THE CHAMOIS. 95 



has so strong a musk-like smell, that if the animal 

 be shot at this time the odour will remain for years. 

 Now too the stronger bucks make their appearance, 

 and desperate battles take place. You may be startled 

 also by an occasional bleat, uttered with angry im- 

 patience in the fervour of desire. If able to imitate 

 the call, you will soon see a black form leaping along 

 through the latschen or over the rocks, and coming 

 towards the spot whence the sound proceeded. The 

 period of gestation in the doe is twenty weeks. In 

 May her young kid may be seen beside her, playing 

 in the prettiest manner, leaping into the sunny air 

 and rolling on its back upon the soft herbage. With 

 a bound it will turn heels over head; not however 

 forwards or backwards, but sideways ; a proof of the 

 wonderful strength and elasticity of its limbs even at 

 this young stage of its existence. 



There is something very amusing in the wiseacre 

 look of such a little kid. Its bright eye twinkles like 

 a star; its silly little face is full of drollery; and, 

 pricking up its pretty velvet ears, it will turn its head 

 most knowingly on one side, and seem to cogitate on 

 the meaning of a flitting shadow : and then, not from 

 any fear, but out of mere fun, will start away as 

 though the shadow were its playfellow and were run- 

 ning after it in sport. 



A doe has generally but one kid at a time; that 

 she should have two is however by no means of un- 

 frequent occurrence. The little creature at its birth 

 is of a dark brownish-yellow colour. 



