Teachers' Leaflet. 



569 



slightly, and they curve slightly backward. At their base they are a little rough, 

 but as they rise they become cylindrically smooth and taper to an ugly point. 

 His hoofs are lieavy, broad and bhmt. The female is lighter than the male, and 

 with horns more slender — a trifle. And (to return to the question of diet) we 

 visited the pasture where the herd of (thirty-five) had been, and found no signs 

 of grass growing or grass eaten ; there was no grass on that mountain. The only 

 edible substance was a moss, tufted, stiff, and dry to the touch. I also learned 

 that the goat is safe from predatory animals. With his impenetrable hide and his 

 disembowelling horns, he is left by the wolves and mountain lions respectfully 

 alone." (See "American Aniiiiah" p. 57; "Camp Fires of a Naturalist," chapters 

 VIII and XIII). 



Milch goats. — Many breeds of these have been developed and the highest type 

 is perhaps found in Switzerland. The Swiss farmers have found the goat par- 

 ticularly adapted to their high mountains and have used it extensively ; and thus 

 goats developed in the Saane and Toggenburg Valleys have a world-wide repu- 

 tation. Above these valleys the high mountains are covered with perpetual snow 

 and winter sets in about November ist, lasting until the last of May. The goats 

 are kept with the cows in barns and fed upon hay, but as soon as the snow is 

 gone from the valleys and the lower foot-hills the cattle and goats are sent with 

 the herders and boys as assistants to the grazing grounds. A bell is put upon the 

 cow that leads the herd so as to keep it together, and the boys in their gay 

 peasant dresses are as happy as the playful calves and goats to get out in the 

 spring sunshine. The herd follows the receding snows up the mountains until 

 about mid-summer when they reach the high places of scanty vegetation; then 

 they start on the return journey returning to the home and stables about Novem- 

 ber 1st. The milk from goats is mixed with that from cows to make cheese, 

 and this cheese has a wide reputation; some of the varieties are: Roquefort, 

 Schweitzer and Altenburger. Although the cheese is excellent the butter made 



Thompson, Twenly-first.Vnnuul Rfpon Bureau of Animal Industry U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



Milch goats in Malta . 



