296 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



slenderly built, with large eyes, long ears, delicate limbs, and short 

 tail. Its colour is pale sandy brown, white on the stern and under- 

 parts, while the front of the neck is white crossed by a band of the 

 body-colour. 



The horns, which are only found in the buck, are situated far 

 forward — above the eyes, in fact ; they are not a foot in length, and 

 stand nearly upright, but with a slight curve backwards at the tip. 

 Their great peculiarity is that they have a tine or prong about the 

 middle of the front, and also that, although composed of horn, covering 

 a bony core, they are shed yearly. Only the outer horny part comes 

 off, a new horn forming on the core underneath it. This curious 

 change, which is the most distinctive point of the animal, was first 

 observed by A. D. Bartlett, in the London Zoological Gardens, where 

 this animal has several times been exhibited, though it is delicate, 

 and not very easily kept even in its own country. 



It is essentially a prairie animal, and is possessed of great speed, 

 though it is no jumper, and would appear not to be so fast as some 

 of the true Antelopes of the Old World. Its flesh is esteemed as 

 good venison, and it is persecuted by Wolves as well as by man, so 

 that its numbers have been greatly reduced, and it is one of the animals 

 whose extinction is to be feared if it cannot be efficiently preserved. 



