CHAMOIS, 6lizirenfi. Fr. pron. ,..11:1-inwft' (Fr.. It. conio:v!.. probably from SING.
Ger. flceos(. chamois: cf. also Sp., l'ort. gamo, fallow deer). or GE3ISE. A goat-antelope (Rupi rapra tragn•..), inhabiting the high mountains of southern Europe. It occurs in t he Pyrenees. where it is called •izard:' in the mountains of the of -pain. Dalmatia, and Greece; in the Alps, Carpathian, Caucasus. and Taurus ranges. and in Georgia. The izard of Spain alit the atchi of the Cauea,us and beyond differ somewhat from the typical chamois of Tyrol, but only as local races. The chamois is about the size of a large goat, lint the neck is longer in proportion, and the body shorter. The color is brown. deeper in winter than in summer: the tail is black: the head a pale yellow. with a dark-brown band along each cheek. The horns. seldom more than cr 7 inches long. rising nearly straight up from the forehead. are black and so bent. back at the tip as to form a hook. (See Plate of GOAT ANTELOPES. ) The usual summer resort of the chamois is in the higher regions of the mountains which it inhabits. not far front the snow-line. and it is often to be seen lying on the snow. In winter it descends to the Higher forests, where, indeed. the females and their young fawns spend most of the time. The aromatic and bitter plants of the mountain pastures are its favorite food. Flock, of 100 are sometimes seen: but in the Swiss Alps, where the numbers have been much reduced by hunting. the flocks are generally very small. and often consist only of a few in dividuals. Old males often live solitarily. The chamois produces one or two young at a birth. in Slay or -June.
It is an animal of extraordinary agility. and flocks may often be observed sporting in a re markable manner among the rocky heights. It can leap over ravines DI to IS feet wide; a wall of 14 feet high presents no obstacle to it: and it passes readily up or down precipices which almost no other quadruped could attempt. It is
said to de-eend obliquely almost perpendicular precipices of more than :20 feet. striking its feet once or twice against the rock, as if to stay and guide its descent. and alighting securely, often on a very narrow ridge of rock. with its hind feet first, and bringing the fore feet almost into con tact with them. When a flock of chamois are feeding (usually early in the morning) one is on the wateh. and by a sort of whistle announces a iprelt end ed danger.
The hunting of the chamois is attended with great hardship and much danger, but calls forth the highest qualities of both sportsmanship and inountaifleering, since no great numbers exist, nor is any free hunting to lie had except in the remotest and loftiest Carpathians. or else in Persia. This is due to the fact that for many years the Alpine resorts. and much of the region to the eastward. have been most strictly pre served by royal decree or private ownership. and only a very limited number of animal, permitted to lie killed annually: yet much poaeh'no is done. The finest and proper way is to stalk the quarry alone, or with only a guide. but battue. methods are frequently followed in Bavaria and Transyl vania. The flesh of the chamois is highly esteemed. Its skin i- made into leather, and from it the original `shammoy,' or 'shammy leather.' so lunch prized for softness and warmth, was obtained. (See LEATHER.) Its horns and hoof, are mounted as ornaments, alpen,tock handles, etc.. and form a valuable article of trade at norm Lain resorts. When taken young the chamois is easily tamed.