608 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



seems to be the one that is condemned to disappear in the shortest 

 time. A slow persecution, but continued over many centuries, has 

 been driving out this interesting creature from all those mountains 

 in which it was comparatively common two or three hundred years 

 ago. (Cabrera, 1914, p. 316.) 



Portuguese Ibex. Cabra montez de Portugal; Cabra do Gerez 



(Port.)* Cabra monies portuguesa (Sp.). 



Bouquetin du Gerez (Fr.) 



CAPRA PYRENAICA LUSITANICA Franca 



Capra lusitanica "Boc." Franca, Bull. Soc. Portugaise Sci. Nat., vol. 2, fasc. 1-2, 

 p. 144, (1908) 1909. (Based upon the "cabra -montez da serra do Gerez" 

 of Du Bocage, Mem. Acad. Real Sci. Lisboa, Cl. Sci. Math., Phys. e Nat., 

 n. s., vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 1, 1857; type localitj', Serra do Gerez, Minho, Portugal.) 



FIGS.: Du Bocage, 1857, pis. 1, 2; Franga, 1909, p. 144, fig. 1; Cabrera, 1914, 

 p. 313, fig. 81-bis D; Franga, 1917, pis. 1, 3-6. 



The Portuguese Ibex became extinct about 1892. 



In pelage it is intermediate between C. p. victoriae and C. p. 

 hispanica, but nearer to the former; belly, inside of limbs, space 

 about eyes and near muzzle, isabelline; front of limbs dark brown, 

 slightly more intense in winter than in spring; male with a slight 

 brown mane and a short, dark brown beard, both longer in winter; 

 at this season it also has a dark brown dorsal stripe, reaching the 

 tail; a large dark area on breast. Horns shorter and less curved 

 than those of other Iberian forms, but of greater circumference and 

 closer together toward the base; most similar to those of victoriae; 

 length along outside curve, up to 570 mm. Height of male at 

 shoulder, up to 740 mm.; of female, up to 700 mm. The winter 

 pelage of the female has the same blackish markings as the male's, 

 but less intense and less clear. (Franca, 1917, pp. 32-42.) 



Du Bocage (1857, pp. 4, 15, 17) records five specimens taken in the 

 Serra do Gerez, northern Portugal, in 1852, and quotes Link and 

 Hoffmansegg (1808) to the effect that this is the only area in the 

 country where the species is found. He also mentions two additional 

 specimens in the Museum of Coimbra. He attributes the survival 

 of this Ibex to the difficulties and perils of the chase. 



Gadow writes (1897, pp. 372-373) of "its regular occurrence in 

 the Serra de Gerez, in the northern corner of Portugal. Formerly 

 more common, the species is now, in the Serra de Gerez, reduced to 

 a small herd 'of perhaps only half a dozen. One specimen was shot 

 there a few years ago by the King; a young one was caught alive 

 in 1891 [ = 1890], a photograph of which I owe to the kindness of 

 . . . Mr. A. Tait of Oporto. In the summer of 1885 I made an un- 

 successful attempt to stalk these cabras bravas, as they are called 



