Hayes.] 406 [March 18, 



light upon the specific and geograpliioal source of this animal, upon 

 its habits, food and diseases, the uses of its products, and, above all, 

 upon the laws which govern its reproduction; in aAvord, to make upon 

 this subject natural history applied. As my object is less to present 

 original matter than to diffuse the best authenticated information, 

 corrected by your criticism, or sanctioned by your approval, a work 

 rendered necessary by the errors abounding in agricultural reports 

 and publications, I shall avail myself of the memoirs of M. Brandt, 

 M. Tchihatcheff, M. Sacc, and M. Boulier, naturalists of high repute, 

 and tlie very niunerous notices scattered through the proceedings 

 of the ImjDerial Society of Acelimatation. 



The description of tliis animal, given in 1855, by M. Brandt, direc- 

 tor of the Museum at St. Petersburg, and distinguished among the 

 zoologists of Europe, for his conscientious work and protbund knovvd- 

 edge, is as follows: 



'•The magnificent example of the Angora goat, which the Museum 

 of the Imperial Academy owes to M. Tchihatcheff, produces at first 

 sight the general impression of a domestic goat, when attention is not 

 directed to its thick and silky fleece, to its flat ears turned down- 

 wards, and its inconsiderable size. But it is precisely these traits 

 which impress upon this animal a distinct seal, which give it the 

 character of a peculiar race, whose origin is perhaps not the same as 

 that of tlie domestic goat. The extremity of the snout, the cheeks, 

 the nasal and trontal bone, as well as the ears, and lower part of the 

 legs below the tarsal articulation, are covered with external hairs, 

 which are shorter and thicker than those which cover the above 

 mentioned parts in other species of goats. The forehead has soft hairs 

 of less length, less applied to the skin, and, in part, curled. The 

 hair of the beard, which is pointed and of moderate dimensions, being 

 six inches in length,* is stiffer than the hair of the rest of the body, 

 but less so than that of the beard of the ordinary goat. The horns, 

 of a greyish white tint, are longer than the head; at their lower part 

 the interior marginal Ijorder turns inwards in such a manner that in 

 this part they appear broad viewed in front, and narrow when seen 

 exteriorly; at half their extension they direct themselves moderately 

 backwards, and turn spirally outwards, so that their extremities 

 directed slightly upwards, are very much separated one from the 

 other, and circumscribe a space gradually contracting itself. The 

 whole of the neck, as well as the trunk, is covered with long hairs, 

 which, particularly upon the neck and lateral parts of the body, are 

 twisted in spirals having the appearance of loosened ringlets, it being 

 observed at the same time that they reunite themselves into rolled 



* All the dimensions given by M. Brandt are in German measurement. One 

 German foot is equal to 1.0299 English feet. 



