56 CALIFORNIA MAMMALS. 



untimbered parts of the United States west of the Mississippi 

 River, northern Mexico and the southern part of British America. 

 Prior to the discovery of gold in California they were abundant 

 in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Valley and other parts of the 

 State. In 1877 I saw a band of about two dozen where Perris. 

 Riverside County now stands, and the next year I saw one within 

 the limits of what is now the city of Riverside. At this writing 

 they are almost exterminated in this State. There are a very 

 few in Modoc, Lassen and Mono Counties, and a small band or 

 two in the deserts in the southeastern part of the State. All 

 told there may be two or three hundred left and this number 

 is steadily diminishing. 



Prong-horned Antelopes are found in open treeless regions, 

 very seldom among trees, never in dense forests. They often 

 frequent broken and hilly ground. Their food is mostly grasses, 

 seldom twigs or leaves of bushes and trees, in this respect being' 

 unlike the deer family. Their run is very rapid, probably faster 

 than that of any deer and thev can continue this rapid run 

 longer than the deer. They are able to jump across wide ditches, 

 making very long horizontal leaps, but are unable, or do not know 

 how, to leap over obstacles three or four feet high. 



The rutting season is September and the }-oung are dropped 

 in May. Twins are frequent. Prong-horns are easily tamed 

 but are dijfficult to keep in good health. Their power of scent is 

 acute, but their sight and hearing is only moderately good. They 

 are shy and timid, but are inquisitive, their curiosity being taken 

 advantage of by hunters to entice them within gunshot range. 

 Their flesh is not vei7 palatable when freshly killed but becomes 

 better with a day or two's keeping. It is less nutritious than 

 venison. Prong-horns are more gregarious than deer at most 

 seasons. They are called Cabree by the French Canadians. 



