SHEEP AND GOAT KIND. 279 



which is to be rifle-barrelled, and to carry one 

 ball, and tries his fortune among them. Some 

 also pursue this animal as they do the stag, by 

 placing proper persons at all the passages of a 

 glade, or valley, and then sending in others to 

 rouse the game. Dogs are quite useless in this 

 chase, as they rather alarm than overtake. Nor 

 is it without danger even to the men ; for it often 

 happens that when the animal finds itself over- 

 pressed, it drives at the hunter with its head, 

 and often tumbles him down the neighbouring 

 precipice. This animal cannot go upon ice when 

 smooth ; but if there be the least inequalities on 

 its surface, it then bounds along in security, and 

 quickly evades all pursuit. 



The skin of the chamois was once famous when 

 tanned for its softness and warmth ; at present, 

 however, since the art of tanning has been brought 

 to greater perfection, the leather called shammoy 

 is made also from those of the tame goat, the 

 sheep, and the deer. Many medicinal virtues also 

 were said to reside in the blood, fat, gall, and the 

 concretion sometimes found in the stomach of this 

 animal, called the German bezoar. The fat, mix- 

 ed with milk, was said to be good in ulcers of the 

 lungs. The gall was said to be useful in strength- 

 ening the sight ; the stone, which is generally 

 about the size of a walnut, and blackish, was for- 

 merly in great request for having the same virtues 

 with oriental bezoar. However, in the present 

 enlightened state of physic, all these medicines 

 are quite out of repute ; and although we have 

 the names of several medicines procurable from 



