168 



when they approach the females, and drive away the 

 young. 



It is to be observed, that this creature is extremely 

 vigilant, and has an eye the most piercing in nature. 

 Its smell also is not less distinguishing. When it sees 

 its enemy distinctly, it stops for a moment, and then, 

 if the person be near, in an instant Hies olF. In the 

 same manner it can by its smell discover a man at a 

 great distance, and gives the earliest notice. Upon 

 any alarm, the shammoy begins his hissing note with 

 such force, that the rocks and the forests re-echo to 

 the sound. The animal having .reposed a moment, 

 again looks round, and perceiving the reality of its 

 fears, continues to hiss by intervals. During this time 

 it seems in the most violent agitation ; it strikes the 

 ground with its fore-foot, and sometimes with both : 

 it bounds from rock to rock ; ifc turns and looks round ; 

 it runs to the edge of the precipice, and still flies with 

 all its speed. 



I(s head is furnished with two small horns of about 

 half a foot long, of a beautiful black. The ears are 

 placed in a very elegant manner, near the horns, and 

 there are two stripes of black on each side of the face, 

 the r^st being of a whitish yellow, which never changes. 

 They run along the rocks with great ease and indiffe- 

 rence, and leap from one to another, so that no dogs 

 are able to pursue them. t They always mount or de 

 scend in an oblique direction, and throw themselves 

 clown a rock of thirty feet, and light with great seen, 

 rity upon some excrescence or fragment on the side of 

 the precipice, which is just large enough to place their 

 feet upon. The more craggy and uneven the forest, 

 the more this animal is pleased with the abode, which 

 thus adds to its security. 



The Roe-Duck is the smallest of the deer-kind in 

 onr climate, and is now almost extinct, except in the 

 Highlands of Scotland. It is generally about three 

 feet long, and about two feet high. The horns ar^ 



