THE PLANT-EATERS OF NORTH AMERICA. 685 



thick hair. Its color above is yellowish-brown ; the rump and under 

 parts white ; the horns, hoofs, and the naked part of the nose, black. 

 The white hair covering the rump is very long, and seems to be under 

 the perfect control of the animal, and is at once made to stand erect 

 when he is in the least excited ; and it is wonderful to see this patch 

 of hair rise and fall with his varying emotions. About half-way up 

 the horns of the adult there is a branch or prong, and from this fact 

 the animal gets its popular name. 



The prong-horn is often seen alone, more frequently perhaps there 

 are several together, and in some cases herds of one or two hundred 



I 



Fig. 5. The Prong-horn Antelope (Antilocapra Americana). 



are seen. It is not an uncommon thing for the traveler on the Pacific 

 Railway to see several of these beautiful animals while he is crossing 

 the Plains. One has been seen to run along for a mile or two parallel 

 with the moving train, as if determined to keep up with it. Its speed 

 is very great, and is only equaled by that of the fleetest of the deer; 

 and hence it is almost useless to pursue it. It is not, however, diffi- 

 cult to secure these animals. They have great curiosity in regard to 

 any objects which they are not accustomed to. The hunters well 

 know this fact, and turn it to their own advantage. "When the ex- 

 perienced hunter sees a prong-horn, or a herd of them, he does not 

 pursue them, but keeps his ground, or little by little advances very 

 slowly. The antelope soon advances a little toward him. The hunter 

 waves his handkerchief, or a rag ; the animal approaches still nearer 

 and nearer ; and in this manner he is soon within easy range of the 

 hunter's rifle. It is stated that the Indians have the habit of lying 

 flat upon their backs, and kicking up their heels with a rag or some- 

 thing fastened to them ; and that by this process they entice the 

 prong-horn to within such a distance that they kill it with their bow 



