of a deeper brown, and the legs and other markings still darker. Mr. Wolf describes the colour of their newly-attained summer coat as very brilliant, showing in the male a characteristic light red colour on his hind quarters and behind the elbow, in both which places it is joined by almost black markings on the under side; and the black and white of the legs and belly are very striking. The winter coat is very much longer and coarser. Though often so represented, they have no proper beard, only a tuft of long stiff hair which grows under the chin; but in its shaggy winter coat, as represented in the illustration, it is much longer and denser, disappearing again in the summer. The tail is always erect, dark above and white underneath. Blasius, who doubts their specific distinctness, distinguishes the allied varieties of the genus Capra into, first, the Pyrenaica, found in the Pyrenees, and identical with the C. hispanica of the Sierra Nevada. The horns differ from those of the ibex in the form of their rings and other minor points, beside which they are peculiarly curved, or cochleated ("schraubenförmig "), with the points inward, so as to present a lyre shape. Beside the Pyrenaica, the other European species is the Capra Beden, found in Crete and some of the islands of the Archipelago, as also on Mont Olympus, in Syria, and Nubia. The horns are very strongly curved, and it has a dense beard. Living as it does in these hot climates, and in the wild desert, one can hardly suppose it to be the same species as the bouquetin of the snow regions of the Alps. Of the horns of the C. Caucasica, he gives a drawing from a buck obtained in the winter of 1841 in the Caucasus ; but entirely different from those named the Caucasica in the British Museum, which are much more elegant, the rings beautifully notched with a peculiar twist-the tips very much curved back, but not lyre-shaped, as in Blasius' figure, which is more like a ram's horn in comparison. The Capra Sibirica is most like the ibex, but the horns are much more curved. The marvellous accounts of the old writers respecting the ibex are, of course, numerous. As an instance, Gesner gravely relates that, when an old one finds it must die, it climbs to the highest mountain peaks, hangs on to a rock with its horns, twists itself round and round upon them until they are worn off, when it falls down and expires. Their blood has long been in high repute as an extraordinary cure for all diseases, acting as a talisman, and the chasseurs formerly used to obtain enormous sums for it. In the summer they frequent the summits of the loftiest peaks, descending at night to feed on the fresh Alpine pastures. In the winter the inhospitable snow drives them down to the forests, where they browse on the pine tops and the long dense lichens, which hang pendent from them in exhaustless quantity. We were not fortunate enough to taste its flesh, but were repeatedly assured by Baron Peccoz, Glarey, and others, that it is most delicate and "gamey," far superior to that of chamois, and a fine buck will weigh upwards of 2 cwt. Long may the Grivola and the mountains of Cogne afford a safe sanctuary to this the most striking and interesting, as it is one of the rarest animals of Europe! VAL DE COGNE CHAPTER XV. VAL D'AOSTA - VAL CHALLANT VAL DE LYS. Start with the Professor Iron-mines - Descent of Val Cogne - In scriptions Medicinal uses of ferns - Hermit of Fenis - Roman aqueduct, Pont d'Ael - View into Val d'Aosta Aimaville Fare at - Copper-mines and Leone d'Oro, Châtillon cabaret Giant's grave - Bridge of St. Marcel Difficulty with Carabiniers Entrance of Val Challant THE day following our ascent of the Grivola, we had intended crossing over the mountains north of Cogne, by Arpisson, and climbing the Becca de Nona, dropping down again into the Val d'Aosta by St. Marcel ; but the grand view, which we had seen under circumstances of such unusual splendour, from the much loftier position of the Grivola, had, we felt, spoiled us for that from the Becca. My foot, which had been crushed by the fall of a block of stone on the Lys Glacier, had been so painful on the Grivola, that I walked with difficulty; added to which my boots were completely done up with the "clappey," and would scarcely have held together for such another hard day's work. The idea therefore was abandoned; and as the Professor was returning down the Val de Cogne to Aosta next morning, we agreed to go together. Heavy mist turning to a slight drizzle as we started, made us congratulate ourselves the more on our good fortune the day before. It indeed prevented us going to the "filons" or iron-mines, but we had had a good survey of them through the telescope, and the more so as they are worked above ground. The summit of the mountain is in fact almost entirely of iron ore, a vein of which continues down to Ivrea. The specimens brought to me were very rich and heavy. It has hitherto been worked only in the most clumsy and unscientific manner, with the rudest machinery, and no tramroads, the ore being chiefly carried from the mines to Aimaville or Villeneuve on the backs of women. Under such circumstances, it is hardly to be wondered at, that, as the local supply of wood for fuel began to fail, the rich profit the mines at one time used to yield gradually diminished; until, for some years past, they have hardly been worked at all, and the "Societé des Mines de Fer" has become bankrupt. This failure has produced most calamitous results to the inhabitants of the Val Cogne, extending to the Val d'Aosta, which, especially the upper part, was greatly dependent on them. I am informed that their produce was at one time. valued at 60,000 francs, and the total loss to the valley on the mines and furnaces is now at least 1,000,000 francs per annum. Cogne, once one of the richest communes in the Sardinian states, is at present one of the poorest. I was assured that if taken up by English capitalistswhom they seemed very anxious should buy and work them -the mines would be found highly remunerative. As far as I can judge from report, this is not improbable. But though they are no doubt extremely rich, there are two serious difficulties in the way; one, the great scarcity of wood, which has been recklessly cleared away for the requirement of the moment, and nothing left to replace it. The other is, the innumerable obstacles to be surmounted, in making any change in the existing state of things. I have seen instances of it which have astonished me. To erect a mill, to turn or dam a torrent, make a bridge, or any necessary improvement, involves an amount of official correspondence and trouble hardly credible, and a loss of months and often years of time. There is no lack of disposition on the part of Government to facilitate such works, but the complicated usages with regard to property require thorough reform before enterprise can meet with any encouragement; and even here, in the remotest mountains of Piedmont, red-tapism is dominant. Lately a project has been seriously talked of, especially in the Val d'Aosta, of continuing the line of railroad, now in progress from Turin to Ivrea, up to Aosta; and from thence to tunnel through the Alps under the Col de Menou :-a short but littleused route, parallel to the Great St. Bernard; leading from Etroubles by the Val de Menou, and over the flank of Mont Velan and the Glacier of Menou, down into the Val d'Entremont. Should this scheme ever be carried out, it is evident that it will afford immense facilities for developing the vast mineral wealth of Cogne, and the other branches of the Val d'Aosta. The wild and savage scenery, the many objects of botanical and geological interest, with the conversation of our accomplished companion, all contributed to the enjoyment of the morning's walk. Below Crétaz and Epinel the valley contracted and the gorge became wilder. At first the road was good, and this, and numerous other public works of the greatest utility to Cogne, are chiefly owing to the liberal and enlightened exertions of a Dr. Grappin, who had devoted himself to benefiting his native valley. He had died a short time previously, but his name will long live in the remembrance of those for whose welfare he laboured so earnestly. On a high face of rock, which had been cut away in improving the road, were a number of his inscriptions painted in large white letters, quotations from various authors; and doubtful as the good taste of this decoration may be, yet such as the following are an index to the views and motives which influenced him, and have no doubt read a good moral to many a passer by :-"Quand le songe de la vie sera terminé, à quoi auront servi nos actions, si elles ne laissent la trace de l'utilité." -Sady. "La mémoire des actions utiles au public est la seule qui résistera aux atteintes du temps. La véritable |