RELATION OF ANIMALS TO MAX 287 



materials wool, furs, and silk; those which attack our 

 crops; those which attack us and produce diseases or 

 those which carry them ; those which invade our dwellings 

 and feed upon our clothing or stored foods; or still 

 others which are annoying or dangerous because of their 

 stings or bites. 



Many of our greatest industries and most impor- 

 tant articles of commerce are dependent upon animals 

 which furnish food supplies or clothing material, such 

 as beef, milk, butter, wool, furs, eggs, buttons, ivory, 

 bone, oysters, fish, ostrich plumes, feathers, honey, wax, 

 silk, lac, cochineal dyes, hair, etc. 



Animals useful to man. Under this head we shall 

 consider (1) domesticated animals; (2) animals used 

 for food; (3) animals producing materials for clothing. 



Domesticated animals. In the early stages of civili- 

 zation man began to domesticate animals. At first 

 these animals were probably used to aid in the hunt- 

 ing and capture of other animals for food. Gradually 

 they were used for riding, for cultivating the soil, and 

 for carrying loads. We scarcely appreciate the money 

 value at the present time of horses, cows, poultry, and 

 other domesticated animals. 



Food-supplying* animals. Among the invertebrates 

 we find some very important food-supplying animals, 

 the most valuable of which are the lobster, crab, oyster, 

 and clam. To some extent the mussel and the snail 

 are used as food. The lobster is highly esteemed in 

 this respect, and is rapidly disappearing from our 



