NATURAL HISTORY. 181 



THE GOAT. 



THOUGH the species of animals are separated from 

 tach other ; yet some species approach so near to 

 others, that space is only left for a bare line of distinc- 

 tion. The ass might almost replace the horse ; 

 and, if the species of sheep were to fail, that of the 

 goat might supply the loss. The goat, like the sheep, 

 affords both milk and suet in considerable quantities. 

 Her hair, though rougher than wool, serves, however, 

 to make very good stuffs ; and her skin is worth 

 more than the skin of the sheep. The flesh of the 

 young goat also nearly resembles that of the lamb. 

 These auxiliary species are wilder and more robust 

 than the principal species. The ass and the goat do 

 not require so much care as the horse and the sheep ; 

 for they every where find food to support them, and 

 browse equally on plants of all kinds. They are less 

 affected with the intemperance of the climate, and can 

 do better without the help of man. The less depend- 

 ence they have on us, the more they seem to belong 

 to nature. 



