Shotas and Showing. 271 



more experience in such matters than themselves, and as 

 in the case of goats there are several important details 

 which, if omitted, often lead to unsatisfactory results, it 

 will probably be of service if I offer a few hints on this 

 subject. Goat-fanciers are often reluctant to enter their 

 stock, partly because these exhibitions are not such every- 

 day occurrences as those of dogs and poultry, and it is not 

 therefore so fashionable to do so, and partly because, the 

 points not being well known, many people think their stock 

 not good enough. It is therefore necessary, before decid- 

 ing on the show, to communicate personally for pre- 

 ference with all the breeders of goats in the neighbour- 

 hood, and induce them to take part in the competition. 

 Here I may mention that the British Goat Society is 

 generally willing to assist in the promotion of such shows 

 by offering a medal as a special prize, and in giving advice 

 towards carrying out the arrangements. 



S'chedules. 



It is at present, and will doubtless, continue to be for 

 some years, impossible to arrange the classification accord- 

 ing to breeds, chiefly because there are so few pure 

 specimens of the different varieties, and such a very small 

 proportion of goat-keepers conversant with them. It was 

 usual in the early days of shows to divide the classes 

 according to length of hair, arranging them as " short- 

 haired " and " long-haired " goats. The former generally 

 embraced the English and Anglo-Nubian breeds, whilst the 

 long-haired specimens were represented by Irish and Welsh 

 goats. The objection to this was that so many exhibits 

 were not strictly either one or the other, and some had 

 long hair on the ridge of the back and on the thighs and 

 buttocks, while it was short on other parts of the body. In 

 addition to this a long coat soon became unpopular with 

 British fanciers, so this system of classification was 



