THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT. 383 



pointed beard adorns the chin, and completes its Capridian 

 appearance. It is purely white throughout, except the 

 hoofs, horns, lips, and the margins of the nostrils, which 

 are black, so that it is a true denizen of the snow-peaks 

 in hue. 



Its nose is strongly ovine ; the ears are pointed, and lined 

 with long hair; the eyes are small, and are evidently in- 

 tended more for length and intensity of vision than a broad 

 range ; and the limbs are thick, short, strong, and sinewy. 

 It has no tear -bag or muffle, so that it bears no resem- 

 blance to the deer family in that characteristic. The 

 horns, which are about six or eight inches long, and are 

 " ringed " half-way upward from the base, are sharp point- 

 ed, somewhat recurved at the upper extremities, and of a 

 darkish hue. The hoofs, which are full in outline and very 

 hard, are of a deep black color, and are deeply grooved on 

 the soles; and the small posterior hoofs do not touch the 

 ground. 



Its range, so far as my knowledge goes, extends from 

 Southern California to Alaska, and from the Cascade and 

 Sierra Nevada Ranges to the Rocky Mountains; these 

 mighty chains seeming to check its habitat on the west 

 and east. It is much more alpine in its character than the 

 big-horn, and frequents regions which the latter seldom 

 visits. It is a daring climber, a nimble leaper, and bounds 

 over crags and dangerous places that nothing less than a 

 bird could apparently attempt with safety. It loves the 

 higher pinnacles, where the daintiest vegetation grows, and 

 where nothing but the eagle, snowy ptarmigan, and a few 

 small creatures are its companions. 



It generally moves in flocks of from a dozen to fifty, but 

 the former number is the most common, as one leader is 

 sufficient ; and therefore any combats to decide which is to 

 be commander is prevented. The young, which generally 

 number two at a birth, are brought forth early in June 

 amidst the lower ranges, say from five to six thousand feet 

 in height; and when they are old enough to leap about 

 briskly, their faithful guardians lead them to the higher 



