558 On the Wild Goat of tic Alps-. 



and the females no more than 40 or 50, The large k-incl arc 

 fond of being alone, and in fniall flocks. Their hmbs and 

 bodv are fliorter, and confequently thicker in proportion than 

 the final! kind, which are longer and flendcrer. 



The males can produce at the age of two years. The rut- 

 ting time is in November and December, and they bring 

 forth their young in Jimc, The large chamois bring forth 

 fometimes in May. They generallv produce one at a time, 

 and rarely two. Thefe animals arc hunted in the fame man- 

 ner as the wild goats, except that dogs are fometimes em- 

 ployed. They are always in fear; have their eyes and ears 

 on the watch. They never feed in tranquillity. They crop 

 a little grafs, ihen raife their heads ; and while they eat, look 

 on all iides around them : if one of them perceives any thing, 

 the wfioi'e flock take to flight ; whereas a flock of wild goats 

 all whittle before they fet off". In regard to the feuiinel 

 which, it is faid, they poft to give them notice of danger, 

 it appears to be a mere fable, founded on the timidity of 

 thefe animals. Both races of the chamois exill in the moun- 

 tains of the country of Hafli, of Grindewald and Lauterbrnn^ 

 as well as in thofc of Savoy and the Val'ais. It might here 

 be proper to examine, with Meflrs, BHffon and Pallas, to 

 what wild animal the goats are indebted for their origin; 

 whether to the wild goaT of the Alps, as Buflbn thinks, or 

 to the cnpra ocgagrtis, according to Pallas ; and whether the 

 chamois and Alpine wild goat are the fame, or two diftinft 

 fpecies. Thefe rntereftingqueflions would require to be exa- 

 mined at full length*, but in the mean time I fhall mention 

 mv own opinion. I have endeavoured to examine thofe of 

 Buffon and Pallas with that impartiality which every one who 

 linccrely fearchcs for truth ought to employ, and efpecially 

 when he'drfcullcs the opinions of men fo juftly celebrated, 

 I agree therefore with Bufion, that the Alpine v/ild goat ought 

 to be confidcrcd as the origin of all the goats. The con- 

 formity of their manners and figure, and the circumftance of 

 thefe breeds intermixing and producing, are fufficient proofs 

 of it. In my opinion, the capra oegagrus and the Capricorn 

 are varieties in the fpecies of the wild goat, and have con- 

 curred with it lo form the diflerent races of our goats. But, 

 I think, with M. Pallas, that the chamois cannot be of the 

 fame fpecies as the wild goat, fince they do not mix in a 

 ftate of nature, and I confider it as an intermediate fpecies 

 between the goats and the antelopes. 



' I difcuficd this queft.ion in tlic nani'ai hiftory of the jackall, which 

 appeared in tiic Journal dc Piyfique for November I7b6. 



XLII. On 



