114 
HABITS OF THE IBEX, 
"It is a pleasant sight to watch a herd of ibex when 
undisturbed, the kids frisking here and" there .on pinnacles 
or ledges of rocks and beetling cliffs where there seems 
scarcely safe foothold for anything much larger than a grass- 
hopper, the old mother looking calmly on. Then again, 
see the caution observed in taking up their resting or 
abiding places for the day, where they may be warmed 
by the sun, listening to the roar of many waters, figuratively 
we may say, chewing the cud of contentment and giving 
themselves up to the full enjoyment of their nomadic life and 
its romantic haunts. Usually before reposing, one of the 
herd, generally an old doe, may be observed intently gazing 
below, apparently scanning every spot in the range of her 
vision, sometimes for half an hour or more, before she is 
satisfied that 'all is well,' but strange to say seldom or never 
looking up to the rocks above. Then being satisfied on the 
one side, she follows the same process on the other, eventually 
calmly lying down contented with the precautions she has 
taken. Her post as sentinel is generally a prominent one on 
the edge or corner of some ledge, well sheltered from the wind 
and warmed by the sun, along which the herd dispose them- 
selves as inclined, fully trusting in the watchful guardian 
whose manoeuvres I have been describing; should the 
sentinel be joined by another, or her kid come and lie 
down by her, they invariably place themselves back to 
back, or in such a manner that they'can keep a good look 
out on either side. A solitary male goes through all this 
by himself, and wonderfully careful he is, but when with 
the herd he reposes in security, leaving it to the females to 
take precautions for their mutual safety. 
" Although so wary in their habits, these animals are at 
