) 



On tie IVdd Goat of the Alpf. 2$$ 



aftonifhing; nature, man, the beads and birds of prey, are 

 all enemies with which they are furrounded, v\hich peri'ecute 

 and deftroy them, and againit which they have no other re- 

 fource than fpeedv ilight: but this rarely preferves them. 

 This animal, therefore, is now confined to a fmall number 

 of the lleepelt funimits. 



It is found in the valley of Cormajor, to the fouth of Mont- 

 Blanc, on the fouthern decUvily of that chain of mountains, 

 and in the dillrift between INIont-Blanc and the frontiers of 

 the Valais ; but it is never feen in the chain oppofite to that 

 of Mont-Rlanc, and which forms the other fide of the valley 

 of Cormajor. It exills alfo in the mountains which form the 

 V^il-Savaranche. But it is among the mountains of the valley 

 ot Cogne, which is the frontier of the v;illev ot Hont, in Pied- 

 mont, that it is now moll comnion, and always on the de- 

 clivities expofed to the fouth. 



It is no longer foimd in the Valteline, tlie frontier of the 

 Valais; but it unill ilill exill in the mountains between the 

 valley of Sefia and that of Vieche. It was hunted, about 

 30 or 40 years ago, in the mountains of fjujer Fauciiiny : 

 but the breed is now entirely deilroyed in tiiai quarter j and 

 it is probable, if the hunters continue to purfue it with the 

 fame ardour, that the race will become totally cxtin(?l:. 



In reflefting on the fury v/ith which thefe animals are pur- 

 fued and dcllroyed, the c :u fc of it appears to me to have been 

 the great abundance wliich there was of them formerly ; and, 

 though a fingle goat did not produce much, as a groat many 

 were killed during one hunting exciirfion, the gain was cou- 

 fiderahle. At prefent, fince the number has greatly de- 

 creal'cd, and fince the hunters often go a great way without 

 finding any, their ardour ouirht to be relaxed in conlequcnceof 

 the dangers to which they are expofed : and befides, the inhu- 

 manity of perfccuting ant! tormenting a mi!d and timid ani- 

 mal, which has no other refources to defend iifelf but flight and 



fervcr, lias furni(Ti€d mt; with the foliowirn; notice : — " There were for- 

 merly wild jroats in our Alps, bui none of thetn art; now to bt; found. 1 

 have fen at Unterfev^n two luperb horns of that .inimal, which is faid to 

 hHvc been killed formerly 11 the Alps of Lauterl^ninn. Thel'c anim:i!>. 

 <.»«re deftroyed by thv hunt'.Tc, as will as ihc cailors, which formerly frc- 

 qncnied f!iL b'lrdcrs of Lke Brieniz, and a!nn«; the Arr towards Thun. 

 I iim certni 1 M. Hourrit i. niift..ken when he fays that he faw one travcrff 

 the chain or mountains th.it (-.paratcs Lauterbruiin and Grindilvald. lince 

 n'jiic of the hunters of that country ever fell in with anv during their ex- 

 corfions. It is alfcrted tl|.it wild goats arc Itill found, but raiejy, in the 

 wildett mountains of the count y of thcGriihnS: for my part, I never 

 4'riw any in tuy travds, and none of the hunters were abh: 10 give mc any 

 ct-min Information refpeftini^ them."— Z,<7/«-r cf AI. H ittoiiacb to M. Fan 

 Biic/jtri 'un. Bcrnc, May 27, i7f.'t- 



4 addrefi. 



