THE GOAT. 



This ufeful animal requires little or no care, and is eafil y fuftained ; it is 

 therefore generally the property of the poor ; it prefers browling on heathy 

 mountains and commons, or fhrubby rocks and neglected wilds, to grazing 

 in the moll luxuriant paftures ; it is particularly fond of the tender bark of 

 young trees, to which it often does great damage. It is not in the leaft 

 affected by wind or rain, nor does it endeavour to avoid either ; it prefers 

 heat to cold, which, when immoderate, often produces a fatal vertigo; it 

 delights to bafk in the fun, and will fleep in the hotteft lituations : playful, 

 capricious, and vagrant, it is with difficulty fed in flocks, as Sheep are, but 

 prefers ftraying from its companions, and felecling its own paftures. The 

 irregularity of its motions ftrongly marks the inconftancy of its difpofition ; 

 it advances, retires, jumps, runs, and flops, merely from caprice and natural 

 vivacity. 



The milk of the Goat is much recommended in confumptive cafes, as 

 a reftorative and blunter of acrimony, and is often found to be highly 

 beneficial. The mountainous parts of England, Scotland, and Wales are 

 much reforted to for the purpofe of drinking it in perfection, and great 

 advantage is frequently derived from the ufe of it. The tafte of Goat's milk 

 is fweet and pleafant, and it acquires a peculiar flavour from the fhrubs it 

 feeds on, which to fome is highly grateful ; it is eafier digefted than Cow's 

 milk, and is therefore well adapted to thofe who have weak ftomachs. The 

 Goat is like wife ferviceable to man in many more inftances ; its fkin is 

 ufed for feveral purpofes ; with it the knapfacks of foldiers are generally 

 made, and, in the country, the peafants make waiftcoats and caps of it : 

 wigs, and even cloth are made of its hair ; its horns are ufed as handles for 

 knives and other inftruments ; and its fuet is highly efteemed for making- 

 candles, which are fuperior, for durability and whitenefs, to thofe made 

 from any other tallow. 



Both male and female have horns, except a very few individuals ; and 

 it is faid that thofe which are white, and have no horns, always give the 

 moft milk, but that the black ones are the ftrongeft (a). 



(a) Buffon. 



