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Show 1868.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON BAKER'S ANTELOPE. 215 King of Italy's agent at Chartoum, which was quite unknown to me, but which I at once recognized as belonging in all probability to the species described by v. Heuglin. In order to ascertain whether my supposition was correct, M . Comba, the Director of the Royal Menagerie, most kindly promised to have a figure made of the animal, so that it might be compared with v. Heuglin's description, which was inaccessible to us at Turin. The receipt of the excellent coloured photograph which I now exhibit (see Pl. XVI.) has enabled m e to make this comparison; and I can now state, without fear of error, that the Antelope at Turin is unquestionably a young male Hippotragus bakeri. I a m further confirmed in the correctness of m y opinion by the testimony of Sir Samuel Baker, who has examined the photograph and kindly supplied m e with the following notes upon the animal and its habits*. " The Maarif, or Hippotragus bakeri, was first seen by m e in 1861, at the western base of the lofty chain of mountains that walls in Abyssinia from the Egyptian territory. In this country it is by no means rare. I subsequently met with the same animal in the La-tooka country in 4° 20' N . lat., 32° 40' E. long. " The Maarif is the largest of all the Abyssinian and Nubian Antelopes; it averages about 14 hands in height at the withers, which are extremely prominent. Its colour is mouse-grey, with black stripes across the shoulders and white markings on the nose and cheeks. The neck, both above and below, is protected by a stiff and coarse black name, which stands erect like that of a hob-maned horse. Both males and females have horns ; these are annulated and exceedingly powerful, they bend gracefully backwards. " The Maarif is most difficult to approach, as it inhabits extensive plains, where the rifle has little chance at the extreme range which this Antelope invariably observes. In habits of watchfulness it is only equalled by the Giraffe. I have frequently remarked that the main body of the herd is protected while grazing by one or more of the party, who act as sentries and give alarm at the approach of danger. When arriving at the banks of a river, a herd of Maarifs never descend to the water until one or two have gone forward as an advanced guard. These narrowly scrutinize all sides, while the expectant herd waits their decision, and, although painfully thirsty during the hot season, they never drink until the leaders have assured them of safety. " The margins of rivers are generally covered with thick bush, the resort of Lions and Leopards, which lie in ambush for the animals which visit the drinking-place; hence the extreme caution of the wary Antelope. " The country in which the Maarif is most numerous is that between the Bahr Salaam and the mountain Nahoot Guddavi at the western base of the Abyssinian Alps. Throughout this district I have seen large herds of this Antelope ; but the nature of the soil is so much against Horses that it would be impossible to overtake the * See also Sir Samuel Baker's remarks on this animal in the ' Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia,' p. 475. |