MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 289 



The American antelope is accredited with unusual intelli- 

 gence and is quite readily tamed, but domestication is not per- 

 manently successful for even under the most favorable circum- 

 stances the contrast to the active and free life of the plains is 

 very great and becomes intolerable. Health is impaired and 

 the animal soon dies. The reproductive powers are affected 

 even sooner than the general health and breeding in confine* 

 ment is rarely or never successful. It is interesting to notice 

 the fact stated by Caton that the prong-buck seems to consider 

 the antelope of Asia as more congenial than native deer with 

 which it probably was familiar in its natural state. The antelope 

 is a dainty feeder but avoids the browse which constitutes so 

 large a part of the food of deer and woodland ruminants. They 

 seem to live almost entirely upon the buffalo grass of their na- 

 tive plains, but readily partake of the ordinary cereals in con- 

 finement. 



The antelope is assiduously pursued both by Indians and 

 white hunters for, though somewhat dry, the flesh is highly 

 esteemed and even finds its way in considerable quantities into 

 Minneapolis markets. The chase is difficult but is rendered less 

 so by the curiosity which is so marked a peculiarity of the 

 animal as to be a real weakness. Another point which is 

 availed of by the hunter is the entire inability of the antelope 

 to spring over high vertical obstacles, and this in spite of 

 really marvelous powers in horizontal leaps. It would seem 

 that long confinement to the plains has deprived them of their 

 natural endowment in this direction. The Indians formerly 

 availed themselves of this peculiarity by forming large low 

 enclosures of brush-wood into which the antelope were driven, 

 much as the caribou is captured in the north, and followed 

 until exhausted and slaughtered. The Indians of the present 

 day sometimes run them down on horseback, for, although fleet 

 of foot, the antelope is said to lack wind. Staking is the usual 

 method of hunting as their sight is but moderately discriminat- 

 ing. The habitat is limited to the temperate parts of North 

 America west of the Mississippi river. Formerly their range 

 included all of the territory between the tropics and about fifty- 

 four north latitude and from the Mississippi to the coast ex- 

 cept in the wooded and mountainous portions. At the present 

 time they are restricted to the less accessible and arid regions 

 between the Missouri river and the Mountains and southward. 

 Southwestern Minnesota once furnished them congenial past- 

 urage, but they have long since retired beyond the Missouri. 



