152 Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



specific title as the latter. Consequently the Persian race, instead of being 

 called simply Capra legagrus, is, as in IVild Oxen, Sheep, and Goats, here 

 termed Capi-a h'ircus agagrus, or, as some would prefer, Capra hirci/s, var. 

 cegagrus. 



Of the appearance in the field of this fine and typical representative of 

 the goat tribe no better idea can, perhaps, be conveyed to the reader than 

 by the quotation of the followfing passage from the writings of Mr. F. C. 

 Selous,^ the famous African hunter, who, in the early part of 1895, made 

 a trip to the Maimun Dagh, in Asia Minor, for the purpose of shooting 

 specimens of this animal. The passage runs as follows : — 



" Having a very strong pair of field-glasses, I had a most excellent 

 opportunity of watching the movements of these shy and wary animals, 

 and was rather chagrined to see that the biggest of the two rams had only 

 one horn. When he stood broadside on it was impossible to detect the 

 loss, but when he turned his head it became very noticeable. The single 

 horn was magnificent, and curled over the shoulder in a fine bold sweep. 

 The smaller ram was also a splendid animal, with a perfectly symmetrical 

 pair of great curving horns, each of which was, however, I should judge, 

 some inches shorter than the single horn of the larger animal. It has 

 been my fortune to look upon many beautiful forms of animal lite in their 

 native haunts, but I do not think that I was ever more impressed by the 

 picturesque beauty of any wild animal than I was with the appearance of 

 these two grand old goats, as they stood motionless from time to time, 

 their whitish coats and broad black shoulder-stripes showing out conspicu- 

 ously against the reddish background of rock and stone, and setting off to 

 the best advantage the contours of their sturdy though symmetrical forms, 

 whilst their great curved horns and long flowing black beards gave them a 

 dignity of appearance not often to be found in so comparatively small an 

 animal. Comparisons being odious, I will not compare them with any 



1 sport and Travel, p. 80 (1900). 



