Gems-bok (Oryx Gazella), a species of antelope, described by some naturalists as the Oryx, but which, being a native of South Africa only, cannot be the Oryx of the ancients, although it is certainly a nearly allied species. It is a heavy, stout animal, about the size of a stag, with rough reversed hair on the neck and along the ridge of the back; large pointed ears; and almost perfectly straight horns, fully two feet long, in the plane of the forehead, little diverging, and obscurely ringed at the base. The colours are harshly contrasted, dark rusty gray above, and white on the under parts, separated by a broad dark-brown or black band; the head white, with black transverse bands; the thighs black, and the legs white. The hoofs are remarkably long, adapted to the rocky mountainous districts which the animal frequents. The Gems-bok makes such use of its horns as sometimes even to beat off the lion. It inhabits districts free from wood, and is generally found in pairs or in very small herds.