188 
THE ANGORA GOAT. 
experiments carefully made to ascertain the quantity 
of food consumed by each animal, it was found that 
six Merino sheep eat as much as seven goats. 
A large quantity of mohair is imported into France, 
England, and the United States. One mill alone in 
New York imported in one year from Constan- 
tinople 210,000 lbs., and the supply is quite inadequate 
to meet the demand. • The export of this article might 
become of great value to Australia, were the many 
thousands of almost valueless goats which are found 
scattered over the country and at every township, 
replaced by the Angora. That this change will 
in time be made there is little doubt, but it would 
hasten this very desirable object if the managers 
of town and other commons were to obtain pure bucks 
of the Angora breed for the use of the goats running 
on these commons, and allow no other males to mature. 
It is found in practice that the progeny of the fourth 
cross produces a very marketable fleece. In theory, 
no grade of the cross-bred goats can equal the pure 
breed. When the tenth cross is reached, however, 
only about a thousandth (-^) part of the common 
blood remains, and it would require a very skilful eye 
to distinguish between this grade and the pure 
Angora. 
A very valuable importation of Angora goats has 
recently been made into South Australia for Mr. Price 
Maurice. These are said to include specimens of the 
most noted breeds. It would, I think, be advantageous 
to the flock belonging to the Zoological and Acclimati- 
sation Society, if a few specimens of the best of Mr. 
Maurice's flock were obtained to renew the breed, pro- 
vided that on their arrival they should prove superior to 
