Part 43

Bubalis neumanni, =Rothschild=, Ann. & Mag. N. H. ser. 6, xx. p. 376 (1897).

Mr. Rothschild has based this species upon two skulls with horns, of male and female, and parts of a skin obtained by Mr. A. H. Neumann on the east shore and to the north-east of Lake Rudolf. He describes it as follows:—

“The horns of this species differ widely from those of Bubalis major (Blyth), of West Africa, and B. buselaphus (Pall.), of Northern Africa and Arabia, in being slenderer and in their tips being inverted, instead of pointing outwards or straight behind. The nearest ally seems to be B. tora (Gray) of Upper Nubia, Abyssinia, and Kordofan, which, however, has more slender horns, with more distinct rings, reaching almost round, a broader forehead, and a generally paler coloration. The horns also diverge much more in B. tora, as shown at a glance by the distances between the tips of the horns, as recorded in R. Ward’s ‘Horn Measurements.’

“The horns of B. neumanni measure as follows:—

“Circumference at base, ♂ 273 millim., ♀ 183; total length along the curves, ♂ 420, ♀ 345; tip to tip, ♂ 206, ♀ 249.

“The rings of the horns are not very prominent and do not reach all round.

“Breadth of skull at forehead, ♂ 100 millim., ♀ 80; length of skull from base of horn to upper lip, along the side in a straight line: ♂ 430, ♀ 403 millim.

“Colour of hair fulvous fawn, much richer on the back, where there are also some darker spots, which may be stains or natural; below very much paler. Chin blackish, tip of tail black. The male is brighter and darker in colour than the female. There are also on the back some patches with longer, thicker, almost whitish-buff hair, perhaps remains of the winter fur.”

Genus CONNOCHÆTES. (Vol. I. p. 93.)

Connochætes taurinus johnstoni.

Connochætes taurinus johnstoni, =Scl.= P. Z. S. 1896, p. 616, pl. xxvii.

Under this subspecific name Sclater has shortly described and figured the local form of the Brindled Gnu that occurs on the plains of the Shiré Highlands, Nyasaland. The difference consists mainly in the generally brownish colour of the body, and the broad whitish band across the face beneath the eyes. The mane is black or blackish as in C. taurinus typicus, not white as in C. albojubatus.

Some good field-notes on the same animal by Mr. R. Crawshay are appended to Sclater’s remarks.

Genus CEPHALOPHUS. (Vol. I. p. 121.)

Cephalophus hecki.

Cephalophus hecki, =Matsch.= SB. Ges. nat. Freund. Berlin, 1897, p. 158.

Herr Matschie has proposed this name for the geographical form of C. monticola (Bk. of Ant. i. p. 191) which occurs in Mozambique. The type is an adult male in the Berlin Museum from Mozambique, and there was also at the time of the description a specimen living in the Zoological Garden of Berlin.

Cephalophus lugens.

Cephalophus lugens, =Thos.= P. Z. S. 1898, p. 393.

This is a member of the group of C. monticola, but larger and of darker colour than any other of the three species of that section—C. monticola, C. melanorheus, and C. æquatorialis. The typical specimens were obtained by Mr. A. Sharpe’s native hunters in Urori (or Usango), within the frontiers of German East Africa, north of Lake Nyasa, at an altitude of about 3000 feet.

Cephalophus leucoprosopus.

Cephalophus leucoprosopus, =O. Neumann=, SB. Ges. nat. Freund. Berlin, 1899, p. 18.

This species was based upon a pair of Antelopes living in the Zoological Garden, Berlin, stated to have been received from Angola. It is smaller than C. coronatus, and belongs to the same group, with hornless females (Sylvicapra, Ogilby). Its general colour is brown with a darker back; legs black; tail above black, beneath white. The species is remarkable for the colour of the head, in which the top of the nose and a triangular spot in front of the eyes are black; the forehead is red; the outer sides of the ears, hinder part of the head, and under-jaw are brownish. Round the eye runs a broad white line, which extends towards the nose in sharp contrast to the black colour; a spot at the base of the ear and the insides of the ears are also white.

Genus RAPHICERUS. (Vol. II. p. 33.)

Raphicerus campestris.

Dr. Jentink (Notes Leyd. Mus. xxii. p. 38, 1900) proposes (for reasons stated by him) to alter the name of the Antelope which we have described and figured as Raphicerus campestris to Pediotragus horstockii.

In the same paper Dr. Jentink describes an allied form from Mossamedes as Pediotragus kelleni. This species is based on two skulls in the Leyden Museum, obtained by the brothers v. d. Kellen at Cahama, Kakulovar River, Upper Cunene.

Raphicerus sharpei.