[i]
THE
BOOK OF ANTELOPES.
BY
PHILIP LUTLEY SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S.,
SECRETARY TO THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,
AND
OLDFIELD THOMAS, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S.,
ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
IN FOUR VOLUMES (1894–1900).
VOL. I.
LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.
1894–1900.
ALERE FLAMMAM.
PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS,
RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.
[iii]
Dedicated
TO
THE MEMORY
OF
Sir VICTOR ALEXANDER BROOKE, Bart.,
NATURALIST AND SPORTSMAN
(Born 5th January, 1843, died 27th November, 1891),
BY
HIS FRIENDS AND FELLOW-WORKERS,
THE AUTHORS.
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PREFACE.
A short Introduction, stating the general plan of this work, was givenin the first number of ‘The Book of Antelopes,’ published in August1894. On completing the work by the issue of the last Part it has beendetermined by the Authors to explain its origin and object a littlemore fully, and this portion of the task has been intrusted to me.
It should be quite understood, in the first place, that, as has beenstated in the Introduction, the original conception of the work is dueto the genius and energy of the late Sir Victor Brooke, under whosesupervision the greater number of the plates and other illustrationswere prepared, and I need hardly say that it is greatly regrettedby the authors that Sir Victor did not live to carry out his plan.Sir Victor was elected a Fellow of the Zoological Society of Londonin 1864, at which time I knew him only as an ardent sportsman, muchattached to Natural History. Some time in the year 1870, I think itwas, he called upon me at my office, and stated that he had beenattending Sir William (then Professor) Flower’s lectures at theCollege of Surgeons, and had quite determined to commence serious workin Natural History, being deeply interested in that subject. Aftertalking over the matter with him for some time it was suggested thatthe Ruminant Mammals, with many of which Sir Victor as a sportsman waswell acquainted, offered an excellent subject for work, and I promisedthat I would take every opportunity that fell in my way of putting athis disposal specimens of this [vi]class. I was, of course, delighted atgetting a recruit for Natural History of such energy and ability. I maymention here that amongst other questions which I asked him at thisint