Scientific American 379
NOVEMBER 26, 1904. Scientific American 379
NEW ANTELOPES AT THE N. Y. ZOOLOGICAL PARK. the natives, who pursue them in boats, which they third, a full-grown male, was once so savage that for BY J" CARTER BEARD. paddle faster than these antelopes can swim. nearly a year he was bent on killing something or It is by no means an easy matter to assign their An animal rare even in the range of country it in somebody. The creature is quite cow· like in form, but proper place in the animal kingdom or to determine babits is Baker's roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus). its horns most nearly resemble the horns of the har what really constitutes an antelope. In looking for The first of its species ever brought to America is a nessed antelope of' Africa, except that they are not the origin and the derivation of the word itself, we are remarkable-looking creature. Its large, singularly twisted. The color is a rich, chocolate brown, becom led back through the Latin and the Greek to the old shaped ears, stiff, upright mane, and peculiarly-marked ing dark with age. Celebes is the home of the speci Coptic word pantholops, from which was derived an face distinguish it from any of its congeners. It is a mens which we have." tholops (A'rGoAorfJ) the name in later Greek for the big animal, too, standing over four feet and a half The species which inhabits the Philippines (Bos fabled unicorn. As this mythical animal has been high at the shoulders. The horns of the male have mindorensis) is called tamarao. "It stands," writes determined to be nothing more than a distorted idea been known to grow to a length of three feet and a Richard Lydekker, "three and a half feet in height. of a gazelle, it ought perhaps to follow that the partic half, measured along the curve. It is a rare animal The borns, though massive, are comparatively short ular sub-family, Gazellincc, to which the twenty-three even on its range, which extends from central south and rise upward in the plane of the face with a lyrate known species of gazelles belong, should be that to Africa to Senegal. It is quite possible, considering the curvature; they are distinctly triangular, with the which alone the term antelope should be applied, if rapidly-approaching extinction of African antelopes, largest face in front, and are somewhat roughened. it is employed in any restrictive or definable way. The that this is the only member of its species that will In its massive form, thick legs, and uniform coloration name, however, has been extended to embrace all rumi ever be seen in this country. this species comes nearer to the Indian buffalo than nants in which the horns are hollow to the anoa." at the base, set upon solid cones, It may be added that, as far at and are permanently retained least as the anoa of Celebes is con throughout the life of the animal, cerned, the animal seems to occupy as well as some others in which this a place almost exactly half way be does not occur. No better opportu tween the antelopes and the oxen. nity has ever been given in this "It approximates to the antelopes," country to see for one's self the dif writes Lydekker, "in its slender ferent members of this family, from build, the structure of the hinder the pygmy Duykerbok antelope to parts of its skull, the upright direc the ox-like eland, and from our own tion and the straightness of its aberrant type, the American prong horns, the spots on its head, back, horn antelope, to the still more and limbs, and its small size." aberrant giraffe, than is now given ••• by the incomparable collection of Lloyd's, and What It Means. antelopes at the New York Zoologi Lloyd's dates from the latter part cal Park. of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, The completion of the antelope and had its origin in a small cof house marks the fruition in part of fee house in Tower Street, kept liy purposes and ambitions entertained Edward Lloyd. He was an enter· many years ago by the present very prising man, and through his busi competent director and manager, ness contact with seafaring men Mr. W. T. Hornaday. and merchants enlist!�d in foreigq "Ever since the opening day of trade, foresaw the importance of the park," writes Mr. Elwin R. San improving shipping and the meth born, "the temptation to secure od of marine insurance. He was some of the interesting antelopes the founder of the system of mari now becoming so rare has been dif time and commercial intelligence ficult to resist. But the futility of which has been developed into its this desire, until suitable quarters present effectiveness. Before the Little Anoa Bull or Antelope Buffalo at the New York Zoological Park. could be provided, was so strikingly time of Edward Lloyd maritime in- exemplified by the perplexing task surance in England was conducted encountered in the care of a few by the Lombards, some Italians, tropical deer through the winter, who founded Lombard Street, but that no other argument for its aban after Lloyd embarked in the busi donment was necessary_ ness Britons conducted marine in "The new antelope house was in surance in London. consequence built, and 'opened to The subjects of marine insurance the public,' with every stall occu are the ship, the cargo, and the pied, the Society subscribing the freight, all of which may belong to entire list of specimens, amounting different parties. In time of war in round numbers to fifteen thou there is what is termed the mari sand dollars." The list of ante time risk-the danger from acci lopes on exhibition is a long one. dent, collision, and stranding- The SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN has al· which is distinctly separate from ready published descriptions of sev the risk of capture and seizure eral of the rarer sort, together witb by an enemy. This class of marine pictures of the animals; but there insurance had its inception in the remain many others quite as worthy conditions arising during the seven Df notice. Among the most singu year French-English war of 1757 lar types in some respects are the to 1763. water antelopes. Tbere are five al Lloyd's moved to Pope's Head lied species, of which the Sing-sing Alley in 1770, and in 1774 removed antelope, a fine specimen of which to the present quarters in the Royal is to be seen at the park, is a rep Exchange. In 1871 Lloyd's was resentative. incorporated by act of Parliament. It scarcely carries out our idea This act defined the objects of the of an antelope, being a rather heav society to be: (1) The carrying on ily-built animal, which, instead of of the business of marine insur presenting the sleek, glossy, ap ance by members of the society; pearance of other members of its (2) the protection of the interests family, is clothed with a coat of of members of the society in re long, soft, loose, and flocculent hair, spect of shipping, cargoes, and longer upon the neck than else freights; (3) the collection, publi where, but not forming a mane. The cation, and diffusion of intelligence The Sing-Sing or 'Water Antelope. color is grayish brown. The males and information with respect to alone carry horns. These in the ANTELOPES AT THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. shipping. adult individual are lyre-shaped, The corporation of Lloyd's and and covered almost to the tips with bony rings. The In view of the fact that the curious little anoa has the committee of Lloyd's, who are the executive body animal exhales an odor, and the flesh is so powerfully been adopted, along with the other inhabitants of the of the corporation, and the secretary of Lloyd's, have scented and of so bad a flavor as to be entirely un Philippine Islands, as a citizen of the "Greater United practically nothing to do with marine insurance in eatable, a circumstance which will go far to preserve States," the specimens at the New York Zoological the way of taking risks or paying losses. Their duty the species from becoming exterminated, long after Park assume an additional interest. in this respect is to afford marine insurance brokers its congeners have disappeared forever from the face Although the anoa is ranked among ungulates with who wish to effect insurances a place of meeting with of the earth. The natives, we are told, tame t.hese tbe oxen, and more particularly with the buffaloes, it those who undertake the risks. antelopes, and allow them to run with their cattle (in has so many features in common with the antelope much the same way as we keep a goat. in the stable) tbat it is sometimes called the antelope buffalo. It is A new substitute for nickel, called "Patrick metal," because the animal is supposed to bring good luck and a veritable pygmy, being when full grown, according is being placed upon the English market. The feature ward off diSease. to Mr. Hornaday, two feet nine inches high at the of this metal is that it is silver-white right through, Sing-sing antelopes abound in marshy districts on sboulders. "We have," says the last-mentioned gentle and retains its bright appearance permanently. The the banks of lakes and rivers in central and western man in writing to me, "three specimens at the park, luster does not tarnish with use-in fact, it becomes Africa. If disturbed, they invariably make for the two full-grown males and a female, the latter imma brighter. It retains a high degree of polish, and will water at full speed. In this way they escape lions and ture. These little creatures take kindly to captivity in not rust even under the most unfavorable conditions, leopards, who in common with other cats are reluctant zoological gardens, and breed with fair regularity. nor oxidize easily. I t is malleable when cold and can be to take to the water, but they cannot get away from Two of those that we have are quite docile, but the easily .oldered or brazed.