HABIT. 43 
HABIT. 
The most interesting features of the habits of this animal, will 
be developed when we come to treat of its domestication. In its 
wild state it is very timid and shy, avoiding its enemies with as 
much intelligence as the deer, except that it is more liable to be 
betrayed into danger by its curiosity. In fleetness, it excels all 
other quadrupeds of our continent; but as might be expected 
from this, it is short-winded and so cannot maintain its wonder- 
ful speed for a great length of time... 
As has been stated, it seeks treeless plains, ravines, and rolling 
foot-hills, avoiding the high mountains and heavily timbered 
regions, though at times it may be found in park-like countries 
where trees are sparse. 
‘They are exceptionally gregarious in their habits. Dr. Can- 
field says: ‘‘ From the first of September to the first of March 
avtelopes meet in bands, the bucks, does, and kids all together. 
At the end of that time the does separate themselves from the 
band one by one, to drop their kids ; they produce two at a birth. 
After a little time the does collect together with their young, 
probably for mutual protection against coyotes; the old bucks 
in the mean time go off alone, each by himseif or at most two 
together, leaving the young bucks and young does together in 
small bands. 
“‘ The old bucks now for a month or two wander a great deal, 
and are seen in the timber-lands, and in other places where they 
never go at any other season of the year, evidently ‘ tired of the 
world’ and fleeing from society. After two or three months, 
the young bucks and does join the old does and their kids, and 
finally by the first of September, all are together once more in 
bands of hundreds or thousands. Any particular band of ante- 
lopes does not leave the locality where they grow up, and never 
range more than a few miles in different directions.” 
The conduct of Mr. Cipperly’s tame antelope, which I men- 
tion in another place as the only instance of which I have heard 
of their breeding in domestication, shows that the habit of the 
sexes separating during the latter part of the period of gestation, 
is quite as much attributable to the inclination of the male as of 
the female. I quote from a letter to me by Hon. L. B. Crooker, 
who kindly investigated their habits for me, which shows this, as 
well as illustrates several other characteristics : ‘‘ In the spring, 
while the female was with young, the male seemed to lose his 
