The Cashmere or "Shatol'* Goat. 81 



Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, in 1877. and subse- 

 quently, having formed part of the collection of animals 

 brought over from India by King Edward, then Prince 

 of Wales. As these were presented by some Indian 

 potentate, it may be reasonably presumed they were, pure- 

 bred and represented the true type, more especially as 

 their appearance corresponded to that of others placed 

 in the Gardens four years after. These goats were small- 

 sized, with semi-pendent ears and twisted horns, in- 

 clining at their extremities to the rear. Schreiner states : 

 " Before the Angora goat was introduced into the Cape 

 efforts had been made to import and breed the Cashmere. 

 . . . The Angora goats imported into the Cape were for 

 a long time known as Cashmeres." 



The points are a .short, delicately-shaped head, thin 

 ears, small bones, and a long, heavy coat; the longer the 

 hair, the more abundant the fine undergrowth it covers. 

 This undergrowth consists of a beautifully soft downy 

 wool, more fleecy in its nature than mohair, very short, 

 and of a white or greyish-white colour. It grows at the 

 roots of the long hair, appearing in the autumn, and 

 being shed in the spring, when it is collected by a very- 

 careful combing process, occupying from eight to ten days. 

 This is a work of great patience, as the undergrowth 

 requires to be carefully separated from the hair that 

 becomes detached in the operation and accumulates on the 

 comb. The quantity obtained even in the best specimens 

 only amounts to about half a pound, whilst in inferior 

 stock it varies from 4oz. to 6oz. It ranges in price from 

 55. to 6s. per pound. This is the material from which the 

 far-famed " Cashmere shawls " are made in India, where 

 at one time 16,000 looms were in constant work in their 

 manufacture. 



As may be supposed from the great elevation at which 

 the Cashmere goats pasture on their native mountains, 



G 



