1 90 
Q^U adrupedes. 
ii. Capra Cervicapra m . The Rock Goat. 
This is larger, fwifter, and wilder, than the com- 
mon Rock Goat, and can fcarcely be taken without 
a Falcon. It is met with near Aleppo. I have feen 
a variety of this, which is common in the Eaft, and 
the horns appear different; perhaps it is a diftinct 
fpecies. This animal loves the fmoke of tobacco, 
and when caught alive, will approach the pipe ol 
the huntfinari, though otherwise more timid than 
any animal. This is perhaps the only creature, be- 
fide man, that delights in the fmell of a poifonous 
and ftinking plant. The Arabians hunt it With a 
Falcon (Falco gentilis, Linn.) I had an excellent op- 
portunity of feeing this fport near Nazareth, in Ga- 
lilee. An Arab, mounting a fwift courier, held tlm 
Falcon on his hand, as huntfmen commonly do: 
when he efpied the Rock Goat, on the top of a 
mountain, he let loofe the Falcon, which flew in a 
direct line, like an arrow, and attacked the animal- 
fixing the talons of one of his feet into the cheek p* 
the creature, and the talons of the other into d* 
throat, extending his wings obliquely over the ani- 
mal ; fpreading one towards one of its ears, and t 
other to the oppofite hip. The animal, thus at- 
tacked, made a' leap twice the height of a man, an 
freed himfelf from the Falcon ; but, being wounded* 
and lofing its ftrength and fpeed, it was again aC ' 
tacked by the Falcon, which fixed the talons of b°* 
its feet into the throat of the animal, and held it f a ’ 
till the liuntfman coming up, took it alive, and c 
its throat ; the Falcon drinking the blood, as a t 
ward for his labour, and a young Falcon, which ^ 
m Ljn. Syft, Nat. P. 69. N. 7. 
learnida’ 
