Wolves and Wolf Nature 



take turns, and while one runs the others rest, 

 and at last they tire the antelope out, and 

 capture it. 



If, when it was started, the antelope ran 

 straight away, it would, of course, leave all the 

 wolves behind, those that were resting even 

 more than the one that was chasing it; but 

 the antelope often does not run straight away; 

 it is much more likely to run in large circles, 

 and this enables the wolves to take turns 

 when chasing it. 



When three or four prairie wolves decide 

 that they want antelope meat, one of them 

 creeps as close as possible to the antelope 

 they have selected, and makes a rush for it, 

 running as fast as he possibly can, so as to 

 push the antelope to its best speed and to 

 tire it out. Meantime his companions spread 

 out on either side of the runner, and get upon 

 little hills or knolls so as to keep the chase in 

 sight. They trot from point to point, and 

 pretty soon, when the antelope turns and 

 begins to work back toward one of them, this 

 one tries to get as nearly as possible in its 

 path, and as it flies by, the wolf dashes out at 

 it and runs after it at top speed, while the one 



that had been chasing the antelope stops run- 



191 



