178 
Mli. 0. C0UDER,S rOUTUGUKSE NOTES. 
To the Sportsman this district would prove most enticing. 
Wild Eoars are still tolerably abundant, and the Wolf very 
frequent. The Sheep Dogs are A'^ery powerful animals, and are 
protected with strong collars environed by .spikes. 
A Contrahandista told us that he had shortly before come across 
the frontier from Spain, and had seen a Bull with his back against 
the rock confronted by a Wolf : he drove it off with a pistol shot ; 
but upon returning a few days after, he came across the mangled 
remains of the Bull, which had fallen a prey to his crafty and 
insidious foe. These animals never attack men except driven by 
direst necessity. A plentiful supply is ever to their hand in the 
numerous wild animals found in the mountains. 
Towards the top of the mountain Ave came on a fine specimen 
of the Golden Eagle, Avhich had just struck down a Eed-legged 
Partridge. This species of Eagle is common, as also a Spotted 
Eagle : and a third kind, Avhich my informant could not name. 
The Kite is frequently seen, as also several other of the HaAvk 
tribe, Avhich have free quarters, plenty of provender, and breeding- 
place far aAvay from molestation. 
The Gerez is one of the last habitats for the Pock Goat (Capra 
aigoceros) in Europe as a Avild animal ; it appears to be the 
stock of all our domesticated varieties of Goats. It is readily 
noted by the horns being edged in front, and very long in the 
males, and short, or occasionally wanting, in the females. I think 
I am right in saying that feAv animals are so hardy as the 
Wild Goat, certainly feAV are so powerful and active. It is capable 
of maintaining its -foothold on the smallest point on Avhich its 
feet can rest, and of taking very considerable leaps Avith the utmost 
certainty of alighting safely ; although the spot Avhich it desires to 
attain is perhaps but the ragged point or slippery ledge of a 
precipice. It Avill thus find its food in places inaccessible to any 
other animals, and live and thrive by cropping the scanty herbage 
Avhich they furnish. In the mountain ranges of Europe, on the 
Alps and Pyrenees, the Goat is found at an elevation approaching 
the line of perpetual snoAv. It is to be noticed that the Goat 
feeds on a greater variety of plants than any other ruminant, many 
which are distasteful, if not injurious, to others, are eaten Avitli 
impunity ; as the Hemlock, Henbane, and Digitalis, and even the 
very acrid Euphorbium, are not rejected. 
