IBEX. 93 



wonderful agility; and scarcely any fence is formed 

 sufficiently high to restrain their wandering. In gardens 

 and cultivated grounds they oftentimes do much damage^ 

 by gnawing and eating the plants and the leaves of 

 shrubs. To young trees they are peculiarly injurious, 

 by not only nipping off the buds, but also by peeling 

 the tender rind, which they eat with great avidity. 

 Besides the flesh and milk of these animals yielding 

 food to man, their skins, when properly prepared, are 

 manufactured into gloves and other articles of dress; 

 and from these is also made what is generally called 

 Morocco Leather. A peculiarly fine down is found at 

 the roots of the long hair, which is capable of being manu- 

 factured into articles of dress which are more soft and 

 beautiful than even the finest of the Indian shawls. The 

 long hair is employed by the peruke-makers, in the mak- 

 ing of wigs. The horns are formed into the handles of 

 knives; and of the fat candles may be made, which, in 

 many respects, are superior to those made from the fat of 

 oxen or sheep. 



Ibex. No animals of their size can be more powerful 

 and active than the Ibex. They are found throughout 

 all the mountainous parts of the continent of Europe, 

 inhabiting, in flocfcs of from ten to fifteen in number, 

 the most precipitous and inaccessible places. They 

 descend into the woods and plains to feed during the 

 night; and they retire into their native rocks at the 

 earliest commencement of day. Here generally, on the 

 sides most exposed to the sun, they continue until the 

 approach of night again induces them to depart in search 

 of food. The pursuit of the Ibex is attended with much 

 hazard, and the greatest difficulties. The hunters have 

 frequently been destroyed by tumbling down the preci- 



