THE RUMINANT ORDER. 
259 
Plantes at Paris thrive as well as they would in their native 
land. 
Of all foreign species the Angora Goat is the one which 
might be most advantageously propagated in France, where it 
appears certain to become a source of wealth to the mountainous 
districts. It gives as much milk as the European Goat, and its 
fleece is composed of long and fine wool, which preserves all its 
lustre after it is dyed. This wool resembles,, and is often mis- 
taken for silk ; for it possesses the brilliancy of the latter, and 
takes, in the hands of the dyer, the same shades. It is superior to 
the best wools for the fabrication of woollen velvet; beautiful 
light fabrics are also made from it, which are called in the trade 
Zephyr cloths. 
Angora Goats are generally of small size, and their white coat 
is long and twisted. 
There are other species of Goats, among which may be men- 
tioned the Nubian Goat ( C . nubiania ), a specimen of which is 
kept in the Jardin des Plantes. 
Caprovis Genus. — This family, like the Ibex, are mountain 
animals, and are found nearly all over the globe, for they exist 
not only in the Old World, but also in North America. 
The Argali, which is found in Asia, has two varieties — Ovis 
ammonides (Fig. 92) and Ovis ammon. They are as large as a 
Deer ; their horns bear some degree of resemblance to those of 
our rams. 
The Mouflon (C. musimon ) of Corsica and Sardinia is about 
the size of an ordinary Sheep, but is more stoutly made. The 
fleece is woolly, and of a greyish colour, and is hidden under its 
long and silky hair. Its horns are large, triangular at the base, 
and flattened towards their point, and in the female are entirely 
wanting. These animals live in droves. 
The Kebsch (Fig. 93) is an African species, remarkable for the 
mane which covers its neck, and for the long hair which falls 
down over its legs, something in the form of cuffs. 
The Big Horn (C. canadensis) is the representative of this 
family in North America. Dr. Gray considers this the same as 
the Ammon of Siberia. 
The Sheep Genus. — According to M. Milne-Edwards, the almost 
innumerable varieties of Sheep which are reared by Man in a 
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