OP A RANCHMAN 221 



the buffalo and elk, to vanish from the 

 places that formerly knew it. The big-horn 

 and the prong-horn are more difficult to 

 stalk and kill, partly from their greater nat- 

 ural wariness, and partly from the kind of 

 ground on which they are found. But it 

 seems at first sight strange that the black- 

 tail should be exterminated or driven away 

 so much more quickly than the white-tail, 

 when it has sharper ears and nose, is more 

 tenacious of life, and is more wary. The 

 main reason is to be found in the difference 

 in the character of the haunts of the two 

 creatures. The black-tail is found on much 

 more open ground, where the animals can 

 be seen farther off, where it is much easier 

 to take advantage of the direction of the 

 wind and to get along without noise, and 



e far more country can be traversi 

 a given time ; and though the average length 

 of the shots taken is in one case two or three 

 times as great as in the other, yet tl 

 more than counterbalanced by the fact that 

 they are more often standing ones, and that 



