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



the front edge, which suggests that they are not those of a wild animal. 

 They are the property of Mr. W. Burton. 



THE WILD GOAT OF ANTIMILO 



{Capra hirciis pictci) 



Although of relatively small bodily size, and showing a slight outward 

 inclination of the tips of the horns, the goats inhabiting the mountains of 

 the island of Antimilo, or Eremomilos, which were named Mgoceros pictits 

 by Erhard in 1858, are regarded by Dr. von Lorenz-Liburnau, in the 

 memoir cited above under the heading of the Cretan race, as retaining so 

 many features of the true wild goat as to be entitled to rank as a race by 

 themselves. This race he proposes to designate Capra cegagrus pictiis. He 

 regards these goats, indeed, as the survivors of a race which once inhabited 

 most of the ^Egean islands in a truly wild and pure-bred condition, but 

 considers that they now display evidence of a certain amount of crossing 

 with domesticated breeds. If, as seems probable, this is the correct view, 

 there may be some doubt as to whether the modern goats are really 

 entitled to a distinct name. Moreover, their difference from the Cretan 

 wild goat may be due solely to the strain of domesticated blood, and it 

 this be so, the name /'/r/c/, as the earlier, should stand for both. 



Provisionally allowing separate racial rank to the Antimilo goat, it 

 may be mentioned that a detailed description of the coloration of the adult 

 buck is given by Erhard in his Fauna dcr Cycladen (1858), and as this is 

 copied in Dr. Liburnau's paper, it need not be repeated here. A six-year- 

 old buck is figured in one of the two coloured plates illustrating the last- 

 mentioned paper ; and the coloration of this animal is stated to agree 

 closely with that described by Erhard. The general tint ot the hair ot 

 the upper-parts is reddish brown, passing into brownish grey on the back. 



