532 THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE. 



to Ms chateau of Blonay, and to Ms domestics and people ; to whom, from their novel nature 

 and peculiarities, they afforded much interest and amusement. 



"A femme de chambre, belonging to the establishment, they were most particularly 

 attached to, and she to them ; on a certain day, one of them strayed away for some time, and 

 much regret arose in consequence, but the maid was indefatigable in searching for her truant 

 favorite, and was, at length, fortunate in reclaiming the wanderer ; who, on descrying her, 

 trotted after her footseps, obeying the enticing cry of ' Lalotte, Lalotte,'' the name which had 

 been given him. 



"They are stated, by Mr. Lowther, to have been particularly inquisitive and curious in 

 their habits, prying into everything that was brought into the chateau ; the cook' s basket, the 

 tradesmen's wares, and the charcoal-man's bags. Of this last personage they were always 

 indignant, and would pretend to make fight against him ; but on his approach, would leap, 

 with surprising agility and to a great height, upon any wall, ledge, or projectment, that 

 offered itself, and would sustain them, returning invariably to the charge when the man of 

 fuel turned his back, or retrograded ; indeed, they would never suffer themselves to be touched ; 

 a finger not having yet reached them. They would admit of the hand being softly brought 

 near their persons, but immediately as it arrived witMn an inch of their head or body, they 

 would vault, suddenly and lightly, from the proffered contamination. To the gardener and 

 coachman they were amazingly gracious, and would, apparently, take great delight in seeing the 

 one sow his seeds and delve his soil, and the other clean his carriages and groom his horses ; 

 in fact, they became quite pets with all parties, and seemed to forget their wild haunts and 

 mountain dwellings, in the warmer and less terrific asylums of civilized man." 



As the hind legs exceed the fore limbs in length, the Chamois is better fitted for the ascent 

 of steep ground than for descending, and never exhibits its wonderful powers with such suc- 

 cess as when it is leaping lightly and rapidly up the face cf an apparently inaccessible rock, 

 and taking advantage of every little projection to add impetus to its progress. Even when 

 standing still, it is able to mount to a higher spot without leaping. It stands erect on its 

 hind legs, places its fore-feet on some narrow shelf of rock, and by a sudden exertion, draws 

 its whole body upon the ledge, where it stands secure. 



The food of the Chamois consists of the various herbs which grow upon the mountains, 

 and in the winter season it finds its nourishment on the buds of sundry trees, mostly of an 

 aromatic nature, such as the fir, pine, and juniper. In consequence of this diet, the flesh assumes 

 a rather powerful odor, which is decidedly repulsive to the palates of some persons, while 

 others seem to appreciate the peculiar flavor, and to value it as highly as the modern gourmand 

 appreciates the "gamey" flavor of long-kept venison. The skin is largely employed in the 

 manufacture of a certain leather, which is widely famous for its soft though tough character. 

 The color of the Chamois is yellowish-brown upon the greater portion of the body, the spinal 

 line being marked with a black streak. In the winter months, the fur darkens and becomes 

 blackish-brown. The face, cheeks, and throat are of a yellowish-white hue, diversified by a 

 dark brownish-black band which passes from the corner of the mouth to the eyes, when it 

 suddenly dilates and forms a nearly perfect ring round the eyes. The horns are jetty black 

 and highly polished, especially towards the tips, wMch are extremely sharp. There are several 

 obscure rings on the basal portions, and their entire surface is marked with longitudinal lines. 



Several varieties of the Chamois are recorded, but the distinctions between them lie only 

 in the comparative length of the horns and the hue of the coat. The full-grown Chamois is 

 rather more than two feet in height, and the horns are from six to eight inches long. 



The Prong-horned Antelope, or Cabrit, bears some resemblance to the Chamois, 

 from which animal it may be known by a peculiar structure of the horns, which throw out 

 a projecting point, or prong, just at the spot where the horns begin their backward curve. It 

 is a native of North America, where it is sometimes called the Spring-Buck, to the great 

 confusion of zoological neophytes. It is an active and vigorous animal, and cannot be easily 

 overtaken by a horse unless its footsteps are hindered by a fall of snow. It is a gregarious 

 animal, migrating at different times of the year. It inhabits the vast prairies of the Far West, 



