THE MAMBER GOAT. 64] 



as the animal's age increases ; hence the fleece of a one-year-old goat is 

 the most precious ; after their sixth year, the wool is unmerchantable. 

 Angora goats have been introduced into various kingdoms of Europe, 

 and preserve there all the fineness of their wool. 



THE MAMBER GOAT. 



The Mamber Goat, Capra mainbrica, has long hair, but is distin- 

 guished from the previous goats by very long pendulous ears, which 

 often exceed a foot in length. It is a large, high animal, with strong 

 horns that describe a semicircle. The fleece is abundant, thick, and 

 silky. This species is found in considerable numbers near Aleppo and 

 Damascus, and thence has spread through a great part of Asia. The 

 Kirghish Tartars dock the ears as they get in the way, when the creature 

 is feeding. 



THE MARKHOR AND TAHIR. 



The Markhor, Capra mcgaccros, is found in Afghanistan, Thibet, 

 Cashmere, and the Himalaya Mountains. As the specific title incga-ccros 

 or " big-horn " indicates, its horns are of remarkable size. They grow, 

 usually, to a length of forty inches, and have a semi-oval section with a 

 prominent ridge at both sides: they stand close together, rise up 

 straight, and make one and a half, or two spiral twists. In some bucks 

 they perfectly resemble corkscrews. The coat is long on the shoulders 

 and along the spine, giving the animal a kind of mane, and is more 

 strikingly developed on the throat, chest, and chin, reaching often to the 

 knee-joints. A grayish-brown is its prevailing color. 



The Tahir, or Jemlack, Capra Jemlaica, is regarded by some as the 

 representative of a sub-genus, Hcntitragus. It is a handsome animal, in- 

 habiting the loftiest mountains of India. It lives in herds, passes the day 

 in the woods, and sallies out to feed in the evening. 



THE EGYPTIAN GOAT. 



The Egyptian Goat, Capra ^gyptiaca, is smaller than our common 



goat, and has thin, merely rudimentary horns, when horns are present. 



Usually, neither sex has these appendages. The color is reddish-brown. 



This animal is found everywhere domesticated in Lower Egypt and Nubia. 



81 



