ENEMIES OF THE PRO>'G-HORN. 123 



or thirty yards, raising everyone of their legs at the 

 same instant to a height of a yard above the earth. 

 They then stretch out their bodies, and make off at such 

 speed that they will cover a space of three or four 

 miles in as many minutes. 



Man with his deadly gun is scarcely so formidable 

 an enemy to the prong-horn as is the wolf. Cold 

 weather is also a great means of checking the increase 

 of this interesting tribe of animals. In the winter time 

 numbers even of the adult animals perish from starva- 

 tion on the more northern prairies ; and the hunters 

 frequently discover their carcases in the last stage of 

 emaciation. In cold backward springs the young 

 prong-horns are carried off in numbers by the in- 

 clemency of the season, while the wolves are always 

 near at hand ready to devour any that are sick or 

 ailing. 



The prong-horn as well as deer are remarkably fond 

 of salt or salt water, and know well where the salt-licks 

 are to be found. If they possibly can, they pay a daily 

 visit to the salt-spring, and after they have swallowed 

 a quantity of the water, or have licked the salt earth, 

 they will remain near the spot for two or three hours, 

 in fact refusing to stir till hunger drives them once 

 more to their feedinof arounds. 



The prong-horn is fatter and in better condition late 

 in the autumn than at any other period of the year. 

 In the opinion of most hunters, the choicest morsel is 



