ON THE PLAINS 265 



" T should think the Coyotes and Foxes couhl snrely 

 find the baby Deer when they were hidden in the 

 bushes," said Rap. 



'' So you would imagine, but when the fawns are very 

 small they are said to have no odor by which they may 

 be tracked, and if tlieir mothers scent harm for them 

 they give a bleating call, and tlie obedient children 

 flatten themselves close to the eartli and are hidden 

 from sight, in the same manner that the little grouse 

 disappear at tlieir mother's cluck. As soon as they 

 are old enough to have strength in their legs, the faAv^ns 

 cease hiding, taking to their heels when alarmed — 

 and how a Pronghorn runs when it chooses ! The 

 fully grown Antelope can outrun a race horse for a 

 certain distance, and though they cannot jump as far 

 upward as other Deer, they can cross a great space on 

 a level, and even tlie little ones bound over the ground 

 as swiftly as Rabbits." 



" I should think if they ran so fast and could see so 

 far, hunters could never catch tliem," said Rap. 



'' It is a difticult matter in broken and treacherous 

 ground, but their curiosity makes it possible. To chase 

 Antelope on horseback at full speed over the plains is 

 dangerous work ; at any moment a horse may step into 

 a Badger or Prairie Dog's hole, break his leg, and give 

 tlie rider a bad fall. But sometimes a herd, on seeing 

 a horseman, will run a little way, then all wheel round 

 and gaze at him before starting once more, whicli lets 

 him gain time. 



" There was a way of attracting Antelope, called sig- 

 nalling, by waving a flag on a pole. On sight of the 

 waving object, the curiosity of the animals was excited 



