of the goats. Not contented with viewing them
all as belonging to a single genus, they have divided them into five
genera--though to most of the five they ascribe only _one species_!--
thus uselessly multiplying names, and rendering the study of the subject
more complicated and difficult.

"There can be no doubt that the goats, both wild and tame--including the
ibex, which is a true wild goat--form of themselves a separate family in
the animal kingdom, easily distinguishable from sheep, deer, antelopes,
or oxen. The wild goats often bear a very close resemblance to certain
species of wild sheep; and the two are not to be distinguished from each
other, by the goats being covered with hair and the sheep with wool--as
is generally the case with tame breeds. On the contrary, both sheep and
goats in a wild state have _hairy_ coats--the sheep as much as the
goats; and in many instances the hair of both is quite as short as that
of antelopes or deer. Even where there are almost no external marks to
distinguish wild goats from certain kinds of wild sheep, there are found
_moral_ characteristics which serve as guides to the genus. The goat is
bolder, and of a fiercer nature; and its other habits, even in the wild
state, differ essentially from those of the wild sheep.

"The ibex which we see above us," continued Karl, looking up to the
quadruped upon the cliff, "is neither more nor less than a wild goat.
It is not the only species of wild goat inhabiting the Himalayas; for
there is the `tahir,' a stronger and larger animal than it; and it is
believed that when these great mountains have been thoroughly
_ransacked_ [Karl here smiled at the very unscientific word he had made
use of], there will turn up one or two additional species.

"It is not the only species of ibex neither," continued he, "for there
is one found in the European Alps, known by the name of `steinboc;'
another, in the Pyrenees, called the `tur;' a third, in the Caucasus,
the `zac;' and one or two others in the mountains of Africa.

"With regard to the animal now before, or rather above us," continued
Karl, "it differs very little from others of the same family; and as
both its appearance and habits have been very ably described by a noted
sportsman, who was also an accomplished naturalist, I cannot do better
than quote his description: since it gives almost every detail that is
yet authentically known of the Himalayan ibex.

"`The male,' writes this gen