rest of the region has a few isolated, twisted and 

 stunted junipers and an occasional hunch of mountain 

 mahogany, scattered in the midst of a scanty growth 

 of black sage and characteristic desert vegetation. The 

 grasses are few, small and scattered; of perhaps a 

 dozen species. The total yield of dry forage from these 

 rarely can exceed perhaps one hundred pounds per 

 acre except near the few and widely scattered water 

 courses where over small areas is found a good growth 

 of characteristic native vegetation. Lupines, loco weed 

 and blue flag are reported to be conspicuous in the 

 spring. Excessive and unsystematic grazing, particu- 

 larly in the early spring, however, has greatly reduced 

 even this scanty total annual yield of pasturage. The 

 excessive loss of stock from starvation wdiile crossing 

 these plains to and from the winter feeding grounds is 

 the direct result of unregulated grazing and must 

 seriously impair profits. Competition by large stock 

 companies is driving out the few small grazing home- 

 steaders and turning their holdings into the hands of 

 the large companies. Moreover, the excessive grazing 

 so reduces the scanty pasturage that the antelope are 

 driven from their last stand in this region and need- 

 lessly exposed to danger from both natural and human 

 enemies. It is certain that under properly regulated 

 grazing a large number of head of stock than at present 

 could be pastured here without detriment to the normal 

 number of antelope, sage grouse, and native birds. 



Coyi elusions. The number of prong-horn antelope 

 here is steadily diminishing and now numbers not over 

 four hundred and possibly less than two hundred indi- 

 viduals. Our total count w^as one hundred and sixty 

 (forty-four bucks, forty-three does, twenty-two kids, 

 and fifty-one sex undetermined) of which I am certain 

 one hundred and thirty-three could not by any possi- 

 bility have been counted twice. The l^ands were all 

 small and scattered, though as the date September 17 

 to 23 was three weeks later than any previous visit I 

 expected to find them in large bands. The six largest 

 bands this year numbered eighteen, fourteen, eight, six, 



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