324 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 
The Angora Goat, and a Paper on the Ostrich. By 8. C. 
CronwRigHT ScHREINER. Longmans, Green & Co. 
Now that so much attention is focussed on Southern Africa, 
it is quite refreshing to find that the Hominide are not the only 
mammals studied in the area, and that, besides the introduced 
Boer farmer, there is also the Angora Goat. We are absolutely 
dead weary of the political questions connected with the Boer, and 
rejoice to study the less exciting but more scientific problem of 
his Goat. And here let us at once clear the ground by a 
definition ; by Boer we do not necessarily mean an inhabitant of 
the Transvaal, but the farmers who trace their descent back to 
the early settlers, are of principally Dutch and French origin, 
who use the “‘ Taal” dialect, so largely Dutch in its construction, 
and are found all over South Africa, under the British flag as well 
as beneath those of the two Republics. 
The first part of the volume is devoted to the history and 
derivation of the various breeds of domestic Goats, and our author 
agrees with the now generally accepted opinion that they are all 
principally derived from the Persian Wild Goat (Capra egagrus), 
and that the blood element of the Wild Goat of Thibet (Capra 
falconeri) in the Angora breed must be small indeed, as “the 
outward twist of the horns, so pronounced in Capri falconert, is 
unknown in the Angora (whose horns have the twist inwards) or 
any other domestic variety.” 
One reason for the great success with which the Angora breed 
flourishes in South Africa is pointed out by Mr. Schreiner in the 
fact that ‘‘our veld and climate are almost identical with those of 
the province of Angora.” And this remark is true for the Colony, 
for practically “the Transvaal has no Goats and the Free State 
not a very large number.” In 1893, the Cape had 2,811,206 
Angora Goats, and 2,819,749 Common Goats. The effects of — 
crossing is favourable to the fecundity of the Angora, the modern 
