DAMALIS (STREPSICEROS) CAPENSIS.
F orms, &c .—Figure moderately robust and elegant. Head superiorly
broad and rather bulky, toward the muzzle narrow and tapered; the forehead
is flat and square, the chaffron straight and the muzzle moderately broad.
Eyes full, soft and expressive. Horns robust and situated on the top of the
head, almost in contact at their base, but wide apart at their points, and each,
as it diverges from its base, takes two spiral turns and is furnished with a
narrow ridge or keel which follows the course of the wreaths described. At
the base the horns are robust and rather rugous, then somewhat compressed,
—the points are cylindrical sharp and directed outwards and forwards. Ears
large and patulous, especially towards their middle, they stand obliquely
outwards and are acute at the point. The neck is robust, rather long,
fringed both above and below, with some long and coarse hair which superiorly
forms a sort of mane, about three and a-half inches high, and which
extends from the base of the horns to the hinder edge of the shoulders;
inferiorly the long hair is irregularly disposed and forms a thin shaggy coating
to the throat. Body rounded, the shoulders well developed, and about equal
in height with the crupper. Limbs elegantly formed and towards the hoofs
very slender. Tail slender and at its termination has a tuft of long coarse
hair, which reaches to within a few inches of the houghs. Hoofs narrow and
anteriorly rather pointed ; false hoofs, short, cylindrical and pointed. Hair
generally very short; muzzle bare; dewlap slightly developed.
DIMENSIONS.
Feet. Inches.
Length from the horns to the base of
the tail ................ ........... 7 0
of the head................ ........... 1 6
of the ears ............... ........... 0 8
of the horns............... ........... 3 0
Feet. Inches.
Height at the shoulder........................ 4 0
at the crupper........................ 4 0
Distance between the horns at points 2 7
Length of the tail ............................ 1 7
P la t e XLIII.—F em a l e .
C o lo ur.— Rather paler than that of the Male, the number of vertical stripes
generally greater, some of them occasionally bifurcate, and the white is less
pure,—the upper part of the forehead between the ears is generally mottled
rusty brown and white.