In the elegant symmetry of their form and the light and graceful2 agility3 of their motions, the Antelopes5 are superior even to the Deer, whom, however, they closely resemble, not merely in outward shape, but also in internal structure. Like them, in addition to the coincidence of a slightly made and beautifully proportioned figure, they are frequently furnished with a naked muzzle7, and with the same remarkable8 sinus beneath the inner angle of the eye; and their ears are generally of considerable size, erect9, and pointed10. But they are strikingly distinguished11 from them and from all the other animals of the order by the peculiar12 character of[192] their horns, which are formed of an elastic13 sheath enclosing a solid nucleus14, and are for the most part common to the females as well as to the males. They have no canine15 teeth, and exhibit no appearance of a beard such as is seen in the Goats. The horns vary greatly in the different races; they are sometimes straight and upright, at other times slightly curved, and frequently spirally twisted with the most beautiful regularity16: they are usually surrounded by elevated rings or by a spiral ridge17, are constantly of the same form in the same species, and are not subject to an annual falling off and renewal18, as in the Deer, from which they differ also in their mode of growth, the horns of the latter group lengthening19 at their apices, while those of the former receive their increase at the base.
In their natural habits the numerous species of which this group is composed approach very closely to the Deer; there is, however, considerable variety in their mode of life. They inhabit almost every description of country; the sandy desert, the open plain, the thicket20, the forest, the mountain, and the precipice21, being, each in its turn, the favourite haunt of the different races; but, with the exception of a few species, they do not advance much beyond the limits of the tropics. The smaller ones usually prefer a solitary22 life, but the larger, for the most part, congregate23 together in herds24, which are generally few in number. In their manners they exhibit much of that cautious vigilance and easily startled timidity, combined with a certain degree of occasional boldness and not a little curiosity, which are the natural consequences of their wild and unrestricted habits, of their trivial means of defence against the[193] numerous enemies to whose attacks they are exposed, and of the unequalled fleetness of their speed. In some this latter quality consists of a continued and uniform gallop25, which in others is interrupted at every third or fourth stroke by a long and generally a lofty bound, producing a beautiful effect by its constant and rapid recurrence26.
The Indian Antelope4, of which the specimen27 in the Tower constitutes a remarkable and highly interesting variety, is not only one of the most beautiful, but also the most celebrated28 species of the group. It occupies the place of Capricorn in the Indian Zodiac, and is consecrated29 to the service of Chandra or the Moon. In size and form it closely resembles the Gazelle of the Arabs, the well known emblem30 of maiden31 beauty, typified, according to the poets, in the elastic lightness of its bound, the graceful symmetry of its figure, and the soft lustre32 of its full and hazel eye. From this truly elegant creature our Antelope is, however, essentially33 distinguished by several striking characters. Its horns, which are peculiar to the male, are spirally twisted, and form, when fully6 grown, three complete turns; they are closely approximated to each other at the base, but diverge34 considerably35 as they proceed upwards36. They occasionally attain37 a length of nearly two feet, and are surrounded throughout by elevated and close-set rings. The two horns taken together have frequently been compared to the branches of a double lyre. The extremity38 of the nose is bare, forming a small and moist muzzle; the sub-orbital openings are larger and more distinct than in almost any other species; and the ears are pointed and of moderate size. The natural colours[194] vary with the age of the animal, but correspond in general pretty closely with those of the common deer. They may be shortly described as fawn39 above and whitish beneath, becoming deeper with age, and lighter40 in the females than in the males. The occasional stripes of a lighter or darker colour, which are generally visible on various parts of the body, can scarcely be considered as occurring with sufficient regularity to allow of their being described as characteristic of the species.
But for these shades of colour, or for any other, we should look in vain in the animal of the Tower Menagerie, which, in consequence of a particular conformation, not unfrequent in some species of animals, and occasionally met with even in the human race, is perfectly41 and purely42 white. In order to explain this phenomenon, which is one of the most curious, but at the same time one of the most simple in physiology43, it is necessary to observe that there exists beneath the epidermis44, or outer covering of the skin, both in man and animals, a peculiar membrane45 of very fine and delicate texture46, which is scarcely visible in the European but sufficiently47 obvious in the Negro, termed by anatomists the rete mucosum. In this net-work is secreted48, from the extremities49 of the minute vessels50 which terminate upon its surface, a mucous51 substance which varies in colour according to the complexion52 of the individual, of the varieties in which it is the immediate53 cause; and from the substance thus secreted the colouring matter of the hairs and of the iris54 is derived55. The pure whiteness then of the covering of the animal in question, and of all those which exhibit a similar variation from their natural tinge56, is attributable solely57 to the absence of this secretion58 from whatever[195] cause. It is always accompanied, as in the present instance, by a redness of the eyes, arising from the blood-vessels of the iris being exposed to view in consequence of the want of the usual coating formed by this secretion, by which they are naturally protected from the too great influence of the light. In the human race the individuals who are thus afflicted59, characterized by the dull whiteness of their skins, the deep redness of their eyes, and their colourless, or, as it is generally termed, flaxen, hair, are called Albinos. They are generally timid in disposition60, languid in character, and weak both in mind and body. The same original conformation, for it is always born with the individual and never acquired in after life, although sometimes prolonged beyond its limits in the shape of an hereditary61 legacy62, is common to many animals. Perhaps the most familiar instances among these are the white mice, the white rabbits, and the white pigeons, which are known to every one. But it has also been occasionally seen in many other species, as monkeys, squirrels, moles63, pigs, and even cows and horses, and, to come a little closer to our present subject, in goats and deer. Not even that massive and stupendous beast the Elephant is exempted64 from its influence. It can hardly be necessary to recall to the reader the title on which the ruler of millions of not uncivilized Asiatics, the Burmese monarch65, prides himself more than on any other, inasmuch as it is the emblem of power and prosperity, that of Lord of the White Elephant; a title, which, while it demonstrates the fact of the existence of this deviation66 in the Elephant as well as in other animals, proves also[196] the extreme rarity of its occurrence. It has moreover been noticed in many species of birds.
The present species of Antelope is spread over the whole of the Peninsula of Hindoostan and a part of Persia; but it is questionable67 whether it has been found in Africa, as is commonly asserted. They are said to bound with apparent ease over a distance of from twenty-five to thirty feet, and mounting to the height of ten or twelve. It is consequently useless to attempt to chase them in the common mode with hounds; and their pursuit is restricted to the higher nobility, who employ for the purpose either hawks68, who pounce69 upon their quarry70 and detain it until the dogs can come up, or Chetahs, who attack them by surprise in the manner before described.
The elegant Albino now in the Tower was brought from Bombay by Captain Dalrymple of the Vansittart, and remained for a considerable time at Sand Pit Gate, where it was an especial favourite with his Majesty71, as well on account of the gentleness of its disposition, as for its rarity and beauty. It bears its confinement72 in the Menagerie with perfect resignation, and is remarkable for the mildness and tranquillity73 of its deportment.
点击收听单词发音
1 pall | |
v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕 | |
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2 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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3 agility | |
n.敏捷,活泼 | |
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4 antelope | |
n.羚羊;羚羊皮 | |
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5 antelopes | |
羚羊( antelope的名词复数 ); 羚羊皮革 | |
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6 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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7 muzzle | |
n.鼻口部;口套;枪(炮)口;vt.使缄默 | |
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8 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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9 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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10 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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11 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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12 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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13 elastic | |
n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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14 nucleus | |
n.核,核心,原子核 | |
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15 canine | |
adj.犬的,犬科的 | |
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16 regularity | |
n.规律性,规则性;匀称,整齐 | |
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17 ridge | |
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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18 renewal | |
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来 | |
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19 lengthening | |
(时间或空间)延长,伸长( lengthen的现在分词 ); 加长 | |
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20 thicket | |
n.灌木丛,树林 | |
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21 precipice | |
n.悬崖,危急的处境 | |
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22 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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23 congregate | |
v.(使)集合,聚集 | |
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24 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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25 gallop | |
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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26 recurrence | |
n.复发,反复,重现 | |
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27 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
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28 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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29 consecrated | |
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
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30 emblem | |
n.象征,标志;徽章 | |
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31 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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32 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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33 essentially | |
adv.本质上,实质上,基本上 | |
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34 diverge | |
v.分叉,分歧,离题,使...岔开,使转向 | |
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35 considerably | |
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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36 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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37 attain | |
vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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38 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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39 fawn | |
n.未满周岁的小鹿;v.巴结,奉承 | |
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40 lighter | |
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级 | |
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41 perfectly | |
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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42 purely | |
adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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43 physiology | |
n.生理学,生理机能 | |
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44 epidermis | |
n.表皮 | |
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45 membrane | |
n.薄膜,膜皮,羊皮纸 | |
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46 texture | |
n.(织物)质地;(材料)构造;结构;肌理 | |
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47 sufficiently | |
adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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48 secreted | |
v.(尤指动物或植物器官)分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 );隐匿,隐藏 | |
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49 extremities | |
n.端点( extremity的名词复数 );尽头;手和足;极窘迫的境地 | |
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50 vessels | |
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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51 mucous | |
adj. 黏液的,似黏液的 | |
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52 complexion | |
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 | |
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53 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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54 iris | |
n.虹膜,彩虹 | |
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55 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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56 tinge | |
vt.(较淡)着色于,染色;使带有…气息;n.淡淡色彩,些微的气息 | |
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57 solely | |
adv.仅仅,唯一地 | |
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58 secretion | |
n.分泌 | |
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59 afflicted | |
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60 disposition | |
n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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61 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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62 legacy | |
n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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63 moles | |
防波堤( mole的名词复数 ); 鼹鼠; 痣; 间谍 | |
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64 exempted | |
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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66 deviation | |
n.背离,偏离;偏差,偏向;离题 | |
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67 questionable | |
adj.可疑的,有问题的 | |
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68 hawks | |
鹰( hawk的名词复数 ); 鹰派人物,主战派人物 | |
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69 pounce | |
n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意 | |
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70 quarry | |
n.采石场;v.采石;费力地找 | |
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71 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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72 confinement | |
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限 | |
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73 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
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