244 



UNGULATES. 



convexity of the profile. The horns are frequently absent in both sexes, and when 



present are short, thick, and crumpled ; while there is generally no beard. The 



pendent ears are about as long as the head, and are rounded at the tips, and flat. 



The hair is short, and generally of a reddish brown colour, but inclining to yellow 



on the legs. Sometimes, however, the colour is slaty grey, or spotted. These 



goats extend from the countries along the Lower Nile to Central Nubia. The 



Theban race of this breed has the most marked convexity of profile. 



Perhaps, however, the most remarkable of all the breeds is the 

 Sudan Goat. . . 



Sudan goat, characterised by the short horns of 3 or 4 inches in 



length, curving at first backwards and outwards, and then bending forwards at 



their tips. The legs are short and strong ; and the short but thick hair is generally 



dark coloured, frequently showing a mixture of black and reddish. Sometimes the 



general dark colour is relieved by white spots ; but red, yellowish brown, and 



perfectly black specimens are not uncommon. From the chin depends a black 



beard reaching to the chest, where it divides to spread over the shoulders and 



upper-parts of the fore-limbs. These goats are found over all the country lying 



between the White Nile and the Niger, and doubtless extend over the greater 



part of Central Africa to the West Coast. They are kept by the natives in 



enormous flocks. 



Mention has already been made of the wild £oats of the Isle of 

 Feral Goats. . . . ° 



Giura, which are probably derived from a domestic race perhaps 



crossed with the pasang. Goats have also run wild in many other places, more 



especially mountainous islands like St. Helena, Tavolara near Sardinia, and Juan 



Fernandez. In St. Helena these wild goats have completely destroyed a large 



portion of the native flora, and this has resulted in the disappearance of much 



of the fauna. Goats were introduced by the Spaniards into Juan Fernandez 



in the year 1563. These soon increased enormously, and in order to diminish their 



numbers dogs were subsequently let loose, and likewise ran wild. At the time of 



Lord Anson's visit, in the summer of 1741, the goats had been greatly reduced in 



numbers by the clogs, and they were further so much thinned by his party that 



it was estimated only about two hundred remained. About thirty years ago 



Pechuel-Loesche visited the island, and found that while the dogs had disappeared, 



the goats had once more become exceedingly numerous. In 1885 the goats were 



being vigorously hunted by the settlers with guns and dogs. The general colour of 



these goats is reddish brown, in some districts spotted with dirty white. 



Ibex (Capra ibex, etc.). 



Although the Spanish and Persian wild goats are frequently spoken of as 

 ibex, it seems preferable to restrict this term to four nearly-allied species, namely, 

 the true or Alpine ibex, the Himalayan ibex, the Arabian ibex, and the Abyssinian 

 ibex. All these species are characterised by their nearly uniform coloration, and 

 by the front surface of their long scimitar - shaped horns being flattened and 

 ornamented by a number of bold transverse knots or ridges. These horns curve 

 backwards, and diverge regularly, although in some cases their tips have an 

 inward inclination ; they are nearly triangular in cross-section, the base of the 



