562 



CHAMOIS, 



an inhabitant of the Alps of Switzerland and Italy, 

 the Pyren^an mountains, the island of Crete, 

 several parts of Greece, and the mountains Cau- 

 casus and Taurus. It is about the size of a com- 

 mon Goat, and is of a deep or dusky rufous-brown 

 colour, with the cheeks, chin, throat, and belly, 

 of a yellowish white : in some individuals the 

 cheeks are observed to be of a dusky colour, and 

 the forehead white. The horns are upright, slen- 

 der, about eight inches high, and strongly hooked 

 backwards at the tips : their colour is black, and 

 they are slightly wrinkled towards the base, but 

 have no appearance of rings or circular elevations, 

 as in most others of this genus. At the base of 

 each horn, at the back part, is said to be a pretty 

 large orifice in the skin, the nature and use of 

 which does not seem to be clearly understood. 

 The hair of the Chamois is rather long : the tail 

 short, like that of a Goat, and of a blackish co- 

 lour both above and below. 



The Chamois is an animal of extremely timid 

 manners, and while the herd is feeding, one al- 

 w^ays acts as a centinel, and on every alarm gives 

 notice to the rest by a kind of sharp hiss ; upon 

 which the whole herd flies off with the utmost ra- 

 pidity. They are said to feed chiefly in the very 

 early part of the morning, and in the evening. 

 Their chace is a very laborious employment; 

 since the animals must be approached by surprise, 

 and are shot with rifle-barrelled guns ^\ In their 



Pennant. 



