THE CHAMOIS. 101 



before him, passes in this way over the backs of all 

 the others, and then places himself at their head ; 

 the last but one does the same, and the others follow 

 in order ; and in this manner they have soon passed 

 over such a field of snow." The same writer tells us 

 also that "it is their inner heat which impels them to 

 seek those places where snow is to be found." 



A most curious opinion seems to have been preva- 

 lent for I find the same thing related in old books 

 of natural history, as well as in the recent publica- 

 tion from which the above extracts are taken with 

 regard to the chamois, when hard pressed and unable 

 to escape its pursuers. I give the whole passage : 

 " The most dangerous chase of all is that of the cha- 

 mois. The hunter must manage all alone, as neither 

 man nor dog can be of any service to him. His ac- 

 coutrements consist of an old coat, a bag with dry 

 bread, cheese, and meat, a gun, his hunting-knife, 

 and a pair of irons for the feet. He then drives the 

 chamois from one crag to the other, making them 

 always mount higher, climbs after them, and shoots 

 them if he can, or if he finds it necessary ; but if that 

 should not be the case, and he has driven one so far 

 that it is no longer able to elude him, he approaches 

 quite close, puts his hunting-knife to its side, which 

 the chamois of Us own accord pushes into its body, 

 and then falls down headlong from the rock." 



In another work published at Frankfort-on-the- 

 Maine in the year 1601, it is also said: "At last, 

 when the chamois can go no further, and the hunter 



