20 IBEX SHOOTING 



the back. They are very shy, and live as 

 high up in the snow as they can ; generally 

 coming down at about three in the after- 

 noon to graze below the snow level. Here 

 they spend the night, and having had an- 

 other good meal in the early morning, they 

 retire at about nine o'clock to some beetling 

 crag, whence they have a perfect view of the 

 steep slopes below, and from whence they 

 again descend at about three in the after- 

 noon, having spent the day in sleep, and 

 in a careful survey of the ground they in- 

 tend to graze on. They depend chiefly on 

 their eyesight for safety, but have also a 

 very keen sense of smell, and it must not 

 be imagined that they are deaf. They have 

 one weak point, however, they do not an- 

 ticipate danger from above. Having spent 

 the whole day on the highest point neces- 

 sary to safety, they seem to dismiss the 

 thought of danger from above : this is the 

 sportsman's greatest hope. Their activity 

 is something wonderful ; they will gallop 

 over places a man cannot cross at all ; so that 



