Of this animal there are many species, some wild and some domestic.
They seem to be a link between the sheep and antelope, and to partake
of the qualities of both. In some European countries, goat's milk is
used, by the poor, as a substitute for that of the cow.
_Anecdotes._--A person in Scotland having missed one of his goats
when his flock came home at night, being afraid the wanderer would get
among the young trees in his nursery, two boys, wrapped in their
plaids, were ordered to watch all night. The morning had but faintly
dawned, when they sprang up the brow of a hill in search of her. They
could but just discern her on a pointed rock far off, and, hastening to
the spot, perceived her standing with a newly-dropped kid, which she
was defending from a fox. The enemy turned round and round to lay hold
of his prey, but the goat presented her horns in every direction. The
youngest boy was despatched to get assistance to attack the fox, and
the eldest, hallooing and throwing up stones, sought to intimidate him
as he climbed to rescue his charge. The fox seemed well aware that the
child could not execute his threats; he looked at him one instant, and
then renewed the assault, till, quite impatient, he made a resolute
effort to seize the kid. Suddenly the whole three disappeared, and were
soon found at the bottom of the precipice. The goat's horns were fast
into the back of the fox; the kid lay stretched beside her. It is
supposed the fox had fixed his teeth in the kid, for its neck was
lacerated; but when the faithful mother inflicted a death-wound upon
her mortal enemy, he probably staggered, and brought his victims with
him over the rock.
Dr. Clarke, in his "Travels in Palestine," relates the following: "Upon
our road we met an Arab with a goat, which he led about the country for
exhibition, in order to gain a livelihood. He had taught this animal,
while he accompanied its movements with a song, to mount upon little
cylindrical blocks of wood, placed successively one above the other,
and in shape resembling the dice-boxes belonging to a backgammon-table.
In this manner, the goat stood first on the top of one cylinder, and
then upon the top of two, and afterwards of three, four, five, and six,
until it remained balanced upon the top of them all, elevated several
feet from the ground, and with its feet collected upon a single point,
without throwing down the disjointed fabric upon which it stood. The
diameter of the upper cylinder, on which its feet ultimately remained
until the Arab had ended his ditty, was only two inches, and the length
of each was six inches."
We are told by a late traveller that the Spaniards do not milk, and
then distribute to their customers, in the same manner as with us, but
drive their flock of goats to the residence of each customer, and then
milk and furnish according to contract. "I was looking out of the
window of the dining-room of my hotel one morning; there were at least
forty goats, young and old, and the old man who managed the affair
seemed hard pushed to get our regular supply. He had to go over the
whole flock once, and some twice, before he could completely fulfil his
contract. After carrying in his milk, he came to the door and uttered a
few Spanish words, and in an instant the whole moved off, the herdsman
bringing up the rear. They moved at the word of command much quicker,
and marched off in better order, than do our militia."