96 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



hoof resembles that of an antelope about as much as the 

 hoof of a cow resembles that of a deer, but no more. 

 This creature may not be a twin brother to Capra hircus 

 the first known goat; but at the same time, it is at least 

 a million years from being an " antelope," of any sort. 

 In fact, its build is far heavier than that of the other 

 members of the two subfamilies of goats, to say nothing 

 of the long-necked, slender-limbed and agile antelopes. 

 A real crag-climbing antelope would indeed be a zoolog- 

 ical novelty. 



It is sometimes said that this animal is not a " goat " 

 because it does not belong to the genus Gapra, a group 

 of animals restricted to the Old World. But there are 

 a number of goats that do not belong to that genus, just 

 as there are many deer that are not found in the genus 

 Cervus. The word " goat " is a family name, the same 

 as " deer." Shall we quarrel with the name " deer " as 

 applied to our mule deer, or white-tailed deer, because 

 they are outside the pale of Cervus? And yet, such a 

 departure would be quite as well justified as are the 

 objections to " goat " for the white cragmaster of the 

 Rockies. If there are any writers who wish to call 

 Oreamnos an " antelope," let them do so; but the Reader 

 is advised that in adhering to the name " mountain goat " 

 he will be sufficiently correct. 



In order to set forth at a glance the mountain goat's 

 place in nature, and also its nearest relatives, this dia- 

 gram is offered: 



