MAMMALIA — CHAMOIS. 365 



the end ; the tail is short. This animal inliabits the mountains of Switzer- 

 land. It is about the size of a domestic goat, and resembles one in many 

 respects. It is most agreeably lively, and active beyond expression. Its 

 hair is short, like that of the doe. 



The young follows the dam for about five months, and sometimes longer, 

 if the hunters or the wolves do not separate them. It is asserted that they 

 live between twenty and thirty years. The flesh of the chamois is good to 

 eat ; and some of the fattest afford ten or twelve pounds of suet, which far 

 surpasses that of the goat in solidity and goodness. 



The cry of the chamois is not distinctly known ; if it has any, it is but 

 faint, and resembling that of a hoarse goat. When they are frightened, or 

 are in danger of any enemy, or some other object not perfectly known to 

 them, they warn the rest of the flock by a kind of hissing noise. It is 

 observable, that the chamois has a very penetrating eye, and its hearing 

 and smell are not less distinguishing. When it finds an enemy near, it 

 stops for a moment, and then in an instant flies off with the utmost speed. 

 AVhen the wind is in its favor, it can smell a human creature for more than 

 half a mile distance. When this happens, therefore, and it cannot see its 

 enemy, but only discovers his approach by the scent, it begins the hissing 

 noise with such force, that the rocks and the forests re-echo with the sound. 

 This hissing continues as long as the breath will permit. In the beginning 

 it is very shrill, and deeper towards the close. This animal then rests 

 a moment, after this alarm, to inspect further into its danger; and, hav- 

 ing confirmed the reality of its suspicion, it commences to hiss by inter- 

 vals, till it has spread the alarm to a great distance. During this time, 

 it is in the most violent agitation, strikes the ground forcibly with its 

 fore foot, and sometimes with both. It bounds from rock to rock ; it 

 turns, and looks round ; it turns to the edge of the precipice, and when 

 it has obtained a sight of the enemy, flies from it with all its speed. 

 The hissing of the male is much more acute than that of the female; 

 it is performed through the nostrils, and is, properly, no more than a 

 very strong breath, forced through the nostrils by fixing the tongue to the 

 palate, keeping the teeth nearly shut, the lips open, and a little lengthened. 

 Their agility is wonderful, as they Avill throw themselves down, across a 

 rock, which is nearly perpendicular, and twenty or thirty feet in height, 

 without a single prop to support their feet. Their motion has, indeed, 

 rather the appearance of flying than of leaping. The chamois feeds upon 

 the best herbage, and chooses ilie most delicate parts of plants, flowers, 

 and the most tender buds. It is not less delicate with regard to several 

 aromatic herbs, which grow upon the sides of the Alps. It drinks but 

 very little while it feeds upon the succulent herbage, and ruminates, 

 like the goat, in the intervals of feeding. Its head is crovv'ned with two 

 small horns, of about half a foot long, of a beautiful black, and rising from 

 the forehead, almost betwixt the eyes. These horns are often made use 



