EUROPEAN GOATS AND SHEEP 
villages during severe weather. Writing of the Sierra de Gredos, which is 
the chief stronghold of the species in Central Spain, Messrs Chapman and 
Buck say: 
“ This elevated point is the apex of the long Carpeto-Vetonico range, 
which extends from Moncayo through the Castiles and Estremadura, 
forming the watershed of the Tagus and the Douro; it separates the 
two Castiles, and passing the frontier of Portugal, is here known as the 
Sierra da Estrella, which (with the Cintra hills) extends to the Atlantic 
seaboard. Along all this extensive cordillera there is no more favourite 
ground for the ibex than its highest peak, the Plaza de Almanzor, 
10,000 feet above sea -level. During the winter and early spring the 
wild goats have a predilection for the southern slopes towards Estre- 
madura, but in summer and autumn large herds make their home 
in the environs of Almanzor and the lovely alpine lakes of Gredos.” 
The Pyrenean race are much heavier animals than those of Central Spain 
and seem to grow slightly finer horns. They are scarce, and live in the 
worst precipices and are very nocturnal in their habits. They are in conse- 
quence seldom seen except in the early dawn or when driven out of the cliff 
retreats. 
The Persian wild goat ( Capra cegagrus) grows to a large size in Asia Minor, 
Persia, Palestine, the Caucasus, Sind and Baluchistan, but the European re- 
presentative, now only found in a wild state in the Island of Crete, is a small 
animal. Formerly it existed in several of the islands of the Grecian Archi- 
pelago, and may possibly survive in a pure state in the island of Tavolara, 
situated off the north-east coast of Sardinia. Even in Crete the domesticated 
goats are very similar to the wild ones, and there is little doubt that the 
two breed together freely in a wild state. But few sportsmen have tried to 
hunt the Cretan ibex, nor have I met one that has been successful in obtain- 
ing good specimens. The goat of the Island of Joura, near Euboea, has been 
regarded as a wild animal, but there is little doubt that it is only one of 
the many semi -wild or domesticated races, with a strong strain of 
cegagrus, that have reverted to a wild state. In Sweden the domesticated 
goat bears a strong resemblance to the Persian wild goat, and is doubt- 
less descended almost directly from it; whilst even some of our British 
wild races (such as those of western Wales) are also closely allied. 
Wild races of goats vary greatly in their pelage, which is sometimes long 
and at other times short. They vary in colour from black to pure white, 
whilst others are of a dun colour or dun and white. The horns of the males, 
373 
