Natural History in Foreign Countries. 251 



taken to form an African Flora, and have already sent to Europe between 

 6,000 and 7,000 specimens." {For. Rev. and Cont. Misc. Jan. 1829.) 



Goats of Thibet. — The project of introducing the breed of goats of 

 Cashmere into Germany, has not been very favourably entertained. One 

 writer has pretended to show that the European goat, by a single cross, 

 might be brought to yield the precious article for which so much money is 

 sent into Asia. Another argues against the Asiatic animal, on the ground 

 that a single sheep of a good breed will bring four times the profits of a 

 goat of Thibet ; and a third, M. Schmidt, rejects their introduction into 

 Germany, because France has anticipated that country in the manufacture 

 of the merchandise in which their down is used. M. Schmidt makes the 

 following observations on the fleece of these animals. Judging by their 

 fleece, there are, he says, two sorts of goats ; one which may be called the 

 race of Angora, with hair long and pendent ; the other, the goat of Thibet, 

 with hair short and stiff. The former has no down ; the latter, on the con- 

 trary, is covered, during winter, with a down which is more abundant and 

 finer in those kept on the mountains. These two races, originally from 

 Asia, have produced by their mixture, aided by the influence of climate, 

 many varieties. On examining with attention the European goat, it will 

 be found also that the long-haired ones have no down ; or, if they have any, 

 it is in very small quantities along the vertebral column ; while of those 

 which have short hair, there are to be found some which have a down 

 spread over the entire carcass. This down grows almost to the length of 

 hair in the spring ; then comes off, and appears on the surface, to which it 

 gives a grey tint. By the mixture of these breeds a bastard race is formed, 

 which have more or less down ; but it is observed that the offspring partook 

 more of the nature of the dam than of the sire. The two principal import- 

 ations of the goats of Asia into Germany are those of M. Wallner of Ge- 

 neva, who procured them directly from Thibet ; and of M. Lowenherz, who 

 received them from M. Terneaux ; so that the former are goats of Thibet, 

 the latter Kirguises. The Emperor of Austria, the Kings of Bavaria and 

 Wurtemberg, all the Archdukes, and some private individuals, have pro- 

 cured goats of the former importation. They have been introduced into 

 Saxony by M. de Buest, on his domain of Tossfell. {^Bulletin des Sciences 

 Nattirelles.) 



Breeding of Leeches. — M. Mehrer of Maulbronn, by turning his atten- 

 tion to the care of leeches, has succeeded in introducing the breed of those 

 Mollusca into Wurtemberg, and in producing them in such quantities as to 

 dispense with all importation from abroad. He received a premium of 

 twenty ducats and a silver medal as a reward for his efforts. {Allgemeine 

 Literatur Zeitung.) 



SWITZERLAND. 



A Society of Naturalists is formed here, for the purpose of exploring the 

 more elevated regions of the Alps, which hitherto have been considered as 

 inaccessible. M. Hugi, a leading member of the association, after surmount- 

 ing last year some almost insuperable difficulties, succeeded in obtaining 

 much valuable geological information in the same districts. {London 

 Weekly Rev , April 4. 1829.) 



Natural History Societies. — There are no less than ten societies for 

 natural history in Switzerland, as we learn from the speech of the president 

 of the Society at Lausanne. 



HOLLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS. 



Fossil Bones in Brabant. — Mr. Charles Morrens has just published a 

 pamphlet, entitled Revue Systematique des Nouvelles De'couvertes d'Ossemens 



S 2 



