THE ANTELOPE. 115

lope has been discovered in America, the so-called prong-
horned antelope of North America (Antilocapra furcifera)
being nearly allied to the goat.

The Gazelle (Antilope Dorcas) is a rather small but very
beautiful species ; the specific name signifies “ bright-eyed,”
and in Arab poetry the eye of the gazelle is the standard
of beauty. This beautiful animal is about two feet high ;
the head and neck finely formed; the eyes large, dark, and
expressive; the hair on the back is of a delicate fawn-
colour, with a brown band on the sides, the under part is
white; the horns are ornamented by twelve or fourteen
rings, and diverge like the horns of an ancient lyre, in the
female they are smaller; the ndse is streaked with dark
brown, and there is a white line extending from each horn
over the eye, and down the side of the face. This elegant
creature is supposed to be alluded to, as the roebuck, in
Deuteronomy xii. and 1 Kings iv.; as the wild roe, in
2 Samuel ii., and again in the Song of Solomon. It is
very common in northern Africa and western Asia, and it
was an important advantage to the Israelites, that its use
as food was not interdicted to them.

Professor Paxton says, “The lofty mountains of Syria,
Amana, Lebanon, and Carmel, swarmed with these animals,