The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-09-16
TIE AMERICAN ANTELOPE.
FLEEr-FOorED GAME NOW Al.
EcST EXTINCT.
ahetr Markings-The Family to
Which They Belong-Hunting the
AntelOns Lon e II Ranxe ShootinS.

TT is u popularity Of antelopes, es-
peclally as shown IN their head
= quarters of South Africa, that they
e :, stand out conspicuously as connect
ing links. They grade of almost indis-
tinguishably into sheep, goats, deer and
even the OK. Often in the hornless
females dissection is necessary for dis
tInction. The horns, which are always
present in the male aud usually in the
females, are round, without sharp edges,
and though compressed are usually au-
nulated, while those OF the goat and
sheep have abrupt edges and are usually
grooved longitudinally. Those of all
the bovines come out sideways aud are
cylindric aud smooth. Deers horns are
all rough, much brsnched, solid aud
deciduous. Autelopes are like the sheep
in the general presence of the gland be-
tween the hoofs aud under the eye, aud
they are like the goats III the presence OF
horns in both sexes, which have no
tendency t., recurve forward. They
share with the deer the tear PIT and
many other peculiarities of form and
anatomy, while some are like the OK in
bulk aud body. Our pronghorn, how
cNSE. ulhcES uluCu lIOm JuC Olu "ottu
genera. With it the tear duct is absent,
as in the goat; the horns are branched,
as in the deer, aud the accessory hoofs
are wanting as in no other ruminaut ex-
cept the giraffe. 1t lacks, also, certain
groin glands found in the African kind,
aud the British Eucycloped a states that
it drops the sheaths of its horus annually.
l have been unable to find any American
record Of this fact. If the statement be
true, it forms, in this respect, con-
Meeting link between the hollow-horned
aud solid.horned ruminauts not found
elsewhere.
The horns OF our prongbuck are apt to
vary much with age, the protuberauce in
front being often wanting in the young,
which would argue to some extent the
annual shedding of the sheath. The
eyes are bright and prominent, enabling
it we'll to see its pursuers during flight
aud to keep good lookout before. In
the adult, 1t mikes no ate enpt at C>n.
cealment aud from its eaemy it expects
nothing but knowledge of his ap-
proach. The color of the pronghorn is
generally a tawny brown, shading off bs.
low aud backward into light fawn color.
Beneath it is white. While this would
argue a certain amount of color -protec-
tol when lying down, tue two trans
verse white bars across the breast, aud
the conspicuous white disk around the
tail argue that on approach or flight no
attempt ut concealment is luteuded.
The rear mark is claimed by Mr.. Wallace,
the great English naturalist, az au exam
pie of a guiding mark specialized for the
purpose of enabling the young aud weak
to follow better in flight, but he leaves
the purpose of the breast bars uuex-
planned. In keeping with the theory,
they may better enable the flock to reas
semble, or the young to run to the
mother as she returns to its hiding place,
for, like other ruminnuts, she often hides
her young while she feeds. To natur-
alist the marks would at once imply that
the animal was night feeder, or at least
crepuscuar-a fact borne out by actua!
knowledge. She kids are never spotted
not even at any stage before birth-a
fact limiting no close relationship to the
deer. The hair, resembling coarse rotted
manila strands, is hollow like feathers,
and crushes into fragments readily be.
tween the fingers. They stand out on
end like bristles iu a brush, varyin. in
length from one inch on the sides to four
to SIX inches on the neck, where they
form sort OF name, erected during
anger or excitement.
The antelope is about exterminated
from the plains east Of the Rocky Mount
aims now, where it recently ranged from
Central America to about latitude fifty
three de grees north. It migrates slightly
Rorth and south with the seasons. 1t
was no uncommon thing as late =, 80 70
'S3 to see small herds fleeing from tne
trains as they crossed the plains, aud
very fair long-rangc hunting could bt
had then. But now one must go higher
up into the less frequentcd mouutair
parks, ana even there they are getting
scarce. From October to December is
the season, with perhaps November as
the favorite. OF course one takes O
wagon or packs, but fair saddle horses
are necessity, for the game is often
found in rather inaccessible places. The
cool nights will require all needful CON.
forts for camping. While a sneaking
stalk is the usual method of hunting,
antelope have been killed on the plains
by direct chase aud pistol shot, as
Washington Irving killed his buffalo,
but an unusual horse, of course, is re-
quired for this. For the distance OF
three or four miles, perhaps, no feeter
animal runs than our pronghorn, but il
pushed to its utmost within this limit il
soon shows signs of tagging. Coursing
it down on the plains with greyhouhds
was once favorite form of capture. The
best means of approach (necessary in any
form of hunting it( is by concealment in
A good fieldglass is great help. BY
noting at long range the direction they
are feeding, they may be intercepted as
they pass If the ground be favorable,
but their senses are all 80 acute that
every precaution must be taken. The
sound of horses hoofs a mile or more
away will often alarm them. In peepng
over an eminence always remove the hat
-ad II possible intrust this delicate mis-.
SION to the fairhalred man of the party.
BY no means pass to the windar d O
them. Frequently long detou,s will
have To ba made afoot or -. III f