les descend and mix with the females, which have generally twins
in June and July. It is an extremely wary and timid animal, and can
make its way in an almost miraculous manner over the most
inaccessible-looking ground. No animal can exceed the ibex in
endurance and agility."

Kinloch writes as follows concerning it:--

"The ibex inhabits the most precipitous ground in the highest parts
of the ranges where it is found, keeping above the forest (when there
is any), unless driven down by severe weather. In the day-time it
generally betakes itself to the most inaccessible crags, where it
may sleep and rest in undisturbed security, merely coming down to
the grassy feeding grounds in the mornings and evenings.
Occasionally, in very remote and secluded places, the ibex will stay
all day on their feeding grounds, but this is not common. In summer,
as the snows melt, the old males retire to the highest and most
unfrequented mountains, and it is then generally useless to hunt for
them, as they have such a vast range, and can find food in places
perfectly inaccessible to man. The females and young ones may be met
with all the year round, and often at no very great elevation.

"Although an excessively wary animal, the ibex is usually found on
such broken ground that, if due care be taken, it is not very
difficult to obtain a shot. The grand rule, as in all other hill
stalking, is to keep well above the herd, whose vigilance is chiefly
directed beneath them. In places where they have been much disturbed,
one or two of the herd usually keep a sharp look-out while the rest
are feeding, and on the slightest suspicion of danger the sentries
utter a loud whistle, which is a signal for a general rush to the
nearest rocks. Should the sportsman succeed in obtaining a shot
before he is observed by the ibex, he may often have time to fire
several shots before they are out of range, as they appear to be
completely stupefied and confused by the sudden noise, the cause of
which they are unable to account for if they neither see nor smell
their enemy."

Jerdon states that Major Strutt killed in the Balti valley an ibex
of a rich hair-brown colour, with a yellowish-white saddle in the
middle of its back, and a dark mesial line; the head, neck and limbs
being of a dark sepia brown, with a darker line on the front of the
legs; others were seen in the same locality by Major Strutt of a still
darker colour. These seem to be peculiar to Balti; th