554 



THE PHONG-HORN ANTELOPE. 



Sub-family JVemorkedince includes two genera and ten species. They are goat-like Ante- 

 lopes. The typical genus, Nemorhedus, has nine species in Asia. The other genus has but 

 one species, the Rocky Mountain Goat (Aplocerus montamcs), and is wholly confined to Amer- 

 ica, and the narrow limits of the Rocky Mountains. This is a true Antelope, in all essential 

 features and affinities, though having something of the aspect of the goat, from whence it 

 derives its trivial name. 



■ ''■''..= .- ' ' '-■■■ 



AOUDAD. —Ammotragus tragelaphus. 



In some respects this creature resembles the chamois of the Alps. Its small re-curved 

 horns are especially like those of the latter. Its nose is hairy and ovine in aspect. It has no 

 muffle, and no tear-bag. The under fur is short and woolly, and the outer fur is long and 

 pendant. 



Next to the musk sheep this is the rarest of North American animals. It inhabits the 

 most inaccessible cliffs of the Rocky Mountains. Only during the last ten years has it been 

 taken. The extreme difficulty in recovering the body even if the hunter is successful in shoot- 

 ing it, has hitherto proved insuperable. Its habits are entirely unobserved. The long and 

 rugged pathway along which the hunter has to pass proves too fatiguing, and even now it is a 

 rare animal in collections. The Central Park Museum has a fine example. The pelt of this is 

 pure white. The horns and hoofs are jet black. 



One more sub-family, distinguished by being wholly American, and having one genus and 

 one species only, is the Ant/'locaprince. 



The Prong-horn Antelope (AnUlocapra americana) is a familiar species to the visitor 

 of the great Western plains. The title prong-hom relates to the small branch of the horn. 

 About the time of the settlement of California it was very abundant on the great plains. Its 

 favorite range is along the barren or naked plains, avoiding the timber lands, as it depends on 

 its fleetness to escape from enemies. The eye of this creature is larger than that of any other 



