340 ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETIES. 



three birds the common pheasant, the peacock, and 

 the guinea-fowl ; and one insect the bee of southern 

 Europe. 



3. In Koman antiquity, three animals : namely, the 

 rabbit and the ferret ; and one bird the common duck. 



4. In antiquity still, but at an undetermined period, 

 two animals : namely, the buffalo and the common bee. 



5. At an undetermined epoch, but most probably for 

 several species corresponding to the middle ages, 

 twelve animals : namely, five mammalia the yak, the 

 reindeer, the lama, the alpaca, and the guinea-pig ; 

 two birds the swan and the ring turtle-dove ; two 

 fishes the carp and the goldfish; and two insects 

 the Egyptian bee and the cochenille. 



6. At an undetermined but probably modern period, 

 five animals : namely, two mammalia the arni and the 

 goyal ; one bird the Chinese goose ; and two insects 

 the almond and the ailanthus silk-worm, 



7. In the sixteenth century, three animals, all birds 

 the canary, the turkey, and the Muscovy duck. 



8. In the eighteenth century, four animals, all birds 

 gold, silver, and ring pheasants, and the Canadian goose. 



Such is the meagre list to which we of the nineteenth 

 century have made no great addition, unless in the class 

 of birds chiefly reared in zoological gardens, and of 

 mammalia of very recent introduction. 



The human race has now existed for an unknown 

 course of ages say some, and assuredly for about six 

 thousand years ; but man is still very far from having 

 subjected to his sway the hundred and forty species of 

 animals now known to him. 



"And of the forty-seven domesticated species," says 

 M. Saint-Hilaire, "fifteen are wanting in France, thirteen 

 in Europe. Is this a sufficient conquest of nature? Is it 

 enough to have in our pourt-yards three species so 

 valuable as that of the gallinacece, and only one of the 

 rodentia, so remarkable for its fecundity, the precocity 

 of its development, and the excellence of its flesh. 



