THE GOAT. 



Genus Copra. 



PLATE VII. NO. I., THE EUROPEAN IBEX. NO. II., THE BEARDED 



ARGALI. 



A GENUS of ruminant mamalia, agreeing with the rest of 

 the order in their general structure, but differing in so many 

 particulars, and corresponding so well with each other in 

 the majority of these, as to form a very distinct, as well as 

 a highly interesting family. Of all animals which are 

 reared in a state of domestication, goats are the most pic- 

 turesque in their appearance, the most lively in their man- 

 ners, and the most hardy in their constitutions. Of all 

 four-footed animals which have hard hoofs, they are the 

 surest footed ; and this agrees with their native localities. 

 They are the inhabitants of the rocks, the tenants of the 

 mountain-top, and the precipice, browsing on that vegeta- 

 tion which is inaccessible to any other race of ruminant 

 mamalia. In this respect some of the antelopes approach 

 nearly to them, as for instance the chamois, or rock antelope 

 of the Alps ; but fleet as that animal is, and great as is its 

 power of endurance, it is by no means equal to the moun- 

 tain goats. It is probably on account of the vigorous con- 

 stitution of those animals, and their consequent power of 

 enduring the utmost severity of the elements, that the 

 ancients chose Capricorn, or the goat, to represent that sign 

 of the zodiac which the sun occupies during the greatest 

 depth and utmost severity of the northern winter. 



Goats, in one or other of the species, are found in almost 

 every region of the world ; and they are very obedient to 

 climate in many of their appearances ; but wherever they 

 are found, they are a lively, brave, and healthy race. Their 



