SPORT AND TRAVEL 167 



the antelopes of the Old World the annual shedding 

 of the horn-sheaths is certainly a most remarkable 

 distinction, but does not bring it any nearer to the 

 goats. 



As the process by which the horn-sheaths of the 

 prong-horned antelope are annually shed and re- 

 newed is, I think, not generally understood and the 

 fact itself often doubted, I make no apology for here 

 quoting from the very interesting account written on 

 this subject by the well-known American naturalist, 

 Judge Caton. After speaking of certain observations 

 which he had made on the horn growth of a young 

 prong-horn buck running in his park, the author of 

 "The Deer and Antelope of North America" goes 

 on to say: "Let us observe the horn of the adult 

 male antelope which is shed in October. If we make 

 our observation so soon as the horn is cast off, we 

 can readily understand the process by which it is 

 removed. By looking into the cavity of the cast-off 

 horn, we shall see that it extends but about half-way 

 its length, or a little way above the prong ; and we 

 shall also see that it contains a large number of 

 coarse lightish-coloured hairs, all of which are firmly 

 attached to the horn, and many of them, towards the 

 lower part, passing quite through it. We see the core 

 of the horn is covered with a thick vascular skin, 

 which is pretty well covered with the same kind of 

 hairs as those seen in the cavity of the horn. We 

 now appreciate that these hairs grew from the skin 



