On the JJlld Goal of the Alps. 157 



feet. in. lin. 



Lencth of the horns according to their bending i 46 

 Circumference of the horns at the root - 900 

 Length of the beard - -016 



After having defcribed the wild goat of I'Aigk-, I {hall now 

 give fonic remarks on wild goats in general. 



The length of the horns varies. D'Aubcnton gives the 

 dimcnfionsof apairof horns prefervcd in the king's eolleftion, 

 which were 2 feet 9 inches in length, and y inches in cir- 

 cumference at the roots ; thev had io rings or ridges : this is 

 the greatell Ieno;th known of the horns of this animal. Their 

 diftancefrom each other varies alfo. Sometimes they diverge 

 a great deal, at others very little; their colour is reddirti or 

 blackifli, but when the animal becomes old they aflame a 

 dirty white colour. 



It is to be ul)ferved, that on the large horns of the wild goat 

 the larged and moll prominent iranfverfal ridges and tubercles 

 arc towards the roots, 'ihis may be ealilv conceived, if atten- 

 tion be paid to the incrcafc of this kind of horns, which takes 

 place at the bottom ; that is to fay, the increafe of each year 

 pudics upwards that of the preceding year, fo that the young 

 horns at the end of fome vears form the upper part of the large 

 ones: and as thele horns alwavs accjuire more fizc and breadth 

 at the bottom, the trunfverfal ridge or ring of each year«be- 

 conies always lefs prominent. 



The young are brought forth covered with their firfl: 

 woolly hair, but in autumn they begin to be clothed with 

 their long and (till" hair : the horns appear in the firft month, 

 and the animal immediately accoutres the black ilripe oa tlic 

 fpine. 



In fpri ng, towards the month of May, all the young and old 

 goals change their hair; that on the back they lofe firft, 

 and that on the thighs laft : the black Ilripe difappears ia 

 moulting time, and afterwards re-appears, as we have ob- 

 ferved: they then acquire red hair inclining to yellow, which, 

 as the feafoi) advances, becomes dark brown mixed with gray ; 

 fo that in the month of September thev areahnoll entirely of 

 ihat colour, or at leallthe upper parts of the body, but in win- 

 ter and towards fpring tluir hair becomes reddifh gray. The 

 bellv remains white, and the black Ilripe is always feen iu 

 the flanks : on growing old they become gray. 



The hunters can tell the age of the wild goats by the nutn- 

 ber of iranfverfal ridges on the anterior face of the horns'. 

 Every year thev fay one is prcjduced ; and it is by thefe alone 

 that the age can be determined, and not by the other knots 

 or wrijiklcs with which the horns are covered. I'ut this 

 4 method 



