46 HOOFED ANIMALS 
and defends it, even when attacked by dogs, regardless of her 
own safety. 
The White Goat is quite as odd in appearance as in mind 
and habit. Judging merely from its appearance an observer 
would be justified in considering it a slow, clumsy creature, 
safe only upon level ground. On the contrary, it is the most 
expert and daring rock-climber of all American hoofed an- 
imals. Its hoofs are small, angular and very compact, and 
consist of an ingenious combination of rubber-pad inside and 
knife-edge outside, to hold the owner equally well on snow, 
ice or bare rock. Mentally this animal has the steadiest 
nerves, the most indomitable courage and the greatest cool- 
ness in the face of danger that I am aware of in any hoofed 
and horned animal. 
We have seen Goats cross walls of rock which neither man, 
dog nor mountain sheep would dare attempt to pass. We 
have seen a goat cross the face of a precipice of apparently 
smooth rock, to all appearances entirely devoid of ledges or 
shelves of any kind, and so nearly perpendicular that it 
seemed an impossibility for any creature with hoofs to main- 
tain a footing upon it. And yet, the goat not only passed 
safely across, but did it with perfect composure, frequently 
looking back, and turning around whenever he saw fit to 
do so. 
In general outline this animal has the form of a pygmy 
American bison, and were its pelage dark brown instead of 
pure white, the external resemblance would indeed be strik- 
ing. It has high shoulders, low hind quarters, stocky legs, 
a thick-set body and shaggy pelage. Its-head is carried low, 
