It is a curious provision, - that the sheep and goats
in the hottest climates throw off their warm covering of wool, and
retain little better than hair; while, removed to a cold climate, they
recover their warm covering immediately."
"But a goat has no wool, papa."
"What are Cashmere shawls made of, William?"
"Very true, papa."
"Most animals have a certain increase of covering as they recede
further from the warm climates to the cold ones. Wolves and foxes,
hares and rabbits, change the colour of their skins to white when they
get far north. The little English stoat, which is destroyed by the
gamekeepers, becomes the beautiful snow-white ermine in Russia and
other cold countries."
"Well, papa, I think it a great advantage to man, and a proof of the
Almighty's care of him and kindness to him, in permitting all the
animals most useful to him to be able to live in any country; but I
don't know whether I am wrong in saying so, papa: I cannot see why an
animal like the wolf should not have been kept to his own climate, like
the lion and tiger, and other ferocious animals."
"You have started a question, William, which I am glad you have done,
rather than it should have remained on your mind, and have puzzled you.
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