robust and clumsy; of the posterior parts and limbs, delicate and elegant.
The head is shaped somewhat like that of an o x ; the face is moderately
wide, and with a distinct lateral bulge on each side, a short way behind the
nostrils; facial line slightly arched; sides of the head flat; eyes, rather
large ; eyelashes strong and rigid, as are also the tufts of bristles which are
over the eyebrows ; the hairs of the beard are also strong and rigid : about
two inches below the anterior corner of each eye there is a circular bare spot,
about an inch in diameter, through pores in which a tenaceous glary fluid
exudes. Nostrils wide, and superiorly furnished with a sort of valve, lined
internally with short hair, and which at the will of the animal can be so
depressed as to shut completely the openings of the nostrils; this valve is
bare externally, and is the only part of the nose which is denuded of hair.
Ears ovate, elongated, narrow, and pointed, and the upper or anterior edge
of each is fringed with long hair. The horns are placed above, and considerably
behind the plane of the eyes, and at their origin, which is on the
summit of the forehead, they are close together. From their origin they
descend downwards and outwards, then with a curve upwards and backwards;
towards the base they are flattened or compressed, towards apex cylindrical,
and their surface generally is rough and irregular. The neck superiorly and
inferiorly is fringed with long, closely set, rigid hair; above the fringe or mane
commences at the hindhead, and ends on the back a little behind the hunch;
on the throat it commences under the angle of the lower jaw, and ends a little
in front of the breast. Shoulders very deep, and surmounted by a moderately
high pointed hunch. Body rounded, and shaped like that of a horse; limbs
delicately formed, and like those of an antelope. Tail long, reaching to
about midway between the houghs and pastern joints, its tip furnished with a
brush about twelve inches in length; the hair elsewhere short, that on the
sides rather longest. Hoofs rather broad, large for the limbs, and anteriorly
where they come in contact at their base, there is a tuft of long hair; false
hoofs long, convex externally, concave internally, and fringed at base with
long hairs. The skin of the knee joints in front generally bare, callous, and
rough.
DIMENSIONS.
Length from the nose to the base of
Feet. Inches.
Height at the shoulder............ ..
Feet.
4
Inches.
0
3
1
10
of the ta il..............^ . . . . . 1 9 Distance between the eye and nose .Of
1 91
0 2£
1 H
0 7
Distance apart at base.....................
at apex.....................
M a l e .—The neck is broader, and the animal generally is stronger made;
the colours are nearly the same as those of the female, only deeper and of a
brighter hue. The horns are stronger, and the mane and hair under the
throat is more bushy.
Y o u n g .—Form and appearance clumsy and unseemly. Forehead and face
intermediate between umber and reddish brown, the lower parts of the latter
darkest : the upper parts of the neck and body light yellowish brown washed
with grey : the lower portions of the neck and sides, the legs, and the tail,
intermediate between ash-grey and yellowish grey. Hoofs brownish black.
Ears externally and internally towards tips blackish brown.
This animal and the common Gnu, ( Catoblepas Gnu,) are perhaps the two most interesting
and extraordinary quadrupeds which occur in South Africa, Their configuration and their
manners equally excite our wonder, and let our attention be directed to these unitedly or
individually, the curious compound is not but to be perceived. When we survey their form
either while roving at large in their native haunts, or when prostrate at oui* feet through the
efforts of the hunter, we feel alike with the native population the difficulty of discovering
whether they partake most o f the ox, the horse, or the antelope.
When either the one or other of those animals, especially under excitement, stands in front
of an observer, with the head and anterior parts of the body only distinctly visible, the idea of
its strong resemblance to a small ox immediately arises. When again its body and posterior
parts are the portions most conspicuously in view, the likeness to a horse is remarkable ; or
when its limbs only are taken in review, it presents a strong similarity to the more typical
antelopes.
As in their form, so likewise in their manners and habits, they manifest considerable resemblance
to several very diffèrent animals; but the ox is the one to which in these respects they
approximate most closely, at least as far as my observations go. A herd of either of the
species evinces in its proceedings much of the manner which is observed among a group of
wild cattle, and no one who has noticed with but common attention the practices of the latter
under various circumstances, will find himself disinclined at times to suppose that he is
while looking on a herd of Gnus surveying a herd of wild oxen of a diminutive size. In their
mode of carrying themselves when alarmed, or when their attention is otherwise excited, the
resemblance is palpable, and in the toss of the head, the plunge, and the kick, which precede
a forced flight, it is not less so. The propensity of cattle to threaten with an attack, as shown
by certain fantastic motions of the head and body, is also regularly betrayed by this and the
other species; and the inclination of wild cattle to survey any thing or any one who approaches
their retreat, even should they have to fly immediately, is also the prepônderating tendency in
both the species of Catoblepas. Almost every species of animal which occurs in South Africa,
excepting the Buffalo' and the Gnu, retires at once, when even the cause for alarm is but
trifling, prolonging their flight until, in their own opinion, they are out of danger ; and although
all do not progress uninterruptedly, yet few if any halt longer at a time than is simply necessary
to enable them to survey for an instant the position of the object which had alarmed them.