sses. Their flesh is
eaten; though it is not so much esteemed as that of some other
antelopes.

The Oryx, or Gemsbok, is a middle-sized species, dwelling in the same
neighbourhood with the gnus. It is a heavy, stout animal, with a long
bunch tail, and a pair of tapering slender horns, almost perfectly
straight, and sweeping back towards the shoulders. It is truly a
creature of the open desert plains; and can go for a long time without
water. It is bold and dangerous--especially when wounded--and will give
battle to the hunter even, it is said, when that hunter chances to be
the lion himself!

The true Oryx, or Milk-white Antelope, mentioned by early writers, is a
kindred species to the Gemsbok; and is found in Northern Africa--in
Sennaar, Nubia, Abyssinia, and Senegal. This last is a celebrated
species, on account of the supposition that it is the animal figured on
the temples of Egypt, and known as the _Unicorn_. It would not be
difficult, I imagine, to point out the absurdity of this belief; and to
prove that the Unicorn of the ancients was either the Gnu of South
Africa, or an allied species--supposed to exist at the present time in
the inter-tropical region of the same continent.

A third species of oryx, the Beisa, inhabits Abyssinia.

The Addax is a large, heavily-formed antelope, with spiral horns and
ox-like appearance, inhabiting the greater part of the Central African
region. It frequents sandy plains, and is noted for its broad hoofs,
which seem designed to prevent it from sinking in the soft yielding sand
of the desert. The addax is not gregarious, living in pairs or
families.

One of the handsomest of South African antelopes is the Water Buck, a
fine large species, with long, widely-spreading horns. It is called
Water Buck on account of its habit of frequenting the marshy banks of
rivers and lakes, where it spends most of its time half immersed in the
water!

The Lechee is another species, allied to this, and of very similar
habits; and two, if not three species of _water_ antelopes have been
lately discovered by Livingstone and other South African explorers. The
Sing-sing is an antelope belonging to Western Africa. The English on
the Gambia call it the "Jackass Deer," from its resemblance to a donkey.
The negroes believe that its presence has a sanitary effect upon their
cattle; and hardly a flock is seen without having one or two sing-sings
along with it. A similar fancy is entertained