194 SHORT STALKS 



some of wliicli it still exists, its habitat ranges at the 

 present day from the ^ga3an Sea, through Asia JMinor and 

 Persia, into Afghanistan, and therefore in close proximity 

 to the most forward civilisations of ancient times. It is 

 thus not surprising that the various breeds of tame goat, 

 however modified by man, should in many respects "favour," 

 as they say in the eastern counties, this ancestry. The 

 scimitar horn curving over the back, the l;)lack shoulder- 

 Ami again — 



To^ov ei'^ooi' t^aAoi' acyo9 



aypioi', oi' po. TTOT avrhs vtto (TTeproLO Ti'\>ycr(t'i 



7r€Tp7/s €K/3ati'0J'Ta 8eSey/7.ei'09 ei' TrpoSoKycri 



l3ef:^Xi'lKeL —/io'? (rr?jBo^ . . . 



Tor Kepa Ik k(.<1>(iX?]^ eKKaiSeKaSiopa rreffiVKeL 



Iliad 4. 105. 



" His polished bow, fashioned of the horns of a Instv wild he-goat, whom 

 once on a time Pandanis himself, having waited ambiisluMl for Ids coming out 

 from the rocks, Idt lieneath the breast, and pierced in the chest . . . The 

 horns from off Ins head had grown sixteen palms long." If the Bard did not 

 exaggerate that must have been a patriarch indeed — 48 inches ! But IMr. 

 Lydekker, who is an authority on the subject, supports him. He says : " In 

 the male the horns may attain a length of some 48 inches measured along the 

 curve ; but a specimen is recorded with a length of 52^ inches." 



The following throws some light on the method of hunting : 



'ilpcrav 8e vvp.cjjaL KovpaL Ato>; aiyto^oio 

 atyas opecrKojoi's, n'a SetTri'vycreiar eTtupoi. 

 o.i'TtKo. Kii.p — i'Xa To^d. KUL aiyiwea'i doAiYai'Aois 

 elXopieO' €K I'ljMV, Slu. tie Tp'L\a Korrjj.yjOei're'i 

 ISdXXojiev alipa 5' eSojKe 6^eo9 /xei'oetKea Oijpip'. 

 v'Tje'i jxkv jxoL eTTOVTO Si'dj^eK'o, e^ 8e eKu.crTijV 

 ei'vea Aay ^tH'or atye?" e/xot Se Ssk e^eXor oToj 



Chhi.^^rij 9. 154. 



" And the nymphs, daughters of ^Egis-bearing Zeus, roused the wild goats 

 oi the mountains, to furnish dinner for my mates. Straightway we took us 

 from the shijjs bended Ijows and long-socketed hunting spears ; and, ordered 

 in three companies, we shot, and speedily Heaven gave us game enough to 

 our mind. Twelve ships there were that followed me, and to each there fell 

 by lot nine goats. But for myself alone I chose out ten." 



