JIALE IBEX. 155 



wildest and most retired spots iii search of 

 ibex. We found a great number, but were 

 not very successful in this our first essay in 

 ibex shooting, for we only killed two ; but 

 we laid in a stock of knowledge concerning 

 them and their habits, that ensured our 

 success in the following years. 



The male ibex is about the size of 

 the tahir, and except just after changing 

 their coats, when they are of a greyish 

 hue, the general colour is a dirty yellowish 

 Avhite, tinged with brown. I have how- 

 ever killed the younger animals, both male 

 and female, with their coats as red as 

 that of a deer in his red coat, but never 

 saw an old male of that colour, for the 

 reason, I imagine, that he lives much 

 higher, and sheds his coat much later in 

 the season. The hair is short, something 

 in texture like that of the burrell and other 

 wild sheep, and in the cold weather is 

 mixed with a very soft downy wool, resem- 

 bling the shawl wool of Thibet. This and 

 the old hau- is shed in May and June, and 



