ANGORA OR MOHAIR GOAT.—This useful animal is a native of the mountains and central plateaux of Asia Minor. The characteristics of' the district where it attains greatest perfection are extreme dryness of climate, an elevation averaging 2500 ft. above the sea, and an abnndant growth of oak (either trees or scrub), on the leaves of which, green in summer, dried in winter, the animals feed, maintaining themselves in good condition where grass-eating creatures would starve. The mohair producing district is comprised within the following four towns :—Kastanabol, near the Black Sea, in the north ; Sivas, in the east ; lioniell, in the south ; and Eskishehr, in the west. More than twenty distinct and recognizable varieties of mohair are here grown, the differences arising from local peculiarities. The chief localities are as follows :—(1) Kastambel : its proximity to the moisture-laden winds of the Black Sea is prejudicial to the quality of the hair ; the fleece, though lustrous, is hard and coarse ; hence the error of selecting from this point animals for naturalization at the Cape, an error induced by the facilities for shipment. Passing southwards, the large pro vince of Angora is divided into five separate districts—(2) Yabanova : yields a heavy lustrous fleece ; (3) Tchorba: produces a mohair so soft and fine that it falls to pieces as soon as it is shorn; (-1) Tchibalicova its staple is remarkable for length and fineness ; (5) Aytish : affords a white but lustreless variety ; (6) Jeevar : the hair is bright and showy, but full of " stick," or kempy hair. The district of (7) Beybazar ie remarkable for the hardiness and large size of its rams, some of which have been recently exported with good results. North-eastward lie (8) Tcherkes and (9) Geredeh; the animal has only of later years been introduced here, yet it has developed distinct traits from the differences of climate; the rams are very fine, and their fleece is so surcharged with grease as to appear almost black, but when scoured, it is second to none in quality. No animal has yet
horn exported from these two districts. Towards the east, are (10) Sivrihissar and (11) Eskishehr ; hero most of the goats perished by drought and famine in 1674-5, necessitating the introduction of fresh stock. Due south is (12) Konieh : the fleeces produced here assume the brick-red colour of the soil, and are of reduced value, though useful for special purposes ; they are commonly known as "pelotons." This completes the tale of the chief districts within the quadrilateral before men tioned ; but far to the eastward, on the Armenian and Mesopotamian frontiers, lies the province of Van, which has hitherto contributed large of very inferior mohair, but having been devastated by the Russian invasion, will possess little importance in the immediate future. In Asia Minor, these goats are tended in flocks, varying from 200 to 5000 head, generally iu company with sheep ; this plan is found advantageous to the pastures, as the goats are more enterprising than the she p, and, by breaking up the flock, prevent the latter cropping the herbage too closely. Turkish folds are of the most primitive kind, generally consisting of a sheltered spot enclosed by a low wall ; they are little used except during heavy and continuous rain. When snow lies on the ground, as it does for two or three months, the surface is strewn with chopped straw or dried leaves for the animals to feed on. One goatherd, with a wolf-dog, can look after a thousand head, except in early spring, when the kids are born. The kids are singularly helpless during the first week of their lives, and the ewes show little maternal instinct ; kids born in cold, wintry weather require shelter and indoor nourishment after nightfall. A running stream or good well is India to a goat-run, as the animals drink frequently ; an equally important precaution is to form a salt-lick, by placing lumps of rock-salt near the watering-place. No ordinary fence suffices to restrain them, and they are very great enemies to neighbouring cultivation.