m 



90 



THE TWO-TOED ARTIODACTYLA. 



far down into the valleys, while in summer 

 it visits the treeless and stony heights as far 

 as the snow limit. It runs with great rapidity 

 even upon ice-fields and glaciers, exhibits the 

 most wonderful dexterity in climbing among 

 the rocks, taking advantage of the slightest 

 inequalities in the surface of the ground, and 

 makes astonishing leaps with remarkable 

 precision and security. It rests by night and 



goes out to graze by day, always in larger or 

 smaller troops under the guidance of an old 

 female, which stations itself on an elevated 

 spot whence it can keep an outlook over the 

 surrounding country so as to be able to give 

 warning of threatening danger by a sharp 

 whistling sound. The, scent of the chamois 

 is very keen, the hearing likewise, the sight 

 less highly developed. Curiosity and timidity 



Fig. 165. — Gazelles [Gazeiia dorcas\. page 93. 



are the chief qualities in the disposition of 

 the chamois; the extraordinary adroitness 

 which it displays in the wild mountainous 

 regions which it inhabits saves it from many 

 dangers which its limited intelligence would 

 not enable it to perceive. The chase, the 

 favourite sport of the mountaineers, is ren- 

 dered difficult only by the nature of the spots 

 which the chamois frequents — spots which are 

 often quite inaccessible to man. Were it not 

 for that it would be scarcely less easy than 

 that of the roe-deer. In the Alps the chamois 

 would have been extirpated long ago had it 

 not been protected by severe laws against 

 hunters. In .Switzerland, where the chase is 



allowed at certain seasons of the year, the 

 chamois is already a rare animal, while in the 

 Eastern Alps one still may meet with pretty 

 numerous troops in the estates belonging to 

 the great land -owners. The old bucks are 

 quarrelsome and ill-tempered; they live 

 solitary except in the season of heat, when 

 they wage savage battles with their rivals. 

 For the most part the chamois brings forth 

 only one young one at a time. The young 

 animal is very attached to its mother, who 

 leads it about with great care till about the 

 age of six months. It can follow its mother 

 from the first day of its life, and soon exhibits 

 as much cleverness in leaping and climbing 



