42 THE ANTELOPE OF AMERICA. 
choice, although probably if driven by dire necessity he might 
take tree food, but this is only inference. My observations 
on this point have been careful and continuous with excellent 
opportunities. I have often spent hours watching them when 
feeding. I have frequently tried them, with twigs and leaves 
when these were young and tender, as well as when quite ma- 
tured, of every tree and shrub within my reach, including the 
hazel, several kinds of oak, the hickory, the sugar-maple, the ash, 
and the mulberry, but could never induce them to taste of any, 
though the deer seized them greedily. In winter I have seen 
them pick up the dried oak leaves from the ground possibly for 
the tannin they contained, and as a substitute for some grass 
found in their native range, but was not found in my grounds, 
but I never saw them touch the green leaf of a tree. 
The dried and frosted leaves were not taken for the nutriment 
they contained, for they practically contained none; and the blue 
grass was abundant and accessible, so that they did not want for 
food. I have observed them once or twice in winter time to 
pick the fine short parasitic lichens from the young live trees, but 
never the coarser mosses. 
They would eat apples sparingly. but I never knew them to 
take acorns, wild plums, grapes, or cherries. They are fond of 
all the kinds of grain which I have ever offered them. In win- 
ter they will pick the leaves and heads of timothy hay and of 
clover, and fine clover rowen they take quite freely, but prefer to 
scrape away the snow for the grass when that is possible. Per- 
ennial grasses suit them best. In my grounds they preferred the 
blue grass ; but sometimes cropped the white clover. I never 
saw them touch the weeds of which the deer are so very fond. 
Bread and cake they took gratefully if it was fresh and good, 
but if stale they rejected it. Altogether, they are dainty feeders 
and very select in the choice of their food. In a wild state they 
no doubt live principally on the various kinds of buffalo grass, 
but probably find many other kinds of herbaceous food with 
which we are not acquainted. 
They are fond of common salt, and should have it always by 
them when in parks; and if soda be mixed with it, no doubt it 
would be better for them, for their native plains generally abound 
with crude or sulphate of sodium, and long use may make this 
better for them, than in the ‘form of the chloride. At least it is 
worth the trial by those who have pet antelopes. 
