]48 



VEKTEBRATES. 



and tte tracts beyond the Lena. The male resembles the common 

 goat in outward form ; the eyes are large, round, and fiery ; the 

 horns, when of a full size, are large and heavy ; the beard is long 

 and dusky ; the body is short, thick, and strong, and covered with 

 a long, but not pendant coat; the legs are slender, and the hoofs 

 are terminated by a salient border, that is, a border which fits for 



Ibex, 



leaping ; tho female is one-third less than the male, her color less 

 tawny, and her horns much smaller. The Ibex will leap a rock 

 fifteen feet high at three successive leaps, with an aiiy lightness 

 almost resembling flying ; when pursued he traverses the glaciers 

 with amazing rapidity. This species is found in small flocks of 

 from twelve to fifteen, which, during the winter, reside in elevated 

 woods : >in fair summer weather, they quit the woody regions in 

 the daytime, and feed in their progress towards the highest sum- 

 mits, and then gradually descend at the approach of night. The 

 usual season for hunting them is in the month of August and 

 September, but it is a description of sport attended with great 

 danger. 



