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Show 458 MR. C. G. DANFORD ON THE [June 1, 11. Notes on the Wild Goat, Capra agagrus, Gm. By C. G. DANFORD, F.Z.S. [Eeceived May 29, 1875.] During a recent visit to Asia Minor, made principally with the view of studying the ornithology of that country, an opportunity was afforded of observing the habits of the Wild Goat (Capra agagrus), some specimens of which are now submitted for the inspection of members of the Society. The following remarks pretend to convey but little, if any, new information on the subject, and are merely intended as a slight contribution to the history of the animal and as a corroboration of the statements of some authors respecting it. The range of the Capra agagrus seems to be, with the exception of the northern side of the Caucasus, entirely confined to Western Asia and certain islands of the ./Egean. There is no authenticated instance of its having been found in other parts of Europe; for, although many authors have asserted that it existed in the alpine regions of Switzerland and Greece, and though Goats from these localities have even been figured as C. agagrus by Cuvier and Schinz, yet all these reports and instances may be referred to hybrids between the Ibex (C. ibex) and the tame Goat, or to tame animals which have in certain localities become semi-wild and have more or less reverted to the appearance of the supposed original stock. Early writers generally assign Persia as its habitat, particularly the provinces of Lar and Khorasan. Dr. Brandt mentions (Tchihatchef, *Asie Mineure,' p. 684) that it was found by Menetries on the northern side of the Caucasus, was reported rare in the mountains of Ahalzik by Mr. Norman, and that many specimens were sent from the neighbourhood of Tiflis by Mr. Hohenacker. Pallas (Spic. Zool. fasc. xi. p. 43) extends its range to the Kirghiz steppes-an extension, however, which seems to want further proof. Mr. L o w says (Breeds of Domest. Animals, The Goat, p. 3) "the iEgagrus inhabits Western Asia, from the Caucasus eastward by the countries of the Caspian to an unknown distance, and southward through the highlands of Persia and Cabul to Hindostan." Tchihatchef, in his fine work on Asia Minor, writes:-"This animal is not very rare in the mountains of Cilicia which border the plain of Tchukurova, and in the mountains of Marach; but their favourite regions are the mountains of Aladagh, Boulgardagh, and Hassandagh." At the Bereketli Maden (mines), in the first-mentioned of these ranges of the Taurus, M . Tchihatchef collected in 1848 a series of skulls and horns, which he presented to the Imperial Museum at St. Petersburg. According to Herr Kotschy, who bas given a very interesting account of this species (Verhandl. d. zool.-bot. Ver. in Wien, 1854, p. 201, and Reise in d. cilicischen Taurus, p. 249), it is found in all Asia Minor, Kurdistan, Armenia, |