376 THE WILDGOAT, &c. 



number of refcmblanccs to the he- goat than to 

 the ram, ought to produce with the (he- goat, 

 and, confequently, fhould be regarded as only a 

 conftant variety of this fpecies. 



Hence, as the chamois was tranfported into 

 America, where it has become fmaller, and 

 produces with the fmall fhe-gcat of Africa, it is 

 more than probable that he would alio produce 

 with our (he-goats. The chamois, therefore, 

 is only a conftant variety in the goat-kind, 

 like the bull-dcg in the fpecies of dog. On 

 the other hand, the wild goat is un que ftion ably 

 the primitive goat in a date of nature, and is, 

 with regard to the domeftic goats, what the 

 mouflon is to the fheep. The wild he-goat 

 perfectly refembles the domeftic he-goat in fi- 

 gure, ftructure, habits, and difpofitions ; and 

 there are only two (light external differences be- 

 tween them. The horns of the wild he-goat 

 are larger than thoie of the common he-goat. 

 The former have two longitudinal ridges, and 

 the latter but one. They have alfo large tranf- 

 verfe protuberant rings, which mark the years of 

 their growth ; whilil thofe of the domeftic he- 

 goat have only a kind of tranfverie ftriae or 

 furrows. The figure of their bodies is preciftly 

 the fame. Their internal ftru&ure is iikewiie 

 perfectly fimilar, with the exception of the 

 fpleen, which is oval in the wild he-goat, and 

 approaches nearer to the fpleen of the roebuck 

 er flag, than to that of the he- goat or ram. 



: & , Ll«« -~ KH<*K Vi m^ ^_ & , 



This 



