Prongbuck 235 



The Antelope is a creature of the dry plains, the land of foods 

 grass, cactus, and sage, and its food is by long habit confined 

 to these species of plants. Judge Caton could not induce his 

 captive specimens to touch twigs, browse, or leaves. They 

 would eat grain and fresh bread, but rejected fruit and acorns. 

 "They are fond of common salt [he says*''], and should have it 

 always by them when in parks; and if soda be mixed with it, 

 no doubt, it would be better for them, for their native plains 

 generally abound with crude or sulphate of sodium, and long 

 use may make this better for them than in the form of the 

 chloride; at least it is worth the trial by those who have pet 

 Antelopes." 



Once every day during the hours of sunheat the Antelope drink 

 cautiously wend their way to some familiar pond, spring or 

 stream. There they drink copiously, for they seem to need 

 much water. Nevertheless, those who are familiar with the 

 arid region of the continent will see at a glance that the map 

 (p. 213) includes as Antelope range vast areas that are without 

 water during the greater part of the year. How, then, do the 

 Antelope live there? The answer is simple: These regions 

 are provided with vegetation that has the power of storing up 

 water for its own use — that can, during the few showers of 

 winter, lay up enough moisture to carry it over the whole year; 

 and chief among these provident plants are the great bulging 

 cactuses. Each is a living tank charged with fluid so precious 

 that it must perforce wear a bodyguard of poisonous bayonets 

 to keep back the horde of wayfarers so ready to slake their 

 thirst at the cactus's expense. In these the Antelope finds its 

 desert springs. T. S. Vandyke, who first called my attention 

 to this fact, says: 



"On the arid plains of Lerdo, in Mexico, where I hunted 

 in 1884, the Deer and Antelope do not drink. The proof is 

 conclusive to my mind. I know that the only water for 40 

 miles was a little pool less than 200 feet across, that was only a 

 quarter of a mile from my camp. Whitetail, Mule-deer, and 



*° Loc. ciL, p. 42. 



