NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



51 



ly over the steep roof, or perching upon its peak, is one of 

 the drollest sights of the Park. 



The "White Goat, sometimes mistakenly called "goat an- 

 telope, ' ' belongs to a small group known as the Rupicaprines 

 or rock antelopes. It inhabits many different kinds of ter- 

 ritory, but usually the rugged sides and summits of high 

 mountains, at irregular intervals from southwestern Mon- 

 tana and northern "Washington, northward to the head of 

 Cook Inlet on the coast of Alaska. (See map of distribution, 

 with label.) The valley of the upper Yukon contains prac- 

 tically no goats. They are most abundant in southeastern 

 British Columbia, where in a very small area, in September, 

 1905, Mr. John M. Phillips and the writer actually counted 

 239 individuals. 



Of the five animals now exhibited in the Park, three were 

 captured a few days after their birth, in May, 1905, about 

 seventy miles north of Fort Steele, British Columbia. They 

 arrived here October 9, 1905, and up to this date they have 

 thriven as well, and grown as rapidly, as they would have 

 in a state of nature. Their food consists of the best clover 

 hay obtainable, and crushed oats. "When they shed their 

 coats, in the spring, they are almost as white as snow, but 

 with months of use, their pelage becomes soiled, and slightly 

 discolored. 



A fully adult male mountain goat stands from 39 to 41 

 inches in shoulder height, and weighs, on scales, from 258 to 

 300 pounds. 



THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE. 



The Prong-Horned Antelope, (Antilocapra americana), is 

 an animal in which Americans should now take special in- 

 terest. Structurally, the Prong-Horn is so peculiar that it has 

 been found necessary to create for it a special zoological 

 family, called Antilocapridae, of which it is the sole mem- 

 ber. This is due to the following facts: (1) This is 

 the only living mammal possessing hollow horns (grow- 

 ing over a bony core) which sheds them annually; (2) it 

 is the only animal possessing a hollow horn which bears a 

 prong, or bifurcation; (3) it has no "dew claws," as 

 other ruminant animals have ; (4) the horn is placed 

 directly above the eye; (5) the long hair of the body 

 and neck is tubular; and (6) that on the rump is erectile. 

 Beyond all possibility of doubt, it will be our next large 



