History Of The Goat

The common or domestic goat was origipally a nativc of the higlilands of Asia. Naturalista generallv regard it as having descended f rom an animal found in the Caucasué mountaiiis and the hill country of Persia, called in the Pereian language the paseng. lts legs are longer tban those of the comtnen goat, and its horns are very much larger. It is not always easy to distinguish bctween the species and varleties of goals. The comnion goat has existed as a domestic animal in oriental countries from the very earliest times. Krom there it spread all over the worltl, manifestiug a remarkable odaptability to climate and ciremnstances. In this diversity of sutfoundings a great diversity of breeds has appeared, such as the Angora goat, the Syrian goat, the Cashmere goat, the Guinea goat of Africa, and rnany others. No quadruped, except the dog, has shown such susceptbility of variation. These diflerences show most markedly in the quality and quanüty of the hair, and in the relativo abundanee of the two coats, the long, sitky outer covering and the softer woolly hair beiieath it. Goats are found Wild in mountainous countries only; they are very sure-footud on narrow lcdges or rocks, and show gveat strength and ability in leaping. They also prefer as food the leaves and branclies of shrubs and the herbs found on mountains to the herbage of the richest lowland pastures. Anion; thé Greeks and Romans thu goat was s:ieriliced to Bacchns becanse of its tendency to Injure grapevines by eating its young tendrils and leaves. The goat is not found wild in extreme northern countries, but when under domestieation thrives as well within a shed in the northern districts of Scandinavia as in the hottest parts of Asia and África. All the species of the goat are nativcs of the old world. The RocUy mountain goat, so called, of Nortb America, really belongs to the antélopc