ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 95 
ment, until the arrow pierces it. If there are others in com- 
pany, they will frequently remain with the wounded, until 
they are all in like manner destroyed.” 
The Rocky Mountain Goat ( Capra Montana') of which 
very little is known, has for its northern limits the River of 
the Mountains, and has been met with as low down as 45 
degrees north. It is more numerous on the western than on 
the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, but is rarely 
seen at any distance from them, frequenting the peaks and 
ridges in summer, and occupying the valleys in winter. 
Description . — Nearly the size of a common sheep, with a 
shaggy appearance, in consequence of the protrusion of the 
long hair beyond the wool, which is white and soft. The 
horns and hoofs are black ; the horns slightly curved back- 
wards, and projecting but little beyond the wool. The 
fleece of this goat is said to equal that of the celebrated shawl 
goat of Cashmere, .both in fineness and value, though the 
skin is spongy and only used for mocassins. Little is known 
of its haunts ; of its habits still less. Were it not for the 
fleecy nature of its covering, and the shortness of its 
horns, some analogy might be fancied to exist between this 
