556 A NATURALIST ON THE "CHALLENGER." 



of mares. They keep the closest watch over them, and if one 

 strays at all, drive her back into the herd by kicking her. The 

 younger horses live in herds apart, but the more vigorous ones are 

 always on the look-out to pick up a mare from the herds of the 

 older ones, and drive her off with them, and they sometimes 

 gather a few mares and hold them for a short time, till they are 

 recaptured from them. When they think they are strong 

 enough, they try the strength of the old horses in battle, and 

 eventually each old horse is beaten by some rival and displaced. 

 The fighting is done mainly with the tusks, and front to front, 

 not with the heels. Thus the most active and strongest males 

 are constantly selected naturally for the continuation of the 

 herds. 



The wild horses, as well as others, are often broken in by 

 tying them with a raw hide halter to a post, and leaving them 

 for several days without food or water. After long ineffectual 

 struggles to break loose, the animals become convinced of the 

 absolute power over them of the halter, and in future become 

 cowed and docile directly a halter or lasso is over their heads. 

 The wild horses when broken in, are very tame and quiet to 

 ride. 



I was astonished at the facility with which the Falkland 

 Island horses obey the rein. There is no necessity, as a rule, to 

 make them feel the bit at all, in order to turn them. Merely 

 laying the part of the reins close to the hand against that side 

 of the neck from which they are wanted to turn is sufficient. 

 Well-broken horses can be turned round and round in a circle 

 by this means, by a gentle touch on the neck only. Our horses 

 in England are certainly not half so well broken. 



Our progress on our ride was mostly slow, because of the 

 bogginess of the ground, and it was dark by the time that we 

 reached the end of our 60 miles ride. Mr. Fell gave us an 

 opportunity of seeing an assembly of the herd of tame cattle 

 belonging to the Company in the part of Lafonia near Darwin 

 Harbour. The Company has imported some first-class Bulls of 

 the hornless polled breed. 



The wild cattle in Lafonia will probably all be killed off in 

 order that sheep may be substituted. At present, the Company 



