Caprinid-human hybrids

Goat or Sheep × Human

News reports

Mammalian Hybrids

EUGENE M. MCCARTHY, PHD GENETICS, ΦΒΚ

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Sometime ago I met a young man, and during our brief conversation he told me his father was a sheepherder out West. I asked him, “Where out West”? He replied, “Montaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaana.”

—Ann Landers
August 28, 1980, p. 35

Satyr (Artist: Andrea Briosco)

Newark, Ohio. The following is from the Wheeling, West Virginia, Daily Intelligencer (May 22, 1882, p. 1, col. 5):

A Lamb With the Head of a Human

Newark, O., May 21.—A remarkable freak of nature has just happened in this township. It was a lamb, the head of which was exactly like that of a human being, and which was born on the farm of William Fresse, one mile north of Oberlin. Mr. Prince describes the curiosity as having the perfect body of a sheep, but without wool, the head and neck had the perfect shape and expression of a human being and with a slight appearance of wool on the part of the head.

St. Martinville, Louisiana. The following account is from the St. Martinville, Louisiana, Weekly Messenger (Dec. 18, 1886, p. 1, col. 3):

We were shown this week at the drug store of Messrs. A. Labb & Son, a curious freak of nature in the shape of a lamb with a well and perfectly developed human face. It has a round head standing exactly as a child, but has no ears, the tail is placed in the middle of the back and the body is somewhat deformed.

Lawrenceville, Illinois. The following is from the Fort Worth, Texas, Weekly Gazette (Mar. 9, 1888, p. 7, col. 3):

PECULIAR FREAK OF NATURE

Birth of a Lamb with a Head and Face Bordering on the Human

Lawrenceville, Ill., Feb. 26—A remarkable freak of nature was discovered last Wednesday afternoon on the farm of Mr. J. E. Roberts, a few miles from this place. It is a young lamb with a human head and body. Its weight is about seven pounds. Its skull and face are almost perfectly human except the ears and a little wool on the forehead. Its body is human and, although the feet are cloven, the formation and attachments of the shoulders and hips indicate that the most natural position of the animal would have been that of a biped. When found the monstrosity was dead, but there were signs that it had been born alive. Many physicians and eminent persons have examined it, and pronounce it as more human than animal. It is causing great excitement. Mr. Roberts has entrusted the curiosity to Mr. S. D. Dills, who has taken steps for its preservation.

This last report was apparently a wire story that appeared in many papers across the country, since it also appeared in a Montana paper.

Goshen, Indiana. The following report, about a lamb born with a human face on a farm in Ohio, ran in many U.S. newspapers in late April 1891. The transcript appearing here was taken from The Comet (Apr. 23, 1891, p. 1, col. 8), a newspaper published in Johnson City, Tennessee:

Lamb With a Human Face

By Associated Press to the Comet.

GOSHEN, IND., April 22.—William Clark, a farmer living east of here, brought to town a lamb with a perfect human face. The lamb was born only a few days ago, but the features are well developed and look more like the features of a mature woman than a child. The lamb is alive and apparently perfectly happy.

Other reports say the lamb was born on a farm near Lagrange, a village in north central Ohio near the western end of Lake Erie (report 1, report 2).

Marlton, New Jersey. That same year newspapers across the country carried a brief notice about a child born in New Jersey. The following transcript is taken from the Rock Island, Illinois, Daily Argus (Dec. 8, 1891, p. 1, col. 2):

A Child Born with Horns

Marlton, N.J., Dec. 8.—The young and pretty wife of Mr. Schaeffner gave birth Monday week to a child who is one of the strangest freaks of nature. The child is without eyes and just where they should be are two horns. Otherwise the child is perfectly formed and healthy. The horns are an osseous protruberation.

Sunflower County, Mississippi. A brief announcement appeared in the Pascagoula, Mississippi, Democrat-Star (Apr. 28, 1893, p. 1, col. 3): “A negro woman in Sunflower County, Miss., has given birth to a freak of nature which is half human and half billy goat.”

Banyuwangi, Java. A Dutch-language newspaper published in the city of Surabaya on the island of Java, Soerabaiasch-Handelsblad (Aug. 7, 1896, p. 1, col. 5), reported the birth of a goat with a human head in the city of Banyuwangi at the far eastern end of the island. In English translation, the brief report reads,

From the city of Banyuwangi there is a report that a kid has been born with a head that is clearly human. When this became known, there was instant commotion in the town. From all sides, natives flocked to admire this freak of nature and a procession led the unfortunate creature to the Assistant Resident. This miraculous product has only been alive for a few hours.

Wallula, Washington. The following story appeared in the Yakima, Washington, Herald (Jun. 20, 1895, p. 4, col. 1):

A singular freak of nature was born recently at a sheep ranch near Wallula. It was a perfect lamb, so far as the body was concerned, but had the head and face of an infant. The little thing only lived about a week when it died, as it could not nurse from the mother ewe. Reliable parties who saw the monstrosity, while living, said its life could have been indefinitely prolonged, had proper sustenance been given. It is stated that the oddity has been preserved in alcohol and will be sent to a prominent museum in the east.

Wallula is a census-designated place in Walla Walla County, southwestern Washington. Its population was 179 in the 2010 census.

Tehama, California. Another news report about a sheep-human hybrid appeared in the Marysville, California, Daily Appeal (Mar. 1, 1874, p. 3, col. 3):

Lusus Naturae—The people of Tehama [California] were much excited on the morning of Wednesday last, by some one coming to town and reporting that a lamb had been born on the opposite side of the river with a human head. On this news coming to the ears of Mr. Charles Harvey, he immediately repaired to the locality, captured the what-is-it, and brought it to town, where it was viewed and examined by nearly every person in the place and in almost every instance was declared to be a sheep body and a baby head, a hybrid. It was then handed to Dr. Mays for his autopsy, who in a very brief space of time declared it to be nothing more or less than a deformed lamb.—Red Bluff Sentinel, Feb. 28th.

‡ Tehama, situated on the west bank of the Sacramento River, was one of the earliest California settlements north of Sacramento.

A report in the San Francisco, California, Chronicle (Mar. 2., 1874, p. 2, col. 5) also referred, no doubt, given the date of publication, to the Tehama case:

Houston, Texas. The following story appeared in the Houston, Texas, Post (Feb. 8, 1897, p. 8, col. 6):

A FREAK OF NATURE

A Goat With a Human Face—
Was Born Dead

Last night Mr. J. Drenkle, Jr., blacksmith at the Houston and Texas Central^‡ shops, exhibited at the office of the [Houston] Post a very remarkable freak, in the form of a young goat, which was taken yesterday from its mother, stillborn and which was remarkable in that nature had placed the face of a human being upon the body of a goat. The mouth, nose and eyes, and, in fact, the entire face was that of a human, while the back of the head and ears were those of a goat. The front shoulders also had the semblance of a human formation, but nature, as though revolting at its repugnant work, failed to provide a backbone and thus deprived the monstrosity of the means of existence even had it come in to the world alive.

‡ The Houston and Texas Central Railway was in operation from 1856 to 1934.

Valparaiso, Indiana. A brief statement from the Stanford, Kentucky Semi-weekly Interior Journal (Apr. 14, 1899, p. 4, col. 2): “A lamb with a human head was born near Valparaiso, Ind.”

Nulvi, Sardinia. The following is from the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Star-Independent (Dec. 10, 1914, p. 1, col. 7):

"LAMB BOY" BORN ABROAD

Italian Newspaper Printed in New
York Tells Strange Story of Birth
of a Monstrosity in Nulvi

    Cagliari, Italy, Dec. 9.—From Nulvi [a commune located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of the city of Sassari on the Italian island of Sardinia] comes a strange story of a sheep giving birth to a monstrosity that in all respects resembles a human being. It created great consternation among the populace and the attention of noted men of science has been attracted to an event that is almost beyond belief.
    The house of the owner of the sheep that gave birth to the phenomenon, attracted immense crowds of the curious, as the people in long processions flocked to the scene of the occurrence.
    Giovanni Fiori is the name of the shepherd who was in charge of the flock when one of its number is said to have given birth to the monstrosity which weighed twelve pounds. The head is round and the rear legs are much longer than those of the front part of the body. All who have seen the phenomenon pronounce it a close resemblance to a human being and Fiori has donated the “lamb boy” to the University of Sassari, where it will be given very careful nursing as noted scientists of the institution investigate the mysteries connected with the case.

Thus, at least according to the report, this creature survived long after birth.

Australia

The following is a brief notice that appeared in the Singleton, New South Wales, Argus, (Oct. 14, 1932, p. 6, col. 4):

That an amazing freak has come into the possession of a Bingara man. It is a lamb with a distinctly human face. It was born between Warialda and Bingara,^‡ and is stated to have lived for three days. It has the body of a normal lamb, but the face is that of a man. It has a human mouth, tongue, nose, and eyes. We have heard the expression, “a sheepish look,” applied to human beings; but one is at a loss to find a simile for the freak lamb.

‡ Warialda and Bingara are small towns in northeastern New South Wales.

Another report about the same birth appeared in the Tumut and Adelong Times (Oct. 18, 1932, p. 4):

QUEER LAMB AT MOREE

FREAK FACE

    A freak of nature, a lamb with the characteristics of a human face, is being shown by the Moree Ambulance Queen Committee.
    The lamb, which was born six weeks ago, but lived only three days, has eyes with pupils and skin between the eyes resembling that, of a human. It has woolly eyebrows, short fluffy eyelashes, even teeth and jaws like a human being.
    Its body is that of a normal lamb. It was born at 'Fishpond,' Warialda, and Mr. Mick Byrnes is the owner.
    He tried to raise it by spoonfeeding and offered £10 to anyone who could rear it.
    Its nose is three inches long, a piece of protruding flesh with one nostril [perhaps a frontal proboscis?], quite different from that of an ordinary lamb.

Another, longer report about this creature appeared in the Australian newspaper Moree Gwydir Examiner (Oct. 6, 1932, p. 2):

World's Greatest Freak

LAMB WITH HUMAN FACE

    On Friday there will be on exhibition in Moree of what is perhaps the greatest freak of nature in the world. This is a lamb with the features of a human being. There are the high forehead, two eyes with an indication of a nose, the mouth, teeth, bottom lip and chin. The features on the whole are very distinct.
    The lamb, which was born six weeks ago, but lived only three days, has eyes with pupils and skin between the eyes resembling that, of a human. It has woolly eyebrows, short fluffy eyelashes, even teeth and jaws like a human being.
    The lamb was dropped on a property between Warialda and Bingara and lived for three days. It then came into the possession of Mr. Eli Brown, a prominent resident of Bingara and well-known north-western bookmaker, who had the lamb preserved in a big jar.
    Enquiries have been made regarding this monstrosity by the Sydney University, and Sydney and Brisbane museums, while numerous offers of hundreds of pounds have been made to Mr. Brown for the lamb by showmen in New South Wales and Queensland, but Mr. Brown has steadfastly refused all offers.
    He has now generously loaned the freak to Mr. G. Mahafley, of Moree, to use for exhibition purposes to raise funds for the Ambulance Queen in connection with the big charities carnival to be held in Moree on October 21 and 22.
    This extraordinary freak will be on exhibition at the Hotel Max buildings from 2 o'clock to-morrow (Friday) afternoon until the days of the carnival, the prices of admission being one shilling for adults and sixpence for children.

Another report, copied from an Australian newspaper, the Tarrangower Times published in Maldon, Victoria, appeared in the Wellington, New Zealand, Independent (Mar. 10, 1869, p. 2):

Lusus Naturae—The "Tarrangower Times" states that an extraordinary lusus naturae was found at Maldon on Wednesday at noon, by Mrs. Jones. The thing had been dropped by a goat, and the body of a newly-born fully developed kid was by its side. They were evidently gemini, the hybrid being, perhaps, two-thirds developed. It had perfectly smooth skin with the exception of a tuft of hair on the nether lip. The head and face had a hideously human expression, the formation of the head like that of the Mongolian race, while the nose was that of a dog. Various and all sorts of conjectures were hazarded. We obtained possession of it yesterday morning, intending to preserve it in spirits until it could be forwarded to Professor Halford, but fortunately Dr. Lane was just on the point of departure for Melbourne, and he feeling interested in the subject, undertook its transfer; it was therefore packed off.

The following appeared in the Beenleigh, Queensland, newspaper Logan Witness (Mar. 19, 1892, p. 2):

Singular Freaks of Nature

There are at present on view in Armidale [New South Wales] (says the '[Armidale] Express') some most singular freaks of nature, in the shape of sheep with several tails and extra feet, but one sheep in particular is a most extraordinary specimen. This woolly individual, which rejoices in the name of Jimmy Ah Poo, while being like other sheep information, wool, &c., bears a face of human resemblance startlingly like that of a Chinaman. There is the distinct flat nose, thick lips and jaw, that bears the unmistakable hallmark of the Mongol. This monstrosity is well worth seeing, though it can be hardly termed a pleasing spectacle.

The next report, about a cyclops, appeared in The North Coast Standard (Jun. 23, 1893, p. 4), a newspaper published in Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia:

A Lamb with a Human Head

Mr Ensor, of Sherborne, having ascertained that a sheep belonging to him had died, made enquiries, and then found that it had given birth to a monstrosity of a remarkable character, the head had a human conformation with one eye, and that in the centre of the forehead [there seem to be elevated levels of cyclopia in distant hybrids]. The body was covered with apparently dog’s hair. The hind part of the body was duplicated and as separated as in the case of two ewe lambs [conjoined twins are also more common in distant hybrids]. Portions of the fore-quarters are missing, and are said to have been thrown away in a sudden panic arising from their peculiar formation. The parts rescued have been handed to a taxidermist, and having been preserved, may now be seen.

Another report about a cyclops sheep-human appeared in the Santa Barbara, California, Morning Press (Feb. 23, 1880, p. 2. col. 3):

An employee of Mr. H. M. Johnston brought to the Los Angeles Herald office yesterday evening the body of a dead lamb that had been born with one eye, which was located in the center of its forehead and surmounted by a brow resembling that of a human being. The upper jaw was also found to be like that of a man. The monstrosity was one of twins and died immediately after birth, its mate living.

Austria-Hungary

A case of an alleged human-sheep hybrid appears in the March 13, 1852, issue of the Viennese newspaper Der Humorist:

On Feb. 18, in Daubrawnik [today Doubravník, a small town in the Brno-Country District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic], near our city of Brünn, a mother sheep in a merchant’s flock gave birth to an abominable monstrosity, a creature with a well-formed human head, but in its other parts like a sheep. We are unsure whether any scientific commission has as yet verified the status of this sport of nature. [Translated by E. M. McCarthy. Original German.]

In 1828 the Austrian magazine Jurende’s vaterländischer Pilger (vol. 15, p. 373, #8 and #13) reported two different ostensible caprinid-human hybrids, one birthed by a sheep in Anklam (a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany) and another, found in Africa and exhibited in London:

Anklam, Germany. The first was supposedly born in March 1822. Its head, according to the report, was fully similar to that of a human being (“Der Kopf war völlig menschenähnlich”). The face was “round with light blue eyes, eyebrows, and plump, hairless cheeks. The top of the head was covered with shaggy hair. The nose, chin, mouth and tongue were just like those of a human being. The body, too, was like that of a human, large and round. The feet were cloven hooves, but the front pair stood sideways, while the rear pair was directed forward. In addition, at birth, this un-beast (“Unthier”) was twice as large as an ordinary lamb. Born dead, it was sent immediately to the zoological museum in Berlin.”

Topsell’s picture of “Aegopithecus”

Aegopithecus. Edward Topsell, in The History of Four-footed Beasts (1607), tells us that “Under the Equinoctial toward the East and South, there is a kind of Ape called Aegopithecus, an Ape like a Goat. For there are Apes like Bears, called Arctopitheci, and some like Lions, called Leontopitheci, and some like Dogs, called Cynocephali, as is before expressed; and many other which have a mixt resemblance of other creatures in their members.”

London. The second, according to the report, was captured in a forest in “Guinea” (which amounts to saying, somewhere in western Africa along the Gulf of Guinea). This specimen, if real, would have differed considerably from those described in other reports cited in this article. Supposedly, it was a live, adult female, and had a body like a woman, but the head of goat, topped by two great horns. The body was not naked, but rather covered with soft, extremely white hair “like that of a Tibetan goat.” It owner, according to the report, paid 500 guineas for this true tertium quid and put it on display in London in 1827. So, if this story is true, searches of London newspapers for that year will turn up more information.

A report of a human-goat hybrid appeared in the March 30, 1883, issue of the Austro-Hungarian newspaper Prager Tagblatt:

A piece of news has been published in the Drau [a newspaper published in the city of Osijek which is today in northeastern Croatia], though we cannot confirm its truth. It comes from the [nearby village of] Calma [in Syrmia, in what is now northern Serbia]. According to that source, there was supposedly born today a creature half human and half goat. The head, body and legs are entirely normal for a human being, but the mouth protrudes like a goat’s, the ears are soft, drooping folds of skin, and the legs have hooves instead of feet. The nose is that of a human being, but the arms are mere stumps. On its rear this wondrous little goat-man—which was fortunately born dead—bears a prominent tail. The mother of this monstrosity is supposed to be a goat who had not previously given birth. [Translated by E. M. McCarthy. Original German.]

A short notice announcing the birth of such a hybrid appeared in the Mährisch-Schlesische Presse (Dec. 7, 1910, p. 4, col. 7), a German-language newspaper published in Jeseník, a town in the Olomouc Region of what is today the Czech Republic: “A piece of almost unbelievable news from Sebastopol: A sheep birthed twins, one of which is said to have the complete head of a human being.” [Translated by E. M. McCarthy. Original German.]

“The Lamb Men lie with sheep, it is known.”

—George R. R. Martin
Game of Thrones

Biology Dictionary >>

By the same author: Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World, Oxford University Press (2006).

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