CAPRA, the goat, in natural history, a genus of Mammalia, of the order Pecora. Generic character : horns hollow, com pressed; rough, almost close at their base, turned back; eight lower fore teeth ; no tusks ; chin in the male beard ed. Of these there are three species, of which we shall attend particularly to the C. hircus, or common goat. This ani mal is found domesticated in almost every part of the Globe, but was intro duced into America only on its discovery by Europeans. In its internal structure it extremely resembles sheep, but is far superior to them in alertness, sentiment, and intelligence. The goat approaches Man without difficulty, is won by kind ness, and capable of attachment. Con finement is ill suited to his excursive tendencies, and lie is fond of retiring into solitude, and ranging on the cliffs of the most rugged and barren mountains. He will not only climb and stand on the loftiest craggs, but sleep also on the verge of the most steep and terrific pre cipices. He is capable of enduring both cold and heat, and the most ardent rays of the sun produce in him no vertigo or sickness of any description ; the violence of storms causes him little or no inconve niencies, but he suffers somewhat from very rigorous cold. His organs are ex tremely supple, and his frame is robust and nervous. Almost all herbs are used by him for food, and few are noxious to him. His favourite nourishment, how ever, is derived from the tender branches and bark of trees and shrubs, from lichens and hemlock. He is sprightly, roaming and lascivious in the extreme ; inconstant and capricious in his temper; and the vi vacity of his feelings is exhibited in a perpetual succession of rapid, abrupt, and sportive movements. He prefers barren heats to luxuriant pastures, avoids moist and marshy places, and never flourishes but in mountainous, or at least elevated situations. The female will allow itself to be sucked by the young of various other animals, and a foal which has lost its mother has been seen thus nourished by a goat, which, in order to facilitate the process, was placed on a barrel. The attachment between the nurse and foal appeared strong and natural. The milk of the goat, contain ing few oily particles, is much valued in medicine, and being easily curdled, is formed into cheese of high estimation.—. The celebrated Parmesan cheese is made of it.
The goats of Wales are generally white, and are both stronger and larger than those of other hilly countries. Their flesh is much used by the inhabitants, and often dried and salted, and substitut ed for bacon. The skins of kids are
much valued for eaves, and were for merly employed in furniture, when paint ed with rich colours, of which they are particularly capable,and embellished with ornamental flowers and works of silver and gold.
The extremely unpleasant odour at tending these animals is supposed to be beneficial, and horses appear so much refreshed by it, that a goat is on this ac count often kept in the stables of the great. Of the many varieties of this species, that of Angora is the most cu rious. It is principally valued for its long and exquisitely fine hair, which it loses by a change of pasture from the immediate vicinity of Angora, and which the owners are incessantly assiduous in washing and combing, and otherwise promoting its growth and cleanliness.— It is formed into camlets of the finest texture.
The Syrian goat is remarkable for its pendulous ears, and is common in va rious parts of the East : the animals of this variety are driven in flocks through the Oriental towns every morning and evening, and each house-keeper sees drawn from them, before her door, as much milk as she is in want of. See Mammalia, Plate VI. fig. 6.
The Chamois goat inhabits the most elevated mountains of Europe, and feeds on shrubs, roots and herbs : its chase is extremely laborious and dangerous : its sight and smell are both exquisite : it is particularly shy : its swiftness is also very great, and it makes its way with speed over the most pointed rocks, can mount or descend precipices with facility, and hang on steeps nearly perpendicular.— Plate VI. fig- 5.
C. Ibex, or the Ibex goat of Pennant. This is considerably larger than the last species : its blood was formerly deemed a specific in the materia medica for va rious diseases : its strength and feeling are extraordinary it is found in the Car pathian and Pyrennean mountains, in the Rhaetian Alps, in Crete, and in Tartary. When hardly pressed, it will throw itself from a vast height with little or no injury, contriving always to fall on its horns. Plate IV. fig. 4.
C. Caucasica, the Caucasan goat, in habits the most rugged rocks of mount Caucasus, and is, perhaps, superior in vigour apd agility to all that have been mentioned. A bezoar is sometimes found in the stomach of this animal, as. well as in that of several others quadrupeds. Monardes states that he saw one of these creatures leap from a high tower, and having reached the ground upon his horns, immediately, without any wound, dislocation, or contusion, rise on his feet.