200 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



line. Next day was Saturday, and he remained in 

 camp looking after the specimens and fighting mag- 

 pies. 



Provisions were now very short, and the place was 

 becoming more dangerous with each succeeding 

 day. The guide was eager to hurry away, but 

 Dyche could not leave until he secured more spec- 

 imens. Several days were spent on the mountains 

 without success, and the naturalist was almost ready 

 to listen to the advice of his companion. One morn- 

 ing after several hours' fruitless hunting Dyche was 

 crawling carefully along a ridge, when he saw a 

 goat lying down on the point of a ledge. When 

 within seventy-five yards a shot was sent after the 

 animal, which staggered to its feet and then pitched 

 forwards and rolled over the rocks down the moun- 

 tain. The hunter hurried to the spot, but could find 

 no trace of his prize. After searching for some time 

 he at last descried the dead animal lodged on a little 

 shelf about a hundred yards below the spot where 

 he had shot it. For two hours he tried in vain 

 to get to the animal, but he was finally compelled to 

 give it up. It was a great loss, as it was a fine young 

 male and was needed to complete the series. 



About the middle of the afternoon another goat was 

 seen. He was standing on a crag above the hunter, 

 looking down. Like all goats, it did not appear to 

 apprehend danger from above. A shot through the 

 shoulders sent the animal to earth, and it was after 

 dark when Dyche reached camp with the skin and 

 skeleton. 



Next day while hunting along the mountain a bear- 



