tip. They are very variable as to their exact curvature, but are ordinarily rather straighter than in other species, curving but slightly backwards; they are near together basally, diverging above, sometimes very widely, so as to make them resemble divergent horns ofG. grantiin miniature.
Female.Similar to the male, but the horns, although nearly equally long, are much slenderer and even less curved than in the male.
Hab.Sandy tracts of the interior of Algeria, Tunisia, and Western Egypt, south to Nubia and Sennaar.
Hab.Sandy tracts of the interior of Algeria, Tunisia, and Western Egypt, south to Nubia and Sennaar.
The great folio work of Geoffrey St.-Hilaire and Frédéric Cuvier entitled ‘Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères,’ which was issued in livraisons from 1824 to 1842, contains a long series of coloured figures of mammals, mostly taken from examples living in the well-known Menagerie attached to the Jardin des Plantes. Amongst these in the seventy-second livraison, published in 1842, were the first descriptions and figures given of both sexes of the present Gazelle, from examples stated to have been brought from Sennaar by Burton. They had lived in the Menagerie, we are told, two years, and had bred a young one, which resembled its parents in most particulars. The appropriate scientific name “leptoceros,†from the long thin horns, had been given to this species, we are informed, by Georges Cuvier, and was adopted by the authors of the work referred to, who, however, called it at the head of their article, after their usual fashion, only by the French name “Antilope à longues cornes.â€
Very little more information was acquired concerning this Gazelle for many years. Most of the systematists were entirely unacquainted with it,and could only quote the original descriptions. Sundevall and Gray considered it to be merely a variety ofGazella dorcas. Rüppell, during his extensive travels in East Africa, seems never to have come across it, and does not mention it in any of his publications.
The first author after its describers to recognize its existence was Heuglin, who in 1877, in the second volume of his ‘Reise in Nordost-Afrika,’ writes of this species, the name of which he had previously misapplied to another Gazelle, and gives a coloured figure of its head and figures of two pairs of its horns. Heuglin met withG. leptocerosin the Libyan desert of Egypt, near the Natron Lakes and the Fayoum, where he states its Arabic name is “Abu el haráb.â€
Sir Victor Brooke had never seen specimens of this Gazelle, and in his ‘Monograph’ relies mainly upon Heuglin’s description.
So matters remained until recent years, when examples of this Gazelle, or of a very closely allied form, turned up unexpectedly from a new quarter.
Loche, Lataste, and other authorities on the zoology of Algeria had mentioned the existence far in the interior of that country of an Antelope called “El Rim,†and examples of the horns of a problematical Gazelle called “El Reem†had been brought to England from the shops at Biskra. In 1894 an enthusiastic sportsman and naturalist, Sir Edmund Loder, F.Z.S., resolved to make a serious attempt to discover this mysterious animal, and proceeded to Algeria for that purpose. We cannot do better than transcribe for our readers Sir Edmund’s own account of the results of this successful expedition, which was read before the Zoological Society of London on June 5th, 1894:—
“Seventeen years ago (in 1877) I bought in the bazaar at Biskra several pairs of Gazelle horns. They obviously belonged to three species:Gazella dorcas, called by the Arabs ‘Rezal’;Gazella cuvieri, which they call ‘Admi’; and a third called ‘Reem,’ which I was not able to identify with any described species. All these horns were on frontal bones only. It is very rarely that the Arabs bring in any whole skulls or skins for sale, and I have never seen anything but frontlets of the ‘Reem.’“In 1891 and again in 1893 I went out to Algeria for the purpose of hunting Mouflon (Ovis tragelaphus).“In 1877 I had been prevented from going after them except for a few hours at a time. On these later trips I was more successful and secured some fine male Mouflon, a female of the large Mountain Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri), and a few specimens ofGazella dorcas.“At Biskra I again found horns of the Reem, but got no information about it exceptthat it was reported to live in the sand. I heard a French name for it for the first time, ‘Gazelle des sables.’“As my friend Mr. Alfred Pease was spending a second winter at Biskra and had made the acquaintance of several native hunters, I requested him to try what he could do to find out the habitat of the Reem. About Christmas-time last year he wrote to me that he believed he had reliable information that the Reem was to be found in the desert near Chegga, only about 50 kilometres south of Biskra on the caravan-route to Touggourt.“We made arrangements for a camping trip, and I left England on February 1st, and started from Biskra with Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Pease on February 8th of this year.“After two days’ marching we got to Chegga and made inquiries respecting the Reem. No one seemed to know anything about the animal except one Arab, who said that if we went on farther south we should come to a place called Ain Gebberah, where there were a few Reem, but if we went on still farther to Hamraia we should find the Reem in quantities.“We therefore travelled on for two or three more days until we came to Hamraia, but on making inquiries about the Reem the answers were very unsatisfactory. We determined, however, before giving up the search, to stay here a day to hunt and see what game there was in this part of the desert.“In the early morning of the next day Pease started off from camp with an Arab in one direction, while I went off in the other. By the evening we had covered a considerable extent of country and had used our glasses from every available rise in the ground. We saw several small herds ofGazella dorcas, but no tracks even of any other Gazelle. We did not seem to be any nearer to obtaining a Reem than when we started from Biskra.“At night, when we got back to camp, we were told that a negro camel-herd had been there during the day, and had said that we were not at all in the right country for Reem, that he was well acquainted with the animal and knew where it was to be found. He came into camp again the next morning and told us that the Reem had long slender hoofs and tender feet, lived only in the soft sand, and would be unable to run on hard stony desert such as that round Hamraia. He said he could take us to the Reem country, in rolling sand-hills, but we should not be able to camp very near as there was no water for our horses and pack-animals.“We agreed to go with him, and he led us a day’s march still farther south towards the Oued Souf, and then turned off the caravan-track to the east and chose a camp in the sand about an hour and a half from water. (Almost all the water in the desert is brackish and bad, but the water here was positively nasty.)“The next morning we left camp very early on horseback, with the negro on foot and an Arab hunter riding a mule. The negro led the way at a tremendous pace, keeping up a good trot in the soft sand and sometimes running fast for a couple of miles without a stop across the dry arm of a chott, keeping us at a hand-gallop most of the time.“After two hours and a half the negro pointed out the first track of the Reem, whichis quite easily to be distinguished from that ofGazella dorcasfrom its much greater length. We now unsaddled the horses, tied them up, and went off in two parties to hunt for Reem. The negro led the way in front of me, going slowly and with great caution, as the Reem is extremely wary and against the nearly white sand can detect a moving object a long way off. We had not walked very far when we saw the head of a Reem looking over the top of a sand-ridge at about 300 yards distance. We stayed for a long time perfectly still behind a tuft of tall alpha grass, till at last the head disappeared. As soon as it was out of sight we ran as hard as we could across the bare sand to the top of the next ridge, and again sheltered ourselves behind a tuft of alpha. When we looked out cautiously we saw that the Reem had moved on to another sand-hill more to our left, and was again showing just the top of his head over it. We had, however, considerably reduced the distance. Again he stopped perfectly still for a long time and then turned and moved off. We ran to another ridge, and I caught sight of him trotting to the top of the sand-hill beyond at about 150 yards. At the top he turned and I fired at once and got him. A lucky shot! as the distance was long for so small an animal. It was a good male, with horns 13 inches long. I have not seen any much longer than these.“After taking the Reem back to the place where we had left the horses, we started off again, and during the day saw several small lots containing both males and females (4, 5, and 2), but did not get a chance of another shot. Pease also saw a few.“We hunted the sand-hills for two more days; on the third day our negro guide took us much farther from camp, running before us with surprising speed and endurance for three and a half hours before we halted and tied up our horses. In the evening, after walking all day in a hot sun and on soft sand, he showed himself still untired and ready to run at the same pace back again to camp. This remarkable man said that he had lived for seven years in the desert without sleeping in a house or tent, and had hardly tasted water, meat, or bread; during the whole of that time his food consisted of dates and camel’s milk, and he attributed his strength to this diet. The long distance of our camp from the sand-hills where the Reem is found was a great hindrance, as we could not hunt for them at the time they were feeding. By the time we got to the ground they were already lying down for the day, generally on the top of the sand-ridges, and keeping a watchful look-out. We saw several small herds each day, but neither of us ever got another chance of a shot.“We were lucky in having calm weather, as a sand-storm in that country is a very serious matter. The air gets as thick as during a bad London fog and one cannot see even a few yards ahead, making it quite impossible to regain camp, all tracks being blotted out in a few minutes by the wind. Our experience of sand-storms was limited tooneday, our last day in the desert, luckily for us well outside the region of the sand-hills, when leaving our caravan behind we rode in 50 kilometres to Biskra in the teeth of a cutting wind filled with dust and sand, an extremely painful experience; but we were in no danger of losing our way as we were then on the broad track worn by the caravans travelling between Biskra and Touggourt.“The Reem is remarkable for its light and uniform coloration, the ordinary Gazellemarkingsbeing hardly noticeable. The long slender hoofs are also very peculiar, reminding one of those ofTragelaphus spekii, which lives in the swamps on the borders of lakes and rivers.“It is quite certain that the Reem can never drink, as there is no water in this country at all, except in the comparatively deep wells dug by the natives.“The following measurements of the male Reem were taken directly after it was killed:—Height at shoulder 2 ft. 4 in.; girth at brisket 2 ft. 1 in.; length of horns 13 in. It weighed, after being brought into camp (without entrails), 34 lb. These are about the measurements and weight ofGazella dorcas.“For comparison I give the measurements of a good maleGazella cuvieriwhich I killed in the mountains a few weeks after the Reem:—Height at shoulder 2 ft. 7 in.; girth at withers 2 ft. 8½ in.; weight without entrails 58 lb.“As to the distribution of these species, I may say thatGazella cuvieriis found entirely in the mountains, never down in the true desert. It climbs like a Chamois to the tops of the highest mountains in the rockiest ground, and is often found in the juniper-forests on the mountain-slopes. These are also the haunts of the Mouflon, the two animals being constantly seen on the same ground.“Gazella dorcasis found all over the hard stony desert and also on the foot-hills, so that it sometimes overlaps the range of the Admi. I have seen a few in the sand-hills, the true country of the Reem; but I believe that still farther south it is not found, its place being taken entirely by the Reem. I quite believe the statement of the natives that the Reem is never found off the soft sand.â€
“Seventeen years ago (in 1877) I bought in the bazaar at Biskra several pairs of Gazelle horns. They obviously belonged to three species:Gazella dorcas, called by the Arabs ‘Rezal’;Gazella cuvieri, which they call ‘Admi’; and a third called ‘Reem,’ which I was not able to identify with any described species. All these horns were on frontal bones only. It is very rarely that the Arabs bring in any whole skulls or skins for sale, and I have never seen anything but frontlets of the ‘Reem.’
“In 1891 and again in 1893 I went out to Algeria for the purpose of hunting Mouflon (Ovis tragelaphus).
“In 1877 I had been prevented from going after them except for a few hours at a time. On these later trips I was more successful and secured some fine male Mouflon, a female of the large Mountain Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri), and a few specimens ofGazella dorcas.
“At Biskra I again found horns of the Reem, but got no information about it exceptthat it was reported to live in the sand. I heard a French name for it for the first time, ‘Gazelle des sables.’
“As my friend Mr. Alfred Pease was spending a second winter at Biskra and had made the acquaintance of several native hunters, I requested him to try what he could do to find out the habitat of the Reem. About Christmas-time last year he wrote to me that he believed he had reliable information that the Reem was to be found in the desert near Chegga, only about 50 kilometres south of Biskra on the caravan-route to Touggourt.
“We made arrangements for a camping trip, and I left England on February 1st, and started from Biskra with Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Pease on February 8th of this year.
“After two days’ marching we got to Chegga and made inquiries respecting the Reem. No one seemed to know anything about the animal except one Arab, who said that if we went on farther south we should come to a place called Ain Gebberah, where there were a few Reem, but if we went on still farther to Hamraia we should find the Reem in quantities.
“We therefore travelled on for two or three more days until we came to Hamraia, but on making inquiries about the Reem the answers were very unsatisfactory. We determined, however, before giving up the search, to stay here a day to hunt and see what game there was in this part of the desert.
“In the early morning of the next day Pease started off from camp with an Arab in one direction, while I went off in the other. By the evening we had covered a considerable extent of country and had used our glasses from every available rise in the ground. We saw several small herds ofGazella dorcas, but no tracks even of any other Gazelle. We did not seem to be any nearer to obtaining a Reem than when we started from Biskra.
“At night, when we got back to camp, we were told that a negro camel-herd had been there during the day, and had said that we were not at all in the right country for Reem, that he was well acquainted with the animal and knew where it was to be found. He came into camp again the next morning and told us that the Reem had long slender hoofs and tender feet, lived only in the soft sand, and would be unable to run on hard stony desert such as that round Hamraia. He said he could take us to the Reem country, in rolling sand-hills, but we should not be able to camp very near as there was no water for our horses and pack-animals.
“We agreed to go with him, and he led us a day’s march still farther south towards the Oued Souf, and then turned off the caravan-track to the east and chose a camp in the sand about an hour and a half from water. (Almost all the water in the desert is brackish and bad, but the water here was positively nasty.)
“The next morning we left camp very early on horseback, with the negro on foot and an Arab hunter riding a mule. The negro led the way at a tremendous pace, keeping up a good trot in the soft sand and sometimes running fast for a couple of miles without a stop across the dry arm of a chott, keeping us at a hand-gallop most of the time.
“After two hours and a half the negro pointed out the first track of the Reem, whichis quite easily to be distinguished from that ofGazella dorcasfrom its much greater length. We now unsaddled the horses, tied them up, and went off in two parties to hunt for Reem. The negro led the way in front of me, going slowly and with great caution, as the Reem is extremely wary and against the nearly white sand can detect a moving object a long way off. We had not walked very far when we saw the head of a Reem looking over the top of a sand-ridge at about 300 yards distance. We stayed for a long time perfectly still behind a tuft of tall alpha grass, till at last the head disappeared. As soon as it was out of sight we ran as hard as we could across the bare sand to the top of the next ridge, and again sheltered ourselves behind a tuft of alpha. When we looked out cautiously we saw that the Reem had moved on to another sand-hill more to our left, and was again showing just the top of his head over it. We had, however, considerably reduced the distance. Again he stopped perfectly still for a long time and then turned and moved off. We ran to another ridge, and I caught sight of him trotting to the top of the sand-hill beyond at about 150 yards. At the top he turned and I fired at once and got him. A lucky shot! as the distance was long for so small an animal. It was a good male, with horns 13 inches long. I have not seen any much longer than these.
“After taking the Reem back to the place where we had left the horses, we started off again, and during the day saw several small lots containing both males and females (4, 5, and 2), but did not get a chance of another shot. Pease also saw a few.
“We hunted the sand-hills for two more days; on the third day our negro guide took us much farther from camp, running before us with surprising speed and endurance for three and a half hours before we halted and tied up our horses. In the evening, after walking all day in a hot sun and on soft sand, he showed himself still untired and ready to run at the same pace back again to camp. This remarkable man said that he had lived for seven years in the desert without sleeping in a house or tent, and had hardly tasted water, meat, or bread; during the whole of that time his food consisted of dates and camel’s milk, and he attributed his strength to this diet. The long distance of our camp from the sand-hills where the Reem is found was a great hindrance, as we could not hunt for them at the time they were feeding. By the time we got to the ground they were already lying down for the day, generally on the top of the sand-ridges, and keeping a watchful look-out. We saw several small herds each day, but neither of us ever got another chance of a shot.
“We were lucky in having calm weather, as a sand-storm in that country is a very serious matter. The air gets as thick as during a bad London fog and one cannot see even a few yards ahead, making it quite impossible to regain camp, all tracks being blotted out in a few minutes by the wind. Our experience of sand-storms was limited tooneday, our last day in the desert, luckily for us well outside the region of the sand-hills, when leaving our caravan behind we rode in 50 kilometres to Biskra in the teeth of a cutting wind filled with dust and sand, an extremely painful experience; but we were in no danger of losing our way as we were then on the broad track worn by the caravans travelling between Biskra and Touggourt.
“The Reem is remarkable for its light and uniform coloration, the ordinary Gazellemarkingsbeing hardly noticeable. The long slender hoofs are also very peculiar, reminding one of those ofTragelaphus spekii, which lives in the swamps on the borders of lakes and rivers.
“It is quite certain that the Reem can never drink, as there is no water in this country at all, except in the comparatively deep wells dug by the natives.
“The following measurements of the male Reem were taken directly after it was killed:—Height at shoulder 2 ft. 4 in.; girth at brisket 2 ft. 1 in.; length of horns 13 in. It weighed, after being brought into camp (without entrails), 34 lb. These are about the measurements and weight ofGazella dorcas.
“For comparison I give the measurements of a good maleGazella cuvieriwhich I killed in the mountains a few weeks after the Reem:—Height at shoulder 2 ft. 7 in.; girth at withers 2 ft. 8½ in.; weight without entrails 58 lb.
“As to the distribution of these species, I may say thatGazella cuvieriis found entirely in the mountains, never down in the true desert. It climbs like a Chamois to the tops of the highest mountains in the rockiest ground, and is often found in the juniper-forests on the mountain-slopes. These are also the haunts of the Mouflon, the two animals being constantly seen on the same ground.
“Gazella dorcasis found all over the hard stony desert and also on the foot-hills, so that it sometimes overlaps the range of the Admi. I have seen a few in the sand-hills, the true country of the Reem; but I believe that still farther south it is not found, its place being taken entirely by the Reem. I quite believe the statement of the natives that the Reem is never found off the soft sand.â€
On his return home Sir Edmund Loder submitted his series of specimens of the Gazelles obtained during this and his former journeys in Algeria to Thomas, who, at the same meeting of the Zoological Society at which Sir Edmund’s notes were read, proposed to refer his examples of the “Reem†to a new species to be calledGazella loderi, after the energetic traveller who first made known its existence in Algeria.
Mr. Pease, in his notes on the Antelopes of Eastern Algeria published in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1896, gives us the following additional information:—
“The Rhime (Gazella loderi), Arab ‘El Rhime,’ Tamahaq ‘Hankut,’ is the common Gazelle of the Sahara. Enormous numbers are killed by the Arabs in the neighbourhood of Rhadamis and their skins dressed and dyed with a dye made from the rind of pomegranates and exported from Rhadamis. They are to be found throughout the region of the great Ergs and everywhere in the Sahara sands where there is vegetation sufficient to support them. The only places where they are to be met with, north of El Oued Souf, are to the south-west of Bou Chaama and near Sef el Menadi. A number of their horns are always on sale at Biskra and sometimes the skins. The male horns of the Rhime sometimes bear so close a resemblance to those of the Admi (Gazella cuvieri) that they are often sold and bought as such.â€
“The Rhime (Gazella loderi), Arab ‘El Rhime,’ Tamahaq ‘Hankut,’ is the common Gazelle of the Sahara. Enormous numbers are killed by the Arabs in the neighbourhood of Rhadamis and their skins dressed and dyed with a dye made from the rind of pomegranates and exported from Rhadamis. They are to be found throughout the region of the great Ergs and everywhere in the Sahara sands where there is vegetation sufficient to support them. The only places where they are to be met with, north of El Oued Souf, are to the south-west of Bou Chaama and near Sef el Menadi. A number of their horns are always on sale at Biskra and sometimes the skins. The male horns of the Rhime sometimes bear so close a resemblance to those of the Admi (Gazella cuvieri) that they are often sold and bought as such.â€
Mr. Pease also points out that in the “Rhime†the horns in their main outline form a long evenly tapering V, whilst in the Admi the horns are more inclined to be parallel, and towards the points usually take an inward and forward turn, as shown in the diagrams (Fig. 66,a,b) which by the kindness of the Zoological Society we are able to reproduce. The annulations, also, Mr. Pease states, are deeper and more marked in the Admi, and stop more abruptly towards the points than in the “Rhime.â€
Fig. 66.Diagram of horns of Rhime (a) and Admi (b).(P. Z. S. 1896, p. 814.)
Fig. 66.
Diagram of horns of Rhime (a) and Admi (b).
(P. Z. S. 1896, p. 814.)
This Gazelle occurs also in Southern Tunis, as we learn from Mr. J. S. Whitaker, F.Z.S., who has written the following notes on it in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’:—
“This pale desert Gazelle is known to the Tunisian Arabs by the name of ‘Ghazel abied’ or ‘Resêl abied,’ meaning the White Gazelle, its Algerian name ‘Reem’ or ‘Rim’ being apparently unknown in Tunis.“It seems to be a true desert species, never occurring out of the sand-dune country, where it replacesG. dorcas; and while the home of the latter species is the semi-desert country, with its vast stony plains, covered with scanty scrub vegetation, the habitat ofG. loderiis undoubtedly the more arid region of sand wastes further south.“Herr Spatz, who has resided for several years in the south of Tunis, and is well acquainted with this Gazelle, informs me that it is common in the inland country of the extreme south of the Regency, being first met with at about 25 to 30 miles south of the Chott Djerid. In the districts where it occurs it is plentiful, and is generally to be found in small herds; but owing to its very pale colour, which harmonizes so well with that of the desert surroundings, it is not easily distinguished at a distance, and being, moreover, extremely shy and wary, a near approach is not often possible. The nomad Arabs, however, who are nearly all sportsmen, kill a good many, and every year some 500 to 600 pairs of horns of this species are brought by the caravans coming from the interior to Gabes, where they find a ready sale among the French soldiery.“Herr Spatz confirms what Sir Edmund Loder says of this species never drinking, and, as to its food, says it subsists on the leaves and berries of the few desert plants to be found in the sand wastes. The female ofG. loderi, according to Spatz, often hastwoyoung ones at a birth, differing in this respect fromG. dorcas, which seems to have but one.“So good a description ofG. loderihas been given by Mr. Thomas (P. Z. S. 1894, p. 470), that I can add nothing thereto, except it be merely to say that the coat of this Gazelle is extremely fine and short-haired, and that in the specimens which I have the knee-brushes are so slightly developed as to be scarcely noticeable or worthy of the name.â€
“This pale desert Gazelle is known to the Tunisian Arabs by the name of ‘Ghazel abied’ or ‘Resêl abied,’ meaning the White Gazelle, its Algerian name ‘Reem’ or ‘Rim’ being apparently unknown in Tunis.
“It seems to be a true desert species, never occurring out of the sand-dune country, where it replacesG. dorcas; and while the home of the latter species is the semi-desert country, with its vast stony plains, covered with scanty scrub vegetation, the habitat ofG. loderiis undoubtedly the more arid region of sand wastes further south.
“Herr Spatz, who has resided for several years in the south of Tunis, and is well acquainted with this Gazelle, informs me that it is common in the inland country of the extreme south of the Regency, being first met with at about 25 to 30 miles south of the Chott Djerid. In the districts where it occurs it is plentiful, and is generally to be found in small herds; but owing to its very pale colour, which harmonizes so well with that of the desert surroundings, it is not easily distinguished at a distance, and being, moreover, extremely shy and wary, a near approach is not often possible. The nomad Arabs, however, who are nearly all sportsmen, kill a good many, and every year some 500 to 600 pairs of horns of this species are brought by the caravans coming from the interior to Gabes, where they find a ready sale among the French soldiery.
“Herr Spatz confirms what Sir Edmund Loder says of this species never drinking, and, as to its food, says it subsists on the leaves and berries of the few desert plants to be found in the sand wastes. The female ofG. loderi, according to Spatz, often hastwoyoung ones at a birth, differing in this respect fromG. dorcas, which seems to have but one.
“So good a description ofG. loderihas been given by Mr. Thomas (P. Z. S. 1894, p. 470), that I can add nothing thereto, except it be merely to say that the coat of this Gazelle is extremely fine and short-haired, and that in the specimens which I have the knee-brushes are so slightly developed as to be scarcely noticeable or worthy of the name.â€
In the spring of 1895 Sclater was in Egypt, and convinced himself that besidesG. dorcas, of which there were many specimens in the Zoological Gardens at Gizeh, there were examples of both sexes of another species belonging to the group ofG. leptocerosandG. cuvieri, stated to have been obtained from the Arabs of the Western Desert (cf.P. Z. S. 1895, p. 400). On receipt in London of a skin and skull of this Gazelle subsequently sent to him by Mr. Jennings-Bramley, Sclater, after comparing it with typical specimens ofGazella loderiin the British Museum, pronounced them to be of the same species. Mr. Jennings-Bramley also supplied Sclater with some excellent notes on the mode of capture of this Gazelle by the Arabs of the Western Desert of Egypt, from which we extract the following passages:—
“On the 27th of June, 1895, I started from the Pyramids in order, if possible, to catch some living specimens of Loder’s Gazelle (Gazella loderi), known to the Arabs as ‘Rasal Abiad’ (the White Gazelle), which the shikaries whom I took with me reported to be found in the desert at some thirty or forty miles distant from Cairo.“Leaving at 4P.M.on the 27th, we started, taking a south-easterly direction. We travelled till 12 that night, and at 4 next morning resumed our march. Soon after the sun had risen, one of the shikaries, pointing to the ground, showed what he made out to be the spoor, evidently but lately made, of a fine male Loder’s Gazelle. This, being larger than that of the Dorcas Gazelle, is very easily recognizable; the bluntness of the hoofs in the case of Loder’s Gazelle shows a marked difference. About 12 o’clock one of the camel-men called out that a Gazelle could be seen ahead, but the many heaps of white stones, scattered all over the desert, are so deceiving at a little distance that both shikaries shook their heads.“The camel-man, however, in this case proved to be correct, as we soon noticed the Gazelle walking leisurely away. It disappeared behind a mound of sand, where it must have remained, for, on reaching the place about half an hour later, we were surprised to come suddenly on the Gazelle, now only some 200 yards off. It was a fine female, very white in colour. Not wishing to disturb any others that might be near, I did not fire. We found, however, that it was alone. At 12 o’clock or thereabouts we cameupon the skirt of the plateau, from which the Fayoum can be seen, and here the shikaries decided to turn back, as they said we had passed the ‘White Gazelle ground’; so, after returning about two miles, we set up the tents and waited for the evening, the sun being so hot that it was impossible to continue our search.“During the afternoon the two shikaries constructed traps, which we set in the evening.“The Gazelle trap, except the small hemp-platted rope, is made entirely from the date-palm. Taking the long leaves, the shikarie first constructs by platting them together a deep ring, about 3 inches in diameter and about 4 inches deep: it should, in fact, fit well into a golf-hole and make its walls secure. He now takes an old stalk from which the dates have been picked, and separating about twenty of the fibres which compose it, and run its whole length, he twists them into a rude bracelet about three inches in diameter. Then taking three more fibres, in place of twine, he binds the ring securely; the ring or bracelet has then a form much resembling a diminutive ‘Ringold’ ring. The shikarie now breaks off the points of the date-thorns until he has about twenty-five of them 2 inches in length; these he pushes through the fibrous sides of the ring until all the points meet in the centre, so that when finished this ring has much the appearance of a small sieve. All the thorn-points overlap slightly in the centre of the ring. This ring, holding all the thorns, the deep ring of platted leaves, and a soft thick hemp rope, made by the Arab himself, by the ordinary three-plat from raw hemp (this rope, being soft, not only binds itself more securely to the Gazelle, but does not cut the skin when drawn tight), attached to a date-stick about a yard in length, are all the implements that an Arab requires to catch a Gazelle.“Starting in the evening for the lower ground, which is studded with small bushes (for when pitching the tents we purposely kept at a good distance from the feeding-ground), we soon found spoor, but none very promising; a buck and two does had been there two nights before. A small desert plant, much resembling our English Red Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), was pointed out to me by the Arabs as a favourite food of the Gazelles. Finding a spot where the spoor led to one of these plants, and the plant evidently having been nibbled at, we decided to put a trap near it. The Arab sat down and made a hole, using his deep ring to keep its sandy walls intact, so that he now had a hole resembling exactly in size and depth a golf-hole with basket-work sides, within four or five inches of the plant.“Taking now the thorny ring he places it on the hole, which it should exactly cap. He now powders up some camel-dung and drops it carefully over the thorns in the ring, which being close together hold it up, so that soon nothing can be seen of the thorns. The use of the dried dung is, to hold up the sand which hides the trap. The hemp rope, now made into a slip-noose, is put round the top ring, and the stick to which it is attached buried in the sand. The whole is now carefully covered with sand. One of the shikaries laid his traps so successfully that it was almost impossible to find one again unless a Gazelle was caught in it. The marks like those of a Gazelle made by the fingers over the trap add to the deception. It is curious to remark that a Gazelle will rarely walk over an impression left by either beast or man in the sand.“When the Gazelle comes in the evening to feed, its foot slips through the top ring in the centre where the thorns meet, and so to the bottom of the hole. The top ring is now fixed round the Gazelle’s leg, at the height of the depth of the hole, the spiky thorns entering the skin. This ring also holds up the hemp rope, which the Gazelle, in endeavouring to kick off the thorny ring that pricks it, draws tight, generally over the knee.“The Gazelle starts off, dragging after it the date-stick, attached to the rope. The swinging stick makes it impossible for the animal to get away at any pace, as, twisting round one leg or the other, it throws the Gazelle to the ground continually.“The spoor of the trapped Gazelle with the marks of the swinging stick are easily found, and the animal tracked down until in sight, when a trained greyhound will soon catch and hold it until his master comes up.“During November and December the Gazelles are caught when fawns by trained hounds, and this is the simplest method; but it can only be practised during two months, as it takes a very good dog to catch a Gazelle when more than this age.“During the eight days I was in the desert, though unsuccessful in trapping any, I saw several very fine specimens of Loder’s Gazelle.â€
“On the 27th of June, 1895, I started from the Pyramids in order, if possible, to catch some living specimens of Loder’s Gazelle (Gazella loderi), known to the Arabs as ‘Rasal Abiad’ (the White Gazelle), which the shikaries whom I took with me reported to be found in the desert at some thirty or forty miles distant from Cairo.
“Leaving at 4P.M.on the 27th, we started, taking a south-easterly direction. We travelled till 12 that night, and at 4 next morning resumed our march. Soon after the sun had risen, one of the shikaries, pointing to the ground, showed what he made out to be the spoor, evidently but lately made, of a fine male Loder’s Gazelle. This, being larger than that of the Dorcas Gazelle, is very easily recognizable; the bluntness of the hoofs in the case of Loder’s Gazelle shows a marked difference. About 12 o’clock one of the camel-men called out that a Gazelle could be seen ahead, but the many heaps of white stones, scattered all over the desert, are so deceiving at a little distance that both shikaries shook their heads.
“The camel-man, however, in this case proved to be correct, as we soon noticed the Gazelle walking leisurely away. It disappeared behind a mound of sand, where it must have remained, for, on reaching the place about half an hour later, we were surprised to come suddenly on the Gazelle, now only some 200 yards off. It was a fine female, very white in colour. Not wishing to disturb any others that might be near, I did not fire. We found, however, that it was alone. At 12 o’clock or thereabouts we cameupon the skirt of the plateau, from which the Fayoum can be seen, and here the shikaries decided to turn back, as they said we had passed the ‘White Gazelle ground’; so, after returning about two miles, we set up the tents and waited for the evening, the sun being so hot that it was impossible to continue our search.
“During the afternoon the two shikaries constructed traps, which we set in the evening.
“The Gazelle trap, except the small hemp-platted rope, is made entirely from the date-palm. Taking the long leaves, the shikarie first constructs by platting them together a deep ring, about 3 inches in diameter and about 4 inches deep: it should, in fact, fit well into a golf-hole and make its walls secure. He now takes an old stalk from which the dates have been picked, and separating about twenty of the fibres which compose it, and run its whole length, he twists them into a rude bracelet about three inches in diameter. Then taking three more fibres, in place of twine, he binds the ring securely; the ring or bracelet has then a form much resembling a diminutive ‘Ringold’ ring. The shikarie now breaks off the points of the date-thorns until he has about twenty-five of them 2 inches in length; these he pushes through the fibrous sides of the ring until all the points meet in the centre, so that when finished this ring has much the appearance of a small sieve. All the thorn-points overlap slightly in the centre of the ring. This ring, holding all the thorns, the deep ring of platted leaves, and a soft thick hemp rope, made by the Arab himself, by the ordinary three-plat from raw hemp (this rope, being soft, not only binds itself more securely to the Gazelle, but does not cut the skin when drawn tight), attached to a date-stick about a yard in length, are all the implements that an Arab requires to catch a Gazelle.
“Starting in the evening for the lower ground, which is studded with small bushes (for when pitching the tents we purposely kept at a good distance from the feeding-ground), we soon found spoor, but none very promising; a buck and two does had been there two nights before. A small desert plant, much resembling our English Red Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum), was pointed out to me by the Arabs as a favourite food of the Gazelles. Finding a spot where the spoor led to one of these plants, and the plant evidently having been nibbled at, we decided to put a trap near it. The Arab sat down and made a hole, using his deep ring to keep its sandy walls intact, so that he now had a hole resembling exactly in size and depth a golf-hole with basket-work sides, within four or five inches of the plant.
“Taking now the thorny ring he places it on the hole, which it should exactly cap. He now powders up some camel-dung and drops it carefully over the thorns in the ring, which being close together hold it up, so that soon nothing can be seen of the thorns. The use of the dried dung is, to hold up the sand which hides the trap. The hemp rope, now made into a slip-noose, is put round the top ring, and the stick to which it is attached buried in the sand. The whole is now carefully covered with sand. One of the shikaries laid his traps so successfully that it was almost impossible to find one again unless a Gazelle was caught in it. The marks like those of a Gazelle made by the fingers over the trap add to the deception. It is curious to remark that a Gazelle will rarely walk over an impression left by either beast or man in the sand.
“When the Gazelle comes in the evening to feed, its foot slips through the top ring in the centre where the thorns meet, and so to the bottom of the hole. The top ring is now fixed round the Gazelle’s leg, at the height of the depth of the hole, the spiky thorns entering the skin. This ring also holds up the hemp rope, which the Gazelle, in endeavouring to kick off the thorny ring that pricks it, draws tight, generally over the knee.
“The Gazelle starts off, dragging after it the date-stick, attached to the rope. The swinging stick makes it impossible for the animal to get away at any pace, as, twisting round one leg or the other, it throws the Gazelle to the ground continually.
“The spoor of the trapped Gazelle with the marks of the swinging stick are easily found, and the animal tracked down until in sight, when a trained greyhound will soon catch and hold it until his master comes up.
“During November and December the Gazelles are caught when fawns by trained hounds, and this is the simplest method; but it can only be practised during two months, as it takes a very good dog to catch a Gazelle when more than this age.
“During the eight days I was in the desert, though unsuccessful in trapping any, I saw several very fine specimens of Loder’s Gazelle.â€
In August 1896 a fine adult living female of this Gazelle was received by the Society as a present from Mr. A. R. Birdwood, of Cairo—no doubt obtained in the same locality as that explored by Mr. Bramley. Mr. Birdwood wrote subsequently to Sclater concerning this Gazelle as follows:—