ANIMALS. 61

three small kids which failed to breed until two years old. From these females, Mr. Peters has raised twenty-one, twelve of which proved to be males and nine females. Thus it appears that the constitution of this variety is organized like that of the wild goats,(Capra œgagrus,) which produces but one young annually. As, however, it produces young when fifteen months old, and continues to breed until over ten years of age, taking into consideration the strength and hardihood of the kids, we may safely consider it as equal to the French Merino sheep in the rapidity with which a flock may be bred and increased.

PREPONDERANCE OF YOUNG MALES OVER FEMALEsS.

It has frequently been remarked, that animals and poultry of various kinds brought from China and Western Asia produce a much greater number of males than females. The only experiment we made was on the Shanghae fowl, which, as long as we had an old male, produced, on an average, three or four male chickens to one female. Since we have kept young males only, the sexes in their descendants are about equal. It was at one time feared that the experiments in the introduction of these goats would be greatly re- tarded from the fact that they produced nearly all males. In 1854, Dr. Davis used one two-year old buck to five ewes. The result was two females and three males. In 1855, Mr. Peters used the old im- ported buck to eight ewes; the result was, two females and six males. In 1856, he used a buck kid of nine months old to six ewes; the result was, four females to two males. In the same year, he used the imported buck to two ewes; the product was one male and one female. It will be a matter of interest to the physiologist to become acquainted with the result of a further continuance of these experi- ments.

FOOD.

Like all species and varieties of goats, these animals prefer weeds, briars, and leaves to grass. Mr. Peters informed us that, during the summer months, they are a decided benefit to his grass-lands, by feed- ing on, and finally destroying, briars, weeds, and bushes. They are

especially fond of the leaves of young pines and cedars, both in sum-

mer and winter, the balsamic character of which is conducive to their

health and thrift. During winter, they should be fed like sheep, but do not require much attention, except in snowy weather, as they are better able to shift for themselves. Mr. Peters advises that during this season they should be divided into flocks of about one hundred, or less, as they butt each other at feeding time.

THE FLESH AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD.

We have never indulged in the extravagant luxury of feasting on a full-blooded animal of this variety; but we have, on several occa- sions, made a hearty meal on the quarter, half, or three-quarter