The Prong- Horned Antelope 
43 
As already noted, Major Pond told me of 
the first year when tKe railroad from Chey- 
enne to Denver was open, and he then saw 
the Antelope crowded in every sheltered 
valley along that line during a severe storm 
that drove them off the Plains. At Medicine 
Hat, Alberta, I was informed that a snow- 
storm in winter would concentrate the An- 
telope in coulees and places of shelter. But 
these are temporary congregations, and ac- 
cording to Dr. E. L. Munson, a few days of 
fine weather would cause them to scatter 
again. He also remarks that "he found An- 
telope rare during the summer along the 
Sun River and the Teton, but reasonably 
plenty in winter." 
Richardson says: " Some of them remain 
the whole year on the South Branch of that 
river [Saskatchewan], but they are merely 
summer visitors to the North Branch [about 
200 miles away]. They come every year to 
the neighborhood of Carlton-house, when 
the snow has mostly gone . . . and 
they retire to the southwards again in the 
autumn as soon as the snow begins to 
fall." Then he adds an item which af- 
fords interesting light on the relentless 
process of developing a 
migratory instinct. ' ' Almost 
every year, " he says, " a small 
herd linger on a piece of rising 
ground not far from Carlton- 
house, until the snow has be- 
come too deep on the plains 
to permit them to travel over 
them. Few, or none of that 
herd, however, survive until 
the spring, as they are perse- 
cuted by the Wolves during 
the whole winter." (F.B.A., 
vol. i, p. 263.) 
From this we may conclude 
that the Antelope is a creature 
of small home locality, but a 
permanent resident there 
when climate and food supply 
permit, as they do in the south- 
ern part of its range. But in 
the colder, snowier regions it 
is driven to journey in search 
of better conditions, and 
though these movements are 
as often northward as south- 
ward, they are seasonal and 
somewhat regular, so that 
they are truly migrations. 
The Antelope is a creature of the dry, 
open plains, the land of grass, cactus, and 
sage, and its food is, by long habit, confined 
to them. Judge Caton could not induce 
his captive specimens to touch twigs, browse, 
or leaves. They would eat grain and fresh 
bread, but rejected fruit and acorns. " They 
are fond of common salt," he says, "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 sul- 
phate 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." [Page 42.] 
Once every day during the hours of sun- 
heat the Antelope cautiously wend their 
way to the familiar pond or spring or stream. 
There they drink copiously, for they seem to 
need much water. Nevertheless , those who 
are familiar with the arid region of the con- 
tinent will see at a glance that the map in- 
cludes as Antelope range vast areas that 
are without water during the greater part of 
the year. What do the Antelope do there ? 
Antelope approaching to attack. 
From a photograph by Mrs. E. T. Seton. 
