1866.] DR. C. A. CANFIKLD ON THE I'RONfillUCK. 1 0. r > 



Head of Cervus pudu, <$ . 



a pair of small straight horns, without any branches, measuring about 

 2 inches in length. >._^ - 



Dr. Gray exhibited a series of glass models of Actiniae, made in 

 Dresden, which had been presented to the Trustees of the British 

 Museum by the Rev. Robert Hudson. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On the Habits of the Prongbuck (Antilocapra americana), 

 and the Periodical Shedding of its Horns. By Colbert 

 A. Canfield, M.D.* 



" Monterey, California, 



September 10, 1858. 



" Sir, — Your report on the Mammalia of this western coast, 

 and more especially the description and account of the Prong-horned 

 Antelope (Antilocapra americana) in vol. viii. of the ' Railroad Re- 

 ports,' has induced me to send you the results of my own observa- 

 tions on this Antelope, believing that I can furnish you some new 

 facts that will sufficiently interest you to repay you for the trouble of 

 learning them. I take the liberty of saying this because I have ob- 

 served the Antelope for several years, have hunted them and killed 

 a number of them (perhaps 150 of all ages and sexes), have caught 

 and raised young ones, and am as familiar with them as most people 

 are with goats and sheep. In the region where I have observed 

 them (in the south-eastern part of the county of Monterey, Cali- 

 fornia) they run in bands of from six or eight up to hundreds. I 

 lived several years in a valley, half a mile wide and several miles long, 

 surrounded by open, dry grass-hills, the favourite habitat of the 

 Antelope. Scarcely a day passed that Antelopes did not pass bv in 

 sight of the house, or did not come down to the water (100 yards 



* A letter addressed to Prof. Baird, Assistant Secretary to the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, Washington, F.M.Z.S., and communicated by him to the Society. 



