122 THE AMERICAN AXTELOPE, OR PROXQ-HORN. 



black eye full of a soft mild expression. The glandular 

 opening beneath the eye so conspicuous in the ordinary 

 American deer is not to be seen. 



During spring and autumn the prong-horned antelope 

 inhabits the richest valleys near some river ; it can 

 swim for some distance, and moves very swiftly through 

 the w^ater. Sometimes a herd, if startled w^hile grazing 

 on the banks of a river, will plunge boldly into the 

 stream, and cross over without much disorder and ap- 

 parently with the greatest ease. 



^ Their keen eyes enable them to detect the motion of 

 an enemy, be he a human foe or wolf. One of the herd 

 is generally on the look-out, scanning the surface of 

 the prairie, and wall generally notice the approach of 

 an enemy unless an intervening cluster of bushes or 

 inequality of the ground chance to conceal it. Much 

 caution is therefore necessary in stalking this animal. 

 The hunter must advance against the wind, and move 

 with patience as well as caution, only crawling forward 

 a pace or two while the wary animals have their heads 

 turned away from him in the act of browsing, or w^hile 

 they have their attention attracted by some other ob- 

 ject. If alarmed, they will retire to the highest ground 

 with which they are acquainted, and will not stray from 

 them for some time. 



The Aniiloccqyrah^s some peculiarities in its gait. 

 The moment they observe a man or any strange object 

 which they suppose to be a foe, they bound for twenty 



