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THE CHAMOIS ANTELOPE. (Antilope rupicapra, Linn.) 



The chamois inhabits the mountainous parts of western Asia, 

 and also of western Europe. In the latter quarter it is abundant 

 in the mountains of Dauphiny, Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, 

 and Germany. 



It is about the size of a large goat, which in some respects 

 it resembles. The hair of the body is shaggy, deep fawn colour 

 in summer, faded brown in winter, and a sort of straw colour 

 towards spring j a black band descends from the eye towards 

 the muzzle ; the horns are not more than six or seven inches 

 long, are black, quite smooth, erect for about two -thirds of 

 their length, at which part they curve back into hooks with 

 very sharp tips 5 those of the female are smaller and less 

 hooked. 



These animals associate in small herds in the middle regions 

 of the mountains, that is to say, between the plains and the 

 highest elevations. They feed only at morning and evening, 

 eating the richest pasture, and cropping the most delicate parts 

 of aromatic herbs. It is exceedingly difficult to approach them, 

 for while they graze, one of them stands as a sentinel on some 

 eminence which commands a view of all the avenues leading to 

 their haunt, and when he perceives an object of alarm, he utters 



