12 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



nent and climbs where the soaring eagle rests. 

 The majority of goats are born, live, and die on 

 peak or plateau above the limits of tree life. 



The goat distinctly shows the response of an 

 animal to its environment. Of course an ani- 

 mal that can live among canons, ice, and crags 

 must be sure-footed, keen-eyed, and eternally 

 wide awake. He must watch his step and 

 watch every step. Again and again he travels 

 along narrow ridges where dogs would slide off 

 or be blown overboard; he lives in an environ- 

 ment where he is constantly in danger of step- 

 ping on nothing or sliding off the icescape. 

 Certain habits and characteristics are exacted 

 from the animal which succeeds on the mountain 

 tops. The goat's rock and ice climbing skill, 

 his rare endurance, and his almost eternal alert- 

 ness all indicate that he has lived in this en- 

 vironment for ages. His deadly horns and his 

 extraordinary skill in using them show that 

 at times he has to defend himself against ani- 

 mals as well as compete with the elements. 



Commonly the Rocky Mountain goat lives 

 in small flocks of a dozen or less, and his 

 home territory does not appear to be a large 

 one. Local goats of scattered territories make 

 a short, semi-annual migratory journey and have 

 different summer and winter ranges, but this 

 appears to be exceptional. They feed upon 



