The Antelopes in the Leyden Museum

The larger in size the animals are the more difficult their comparative study is; 1° as there hardly is any possibility to find all materials together in a given collection, 2° because no Museum in the world is large enough to possess sufficient large series of all known species of a given group, and 3° because large animals are very difficult to handle: they cannot be laid in series like small animals, they cannot be turned easily, their flat skins often are too strong and too obstinate, often dangerous to handle if they are hoofed; in one word there are lots of difficulties to overcome unknown by the students of smaller animals; moreover one has to travel and visit distant collections, very expensive and keeping much time. Add to all these obstacles that there is required a particular sharp memory for forms and colors — and it will be evident why the study of the larger animals hitherto so greatly has been neglected and why the number of Monographs on large animals is so small and the number of good Monographs still much smaller. Therefore the scientific world may be thankful to the authors of »the Book of Antelopes”, Dr. Sclater and Mr. Oldfield Thomas, that they endeavored to undertake such an extremely difficult although highly attractive task, which they fulfilled so completely and so energetically. »Errare humanum” there are inaccuracies in the Book; »tot capita tot mentes” every author has his own opinions — the Scomberscomber-theory f. i.! However as a whole I think this is the best and most complete Monograph of large Mammals ever published.