72 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



colour ; in autumn, dun, inclining to black ; and in win- 

 ter, of a blackifti-brown. 



This animal is found, in great plenty, in the moun- 

 tains of Dauphiny, Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, and 

 Germany. They are very gentle, and live in fociety 

 with each other. They are found in flocks of from four 

 to fourfcore, and even an hundred, difperfed upon the 

 crags of the mountains. The large males are feen feed- 

 ing, detached from the reft ; except in rutting time, 

 when they approach the females, and drive away the 

 young. The time of their coupling is from the begin- 

 ning of October to the end of November ; and they 

 bring forth in March and April. The young keep with 

 the dam for about five months, and fometimes longer, 

 if the hunters and the wolves do not feparate them. It 

 is aiTerted, that they live between twenty and thirty 

 years. Their flefli is good to eat ; and they yield ten or 

 twelve pounds of fuet, which far furpaiTes that of the 

 Goat in hardnefs and goodnefs. 



The Chamois has fcarcely any cry : It has a kind of 

 feeble bleat, by which the parent calls its young: But in 

 cafes of danger, and when it is to warn the reft of the 

 flock, it ufes a hiffing noife, which is heard at a great 

 diftance: For it is to be obferved, that this creature is 

 extremely vigilant, and has an eye remarkably quick and 

 piercing : Its fmell alfo is not lefs diftinguifhing. When 

 it fees its enemy diftinclly, it ftops for a moment ; and 

 then, if the perfon be near, in an inftant flies off*. In 

 the fame manner, by its fmell, it can difcover a man at 

 half a league diftance, and gives the earlieft notice. Up- 

 on any alarm, therefore, or any apprehenfions of danger, 

 the Chamois begins his hiffing note with fuch force, that 

 the rocks and the forefts re-echo the found. The firfl 



