THE PROXGHORNED ANIMALS. 



5 1 5 



horns or the shedding of antlers by the Deer. The 

 new horns seemed to be of larger diameter than the 

 hollow space of the old ones, a circumstance ex- 

 plained by the fact that the hair at their bases had 

 concealed the gradual shedding of the old sheaths. 

 The rapid growth of the new horns led to the conclu- 

 sion that the process was an entirely natural one: 

 the animal in accordance with its nature had to shed 

 its horns in this manner. This supposition received 

 a complete confirmation in the account of the Amer- 

 ican naturalist Canfield, published in consequence of 

 Bartlett's report. A Pronghorn which was kept by 

 Canfield attained an age of nearly three years, regu- 

 larly shedding its horns during this time, thus af- 

 fording the naturalist an opportunity of observing not 

 only a double shedding of the horns, but also of the 



neously with the beginning of the shedding process, 

 and thus pushes the old horns out of place. From 

 November till January no strong line of demarcation 

 can be noticed between the hairy covering and the 

 horn proper, the entire new formation being closely 

 covered with a sheath of hair, which is not rubbed 

 off as is the case with the Deer, but gradually falls 

 off as the growing of the horny substance progresses. 

 In summer the line of demarcation between hair and 

 horn is very distinct. 

 The Pronghorn's Pronghorned Antelopes, when taken 

 Behavior in in old age, do not seem to become 

 Captivity. reconciled to the loss of their free- 

 dom. Such as could be captured in winter during 

 the prevalence of a deep snow, and were then turned 

 loose in an enclosure, proved to be very tractable and 



THE PRONGHORN. This animal, popularly known as the Antelope in the United States, differs from all other Horned A 



its horns and the manner in which it sheds and renews them. It is a familiar feature of the region west of the Missouri and noted as 

 the larger American mammals, having no rival in this respect except its neighbor, the Jack-rabbit. (Antilocapra americana.) 



nimals in 

 the most 



the shape of 

 fleetfooted of 



further development of those members. The third 

 year's horns exhibit a modification of form, no longer 

 having a circular but an ovoid cross-section rudiment- 

 ary development of the prong. On the forehead, at 

 the root of each horn there forms a second excres- 

 cence, at first separated from it, thus forming a sec- 

 ond pair of tubercles as it were, which soon unites 

 permanently with the older bony core, however, and 

 only serves for the attachment of the prong. The 

 complete horn is developed by the following June 

 and henceforth remains more or less the same after 

 each shedding, only increasing a little in size. We 

 may fairly assume that the new horny substance is 

 formed by the fusion of the capillary substance be- 

 tween the cancellated matter of the bony core and 

 the horny sheath, which begins to grow simulta- 



good-natured, or even trustful, but only while their 

 exhausted and weakened condition lasted. As soon 

 as the effects of starvation had been overcome, the 

 yearning after freedom would assert itself and they 

 exhibited their natural savage disposition. They 

 would run and butt against the fence of the enclos- 

 ure as if they were mad and give vent to their rage 

 until they sustained some mortal injury. 



Kids taken soon after birth also generally die 

 very early, unless special care is bestowed on them. 

 Of about twenty little kids, which Canfield took 

 in the course of three summers, he succeeded in 

 rearing only two. Nearly all of them suffered from 

 diarrhoea, probably in consequence of the diet of 

 cow's milk, which is not suitable for them. If they 

 succeeded in overcoming this, they would live for 



