HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 83 



the least alarm, the Chamois begins its hissing note 

 with great force. The first hiss continues as long 

 as the time of one respiration : in the beginning it 

 is very sharp, and deeper towards the close. The 

 animal having, after this first alarm, reposed a mo- 

 ment, again looks round ; and perceiving the reality 

 of its fears, continues to hiss by intervals, until it has 

 spread the alarm to a very great distance. During 

 this time, it seems in the most violent agitation ; it 

 strikes the ground with one fore foot, and sometimes 

 with both ; it bounds from rock to rock, turns and 

 looks round, runs to the edge of the precipice, and, 

 still perceiving the enemy, flies with all its speed. 

 The hissing of the male is much louder and sharper 

 than that of the female: it is performed through the 

 nose, and is properly no more than a very strong 

 breath driven violently through a small aperture. 



The Chamois feeds upon the best herbage, and 

 chuses the most delicate parts of the plants, the 

 flowers, and the tender buds. It is not less delicate 

 Avith regard to several aromatic herbs, which grow 

 upon the sides of the mountains. It drinks very 

 little whilst it feeds upon the succulent herbage, 

 and chews the cud in the intervals of feeding. 



This animal is greatly admired for the beauty of 

 its eyes, which are round and sparkling, and mark 

 the warmth of its constitution. Its head is furnished 

 with two small horns of about half a foot long, of a 

 beautiful black, rising from the forehead almost be- 

 twixt the eyes : these, instead of going backwards 

 or sideways, stand forward, and bend a little back- 

 ward at their extremities, ending in a very sharp 

 point. The ears are placed, in a very elegant man- 

 ner, near the horns ; there are two stripes of black 

 on each side of the face, the rest is of a whitish yel- 



