NIX 111 ANNUM. RMPORT. 25 



or no water is found from Aucjust to October, except what is 

 furnished by such snow fields as persist throughout the year. All 

 other animals can, durino- the dry season, venture down to the 

 valleys and canons for water, but the goat seld' mi leaves the rocks, 

 even for water, relying on the snow of the mountain tops. 



This fact alone, i believe, is sufficient to account for the absence 

 of the goat, so often commented on by hunters, in many portions 

 of its range, where other conditions appear to be entirely suitable. 

 In southern British Coltunhia the great river valleys, such as 

 those of the Kii()iena\-. the Columbia and the Heaver, run almost 

 north and xiutli. an(l prevent communication from east to west 

 between the goat inhabiting the adjacent mountains, while these 

 same valleys offer no difficulties to the crossing of sheep and 

 other large animals. Farther north in ihe Stickine country wide 

 valleys are sometimes crossed. 



The presence or absence of water on the higher ridges, taken 

 together with the fact that the goat is not a very restless or 

 migratorv animal, accounts for many of the anomalies that are 

 observed in its distribution. It is probable that in the course of 

 its life the goat ranges over a smaller territory than any other 

 of our game animals and unless seriously disturl)ed does not 

 venture far from its native haunts as long as the food supply 

 lasts. They can usually be found day after day on the same 

 s]K)t and goat have been watched, through glasses, which ap- 

 parently scarcely moved for days at a time. Of course, in such 

 a spot, food and water must be plentiful, and no danger threat- 

 ening. 



Along the Columbia River goat have been sometimes observed 

 to get into ])ositions on the face of the cliffs, from which they 

 a])parently could not escape. In spite of their great strength 

 and climbing a])ilil\. their liome must be an exceiitioiiall\- dan- 

 gerotis one and it is probable thai nian\ lose their lives through 

 accidents. 



In British Cohimbia. during the earl_\- summer, the streams 

 from the melting snow on the mountain tops are found in e\ery 

 draw and gulch. Dtiring this season small bands of females and 

 kids, or solitarx' males, are scattered evt'ry where in fa\-orable 

 localities, from tlu' ui)])er timber to the stnnmits of the moini- 

 tains. -As the season advances however and the snow-fetl streams 

 (lr\- up, the only water available is found in the larger basins 

 where the snow has accumulated in large ([uantities. These 

 basins become the feeding gnunid ot the goal and the rest of 

 tile nionnlain >-ide i> deserted, except for an occasional indi\idna] 



