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The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4) cover

The book of antelopes, vol. 2 (of 4)

Chapter 28: Subfamily IV. CERVICAPRINÆ.
By Philip Lutley Sclater
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About This Book

This volume provides systematic accounts of small African antelopes, treating two subfamilies with detailed genus- and species-level descriptions. Each entry summarizes external appearance, skull and horn structure, measurements, geographic range, and distinguishing characters, and is often accompanied by plates and anatomical figures. The authors compare similar taxa, propose genus limits, and present diagnostic keys and synonymies. Emphasis falls on comparative osteology and external morphology to clarify classification, while distributional notes and illustrative plates support identification and further study.

Subfamily IV. CERVICAPRINÆ.

General Characters.—Size large or moderate. Muzzle naked. Anteorbital glands entirely absent. Tail moderate. False hoofs well developed.

Skull smooth in front of the orbits and without any traces of anteorbital fossæ; auditory bulla large and swollen; median incisors expanded at their summits; a well-developed supplemental lobe in the first true molar of each jaw.

Horns present only in the male, medium-sized or long, not twisted, generally directed backwards at the base, and curving upwards and forwards towards the tips, occasionally with a serpentine curvature or quite straight, strongly ridged except at the tips.

Range of Subfamily. Africa south of Sahara.

The Waterbucks and Reedbucks, as these Antelopes are usually called, from the nature of the places to which they mostly resort, may be arranged together with the Rehbok, which clearly belongs to the same group, in three genera, as follows:—

  • A. Size large or moderate. Horns large, elongate, curved. Fur straight, often coarse.
  • a. Size larger. No naked auricular patch. Tail long, slightly tufted. Premaxillæ reaching the nasals. Spurious hoofs well developed.  1. Cobus.
  • b. Size smaller. A naked auricular patch. Tail short and bushy. Premaxillæ not reaching the nasals. Spurious hoofs smaller.  2. Cervicapra.
  • B. Size small. Horns small, upright, straight. Fur woolly. Tail short and bushy. Premaxillæ not reaching the nasals  3. Pelea.