Goats and Sheep

[pheonix]

There are probably lots of things like this but this is one that was discussed alot while i was at college:
What defines a goat from a sheep?

[henrya]

Hard to say, really, but I was looking at a skull a couple of weeks ago, trying to decide whether it was a sheep or a goat (the skull had been found in Britain). As the horn cores emerged fom the skull horizontally, it had to be a sheep, because in wild goats the horn cores emerge vertically. But other than that (which may only work with British specimens), there are probably no hard and fast rules, as sheep and goats are very closely related.

henrya

[wildone]

Originally Posted by henrya

As the horn cores emerged fom the skull horizontally, it had to be a sheep, because in wild goats the horn cores emerge vertically.
henrya

Henrya I never cease to be amazed at your knowledge of the most obstruse things. You remind me of the schoolmaster in the "Deserted Village".
Quote 'and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew' Endquote .

[henrya]

Thanks for your kind comments, Wildone. I think it comes from growing up in a house

1) full of books (my school friends said that we had books on every subject under the sun)

2) without a television.

Thus I read and read and read - and some of it stuck! Also my parents encouraged me in my natural history interests.

henrya