The Descent of Man

times serves as a defence to the male during his
battles; but whether the hair in most cases has
been specially developed for this purpose, is
very doubtful. We may feel almost certain that
this is not the case, when only a thin and narrow
crest runs along the back; for a crest of
this kind would afford scarcely any protection,
and the ridge of the back is not a place likely to
be injured; nevertheless such crests are sometimes
confined to the males, or are much more
developed in them than in the females. Two
antelopes, the Tragelaphus scriptus (13. Dr.
Gray, 'Gleanings from the Menagerie at Knowsley,'
pl. 28.) (Fig. 70) and Portax picta may be
given as instances. When stags, and the males
of the wild goat, are enraged or terrified, these
crests stand erect (14. Judge Caton on the Wapiti,
'Transact. Ottawa Acad. Nat. Sciences,' 1868,
pp. 36, 40; Blyth, 'Land and Water,' on Capra
aegagrus 1867, p. 37.); but it cannot be supposed
that they have been developed merely for
the sake of exciting fear in their enemies. One