Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/35



animal affords the mot triking example of the influence of climate upon the clothing or fur of Goats and Sheep. When transferred from a cold or temperate country to a hotter one, the fine wool of the heep degenerates to a coare hair; and a few miles of country urrounding Angora in Aiatic Turkey, produces this very extraordinary variation from the common appearance of Goats. The climate of thee countries, and Syria in particular, impart to all the quadrupeds, a plendour and finenes of fur, which is not to be equalled in any other part of the world.

The horns of the Natolian or Angora Goat are of great length in the male, and lie in an horizontal poition, twited like a cork-crew; to the female the horns are very different, the form nearly a complete circle round the ear.

The hair of the Angora Goat exceeds in beauty that of every other animal; the ilvery locks formed by Nature’s careles, though graceful hand, flow in ringlets of about nine inches long, with a ilky finenes, and replendent whitenes.

The hair of this Goat, for its beauty and finenes, is bought by all nations, and is the bais of our bet camblet tuffs; it is alo wrought into the ueful article called mohair. Mr. Pennant reports, the hair is imported in the form of thread, as the Turks will not allow it to be exported raw, as the pinning gives employ to a multitude of poor. Much pains is taken by the owner of the flocks, in keeping the animals clean, and often combing them. Of late, ladies muffs in England have been frequently made of the hair of this animal, the delicacy and graceful form of which produces a pleaing and agreeable effect.

The one this drawing was made from was coniderably larger than our Goats; the meaurements were three feet ix inches from the noe to the rump, and two feet two inches from the houlder downward.