HISTORY. 7 



round her. The kids, when born, are covered with a short 

 gray fur of hair and wool ; their limbs are stout, and their 

 bodies light and buoyant; and in a few hours they are able 

 to follow the dam, who vigilantly guards them from the at- 

 tacks of eagles and other beasts of prey. 



These wild and powerful Goats are gregarious, and found 

 in small flocks ; but individuals separate from the herd, and 

 form their solitary lairs, like the stag and other deer. At 

 the rutting season, desperate conflicts take place for the pos- 

 session of the females, the stronger expelling the weaker, and 

 thus fulfilling a natural provision for preserving the proper- 

 ties of the race, by giving the privilege of propagating it to 

 the most vigorous. They inhabit the highest part of the 

 mountains, near the line of perpetual congelation and the 

 limits of vegetable life, and beyond the range of the wildest 

 of the Antelopes. They feed on the herbaceous willows, the 

 juniper, the crowberry, and other plants of the higher moun- 

 tains. In winter they descend to the lower slopes of the 

 hills, but never venture into the plains and woods of the 

 level country. They have the senses of sight, smell, and 

 hearing, in exquisite perfection. Perched on the loftiest 

 peaks, in the region of clouds and mist, they watch the mo- 

 tions of their enemies, and on their approach give signal of 

 danger to their comrades by a shrill whistle, when all betake 

 themselves to the neighbouring mountains of rock and ever- 

 lasting ice, where human foot cannot follow them. Yet they 

 are made the subject of the chase by the hardy hunters of the 

 Chamois Antelope, who steal upon them in their lonely lairs, 

 or bring them down by the fatal ball from the distant preci- 

 pice. When brought to bay, it is said they have been known 

 to precipitate themselves upon their pursuers, and hurl them 

 down a precipice. Incessant persecution has thinned their 

 numbers ; so that, in the mountains of Europe, where they 

 once abounded, they are now scarcely to be found. 



This creature, so powerful, vigilant, and wild, is yet formed 

 to submit himself to human control. When the kids are 



