THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
amongst the antelope has been enormous. They were formerly one of 
the commonest animals on the plains of Wyoming, Montana, California, 
Texas and Mexico, where bands of from 2,000 to 3,000 were not un- 
common. In this large area it is doubtful if there are 100,000 antelope 
to-day; and of these, at least half are in Mexico. 
In the early ’eighties they were very abundant in the “bad-lands” of 
Dakota, and even in 1896 they were still numerous in Montana. Dr Edward 
Munson believes that in the great blizzard of 1896 “40,000 antelope took 
shelter in the coulees along Milk River alone in Montana, near his post, 
Fort Assiniboin.” 
All old travellers speak of the enormous numbers of antelope that 
frequented the vicinity of the railway between Denver and Cheyenne, and 
Major Pond says: 
“For ten to twelve miles in Cache le Poudre Valley and all the way 
west of the train, about three-quarters to half a mile away, was one 
long band of antelope, twenty to forty rods wide, practically con- 
tinuous and huddled together for warmth. Their numbers changed 
the colour of the country.” 
There seems to be little doubt that at this time the antelope outnumbered 
the buffalo. In 1896 there were a thousand antelope in the Yellowstone 
Park, of whose 3,000 square miles about one-third is country suitable to 
the antelope. When alarmed the prong -buck erects and displays the snow- 
white rump patch which is at once seen by others grazing near, who in 
turn do the same. 
Amongst the roots of the hair of the buttocks there is a gland secreting 
a fluid having a strong musky smell. Mr Thompson-Seton thinks that 
the musk odour is set free and serves as an additional warning to other 
antelopes. The bristling mane of the neck is also slightly raised in moments 
of alarm or excitement. The glandular system of animals seems to be but 
little understood. Caton thought that these pungent odours helped to 
protect the owner from noxious flies. Mr Thompson-Seton thinks they are 
of chief service for inter -communication. Others think they are purely 
sexual. Personally, I do not know and have no opinion to offer. 
The buck antelope utters a shrill whistle or snort when it is alarmed 
or full of curiosity, whilst the female makes use of a sort of grunting bleat 
to call her kid. Nature has a way of economizing and does away with those 
parts of the body which cease to be of use; so the antelope living on hard 
dry ground has no use for the pair of back hoofs to the foot, and they have 
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