248 



ANIMALS OF THE 



mine with precision to which class they be- 

 long ; whether they be animals of a particular 

 kind, or merely the goat in its state of savage 

 freedom. Were there but one of these wild 

 animals, the inquiry would soon be ended; 

 and we might readily allow it for the parent 

 stock ; but, in the present case, there are two 

 kinds that have almost equal pretensions to 

 this honour; and the claims of which it has 

 been found difficult to determine. The ani- 

 mals in question are the shammoy and the 

 ibex. These both bear very near approach- 

 es to the goat in figure ; have horns that never 

 shed ; and, at the same time, are more diffe- 

 rent from each other than from the animal in 

 question. From which of these two sources 

 our domestic goat is derived, is not easy to 

 settle. Instead, therefore, of entering into 

 the discussion, I will content myself with the 

 result of Mr. Button's inquiries. He is of 

 opinion that the ibex is the principal source ; 

 that our domestic goat is the immediate de- 

 scendant ; and that the shammoy is but a va- 

 riety from that stock, a sort of collateral 

 branch of the same family. His principal rea- 

 son for giving the preference to the ibex, is 

 its having a more masculine figure, large 

 horns, and a large beard ; whereas the sham- 

 moy wants these marks of primitive strength 

 and wildness. He supposes, therefore, in their 

 original savage state, that our goat has taken 

 after the male of the parent stock, and the 

 shammoy after the female ; and that this has 

 produced a variety in these animals, even be- 

 fore they underwent human cultivation. 



However this be, the two animals in ques- 

 tion seem both well fitted for their precarious 

 life, being extremely swift, and capable of 

 running with ease along the ledges of preci- 

 pices, where even the wolf or the fox, though 

 instigated by hunger, dare not pursue them. 

 They are both natives of the Alps, the Pyre- 

 nees, and the mountains of Greece; there 

 they propagate in vast numbers, and continue 

 to exist in spite of the hunter and every beast 

 of prey that is found incessantly to pursue 

 them. 



The ibex resembles the goat in the shape 

 of its body; but differs in the horns, which 

 are much larger. They are bent backward, 

 full of knots ; and it is generally asserted that 

 there is a knot added every year. There 



are some of these found, if we believe Bello- 

 nius, at least two yards long. The ibex has 

 a large black beard, is of a brown colour, 

 with a thick warm coat of hair. There is a 

 streak of black runs along the top of the back ; 

 and the belly and back of the thighs are of a 

 fawn colour. 



The shammoy , a though a wild animal, is very 

 easily tamed, and docile; and to be found 

 only in rocky and mountainous places. It Is 

 about the size of a domestic goat, and resem- 

 bles one in many respects. It is most agree- 

 ably lively, and active beyond expression. 

 The shammoy's hair is short, like that of the 

 doe; in spring it is of an ash colour, in autumn 

 a dun colour, inclining to black, and in winter 

 of a blackish brown. This animal is found in 

 great plenty in the mountains of Dauphiny, 

 of Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, and Ger- 

 many. They are peaceful, gentle creatures, 

 and live in society with each other. They 

 are found in flocks of from four to fourscore, 

 and even a hundred, dispersed upon the crags 

 of the mountains. The large males are seen 

 feeding detached from the rest, except in 

 rutting time, when they approach the females, 

 and drive away the young. The time of their 

 coupling is from the beginning of September 

 to the end of October ; and they bring forth 

 in April and March. The young keeps with 

 the dam for about five months, and sometimes 

 longer, if the hunters and the wolves do not 

 separate them. It is asserted that they live 

 between twenty and thirty years Their flesh 

 is good to eat ; and they are found to have 

 ten or twelve pounds of suet, which far sur- 

 passes that of the goat in hardness and good- 

 ness. The shammoy has scarce any cry, as 

 most animals are known to have ; if it has 

 any, it is a kind of feeble bleat, by which the 

 parent calls its young. But in cases of dan- 

 ger, and when it is to warn the rest of the 

 flock, it uses a hissing noise, which is heard 

 at a great distance. For it is to be observed, 

 that this creature is extemely vigilant, and 

 has an eye the quickest and most piercing in 

 nature. Its smell also is not less distinguish- 

 ing. When it sees its enemy distinctly, it 

 stops for a moment; and then, if the person 

 be near, in an instant after it flies off! In the 



Mr. Peroud's account, as quoted by Buflbn 



