GOATS.

The three last genera of which I shall treat are all Ruminantia, and are

distinguished by their horns, which are divided into cells; and which

cells communicate with the skull. The two first, goats and sheep, so

closely resemble each other, that in many instances the one appears to

be a mere variety of the other. If we look at the Merino breed, with its

closely curled, soft, white wool, and then turn to a grave-looking goat,

with its long beard and hair, we shall not be conscious of their

resemblance; but if we place a sheep that has long resided in, or been

born in a tropical country, by the side of the goat, we shall scarcely

be able to distinguish one from the other. The wool gradually uncurls,

lengthens, and becomes harsh and glossy; and were not the goat's horns

directed upward, and then inclined backwards, those of the sheep

directed backwards and returned to the front in a spiral form; had not

the goats, generally speaking, a long beard, and the sheep none, and had

not the goats a concave or flat forehead, and the sheep mostly a convex

one, we should not be able to separate them; and even these

characters--if not well defined--are not very conspicuous, unless to a

practised, or careful observer.

The Chamois, which is classed by many among goats, in some degree

approaches the antelopes. Its horns shoot straight up, and then at the

tips turn suddenly back, like a fish hook; it frequents all the mountain

chains of Europe and western Asia; in summer climbing to the highest

summits, and displaying the most daring agility. In the winter it comes

down just below the regions of perpetual snow, for the sake of

nourishment. Its smell, sight, and hearing, are very acute, and it will

detect the approach of a hunter at the distance of half a league. When

frightened, it bounds from rock to rock, making a strange hissing sound;

dashes itself across the most fearful chasms, and throws itself down

precipices of thirty feet. It feeds on herbs and flowers, and the young

shoots of shrubs; seldom drinks, and is extremely fond of salt. As some

of the rocks of the Alps contain saltpeter, the chamois has worn holes

in them by constant licking.

As with other domesticated animals, there are many disputes as to the

original country of Goats; but most naturalists seem inclined to think

that the first stock was placed in Persia; but it is a question involved

in much obscurity. In very far-off times, when superstition and medicine

went hand in hand, and charms were deemed more efficacious than drugs, a

hard substance found in the intestines of goats, was greatly valued as a

cure for most disorders. It was called the bezoar stone, and was a

concretion chiefly of resinous bile and magnesia, and the rest inert

vegetable matter. It was sold for ten times its weight in gold, and was

said to come from some unknown animal, to increase the mystery belonging

to it. Bezoars are now found in oxen, sheep, horses, porcupines, and

even the human subject, slightly varying in their construction, and are

often balls of hair, which has been licked off the animal's own coat.

The Angora and Cappadocian Goats are famed for their long, silky hair,

which yields beautiful manufactures; but they are far surpassed by the

goats of Thibet, the under wool of which is combed off, and made into

those shawls which have for years been so famous and so costly. It takes

the produce of ten goats to make a shawl a yard and a half square; the

wool is bleached with rice flour, and the heavy taxes levied upon them,

makes these unequaled shawls keep up their high price. From the

earliest times we read of goat's hair being woven into cloth of varied

quality, especially in scriptural writings; and their skins have always

afforded valuable leather. That of the kid is of the finest quality.

All goats are hardy and wandering in their habits, and frequent those

places where no other animal could gain a footing. They exist in a feral

state in the mountainous parts of our island, and throughout Europe and

Western Asia. There is always much attachment between them and horses,

when domesticated. Some say it is in consequence of the strong odour

which is emitted by goats; and others because the horse, who so loves

companionship, delights in their vivacity. They vigorously defend their

young, as the following anecdote will shew. "A person having missed one

of his goats, when the flock returned at night, desired two boys to

watch all night, that she should not get into his young plantation, and

nibble off the tops of the trees. At daybreak the watchers looked for

the missing animal, and saw her on a pointed rock at some distance.

During the night she had given birth to a kid, and was then defending it

from a fox. The latter went round and round, but she turned her horns

upon him in all directions. The younger boy went to procure assistance,

and the elder hollowed and threw stones to frighten away the marauder.

Reynard looked at him, saw he was not strong enough to master him, and

suddenly tried to seize the kid. All three disappeared; and were found

at the bottom of a precipice; the goat's horns were stuck into the fox,

the kid lay stretched beside her, with a lacerated throat, and it was

supposed; when the death-wound was inflicted by the poor mother, the fox

staggered, and dragged her and her child with him in his fall." (Capt.

Brown's "Popular Natural History.")

A goat and her kids frequented a square in which I once lived, and were

often fed by myself and servants; a circumstance which would have made

no impression, had I not heard a thumping at the hall door, which arose

from the buttings of the goat when the food was not forthcoming, and

whose example was followed by the two little things. After a time this

remained unheeded, and to our great astonishment, one day, the area bell

used by the tradespeople, and the wire of which passed by the side of

one of the railings, was sounded. The cook answered it; but no one was

there save the goat and kids, with their heads bent down towards the

kitchen window. It was thought that some boy had rung for them; but they

were watched, and the old goat was seen to hook one of her horns into

the wire, and pull it. This is too much like reason to be ascribed to

mere instinct.

The Caucasian Ibex, is a goat which affords as much dangerous and

exciting sport as the chamois, but is more savage; and has been known to

turn round on its pursuer, and hurl him down a precipice. It has a

remarkable way of throwing itself down these steep places, head

foremost, so as to light upon its horns; which being elastic, bear the

shock, and save the animal from injury. They pasture in the valleys at

night, and return during the day to the mountains.

In countries where bulls and cows will not live, goats are invaluable.

Their flesh is like bad mutton; but long absence from South downs, makes

the appetite less dainty, and their kids are very delicate. However, it

is chiefly for their good, nourishing milk that they are to be prized.

The horns of goats are often used by Mussulmans, as an antidote to the

evil eye.

Bishop Heber relates the following anecdote. "A monkey came down from a

tree to steal the breakfast of a shepherd, who was resting under it with

his flock of sheep and goats. He drove the monkey away, who, in his

hurry, upset a bee's nest. The insects flew out, and attacked not only

the intruder, but the goats and sheep underneath. The curious part was

to watch the different behaviour of the two species. The sheep crowded

together, buried their noses in the sand, and did not attempt to resist,

but bleated piteously. The goats all ran as fast as they could to an

encamping party close by, seeking the assistance of man, as dogs would

have done."