SHEEP AND GOAT. 21 



M. Buffon to have been the primitive race j and that has been known 

 to breed with the domeftic animal. 



The moufflon, (or mufimon,) though covered with hair, bears 

 ftrongeft fimilitude to the ram ; like the ram, has the eyes placed near 

 the horns : its ears are lliorter than thofe of the goat : refembles the 

 ram in the contours of its form. The horns alfo are alike ; are 

 yellow J have three fides, as in the ram, and bend backwards in the 

 fame manner behind the ears. The muzzle, and in fide of the ears, 

 are whitifh, tin<ftured with yellow j the other parts of the face, brownifli 

 grey. The general colour of the body is brown, approaching that of 

 the red deer. The infide of the thighs and belly are white, tinflured 

 with yellow. The mufimon is found in a favage ftace, and maintains 

 itfelf, by force or fwiftnefs, againft all animals that live by rapine. 

 From its extreme fpeed, many have inclined to rank it among deer : 

 but the mufimon never fheds its horns. Thefe fometimes grow to a 

 furprifing fize ; many of them meafuring, in their convolutions, two 

 ells. From yellow, the horns become the darker as the animal grows 

 older ; fometimes are found broken off in fuch a manner, that the 

 fmall animals of the foreft creep into the cavity for (belter. The 

 female refembles the male, but is lefs, and her horns never grow to 

 fuch prodigious fize as thofe of the ram. 



N. B. The mufimon is reckoned a goat by thofe who divide the kinds, 

 but if, as aflerted, breeds with the fheep, evidently belongs to both kinds. 



The Goat feems better fitted for a life of liberty than the fheep : is 

 naturally more lively, and of keener inftindt : eafily attaches itfelf to 

 man, and feems fenfible of his carefl!es : is ftrong and fwift, courageous, 

 playful, lively, capricious, and vagrant : not eafily confined to its flock ; 

 but choofes its pafture, and Joves to ftray from others : delights in 

 climbing precipices ; in going to the very edge of danger ; on rocks 

 hanging over the fea, and on a very narrow bafe, often fleeps in fecu- 

 rity. Nature has fitted it for traverfing declivities ; the hoof being 

 hollow underneath, with (harp edges. This hardy animal is eafily 

 fuftained, and choofes the heathy mountain, or the fhrubby rock ; prefers 

 the tops of boughs, or the tender bark of young trees j deeps expofed 

 to the fun ; and feems to enjoy its heat : fears not (lorm, or rain ; 

 but immoderate cold is faid to afflift it with a vertigo. The inconftancy 

 of its nature is perceivable in their regularity of its gait j it goes forward, 

 ftops, runs, approaches, flies, merely from caprice, and extreme viva- 

 city of difpofition. 



El The 



