The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-11
THE MATHEMATICAL GOAT.
His Wonderful Feats of Calculation
or Instinct in His SaItatOriaI FIX
From Blackwood's Magazine.


From Blackwood's Magazine.
Almost every movement of kid proves
the mountain origin of its race. Its powers
of climbing are extraordinary, and must
be witnessed to be believed. have seen
them Chamber on slippery roofs and up the
almost perpendicular face of a quarry to
places which seemed impossible to reach
without the aid of a ladder, or the cling
ing power of claws or fingers. remember
once seeing a pair of kids running races
up and down the shafts of disused farm
roller which were tilted up at an angle of
about 40 degrees. On the extreme ends of
the shafts, high in the air, the little crea-
lures would stand, one on each, and turn
about as on pivot, with the tips of all
four hoofiets close enough together to rest
on a penny piece.
Such feats on the part of a goat are far
more artistic exhibitions of skill in climb
ing than anything that can be done by
cat or monkey, for he does everything
by calculating his distance with absolute
exactitude and by an infinitely delicate
power of adjusting his weight so as to
maintain his balance. What gives such
finish to the performance is his sublime
confidence in himself and the extraordi-
nary precision with which every movement
is executed. His judgment is so perfect
that he scarcely ever makes a mistake
Necessity has been his grim schoolmaster,
for it is, of course, easy to see that when
leaping from ledge to ledge along the face
of a precipice the least error in calculating
either his distance or the amount of mus
cular force to be exercised would Instant
ly prove fatal.
u, L.,
history which has peculiar fascination
for me, and which. the more think of il.
fills me with admiration and amazement
What mathematician the goat would
make If he could only tell us the process by
means of which he performs his feats A
senior wrangler or a Smiths prizeman
would be nowhere beside him. Let me en-
deavor briefly, to point out the nature of
certain problems which he is in the habit
of solving with absolute accuracy at a
moments notice.
Surprising a goat. following a new path.
has to take a leap so as to alight on pin-
nacle or narrow crag overhanging some
abyss. First Of all he must estimate the
distance to be traVersed, and, having got
ii. whether by trigonometry or bv some
capricious method of his own, he has next
TO compute, to the fraction of an ounce
how much propulsive force is required 10
project his body Cthe exact weight of
whlch has TO be taken into accounD pre-
cisely that distance and not a quarter of
an inch further Moreover, he must take
into calculation whether the spot he wish
es to reach is above or below his starting
point; and plainly his brain. when IL sends
forth motor impulses 10 the numero mus
cles involved, must beforehand reckon and
apportion to each its share in the task. Al
the same moment he must also estimate
the exact proportionate amount of muscu-
lar force which will be required in each Of
ms limbs to stop and balance his body on
his new and precarious foothold.
or course one need scarcely say that the
whole process goes on without reaching
the consciousness OF the goat, OF anything
that could, even by courtesy. be called his
mind But nevertheless. IL is obvious that.
IN some way or other. the calculation Is
made, and IL completed In a time and vith
an unerring accuracy which completely
puts to shame the mathematical triumphs
or the human intellect.