334 Introduction of the 



In the summer of 1816, another female, with a male, arrived 

 at Dunkeld in good health, and they were placed in a small 

 paddock; as, from their propensity to browsing, they could 

 not be left at large in the pleasure grounds, and it was not 

 judged safe to suffer them to range among the hills with the 

 sheep. These continued in a general state of good health 

 during the winter, having access to shelter, and in 1817 the 

 female produced a kid. Thus far they appear to have become 

 accustomed to their new mode of life, and to a change, first 

 from the cold and dry climate of their own mountains to that 

 of Calcutta, and finally to the rich pasture and partial con- 

 finement of a situation which is remarkably rainy, and, for 

 Scotland, warm. In the progress of time, however, they began 

 to shew marks of ill health, denoted by a loss of appetite, at- 

 tended by a stupid and melancholy look, which lasted for 

 some days and then subsided. No disease of the skin occurred 

 in these, but the male became frequently stiff in the limbs, so 

 as to move with difficulty. This disorder, however, subsided 

 again as it arose, without any means being tried for its cure, 

 and it probably was the consequence of wet weather, which it 

 is known that these animals cannot endure with impunity, even 

 in their native climate. 



Both the male and female, but the former in particular, were 

 also much incommoded by the rapid growth of their hoofs, 

 which, in the male, at length proceeded to such an extremity as 

 to prevent him from grazing except on his knees. At the same 

 time the joints of the knees gradually enlarged, and the whole 

 of the fore limbs became nearly crippled. It is probable that 

 this male was an aged animal, as he bore other marks indica- 

 ting it, and that his death, which took place shortly afterwards, 

 was accelerated by that natural cause. This incommodious 

 growth of the feet must be attributed to the soft pasture in 

 which they were kept : provision appearing to be made by na- 

 ture for a rapid growth of horn in all the goat tribe, to enable 

 them to bear the rocky ground which they are destined to oc- 

 cupy. There is no doubt that it would have been obviated by 

 the choice of a better situation, had that been possible ; and 



