GOAT. 9 



bead almost between the eyes. These horns stand 

 forward, bending a little back towards the extremi- 

 ties, and ending in a sharp point. /The ears are ele- 

 gantly placed near the horns, and two stripes of black 

 adorn each side of the face ; the rest being of a pale 

 yellow. This animal has scarcely any cry, except a 

 feeble bleat by which it calls its young; but in cases 

 of danger, when it gives warning to the rest of the 

 flock, it makes through its nostrils a hissing noise, 

 which is heard to a great distance. It is extremely 

 vigilant, and to an eye remarkably quick .and pierc- 

 ing, adds a scent not less acute and distinguishing. 

 When it perceives its enemy distinctly, it stops a mo- 

 ment, then, in an instant, takes flight ; and it is said 

 to be able, by the acuteness of its smelling, to dis- 

 cover a man at the distance of more than a mile. 

 Upon any apprehension of danger, the chamois be- 

 gins a loud hissing. The first hiss is in the beginning 

 very sharp, but deeper towards the close, and con- 

 tinues the whole time of one respiration. Having, 

 after this first alarm, reposed itself for a moment, it 

 looks round, and if it perceives the danger to be real, 

 it continues to hiss at intervals. During this time, the 

 animal seems in the most violent agitation, striking the 

 ground with its fore-feet; it bounds from rock to rock, 

 and flies to thd edges of the precipices to look fov the 

 enemy. It is said, that some of them always act the 

 part of sentinels; and it has generally been observed, 

 "that, where i\ herd of them is seen feeding, two or 

 three are mostly detached from the rest. The hunt- 

 ing of the chamois is attended with the same difficul- 

 ties and danger as that of the ibex ; and like the lat- 

 ter, it will, when hard pressed, turn upon the hunter 

 and precipitate him from the top of a craggy rock, 

 where he must meet with inevitable destruction. The 

 usual method of taking them, is by placing persons at 

 all the passages of a glade or valley, and shooting 

 them from behind the clefts of the rocks. Their ex- 

 treme swiftness renders them unapproachable by any 

 mode of pursuit, and dogs are totally useless in this 

 chace. They run along the craggs with such rapi- 



