ioo CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



The gland behind the horn of the mountain goat 

 is largest during September and October, and subsides 

 somewhat after the close of the mating season. If it 

 serves any useful purpose, that purpose is as yet un- 

 known. On September nth, each gland is about the 

 size of a small black-walnut, flattened on the naked sur- 

 face which touches the horn, and round within the skin. 

 Instead of lying flat upon the skull, as shown by many 

 taxidermists, the naked surface stands upon its edge. It 

 is decidedly concave at the centre, black in color, smooth, 

 and practically odorless. It fits up closely against the 

 base of the horn, and of the naked portion only a narrow 

 edge is visible. We found no oil, nor even moisture, 

 exuding. When cut into sections, the interior appears 

 to be calloused flesh, like the palm of the human hand. 

 On the date mentioned above, the naked portion of the 

 gland of a large male goat was one and one-half inches 

 in diameter, and at the centre there was a pronounced 

 depression. Of the six goats killed by us, the horns of 

 none showed evidence of any disintegrating action from 

 these glands. Yet one of my specimens was very old. 

 The female goat possesses these glands, but they are pro- 

 portionately smaller than those of males of the same age. 

 On the living animal they are not conspicuous. 



The eyes of the adult goat are not " jet black." The 

 iris is straw-color, a little darker than Naples yellow, 

 and the pupil is a broad, blunt-ended ellipse. J. Kanof- 

 sky, of New York, makes them correctly. The edge of 

 the eyelid, and the naked portions of the nostrils and lips, 

 are black. The eyes of a young kid are so dark they 



