12 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



The Angora breed of goats originated in the vilayet of Angora, in 

 Asia Minor, but it is not known when this was. Some have ventured 

 to say that it was 2,400 years ago. There is pretty strong evidence 

 which goes to show that they were a distinctive breed when Moses was 

 leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Goats' hair was spun by the 

 Israelites for curtains and other purposes for use in the temple.^ In 

 the story recorded in I Samuel (chapter 19) of the artifice of Michal in 

 deceiving the messengers of Saul by placing an image in the bed in 

 place of David and giving it a pillow of goats' hair, is believed by Pen- 

 nant to refer to a pillow made of the Angora fleece. 



The city Angora, or Enguri, the capital citj'^ of the vilayet of Angora, 

 is the ancient Ancyra, and is located about 220 miles south by south- 

 east from Constantinople. Angora was the seat of one of the earliest 

 Christian churches, and was probably established by the Apostle Paul. 

 The province is mountainous to a considerable extent and furrowed by 

 deep valleys. It is about 2,900 feet above the level of the sea. Of the 

 climate Mr. H. A. Cumberbatch, British consul at Angora (1895), and 

 quoted by Schreiner, says: 



The climate is extreme. In the months of January and February the thermometer 

 will mark a minimum of 10° F. for several days at a time, reach as far as 0° F., whilst 

 in June and July the maximum readings of 85° F. are maintained day after day, with 

 little or no rain. The country is covered with snow in the winter, rain and enow 

 falling frequently. In 1894 the total rainfall at Angora was 8.12 inches, but that was 

 an exceptionally dry season. For the first six months of 1895 the rainfall was 10.10 

 inches, which is somewhat above the average; the heaviest rainfall in twenty-four 

 hours having been 1.20 inches. 



It was here that this famous goat reached its perfection — and such 

 a state of pei*f ection as has not yet been reached by the goats of either 

 the Cape of Good Hope or the United States. That the altitude, the 

 soil, or the climate, or all of them together, had much influence in 

 producing this fleece-bearing goat is supported by strong evidence. 

 Dr. John Bachman and the Encyclopgedia Britannica both state that 

 the fineness of the hair of the Angora goat may perhaps be ascribed 

 to some peculiarity in the atmosphere, ' ' for it is remarkable that the 

 cats, dogs, sheep, and other animals of the country are to a certain 

 extent affected in the same way as the goats." The same opinion was 



^Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing 

 heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass, and Ijlue, 

 and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair. — Exodus xxxv, 5, 6. 



And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine 

 linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them. — 

 Exodus xxxv, 23. 



And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. — 

 Exodus xxxv, 26. 



And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle : eleven curtains 

 he made thean. The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the 

 breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size. — Exodus xxxvi, 14, 15. 



