218 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



survive until the spring, as they are persecuted by the Wolves 

 during the whole winter." 



From this we may conclude that the Antelope is a creature 

 of small home locality, and a permanent resident there when 

 climate and food-supply permit, as is the case in the southern 

 part of its range. But in the colder, snowier regions it is driven 

 to journey in search of better conditions; and though these 

 movements are as often northward as southward, they are 

 seasonal and somewhat regular, so that they are true migra- 

 tions. 



A curious stampede that took place during one of these 

 movements is thus narrated"" by H. W. Skinner, Chicago: 



*' Early in the spring of 1890 a party consisting of two 

 trappers and three prospectors, besides myself, were going up 

 the western side of the Green River, in Wyoming, as rapidly 

 as the melting of the snow would allow us to proceed. The 

 wild animals were going up the river valley at the same time. 

 Large bands of Antelope travelled parallel with us, and being 

 unmolested (as for a number of days not a shot was fired), 

 they would dash by within a hundred yards of us. We some- 

 times stopped for two or three days at a time, waiting for the 

 snow to melt sufficiently to allow us to go ahead. While mak- 

 ing one of these stops we camped on a gentle slope facing the 

 south-west. The snow had disappeared from the slope, but 

 was still quite deep in the valley through which we were obliged 

 to pass. As we lay quietly in our blankets one noon, taking 

 turns at crawling under the wagon to get out of the intense heat 

 of the sun, there suddenly came over the crest of the ridge north- 

 east of us (the crest being not more than fifty yards distant) 

 a band of Antelope numbering about 50. Being badly fright- 

 ened by something, they dashed over the ridge, and were among 

 us before we could spring to our feet. Probably half of the 

 band ran directly through the camp. All tried to sheer off to 

 the right, but the momentum and panic of the leaders were so 

 great that they did not change their course quickly enough to 

 avoid running over us. I do not know that any member of 



*" Letter, April 3, 1901. 



