548 On the Wild Goat 6f the Alps. 



Thefe goats feed during the night in the higheft wood?, 

 and never further than a quarter of a ieague froin the finn- 

 inil; but, when the fun begins to illuminate the tops of the 

 mountains, they lea\e the woody regions in flocks, afcend 

 the mountains as they feed, and proceed fometimes to very 

 confiderable height?. They fcek the declivities turned to- 

 wards the eaft and fouth, and lie down in the higheft and 

 moft elevated places. But when the fun has got through 

 three-fourths of his courfe they defcend to the woods, feed- 

 ing as they proceed, in order to pafs the night. When it 

 threatens to fnow, they defcend alfo into the woods for the 

 fakcof Ihelter. 



Thefe animals afTcmble in flocks of 10, I3, or 15; for- 

 merly they were more numerous, but at prefent they are 

 often in fmall numbers. All the males fix years of age, and 

 thofe above it, always remain in higher places than the fe- 

 males or the males that are younger. The older they are, 

 they are the lefs fond of living in fociety. They become 

 hardened againft the cold, froft, and all the feverity of the 

 feafons. Very often thefe old goats have the tips of their 

 cars withered, and, as it were, dead. Severe cold niuft nc- 

 ceflarily produce this eflfcft on extremities where it is well 

 knov.'n the circulation of the blood is eafily checked. They 

 Jead a folitary life on the fleep fummits, and never defcend 

 from them. To conclude what we have to fay in regard to 

 their habits, we fliall here obferve, that in winter they are 

 accuflonied to place thcmfelves on eminences oppofite to that 

 part of the horizon from v. hich the llorm proceeds, and to 

 remain there like itatues : they only go from time to time 

 to feed in the neighbourhood, and then return to their fta- 

 tion. The females and young have not this habit; they re- 

 main at all feafons in j^laees lefs elevated. 



As the fore-legs of thefe animals are fliortcr than thofe 

 behind, it is natural to fuppofe that they can aicend with 

 more facility than they defcend. Nothing but the feverity 

 of the weather can induce them to remam in the low di- 

 ftrifts ; and, if a few fine days take place in winter, they 

 immediately quit the woods and afcend the mountains. 



Winter is their fcafon of love, and the month of January 

 that of their greateft heat. AH the uoats, of whatever age, 

 then mix together ; the males combat, and the females be- 

 long to the viftors ; after which they return to their ufual 

 order, 'i'he females c" with young five months, and bring 

 ibrih in the laft week of June or firlt of July. They produce 

 oidy one at a time, of the fize of a cat, and which, like the 

 young chamois, \valhs as foon as dropped. An hour after 



its 



