IBEX. 
263 
male, and not so corpulent. Her colour is less 
tawny, and her horns not above eight inches long. 
These animals assemble in flocks consisting of 
sometimes ten or fifteen., but generally of smaller 
numbers. They feed during the night in the 
highest woods ; but at sun-rise they quit the woods,, 
and ascend the mountains, feeding in their progress, 
till they have reached the most considerable heights. 
They are generally seen on the sides of the moun- 
tains which face the east or south, and lie down in 
the highest places and hottest exposures ; but when 
the sun is declining, they again begin to feed and to 
descend towards the woods ; whither they also re- 
tire when it is likely to snow, and where they 
always pass the winter. The ibex inhabits the Alps, 
Pyrenees, and Carpathian mountains. 
The males that are six years old and upwards, 
haunt more elevated places than the females and 
younger animals ; and, as they advance in age, they 
become more inclined to solitude. They also be- 
come gradually hardened against the effects of ex- 
treme cold, and frequently live entirely alone. 
The season for hunting the ibex is during the 
months of August and September, when they are 
usually in good condition. None but the inhabi- 
tants of the mountains engage in this chase ; for it 
not only requires a head that can bear to look down 
from the most tremendous heights without terror, 
address, and sure-footedness in the most difficult and 
dangerous passes, but also much strength, vigour, 
and activity. Two or three hunters usually asso- 
ciate in the perilous occupation ; they arearmed with 
rifle-barrelled guns, and furnished with small bags 
of provisions ; they erect a miserable hut of turf 
among the heights, where, without fire or co vering, 
fhey pass the night ; and, on waking in the morning, 
they not unfrequently find the entrance blocked 
up with snow three or four feet deep. Sometimes^ 
