THE PRONG-BUCK. 283 



fearfully fagged. I thought the Indians intended 

 to pursue us to the edge of this wilderness, and 

 when off our guard, worn-out for want of sleep, 

 killing us, and driving off the band of mules. 



I am in the very paradise of the prong-buck 

 (Antilocapra Americana ) . In bands of twenty or 

 thirty they gallop close up to the mules, halt, have 

 a good look, and suddenly scent danger ; the lead- 

 ing bucks give a loud whistling snort, then away 

 they all scamper, and rapidly disappear. We 

 shot as many as we needed, but at this time the 

 does we killed were heavy in fawn. 



The size of the prong-buck, when fully grown, 

 is somewhat larger than the domestic sheep ; 

 but its legs, being proportionably much longer, 

 give it a greater altitude. The neck is also 



O O 



of greater length, and the head carried more 



C O ' 



erect. The hind-legs are longer than the fore 

 ones; a wise provision, not only tending to 

 give additional fleetness, but materially assisting 

 it in climbing steep precipices and rocky crags, 

 up and down which it bounds with astonishing 

 speed and security. 



The back is a pale dun colour ; a transverse 

 stripe between the eyes ; the lip, and each side the 

 muzzle, and a spot beneath the ear, dark reddish- 

 brown ; the entire underparts, the edges of the 



