336 THE WILD GOAT, &c. 



more numerous, and go generally in flocks. In 

 the Alps and Pyrcnnees, however, they are not. 



now 



mal. " The chamois, though a wild animal, is very docile. 

 He inhabits only the mountains and rocks. He is of the 

 fize of a domeftic goat, which he greatly refembles. His 

 vivacity is delightful, and his agi-lity truly admirable. His 

 hair is as fhort as that of a hind : In fpring, it is aili- 

 coloured, in fummer it is yellowilh, in autumn yellowifh 

 brown mixed with black, and, in winter, browniih black. 

 The chamois goats are numerous in the mountains of Upper 

 Dauphiny, Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, and Germany. 

 They are very focial among themfelves : We find them go- 

 ing in pairs, or in little flocks of from three to twenty; and 

 fometimes we fee from fixty to a hundred of them difperfed 

 in different flocks along the declivity of the fame mountain. 

 The large males keep at a diftance from the reft, except in 

 the rutting feafen, when they join the females, and beat off 

 all the young. At this period, their ardour is dill ftronger than 

 that of the wild bucks. They bleat often, and run from one 

 mountain to another. Their feafon of love is in the months 

 of October and November, and they bving forth in March 

 and April. A young female takes the male at the age of 

 eighteen months. The females bring forth one, but rarely 

 two, at a time. The young follow their mothers till Octo- 

 ber, if not difperfed by the hnnters or the wolves. We arc 

 allured that they live between twenty and thirty years. Their 

 flefli is very good. A fat chamois goat will yield from ten 

 to twelve pounds of fuet, which is harder and better than 

 that of the goat. The blood of the chamois is extremely hot, 

 and it is faid to have qualities and virtues nearly equal to 

 thofe of the wild goat, and may ferve the fame purpofes ; 

 for the effects are the fame, when taken in a double dofe. 

 It is good againft pleurines, and poiTeffes the property of 

 purifying the blood, and promoting perfpiration. The 

 hunters fometimes mix the blood of the wild and chamois 

 goats : At other times, they fell the blood of the wild 

 goat for that of the chamois. It is very difficult to diftin- 

 guilh them; which fhows that the blood of the wild goat 

 differs very little from that of the chamois. The voice 

 of the chamois is a very low and almofl: imperceptible kind 



of 



