S/iawl Goat into Britain. 341 



It must, however, be evident, from both the preceding- 

 considerations, that the eastern parts of Scotland are better 

 adapted for the cultivation of this goat than the western ; 

 since, if an irregular line be drawn between Perth and 

 Inverness, it will be found, that the number of rainy days, as 

 well as the quantity of rain, is far greater on the western than 

 on the eastern side of this line. Abstracting some particular 

 spots also, the quantity of rain diminishes in this latter 

 division as we recede from the sea; while both the mean 

 annual temperature will be found the least, and the severity of 

 winter the greatest, in that middle tract which contains the 

 courses of the Garry and the Spey. The district of Badenoch 

 is in fact the coldest, and, in the Highlands, probably the 

 driest part of Scotland; and the rocky mountains of that 

 division, therefore, seem most particularly adapted to this 

 object. 



The necessity of rocky and mountainous pasture is more 

 particularly rendered obvious by that disease of the feet 

 which was mentioned in recording the experiment made at 

 Dunkeld, and, it must here be added, that the growth of the 

 hoofs in one of these animals was checked, and the feet 

 restored to a sound state, merely by allowing it a free access 

 to a paved stable. Although it was mentioned in the pre- 

 ceding remarks, that it had been found necessary to pare the 

 hoofs in India, it does not appear that this practice is required 

 in Thibet, where, doubtless, they have a free range over 

 rocky ground during the summer, or on hard ice in winter. 

 Moisture is indeed injurious, as is well known, even to the 

 feet of sheep ; and the common goat of the Highlands inva- 

 riably avoids the low grounds, when in its power, to seek 

 refuge among the dry and stony places. 



A fear lest they should become a prey to the fox, which, in 

 the Highland mountains, is a very powerful and comparatively 

 a bold animal, prevented the risking of those which were at 

 Blair and Dunkeld in the hill pastures, and thus probably 

 tended to their destruction. That caution would not be ne- 

 cessary, should they become more numerous. But although 



