G O A 
female brings fofth one, and fometimes two, at a 
birth. 
Goat, Shammoy, or Chamois. This ani- 
mal is about the fize of the domeftic Goat, which 
it refeiTibles in many refpedls. It is naturally very 
•wild, but eafily tamed; and is found only in rocky 
and mountainous places. It is extremely lively 
and atftive; it's hair is like that of the doe; it's 
colour is cinereous in fpring, dun inclining to 
black in autumn, and a blackifh brown in win- 
ter; it's eyes are beautiful, round, and fparkling; 
it has two fmall horns, about half a foot long, 
which jet out forwards, bending a little backwards 
at their extremities ; it's ears are elegantly placed 
near it's horns ; and on each fide of it's face there 
are two ftripes of black, the reft being of a whit- 
ifli yellow colour. The flefh of this Goat is 
efteemed tolerable food; and each animal yields 
about ten or twelve pounds of excellent fuet, which 
is convertible to many ufeful purpofes. 
Shammoy Goats are very common in Dau- 
phiny. Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland, Germany, 
Greece, and Crete. They afTemble in flocks, 
from four to one hundred, difperfed on the crags 
of the mountains. The full-grown males feed at 
fome diftance from the reft, except during the 
rutting-time, when they approach the femiales, and 
drive away their young. They couple from the 
beginning of Oflober to the latter end of Novem- 
ber, and bring forth in March and April. The 
young ones follow their dams about five months, 
if not feparated before by the hunters or the 
wolves. They live between twenty and thirty 
years; and the females generally produce two, and 
feldom more than three, at a time. 
Though moft animals are known to have fbme 
cry peculiar to themfelves, the Shammoy has 
fcarcely any; only a kind of feeble bleat, by which 
the parent calls it's young; but, when danger 
threatens, and it v/ifhes to alarm the reft of the 
flock, it makes a hifting noife, which is heard at a 
confiderable diftance. It is extremely vigilant, 
and has a quick and piercing eye. It's fmell is 
alfo very diftinguiiliing; for by it, we are told, it 
can difcover any perfon at the diftance of half a 
league, and give the earlieft notice to it's com- 
panions. On the leaft apprehenfion of danger, it 
^ltters it's hifting note ; and having reuofed a mo- 
ment after this alarm, it again looks round, and 
perceiving it's fears to be real, continues to hifs, 
at intervals, till it has fpread the alarm to a vaft 
diftance. During this time, it feems violently 
agitated; it ftrikes the ground with one of it's 
fore-feet, and fometimes with both; bounds from 
rock to rock; turns, and looks about; runs to the 
•edge of the precipice; and, ftill perceiving the 
•enemy, flies witli the utmoft fpeed. It is remarked 
by naturalifts, that the hilling of the male is much 
fharper and louder than that of the female. 
The Shammoy, like the common Goat, feeds 
on the tendereft herbage, and fele6ls the moft de- 
licate parts of plants, flowers, and buds. While 
it feeds on fucculent herbs it drinks but little, and 
chews the cud at intervals. This creature is fo 
very im^patient of heat, that, during the ardors of 
fummcr, it is found only in the caverns of rocks, 
amidft fragments of unmelted ice, and under the 
iliades of high-fpreading trees, or fuch hanging 
precipices as face the north, and keep off the rays 
of the fun. It goes to pafture in the mornings and 
evenings, but feldom quits it's retreat during the 
heat of the day. During the rigours of winter, it 
deeps in the thickeft forefts, and fubnfts on die 
flirubs and buds of the pine-tree. 'It turns up the 
fnowwith it's feet in queft of herbage; and, where ic 
perceives any vegetables, exerts it's utmoft induftry 
to uncover them. The more craggy and rugged 
the foreft, the more the Shammoy fcems to enjoy it's 
fituation. It always afcends or defcends in an ob- 
lique direftion ; and will throw itfelf down a rock 
thirty feet high, and fafely fix on fome protube- 
rance or fragment on the fide of the precipice, 
though only large enough for it's feet to reft on : 
in it's defcent, however, it ftrikes the rock three or 
four times with it's feet, as well to ftop the velo- 
city ot it's motion, as to break the force of it's fall. 
The fl^in of this animal, when drefled, has been 
celebrated for it's foftnefs and warmth: atprefent;,, 
however, the leather called Shammoy is made from 
the flcins of tame Goats, flieep, and deer. 
The Shammoy is hunted, during the winter, 
pardy for it's Ikin, and pardy for it's flefli : and it's 
chace is a very laborious employ; for it muft be 
approached by furprize, and Ihot with a rifle-bar- 
relled gun. 
Akmann informs us, that there are two fpecies 
of Shammoy Goats in Switzerland; one of which 
is redder and fmaller than the other, and never de- 
fcends into the vallies, but continues on the moft 
inaccefnble mountains during the whole winter. 
The other fpecies, which is larger and browner, 
fometimes defcends to the bottoms of the moun- 
tains; where it lives, during the winter, on the ex- 
tremities of the branch'cs of fir-trees. 
Many medicinal qualities are afcribed to feve- 
ral parts of this animal. The fat, mixed with 
milk, is faid to be beneficial for ulcerated lungs ; 
and the gall is luppofed to ftrengthen the fight, 
to cleanfe ulcers of the cornea, and to remove 
fpots. The ftone fometimes found in the fto- 
mach of this creature, is called the German be- 
zoar, and was formerly thought to poflefs the vir- 
tues of the Oriental bezoar; but even thofe qua- 
lities vv^hich the latter was once faid to pofi^efs, arc 
no longer attributed to it, being now confidered 
only as a weak abforbent. 
GOAT, SEA. This fifli h as a compreffed 
head, in the upper part of v/hich the eyes are placed y 
the mouth is linall; and in each jaw there are 
eight teeth. Along the middle of the back are 
three very ftrong large prickles united by a mem- 
brane, the foremoft- being by far the largeft: thefe 
appendages the creature can raife or deprefs in a 
bony fulcus formed by nature for that purpofe ; 
which peculiarity feems to belong to this fifn only. 
It is covered with fcales which bear fome refem- 
blance to thofe of a ferpent ; for, befides their be- 
ing arranged in luch a manner that the interm.e- 
diate lines make a fort of chequer-work, they alfo 
ftick fo extremely dole to the fkin, that they can- 
not be feparated v/ithout a laceration of the parts. 
The colour of the Sea-Goat is adui1;y green, fpeck- 
led with blue; the dorlal and ventral fins are black- 
ifli, marked with blue and red fpots ; the fhape is 
broad, very flat, and almoft roundiili; and tlie 
weight is about two pounds. 
This fidi is fometimes caught in the Mediter- 
ranean; and it's fkin is preferved in the cabinets of 
the curimis. 
GOAT-SUCKER. This bird, called dfo the 
Churn-owl, weighs about two ounces and a half; 
it's length is ten inches and a half, and it's breadth 
twenty-two. The irides are hazel-coloured; the 
bill is about one-third of an inch long,; the tongue 
is 
