3 34 ^^iTie of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



deprecated. For not only does Aiitilocapra aiiicncana torm a genus pLX'uliar 

 to North Americ.i, hut liy the ahnost universal consent of naturalists it is 

 regarded as representing a taniily hy itselt. Considering, then, that 

 antelopes, properly so-called, constitute only a section ot the tamilv Bovidce 

 (or ruminants with hollow unhranched horns which are never shed), it is 

 manifestly absurd to apply the same name to the single representative of 

 another family, specially characterised by the peculiarity that the hollow 

 horn-sheaths are forked and annually shed and renewed. Consequently it 

 is in every way preferable to employ the designation pronghorn or prong- 

 buck for this very singular ruminant. 



Objection is sometimes taken by non-scientihc writers ^ to the title 

 Autilocapra as the scientific designation of the animal, on the ground that 

 it is in no wise intermediate between a goat and an antelope. But if such 

 objections were allowed, a very large number ot the current generic titles 

 of mammals would have to be changed, — notablv, 'laurotnigiis tor the 

 eland and Hippotragiis for the roan and sable antelopes. And unless there 

 are very strong reasons indeed for taking another course, it is generally 

 best to regard such compound names as abstract titles of the animals tor 

 which they stand without going into the question ot their etymology. 



In its forked and deciduous horn-sheaths the pronghorn stands quite 

 alone among living ruminants, and it is therefore decidedly the most 

 peculiar member of that group found in North America. It is solely 

 owing to this peculiarity that it is regarded as the type ot a tamily by 

 itself; its other features allying it closely with the Bovltlte, or ordinary 

 hollow-horned ruminants. 



The horns, which are rudimentary or absent in the female, are com- 

 pressed at the base and conical at the tip, curving backwards and slightly 

 inwards after giving off the flattened triangular process which projects from 

 their front edge rather less than haU-\va\' up. The onlv trace ot this tt)rk 



' E.g. Mr. F. C. Sc-Ioiis in S[)(.rt and Travel. 



