ANTELOPE. 201 



increase in number, until sometimes hundreds are collected 

 in one band. The does are very motherly, and will give 

 suck to other young besides their own ; consequently 

 very few of the fawns die, even although their dams may 

 have been killed. 



The seasons for running and for parturition are the 

 same as for other deer. Antelope are very prolific, the 

 female generally producing two fawns at a birth, whilst 

 barren does are unknown. In all my experience I have 

 never seen one, while among red deer in some locations at 

 least half the does are barren. 



In September and October the flesh of the antelope is 

 no better for food than that of the black or white-tailed deer, 

 nor so good as that of the mountain sheep, but it has the un- 

 usual advantage of being most excellent all the year round. 

 At the season when the other large game animals are poor, 

 tough, stringy, and unfit for food, antelope meat, however 

 poor, is always tender, juicy, and most delicious. 



In the late fall, when the antelope congregate in great 

 herds, the Utes and other Indians of the foot hills make 

 surrounds and kill great numbers of the panic- stricken 

 herds. 



Antelope possess very great vitality, and will carry 

 off more lead in proportion to their size than any 

 other animal. They possess, too, remarkable courage, 

 and, under ordinary circumstances, do not trouble them- 

 selves to get out of the way even of the large buffalo 

 wolves. A single antelope will bravely face a single 

 wolf, and successfully beat off his attack, and a herd does 

 not fear the attack of any number of wolves. Wherever 

 the antelope are numerous there will generally be found 

 plenty of wolves, who lie around the herd at a little dis- 

 tance, watchful and ready to take advantage of any 

 accident in their favour ; now pouncing upon one which 

 has strayed from the protection of the herd, and making 

 a prompt meal of any one which should happen to be 

 sick, or get injured in any way. 



