CHAPTER VI - THE ANTELOPE

Summary

Description.—The male antelope has short, black, flat, tapering horns, arching towards each other; the points are directed backwards; a small branch projects from each horn near the middle. The neck, back, and legs are of a yellowish brown; the belly and chest are white; the sides are reddishwhite; three white bars or bands cross the throat; red hairs, tipped with black, form a kind of mane on the back of the neck extending from the occiput to the spring of the shoulders. A dark spot at the back of the cheek-bone exhales a strong odour. The tail is short; a large spot of pure white covers the rump.

The female is much smaller, has horns as well as the male, shaped in the same manner, but not nearly so large.

Weight.—As with the American deer, the weight varies considerably; but they weigh about one-third less than the deer.

THE true position of the antelope in the animal kingdom was for a long time a disputed question with naturalists, some being inclined to class it amongst the deer proper, while others contended that it ought to be ranked with the goats. In the case of the American antelope, its generic name Antilocapra is expressive of a close relationship with the goat tribe.

The prong-horn, when fully grown, is as large as a sheep, but as it has longer legs, it appears larger.