Naturalist.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 388, 15 October 1903, Page 2

Naturalist.

A CONDEMNED REGIMENTAL GOAT. §f|f*9 SINGULAR piece of red-tapeism ifSflSif) has come to light at Southampton. IgSJt The Royal Welsh Fusiliers arrived at that port last month on tbe transport Orfccna, after nearly four years' hard comiaigning in South Africa, bringing with them their famous regimental goat. The Board of Agriculture, however, refused the pet to land. The officers of the regiment offered to keep it for three or six months in quarantine at Southampton rather than that it should be destroyed. Considerable correspondence passed, but the Board of Agriculture refused to permit this being done, and the order went forth that the goat must be killed. NeedleEß to say, both officers and mon of the Welsh Fusiliers axe extremely annoyed at the decision. 'Orders were given for the animal's head and horns to be sent to London to be preserved and then forwarded to the headquarters of the regiment. Following upon this, the goat, the execution of which was fixed, was respited. This welcome decision might appear at first sight to be due to a relaxation of the red tape decree which had so sharply condemned to death this regimental pet. Bat such was not the casi. It was rather a desire on the part of the department to draw the bonds tighter, owing, doubtless, to the publicity given to the statement that the regimental authorities proposed to have the head and horns of the victim preserved 1 . At any rate, a communication from the board reached Southampton, intimating, in effect, that even this small boon was to bo denied the mourning Fusilier 3, but that, on the contrary, the goat must be utterly drat roved. Happily, this notification arrived before the hour fixed for the slaughter of the condemned animal, and it was decided to respite the prisoner, awaiting further instructions. Later on a telegram arrived which suggested second, and decidedly better, thoughts on the part; of the Board of Agriculture. The message ran that the department was in communication with the War Office with the object ! of allowing the goat to be put ashore and sent on the regimontal depot, The threatened destruction of the fourfooted soldier excited widespread indignation in Southampton, where it is well remembered that many hundreds cf monkeys and other pets brought home by troops from South Africa have been allowed to b8 landed without question, one case in particular being that of a fine wildbeese, belonging to the First Royal Dragoons, which, on landing, accompanied the Battalion to their depot, and *as then presented to his Majesty. The Fusiliers' goat iB described as a very fine animal, in perfect condition. Many regiments in the British army have pets, just as several men of war h%va, but the former have received official recognition, accompany the corps where they mai oh, and have a recognised place on parade. No pet is more famous than the goat of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the late 23rd regiment of fame. It ia said that since 1814 Queen Victoria always presented this corps with a goat whenever a vacany occurred, but the practice of having : such a pet, with shield and garlands on its horns, led at the head of the drums, i 3 so ancient that there fis no record of its origin,