4 L^fTER XVII* 



and make from it both butter and cheese. The flesk 

 of the kid is esteemed a rarity, and considered as lit- 

 tle inferior to venison. From these considerations, it 

 appears that the goat, although superseded in this 

 country by the sheep, is a quadruped of very consi~ 

 derable value. 



THE IBEX, 



According to M. BufFon, is the parent stock from 

 which our domestic grtat is descended ; and, indeed, 

 the former is very similar to the latter in the shape of 

 its body, but differs considerably from it in the shape 

 of its horns, which are much larger. The ibex fre- 

 quents the most elevated parts of the Alps, in the 

 Vallois, arid the country of the Grisons. It is also 

 found in, the mountains of Crete. It is extremely 

 wild, and the chace of it exceedingly dangerous, as it 

 always keeps upon the highest points of the rocks, 

 and being very strong, frequently turns upon the 

 huntsman, and hunts him headlong down the preci- 

 pice. It will mount a perpendicular rock of fifteen 

 feet at three leaps, or rather at three successive 

 bounds of five feet e-ach. It does not appear to find 

 any footing on the rock, but seems to touch it merely 

 to be repelled, like an elastic substance striking a hard 

 body. In the last extremity* this active and intre; id 

 animal can throw itself from the tops of the highest 

 rocks, and escape unhurt. 



The colour of the ibex is generally a dark brown, 

 intermixed with a little grey ; a streak often runs 

 along the top of its back ; the belly and thighs are of 

 a delicate fawn colour. 



THE CHAMOIS GOAT 



Inhabits the same districts as the ibex, and abounds 

 in the mountains of Dauphine, Piedmont, Savoy, and 

 Switzerland. Thev are seen in flocks of eighty or an 

 hundred dispersed among the craggs of those stupen- 

 dous mountains. The chamois resembles in size th 

 commongoat, but is greatly admired for the beauty 

 of its eyes, which are round, sparkling, and animated. 

 Its head is ornamented with two horns, of about half 

 a foot long, of a beautiful black, rising from the fortr- 



