The Flesh of the Goat. 233 



An assistant, who was busy with the meat outside, and 

 had apparently taken no notice of what had passed, was 

 then called in by his master and thus addressed, " Now 

 then, Tom, you know what lamb is when you see it ; 

 what do you call that lamb or goat? " The man, under 

 the impression, I suppose, that I had brought the meat 

 into the shop for a professional opinion, after turning it 

 over several times, said in a very decided manner, " Why, 

 goat, of course." 



I was much amused by the annoyance and 

 disappointment depicted on the master butcher's coun- 

 tenance, and the way he invited his man to re-examine 

 it in order to elicit a different opinion. This, of course, 

 was soon obtained when the latter saw what kind of answer 

 was expected of him. I told them, however, I considered 

 the question settled, and that I must insist on my money 

 being returned, as it was evident that the joint was not 

 lamb. This was presently done, the butcher consoling 

 himself by repeating the remark that I knew nothing of 

 either goat or lamb, a point I did not deem it worth while 

 to dispute. 



The meat of a full-grown goat has more resemblance 

 in appearance to venison than to mutton, being closer in 

 the grain and also of a darker colour than the latter. As 

 I have elsewhere remarked, the fat of these animals 

 accumulates almost entirely at the kidneys, a very small 

 proportion being deposited in the subcutaneous cellular 

 tissue ; the consequence is that this meat is somewhat dry 

 eating, and requires well basting. 



Castration in the case of the male has a very marked 

 effect upon the quality of the meat, producing a finer 

 flavour, and greatly increasing the quantity of fat. I once 

 had killed an emasculated buck two years old, weighing 

 as dead meat and " sinking the offal " 4olb., and it was 

 highly appreciated by all who tasted it, some mistaking 



