1 82 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



development of the pronghorn in the desert 

 regions the ability to do without water for days 

 at a time. 



The food of the pronghorn is sage, grease- 

 wood, sometimes cactus, and, on the desert, 

 broomrape. I do not recall ever seeing him 

 eat grass. In the extremely arid regions of 

 the Southwest the local flocks, in common with 

 mountain sheep and other animals of the desert, 

 have developed the habit of doing without water 

 for days sometimes for a period of two weeks 

 or longer have no other moisture than that fur- 

 nished by the plants eaten. 



When the young antelope are about three 

 weeks old they appear to have full use of their 

 legs and usually follow the mother in feedings 

 and fights. At this time numbers of mothers 

 and youngsters collect and run together. They 

 are thus enabled to give mutual aid and to 

 withstand coyotes and other enemies better. 

 Sometimes under dangerous conditions the 

 young are left behind while some of the mothers 

 go for water, and on their return the remaining 

 ones go. Just why this mutual aid is not 

 practised while the young are almost helpless 

 is not clear. 



In early autumn all ages and sexes unite and 

 commonly run together, often in large flocks, 

 throughout the winter. The youngsters often 



