14 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



much as possible, put the antelope on my back and 

 brought it in. From the feeling of my shoulders I 

 think it weighed two hundred pounds." 



It weighed about seventy, but Dyche was tired. 



"Well, now, Dyche, I want you to tell me what 

 you noticed about the animal. You have been study- 

 ing about large mammals ever since I first knew you, 

 and are too much of a naturalist not to have examined 

 the first antelope you ever killed." This question 

 from Snow at first startled Dyche, but after getting 

 over a little diffidence he said : 



" After my first feeling of surprise, I began to look 

 the animal over. It was a fat, barren doe." 



" A what? " said Dick. " What is a barren doe? " 



" A doe that has never had a fawn, or loses her 

 fawn early in the spring and goes without one for 

 the rest of the summer, is called a barren doe. My 

 attention was attracted particularly to the head, 

 which is much more handsome than that of any of 

 the deer kind. The muzzle was delicately and well 

 formed. It was completely covered with hair, with 

 the exception of a narrow streak between, the nostrils 

 and the bare skin around them, which was vefy black. 

 The ears were small smaller than those of the com- 

 mon deer, terminating in a point turning inward from 

 the general direction of the ear. The eye was large 

 and dark hazel. I had seen it described as 'black,' 

 'very black,' or 'intensely black,' and I made a close 

 examination to satisfy myself. It was a hazel which, 

 at a short distance, could easily be mistaken for 

 black, but it was not black. The horns were small, 

 not more than an inch long." 



