638 UNGULATA. 



appears, and herds of goats, as well as their milk and flesh, are repeat- 

 edly mentioned, together with the fact that the most ancient documents 

 were written on goat-skin. In the Bible, the goat is frequently spo- 

 ken of as supplying both flesh and milk, and its hair as furnishing rai- 

 ment. One of the principal uses to which the skin of the animal was 

 applied was the manufacture of leather, especially of leathern bottles for 

 carrying water; or sacks, such as Joseph's brethren had, for conveying 

 grain. In sacrifices the goat was in great requisition, and on the Great 

 Day of Atonement it was the only animal that could be offered. Two 

 were selected by lot, one for the Lord, the other for Azazei ; the former 

 was slain, and its blood sprinkled on the altar ; the latter, the scapegoat, 

 was driven into the wilderness. 



Friendly as goats and sheep are, the flocks never mingle, not even 

 when folded in the same enclosure. This instinctive separatiim of the 

 animals led naturall)^ to the simile, so frequently repeated of the just and 

 the unjust, of the sheep and the goats. The goat, no doubt, gives much 

 more trouble to the goatherd, than the sheep to the shepherd. The 

 former is an erratic creatuie, climbing up tlie sides of the valleys, skip- 

 ping and jumping, and venturing into places where man cannot set his 

 foot. It is, too, more destructive than the sheep, and in Palestine has, 

 by browsing on the young shoots, quite extirpated many species of trees. 



In Palestine, at present, the most valuable herds are those of the 

 Mohair or Angora Goat, or of the Syrian or Mamber Goat. From the 

 coat of the former the costly coverings for the Tabernacle were made. 

 Allusion to the long ears of the other variety is found in the Prophet 

 Amos, ch. iii. ver. 12. The wild goat of Sci'ipture was most probably 

 a variety of the Ibex. 



Goats, at present, are found everywhere. In some coimtries the\' 

 are tu'ned out to pnstuie in lierds, and are watched b}' goatherds ; in 

 others, a few stray about near the houses of their owners. In all places 

 they show b)' their habits that they are mountain-animals. They delight 

 in clambering over rocks, stone walls, or anything that reminds them of 

 their original home. They are very intelligent, and can easil}' be taught 

 many tricks. In Spain they are employed as leaders to the flocks of 

 sheep. In many countries of Europe a goat is kept in large stables to 

 lead the horses from the stalls in case of fire, for notiiing but the exam- 

 ple ol another animal will intluce the horse to face the flame. In 

 America, tlie Goat is an introduction l)y Europeans, and is abundant in 



