324 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the morning tliey were again collected, the bells tinkling in 

 infinite variety of tones, and started for their mountain ramble. 



These mountain goats somewhat resemble the chamois. 

 Their eye is bright and full of expression, their heads fine and 

 delicate. Tiieir color is a kind of brownish yellow, some of 

 them spotted, others dark brown all over. They are almost as 

 nimble as a fox, and always full of life and activity. The males 

 are bold, capricious and always ready for a joke. It is said 

 that an Englisliman was one day sitting on a log, near the inn 

 on the Grimsel, engaged in reading a book. As he got sleepy 

 and began to nod, a he-goat passing by, mistook his sudden and 

 jerking bows for a challenge, and drawing back, sent his antag- 

 onist sprawling over behind the log " as quick as lightning," 

 with his feet vibrating in the air. Perfectly astonished with 

 the ease of this victory, the goat put his feet upon the log to 

 look over, as if to inquire whether his victim had got hurt, and 

 running his tongue out as if overcome with laughter at having 

 done something funny. 



The flocks of young goats are sent up to the higher mountain 

 pastures in spring and summer, to be pastured at the least 

 possible expense, under the charge of boys, but they seldom 

 mount over seven thousand feet above the level of the sea. 

 They browse at liberty, and are not so easily kept together as- 

 the sheep. Tlie pastures which they frequent are too steep and 

 inaccessible for cows. Thousands of these creatures are to be 

 seen in the Bernese Alps, in the Yallais, and in the Tessin or 

 mountains forming the valley of the Ticino. These flocks do 

 not yield milk. Tliey stay on the mountains from three to five 

 months, according to the season, and are kept together chiefly 

 by means of salt, which the boy in charge has at hand to 

 sprinkle upon the rocks around his hut. 



These boys, often not more than from seven to ten years old, 

 lead a pretty lonely and miserable life up in the mountains, 

 often obliged to go without shoes and stockings, and with very 

 little clothing, except a few rags, living on old, mouldy bread 

 and poor cliecso. A fresh supply of stale bread is commonly 

 carried up to them once a fortnight. They can have no warm 

 and wholesome food, and seldom can resort to any useful 

 employment or even amusement to while away the tedious 

 days. Shivering, cold and hungry, in bad and wet weather, 



