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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the arch thus formed. Although this deer still lingers in the moun- 

 tainous regions of Pennsylvania, and perhaps in a few other places 

 in the eastern part of our country, it is confined mainly to the western 

 and northwestern portions of North America, and south of the fifty- 

 seventh parallel of latitude. In some cases it is found in large herds, 



Fig. 4. The Elk, or Wapiti {Cervus Canadensis). 



all the members of which follow one of the males which is their leader, 

 and whose movements they more or less closely imitate. The color 

 of the wapiti is grayish in winter, and chestnut-red in summer. This 

 deer is the analogue of the stag or red deer (C. elephas) of Europe, 

 and was formerly regarded as identical with the latter ; but it is a 

 very much larger animal than its European relation, and is in every 

 way a distinct species. 



The antelopes differ from all the deer in having their horns per- 

 manent and hollow, and, like a sheath, covering a conical process of 

 the frontal bone. In this respect the antelopes are like sheep, goats, 

 and oxen. The antelopes have the horns round, curved, ringed, or 

 wrinkled, and always black. There are many species of antelopes, no 

 less than ninety having been described. Of these, two are found in 

 North America, two in Europe, and all the rest in Asia and Africa.- 



Our most interesting species of antelope is the prong-horn (Antilo- 

 capra Americana, Fig. 5) of the western portions of North America. 

 It is about the size of the Virginia deer, and is covered with coarse, 



