The Extinct Blue Buck of South Africa

Abstract

ONLY two large mammals of South Africa have become extinct in the historical period, namely, the quagga and the blue buck. The blue buck (Hippotragus leucophaeus) lived in the south-west part of Cape Colony, and is believed to have been exterminated about 1799. About half a dozen mounted specimens have been preserved, mostly rather bad, and perhaps about three more pairs of horns exist the determination of which is doubtful. No specimen of the skull is known to exist, except perhaps in some of the mounted specimens.