other which has rendered the point of their separation disputed by various naturalists. We shall give the characters, however, placed to each by Major Smith, and consider, that, for the sake of simplicity, and ease of arrangement, they are best kept separate, even although Frederic Cuvier, a high authority, has said, that a better idea of the characters will be obtained by a figure than by a description, for that they have nothing in reality that can be expressed by language. It may be premised that they are distinguished from the true antelopes, "by the osseous nucleus of the horns being partially porous or cellular, communicating with the sinus of the frontals," -a structure to which we saw an approach in the Cambing ootan of Sumatra. And Mr Hodgson adds to this, as a strong and invariable distinction,- Males not odorous in the Sheep, as opposed to the males odorous in the genus Capra or Goat."* They inhabit alpine districts, often upon the limits of perpetual snow, are extremely active and sure footed, and climb with the greatest ease and security. They are at present known to inhabit Europe, Asia, and Africa- Aplocerus being the nearest approach to them in America.

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Capra or Goat, Linn. Horns common to both sexes, rarely wanting in the females; in domesticated races occasionally absent in both, directed upwards or depressed backwards, more or less angular and nodose. No muzzle, lachrymal sinus, Proceedings of Zool. Soc. Sept. 9. 1834.

*

or inguinal pores; tail short and naked at the base, chin bearded."*

Naturalists for a long time were of opinion that the original stock of our domestic goats was to be found in the Caucasian Ibex. The discovery, however, of another animal inhabiting the same country and the Asiatic border, more similar in form, has rendered it more probable that to that animal we are indebted for our present races, in some cases mixed with both the Caucasian and Abyssinian Ibex. The animal alluded to is

*Major Smith

THE EGAGRUS.

Capra ægagrus.-PALLAS.

PLATE V. MALE. VI. FEMALE AND YOUNG.

Capra ægagrus, Pallas, Ham. Smith, &c.—L'egagre, Fred. Cuv. Hist. Nat. des Mammifères.-Le Passeng ou Bouc Sauvage, Menagerie du Museum.

THE Ægagrus appears first to have been noticed by Pallas and Gmelin, by whom descriptions were given, imperfect in the details of its habits. A figure, with descriptions, has been given in later days by the Baron Cuvier, in the Menagerie du Museum, from individuals captured on the European Alps, though Frederick Cuvier, in his Mammifères, seems to place a doubt on this fact, which it would be important to know, as Pallas surmised, that the species may be found on the European Alps, as well as the Caucasian and Asiatic ranges.

The male Ægagrus stands higher on its legs than the largest varieties of our goat, and the body is more slender. The limbs are strong and thick, and have not the light appearance of those of the antelopes or stags. The neck is short and thick, on account no doubt of the huge horns which it is