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Show 506 ON THE HOR3SS OF ANTILOPE TRIANGULARIS. [Apr. 21, 2. A young male Markhoor (Capra megaceros), from the vicinity of Peshawar, British India, presented by Col. Paterson, March 18th. . 3. A pair of a rather scarce species of Duiker Antelope (Cephalophus coronatus), from West Africa, received in exchange, March 23rd. 4. A Silver-backed Fox (Cams chama), from Cape Colony, presented by C. "W. Southey, Esq., of Culmstock, Schoombie Station, South Africa. Mr. Sclater exhibited some of the specimens from Nyasaland lately sent home by Sir H . H . Johnston, K.C.B., to be transmitted to the British Museum. Amongst these was a very fine head of a male Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger), from the Zomba Plains, of which the horns measured 39 inches along the curve; and a fine specimen of a peculiar form of the Brindled Gnu (Connochates qorgon), shot at the south end of Lake Chilwa by Mr. H. C. McDonald, of the British Central African Administration. This was believed to be the first example of tbe Gnu sent home from British East Africa. Amongst the birds sent on this occasion (as kindly determined by Capt. Shelley) were examples of Grus carunculata from the Shirwa Plains, not previously transmitted from Nyasaland, and of Sarcidiomis melanonota from Lake Shirwa. Mr. Sclater also exhibited a fine pair of horns of the so-called Antilope triangularis (Giinther, P. Z. S. 1889, p. 73), Boratoceros (Lydekker, Ann. & Mag. N. H . (6) vm. p. 192; id. < Field,' lxxviii. p. 130 (1891)), belonging to Mr. Justice Hopley ot Kimberley. Mr. Justice Hopley, who had purchased these horns at Kimberley, stated that they were said to have been obtained somewhere on the Zambesi. Mr. Sclater was of the opinion (which was now generally prevalent) that they were abnormal horns ot a cow Eland. , [P.S., April 24th.-Since I exhibited these horns I have compared them with the tvpical specimens of Antilope triangularis in the British Museum.' There can be no doubt that both pairs belong to the same species of Antelope, but Mr. Justice Hopley s pair are not quite so long, rather more incurved backwards, and less broadly spread; they are also smoother at the base, showing but slight appearances of corrugations. , O n comparing these horns, and the portion of the skull attached to them, with the horns of the ordinary female Elaud, Oreas canna, I see nothing whatever to negative the idea that they are abnormal horns of that Antelope, which for some reason or other have grown without making the ordinary twist characteristic of Oreas an other genera of the Tragelaphinae.-P. L. S.] |