The Scythian Antelope, or Siuga,— which is the only one of the species that is to be found in Europe. The form of its body resembles the domestic goat, but its horns are those of an antelope, be ing marked by very prominent rings, with furrows between ; they are a foot long, the ends smooth, of a pale yellow colour, almost transparent. The male is covered with rough hair, like the he-goat, and has a strong scent; the female is smoother, hornless, and timid. The gene ral colour is a dirty white. When they are attacked by wolves or dogs, the males stand round the females, forming a circle, with their heads towards the enemy, in which posture they defend their charge. Their common pace is a trot ; when they go faster, it is by leaps ; and are swifter than roe-bucks. When they feed, they are obliged to goback•ard, owing to the length of the upper lip, which they lift up. Their skin is soft and excellent for gloves, belts, &c. They are found in flocks from six to ten thousand, on the banks of the Tanais and Boristhenes. The young are easily tamed, and will readily return to their master when turned out on the desert.
The Nilgau, or White-footed Antelope, —is a large and beautiful species, known only within the space of a few years past. Its height is four feet one inch to the top of the shoulders, and its length, from the bottom of the neck to the base of the tail, four feet. The colour of the nilgau is a fine dark grey, or slate-colour, with a large spot of white beneath the throat, and two white bands or marks above each foot : the ears are large, white within, and edged with the same colour, and marked inter nally by two black stripes ; along the to of the neck runs a slight mane of black hair, which is continued to some distance down the back, and on the breast is a much longer mane or hang?ng tuft, of a similar colour; the tail is moderately long, and terminated by atuft of block hair : the horns are short, pointed, smooth, triangu lar at their base, distant from each other, bent very slightly forwards, and of a blackish colour. The female resembles
the male in general appc-arance, but is considerably smaller, of a pale brown co lour, and is destitute of horns : the mane, pectoral tuft, and ears, resemble those of the male, and the feet are marked above the hoofsby three transverse bars ofblack and two of white. The nilgau is a native of the interior parts of India. According to .Mr. Pennant, it abounded in the days of Aurengzebe between Delli and Lahor, on the way to Cashmire, and was called nylgau, or the blue or grey bull. It was one of tbe objects of the chace with that mighty monarch during his journey: they were inclosed by his army ofhunters with in nets, which, being drawn closer and closer, at length formed a small precinct, into which the king and his omrabs and hunters entered, and killed the nilgaus with arrows, spears, and muskets ; and that sometimes in such numbers, that Au rengzebe used to send quarters as pre sents to all his great people. The nylgau has of late years been often imported into Europe, and has bred in England. In confinement it is generally pretty gentle, but is sometimes seized with fits of sudden caprice, when it will attack with great violence the objects of its displeasure. 'When the males fight, they drop on their knees at some distance from each other, and gradually advance in that attitude, and at length make a spring at each other with their heads bent low. This action, however, is not peculiar to the nilgau, but is observed in many other of the antelope tribe. The nilgau is said to go with young about nine months, and to produce sometimes two at a birth : the young is of the colour of a fawn.
Antelope Leucoryx, or White Antelope, —is entirely milk-white, except the mark ings on the face and limbs. It is an inha bitant of an island in the Gulf of Bassora. See Plate Mammalia, fig-. 1-6.