THE WILD GOAT,k ^ 



of view is not imaginary, fince we can prove 

 from experience, that there are animals in na- 

 ture, in which the female can equally ferve 

 males of different fpecies, and produce from 

 them both. The fheep produces with the he-goat 

 as well as with the ram, and always brings forth 

 lambs which are individuals of its own fpecies. 

 The ram, on the contrary, produces not with the 

 me- goat. The fheep, therefore, may be regard- 

 ed as a female common to two different males; 

 and, confequently, (he conftitutes a fpecies inde- 

 pendent of the male. The lame thing will hap- 

 pen to the wild goat. The female alone repre- 

 fents the primitive fpecies, becaufe her nature is 

 conftant. The males, on the contrary, vary ; 

 and it is extremely probable, that the domeftic 

 (he-goat, which may be confidered as the fame 

 female as thole of the wild and chamois kinds, 

 would produce equally with thefe three different 

 males, which alone admit of vaiieties in fpecies; 

 and, confequently, though they feem to change 

 the unity, alter not the identity of the fpecies. 



Thele, as well as all other pofTibie relations, 

 rauft neceffarily exift in nature. It even ap- 

 pears, that the females contribute more to the 

 fupport of the fpecies than the males ; for, 

 though both concur in the fir ft formation of the 



Vol. VI. A a foetus, 



mois appears, as well as the female, to participate of the fe- 

 minine qualities of the flie-goat. Thus it may be prefumed, 

 that the domeftic he-goat would engender with the female 

 chamois ; and that, oh the contrary, the male chamois could 

 not engender with the female dtaneflic goat. Time will 

 or deftroy this conjecture. ' 



