130 



THE WILD GOAT 



of Nepal ; and can be tamed and brought up in confinement, there, with 

 the greatest facility. He possesses entirely the characteristic manners 

 of the genus, so finely delineated by Buffon. Soon after his capture, (if 

 he be taken young,) he becomes content and cheerful ; and, within a year, 

 he may be safely let out, to graze and herd with the tame sheep and 

 goats. Intelligent and observant, he gives the keeper little trouble; and 

 is an annoyance to the flock, only by reason of his wantonness: but, 

 ever and anon, as it were in sheer contempt of sobriety, he will display 

 the most amazing feats of activity, and the most fantastic freaks of 

 humour. He is very wanton ; and so ardently courts the tame females 

 he may be turned amongst, that it is often necessary to deprive him of 

 the tips of his horns, lest he gore them to death ; or else to segregate and 

 confine him. I have known him to have had sexual commerce with 

 sheep, goats, and even musk deer; but never, to have begotten young 

 by any of them. From the tame goat he is eminently distinguished 

 by the superior compactness of his frame, length of his limbs, and ex- 

 pressiveness of his head ; as well as by his fine deer-like ears and 

 tail. 



The body is shortish, full, and compact: the limbs, long but stout: 

 the head moderate, with great vertical dimensions ; small fine muzzle, 

 and slightly convexed forehead, running in one uniform plane from the 

 setting on of the horns to the termination of the nasal bones : neck, 

 longish and slender, bowed out and down : ears, small and finely formed, 

 erect, very moderately: opened, having short hair outside, and naked 

 almost, within : tail short, depressed ; base broad, rapidly pointed : 

 muzzle dry: no lachrymary sinuses. The Jhdral, in his ordinary quies- 

 cent attitude, has the back slightly arched ; the withers lower than the 

 croup : the hind quarters very slightly stooped ; and the neck, in a 

 small degree bowed, after the fashion of deer and antelopes. There 

 is not a vestige of beard on his chin ; the entire lower part of the head 



