Japan
&c.
Ethiopian Africa thus being pre-eminently the headquarters of the true Antelopes, it is curious to find that at no very distant epoch of the earth's history many extinct species closely allied to modern African types inhabited India, Persia, Greece, and Hungary. Hence it is evident that there has been a great southern migration of the Antelopes; while it is probable that the entrance of the group into Africa is a comparatively recent event. Possibly the original northern forms may have been suited only to a comparatively dry climate, which would account for their never having been able to effect an entrance into the ANTELOPES] Malayan countries; but it is extremely difficult to discover any adequate reason for the extinction in India of nearly all its original inhabitants belonging to this group. were Be this as it may, it is evident that when the original migrants from the north (which probably comparatively few in species) succeeded in establishing them selves in Ethiopian Africa, they found a country so eminently suited to their requirements, that they increased, alike in number and in the development of generic and specific types, in a manner unparalleled in any other part of the world. Although it is quite probable that Antelopes were originally inhabitants of open and comparatively dry districts, their Ethiopian descendants have developed the capacity of adapting themselves to stations of every kind. Whereas the Gemsbok and other members of the genus Oryx, together with the Gazelles, and many of the Hartebeests, are still inhabitants of open and more or less desert districts, the Waterbuck, Lechiwe, and other species of Cobus, as well as the Sitatunga and others of the Harnessed Antelopes (Tragelaphus), delight to dwell among the reeds fringing the banks of rivers and swamps, or even to stand neck-deep in the water of lakes. Some members of the latter group inhabit the steaming tropical forests of the Congo valley, and in Senegambia it seems not improbable that the Derbian Eland is a forest animal. Not only are the plains tenanted by their special denizens, but the mountains have been invaded by forms like the Klipspringer and Rhebok, which rival, or excel, the Chamois in their jumping powers. Structural peculiarities have accompanied their adaptations, the Klipspringer having its hoofs short and rounded like those of a Goat, whereas those of the Sitatunga are enormously elongated.
As regards food, too, Antelopes seem capable of great adaptations; since whereas most kinds live on grass, a Steinbok inhabiting two small islands near Zanzibar lives entirely on leaves and twigs.
At the present day, Africa is undoubtedly the paradise of Antelopes, but it is very doubtful if this would ever have been the case had Deer succeeded in penetrating south of the Sahara. Why Antelopes reached Ethiopia, while Deer were kept out, we shall probably never know.
R. LYDEKKER.
ANTELOPE SHOOTING. Europe and Asia. Antelope shooting in various forms is to be obtained in many parts of the world, but it may be said with truth that the natural home of this family lies in Africa, and especially in South and East Africa.
Here, magnificent sport is still to be had with antelopes ranging in size from the Eland, whose stature exceeds that of a stallfed ox, down to the tiny Blue Buck, which is scarcely larger than a good hare. In Europe, the chase of the Chamois, which is stalked or driven among the difficult mountains of the Alps, is well known. In the Caucasus and Mongolia, the wary Djerán (Gazella gutturosa) is occasionally stalked, but more often coursed with greyhounds upon the great steppes. The curious Saiga (Saiga tartarica), with its hideous swollen-looking nose, is a denizen of South Russia and the Central Asian steppes; it is nowhere abundant, and has seldom fallen to the rifles of English sportsmen. The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni) is another rare species, hitherto seldom obtained by Europeans, found among hills and valleys beyond the northern frontiers of India and in Turkestan. It carries handsome horns, strongly annulated; the best measurement hitherto obtained is 273/4 inches. In India itself, the wellknown Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), whose characteristic horns are perhaps more familiar than those of any of the smaller antelopes in European collections, is to be found, often in large numbers, in suitable localities from the north to the south of the country, on wide, open plains or in grassy places near the banks of rivers. Among English sportsmen it is almost invariably pursued by stalking, and affords excellent sport. The natives hunt it occasionally with the Cheetah, and at other times stalk it by aid of trained bullocks or with a bullock cart. The average weight of Blackbuck is about 85 lbs.; the longest horn measurement hitherto recorded 30/2 inches-straight measurement. The Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), which is now usually included among the tragelaphine group of antelopes, is a large and somewhat odd-looking beast, found in level country varied by bush and light jungle, in many parts of India. As beasts of chase Nilgai are not looked upon with much favour; they can be pretty easily shot, and natives in many localities have a strong prejudice against their being destroyed. a A good blue-bull, as the male of the Nilgai is called, stands from 4 feet 4 inches to 4 feet 8 inches at the shoulder. The horns are short and ox-like, and the best recorded measurement is 97/8 inches. The Four-horned Antelope, or Charsingha (Tetraceros quadricornis), is found sparingly in many parts of India in bush, jungle, and grassy covert. It is a small antelope.
THE ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF SPORT [ANTELOPES [Photo. by A. Radclyfte Dugmore.
HERD OF ORYX (BEISA) AND GRANT'S GAZELLE DURING THE NOONDAY REST. ANTELOPES] and lies very close in covert, and is more often than not snapped with the shot gun, carries nice horns, measuring from IO to rather more than 15 inches in length, and, although shy and wary, can be stalked successfully by the careful gunner. Camels and shooting-horses are occasionally employed to aid the sportsman in his operations with this antelope. The Tibetan Ravine deer (Gazella picticaudata), found in Mongolia and Western Tibet, is an animal strongly resembling the last-named species, and of much the same habits.
Among Indian antelopes, one can scarcely pass over the mountain-loving Goral, or Himalayan Chamois (Urotragus goral), and the Himalayan Serow (Nemorhædus bubalinus), goat-like antelopes, which afford excellent mountain stalking.
Closely allied to the last-named is the Serow of Sumatra (N. sumatrensis), found, as its name implies, among the hills of Sumatra, as well as on the mainland.
Sidwell RAVINE DEER.
Ht. at shoulder, 26 in. Av. horn meas. 9 in.
Max. horn meas. 14 in. as are the smaller bush-loving antelopes of Africa.
The Indian Gazelle, or Chinkara, commonly known as the Ravine deer (Gazella a Gazelle Stalking. The true desertloving gazelles, which include many species, enjoy a wide range from Persia and Central Asia to Arabia and North Africa. Chief among these may be named the Dorcas, Atlas, Arabian, Persian, Isabella, and Sœmmering's gazelles; Gazella dama, G. rubifrons, and the Addra gazelle. Speke's gazelle (G. spekei), found in Somaliland, is remarkable for remarkable for a curious bulging skin 1 GRANT'S GAZELLE. bennetti), is found in ravines and among rocky hills and scrub in many parts of India, Beluchistan, and Southern Persia. It [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore. formation upon the nose, which easily distinguishes it. The Somali lowland gazelle (G. pelzelni) bears a strong resemblance to [ANTELOPES the last-named, but lacks the nasal peculiarity. Grant's gazelle, carrying very beautiful horns extending to 30 inches in length; if blowing from the direction of the stalker, would at once betray him. For gazelle shooting, a 303 or other small-bore rifle [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore.
HERD OF ELAND ON THE NORTHERN SLOPES OF MOUNT KENIA. Clarke's gazelle, remarkable for its long, slender, giraffe-like neck; and Thomson's and Waller's gazelles are all very handsome forms, discovered in East and North-East Africa within recent years. All these gazelles are only to be stalked and secured at somewhat long ranges by accurate rifleshooting. Some of them, in countries where they have been much shot at, are almost unapproachable. Occasionally patches of bush or isolated thorn trees may be made use of in approaching these wary plaindwellers, but it must be admitted that, as a rule, stalking gazelles upon open flats, under a burning sun, is extremely trying work for the sportsman. By the aid of natives, it is sometimes possible to conduct driving operations, and to push the game within shot of the gunner lying concealed; and occasionally the old South African Bushman plan is resorted to, and, arrayed as an ostrich, the European sportsman is enabled to get right among troops of gazelle and other game and shoot what he requires.
This last is an exceedingly deadly method, but the gunner has first to obtain a complete skin, head, and neck of an ostrich, and great care has to be exercised in approaching in a natural and ostrich-like manner and in taking advantage of the wind, which, is the best weapon that can be employed, and as few shots are obtained at less than 200 yards, it is a matter of vital import- SABLE ANTELOPE.
Ht. at shoulder, 54 in. Av. horn meas. (male), 40 in. Max. horn meas. 46 in. ance that the sighting be adjusted with extreme care and accuracy.
African Shooting. -In South Africa, where during immemorial ages vast num- ANTELOPES] THE ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF SPORT [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore.
WILDEBEEST OR BRINDLED GNU. bers of antelopes of many and remarkable species must have wandered and fed in undisturbed possession, much of the game has, as in other parts of the world, been shot off. Yet much still remains. South of the Zambesi, some thirty species of antelope are still to be found; many of them near the southern littoral, others in far remote places where they are difficult of access. The Eland, the largest antelope in the world [see ELAND], is now somewhat scarce in South Africa. The Sable and Roan antelopes (Hippotragus niger and H. equinus), [ANTELOPES other small-bore rifles, are also very favourite weapons for antelope and gazelle shooting. The sable and roan antelopes are usually found in semi-bushy country, or among the lower slopes of hills and kopjes.
Sables run in troops of from a dozen to fifty; Roan antelopes in small bands of from six to fourteen. Both of these great antelopes are possessed of considerable speed and staying power, although they can occasionally be run down on horseback.
The magnificent horns of the Sable antelope, scimitar-shaped and strongly annu- HERD OF COKE'S HARTEBEEST COMING TO DRINK. two of the most magnificent forms in the African Continent, are to be met with in North Matabeleland, Mashonaland, and thence to the East Coast, sparingly in Khama's country, and thence northward beyond the Zambesi. One of the great advantages of hunting in South Africaalthough it is, too, answerable for much of the rapid disappearance of the fauna-is the fact that horses can be always, or nearly always, employed (except towards the East Coast, where the Tse-Tse fly abounds) in pursuing the larger antelopes and heavy game game . Various types of rifle are now used for antelope shooting. For the heavier animals, such as eland, kudu, and sable and roan antelopes, a 400 rifle, with cordite or axite powder, is an excellent weapon.
But the 303. Mauser, Mannlicher, and [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore. lated, form one of the greatest prizes of the hunter in South Africa. The Roan antelope has horns of a somewhat similar character, but shorter and thicker in growth. It ought to be remembered in approaching wounded individuals of these antelopes, that both are extremely savage, and, unless completely disabled, will charge desperately. Many a good dog has been killed by the deadly sweep of a Sable or Roan antelope's horns. A good Sable antelope bull will stand 4 ft. 6 in. at the withers and carry horns measuring from 45 to 50 in. over the curve. A Roan antelope averages two or three inches more in height, but bears horns which lack the magnificent sweep of the Sable's and seldom exceed 32 inches over the curve.
It should be borne in mind, in shooting ANTELOPES] antelopes, and especially the larger African antelopes, that they are possessed of immense vitality, and will often run clean away from the hunter after having received wounds that to the casual observer would inevitably signify immediate collapse. Even with a bullet through the heart or lungs, an antelope will succeed sometimes in making good its escape. The writer has spoored for miles a blue wildebeest bull, which had been shot clean through the lung with a Martini-Henry bullet, and then had to abandon the pursuit to a Bushman tracker. beest (Bubalis caama) and Lichtenstein's hartebeest (B. lichtensteini). In East and North-East Africa are to be found Jackson's hartebeest (B. jacksoni), the Tora hartebeest (B. tora), Swayne's hartebeest (B. swaynei), Coke's hartebeest (B. cokei), Neumann's hartebeest (B. neumanni), Niedieck's hartebeest (B. niediecki), and the Senegal or Korrigum hartebeest (B. senegalensis), represented in Central and East Africa by closely allied races, the Tiang and Topi. Besides these forms we have the West African hartebeest HERD OF HARTEBEEST ON THE DRY BED OF THE OLGUI RIVER. As few Europeans, unless they have spent many years in the pursuit of great game, are equal to the science of spooring, it is necessary to have at hand a native or two, preferably Bushmen if they can be obtained, who will find and track game and will take up the spoor of animals when wounded.
Mar Many a good head of game has been lost for want of a native spoorer.
The Kudu, one of the biggest and noblest of the African Antelopes, is noticed elsewhere [see KUDU], as are the Gemsbuck, Beisa, Leucoryx [see ORYX] and the black and blue Wildebeest [see GNU]. The Hartebeest is one of the most characteristic of the Ethiopian group of Antelopes, and is represented in South Africa by the Cape harte- [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore. (B. major), which is only met with in West Africa, and the Bubal hartebeest (B. boselaphus), found in North Africa and Arabia. All these hartebeests have a strong family resemblance, although there are slight differences in colour, habits, and the shape of the horns.
They are all characterised by speed, staying powers, and vitality, so that even when severely wounded they will not unfrequently make good their escape. It is useless attempting to run down a hartebeest, or its near cousin the Tsesseby, in tail-on-end chase. Such an attempt is sufficient to break the heart of the stoutest horse, and, indeed, the writer has seen a good African shooting pony which succumbed from nothing but the effects of a desperate gallop a after hartebeest. The Cape hartebeestoften called by the Boers the Rooi (or red) hartebeest-stands about 4 feet at the withers, and has, like most of its kin, very drooping quarters. Its colour is of reddish-brown, darker upon the back, shoulders, and fore legs. The face is black and extremely long, giving the animal a quaint, old-fashioned expression, while the rugged horns are perched upon an extremely high frontal bone. It is still common in Bechuanaland, the Kalahari, Great Namaqualand, and about the Botletli River, in Ngamiland. It runs in good sized troops, varying from twelve or fifteen to fifty and occasionally even more. It is [ANTELOPES shonaland, Gazaland, Portuguese South- East Africa, and thence northward into East Africa. Its habits are very similar to those of Bubalis caama.
The Tsesseby (Damaliscus lunatus) is a handsome antelope, averaging in height close on four feet, nearly related to the hartebeest and greatly resembling that antelope in appearance and colouring. The horns, which are crescent shaped, differ, however, a good deal from those of the Cape hartebeest. At the present day the Tsesseby is most plentiful in Mashonaland, Ngamiland, and in South-East Africa between the Pungwe and Zambesi rivers.
It is the swiftest and most enduring of all [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore.
COKE'S HARTEBEEST AT KAMITE. THIS PICTURE WILL GIVE SOME IDEA OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE GAME IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA found indifferently in open, park-like forest country, or upon grassy plains.
These animals, although shy and suspicious, are yet occasionally very stupid. They have a habit of wheeling round and halting in the middle of a run and the mounted hunter can thus often dismount and obtain a fair shot. They are obstinate, too, in sticking to a particular line of flight, and the writer has more than once cut a troop in half in this way and secured an easy shot. They can be turned from their course, as can other South African antelopes, by firing a bullet or two over their heads so as to strike the ground in front of them; and if the leader of the troop can be wounded and turned out, the rest will often become bewildered and afford easy shooting. If it were not for these weak points, the hartebeest would be one of the most difficult of all animals to bring to bag.
As it is, it is by no means one of the easiest.
Lichtenstein's hartebeest is found in Maantelopes, which is saying a good deal; yet, thanks to the characteristics which have been pointed out in the case of its near congener the hartebeest, it is often brought to bag. Hunters' Antelope (Damaliscus hunteri) is a species lately discovered in East Africa, also related to the hartebeest.
The horns are, however, much more prolonged and extend in length to 267/4 inches. Up to the present this antelope has been chiefly found on the Tana River in East Africa.
An extremely interesting group of animals to the sportsman are the waterloving antelopes, which include the Lechwe (Cobus leché), the Puku (C. vardoni), the Sitatunga, or Speke's antelope (Tragelaphus spekei), the Inyala (T. angasi), the Reedbuck (Cervicapra arundineum), Penrice's Waterbuck (Cobus penricei), and the True Waterbuck (C. ellipsiprymnus), all of which are found in South or South Central Africa. The Sing-Sing (C. de- ANTELOPES] HERD OF IMPALA FEEDING THE TATE CENTRAL LIBRARY BRIXTON, S.W8I [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore.
G fassa) is an East African form of the large waterbuck, while the White-eared Kob (C. leucotis), Mrs. Gray's Kob, and Vaughan's WATERBUCK.
Ht. at shoulder, 48 in. Av. horn meas. 20 in.
Max. horn meas. 33½ in.
Kob are found in the White Nile and Bahr El Ghazal regions. Other forms of water- [ANTELOPES Eastern, and Western Africa. Of these animals, the True Waterbuck, the Lechwe, the Reedbuck, and the Sing-Sing are best known to hunters. The Puku is scarce and restricted as to habitat, while the Sitatunga, although flourishing in large numbers in the swamps and reedbeds of the river systems of the interior, is extremely difficult of approach and seldom falls to the rifle.
In South Africa, the Waterbuck, the Lechwe, and the Reedbuck all afford excellent rifleshooting on the river systems beyond the Vaal. Penrice's Waterbuck, a new species, has only lately been discovered by Mr. G.
Penrice in the country behind Benguela, Portuguese West Africa. It is a handsome antelope, differing only slightly from the Sing-Sing and the South African Waterbuck. The Inyala, a form between the Bushbuck and the Kudu, frequents heavily bushed country near the rivers and swamps of South-East Africa, and is extremely local. It may still be found in the neighbourhood of Delagoa Bay, and is well worthy of the hunter's labours. It is found also in Nyasaland, and has been reported in Angola, Portuguese West Africa.
The Impala, or Pallah (Aepyceros melampus), is an extremely elegant antelope, [Photo. by A. Radclyffe Dugmore.
THE COMMON WATERBUCK, NEAR THE KANA RIVER. buck, such as Buffon's Kob, the Uganda bearing peculiarly characteristic horns,