ANCESTOR OF THE GOAT 



Pasang or Grecian Il)cx, a wild goat found in Asia Minor, Persia and adjoining countries. It is 

 the l)elief of naturalists that this form, which is easily tamed, was domesticated at some 

 time before the dawn of history and has gi\-en rise to all the numerous breeds of goat now 

 found in Eurojje and America. Its improvement appears to have been by simple selection 

 in two directions — to increase the vield of milk and to increase the yield of hair. From 

 Lydekker. (Fig. 14.) 



wild and tame jjjoats interbreed freely 

 and yield perfectly fertile jjrojjjeny. ' 



To the genetist, then, the evidence 

 that shccjj and j^oats should he separated 

 is fairly good. Zoologists have found a 

 f.'W other characters that serve them 

 more or less constantly: for example, 

 the face of the goat has no crumen or 

 tcar-bag, which is usually, thotigh not 

 invariably, present on that of the shee]j. 

 And whereas all sheejj have jjorcs or 

 glands between the hoofs of each foe t. 



in the goats such glands are found only 

 in the forefeet, and e\'en there ma\' be 

 wanting. 



The beard of the male, and I he eliar- 

 acteristic odor, arc signs of great con- 

 venience to the layman in distinguishing 

 goats from sheep. 



The goat gentis (Capra) is generally 

 credited with a dozen species, and among 

 these it is almost the consensus of 

 o]jinion that a single one may be con-- 

 sid red the ancestor of Euroi)ean (and 



' L. L. Heller, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, informs me 

 that the bureau some years ago tried crossing goats witli shee]), both males and females of each 

 species being used. The I)reed of sheep chosen was the Barl)ados, as primitive in tyjjc as any in 

 tlie United States, and it was thought that this breed should prove fertile in crosses with goats, 

 if any would. There were no offspring from any of the matings. Mr. Heller l)elicves thi- so-called 

 hybrids that have been produced from time to lime are merely reversions. — Thk Editor. 



520 



