272 ANIMALS OF THE 



This animal is common in Guinea, Angola, and 

 all along the coast of Africa; it is not much 

 larger than the hare, but it is extremely fat, and 

 its flesh admirably tasted. It is in that country 

 universally preferred to mutton. 



These animals seem all of one kind, with very 

 trifling distinctions between them. It is true 

 that they differ in some respects, such as having 

 neither the same colour, hair, ears, or horns. 

 But it ought to be considered as a rule in natural 

 history, that neither the horns, the colour, the 

 fineness, or the length of the hair, nor the posi- 

 tion of the ears, are to be considered as making 

 an actual distinction in the kinds. These are 

 accidental varieties, produced by climate and 

 food, which are known to change even in the 

 same animal, and give it a seeming difference of 

 form. When we see the shapes, the inclinations, 

 and the internal conformation of seemingly dif- 

 ferent creatures nearly the same ; and, above all, 

 when we see them producing among each other, 

 we then have no hesitation in pronouncing the 

 species, and asserting that these are of the goat 

 kind, with which they are so materially connect- 

 ed. 



But although these are evidently known to be- 

 long to the goat kind, there are others nearly re- 

 sembling the goat, of whose kindred we cannot 

 be equally certain. These are such as, being 

 found in a state of nature, have not as yet been 

 sufficiently subjected to human observation. 

 Hence it is impossible to determine with preci- 

 sion to which class they belong; whether they 



