634 UNGULATA. 



Emperor of Austria, and the princes of his house. It moves very swiftly- 

 over level ground, and is unsurpassed in traversing the Alpine rocks ; 

 the false hoofs of its hinder feet aid it greatly in descending the rocks. 

 It is very wary, and possesses a keen scent ; even an old footmark in the 

 snow will startle it. It lives in small herds, which send out sentinels to 

 watch while the rest are feeding, and give warning of a coming foe. 



As the hind legs exceed the fore limbs in length, the Chamois is bet- 

 ter fitted for the ascent of steep ground than for descending, and never 

 exhibits its wonderful powers with such success as when it is leaping 

 lightly and rapidly up the face of 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 per- 

 sons, 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 toward the tips, which 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. 



