306 CONCLUSION. 



If France did not possess the horse, and some person introduced 

 it, such a conquest would be of greater benefit to her than the 

 conquest of the Rhine, of Belgium, of Savoy ; the horse alone would 

 be worth three kingdoms. 



But here now is an animal which represents in itself the horse, 

 the ass, the cow, the goat ; which combines all their useful qualities, 

 and which yields moreover an incomparable wool ; a hardy, robust 

 animal, enduring cold with wonderful vigour. You understand, of 

 course, that I refer to the lama, which M. Isidore Geoffrey Saint 

 Hilaire exerts himself) with so laudable a perseverance, to naturalize 

 in France. Everything seems leagued in his despite : the fine flock 

 at Versailles has perished through malice ; that of the Jardin des 

 Plantes will perish through the confined area and dampness of the 

 locality. 



The conquest of the lama is ten times more important than the 

 conquest of the Crimea. 



But again, this species of transplantation needs a generosity of 

 means, a combination of precautions, let us say a tenderness of edu- 

 cation, which are rarely found united. 



One word here one small fact whose bearing is not small. 



A great writer, who was not a man of science, Bernardin de 

 Saint Pierre, had remarked that we should never succeed in trans- 

 planting the animal unless we imported along with him the plant to 

 which he was especially partial. This observation fell to the ground, 

 like so many other theories which excite the philosophical smile, and 

 which men of science name poetry. 



But it has not been made in vain, for an enlightened amateur 

 had formed here, in Paris, a collection of living birds. However 

 constant his attentions, a very rare she-parrot which he had obtained 

 remained obstinately barren. He ascertained in what kind of plant 

 she made her nest, and commissioned a person to procure it for him. 



