348 APPENDIX*. 



It is well known tliafc both the buffalo and the elk (0. wapitt)3 

 formerly had an extensive range to the north-east. The latter 

 animal, now mainly found on the Yellowstone and Upper Missouri 

 rivers, once inhabited the forests of the Saguenay. Baird says it has 

 a greater geographical distribution than any other American deer ; 

 and, according to Eichardson, it can exist as far as 57 deg. north. 

 Doubtless it would thrive in the Nova Scotian or New Brunswick 

 forests. The wapiti thrives in the Zoological Society's gardens in 

 England, where it annually reproduces ; and large herds of this 

 noble animal are being transported from America to the north of 

 Italy by His Majesty King Victor Emmanuel. Thirty were recently 

 awaiting departure from New York at the same time. 



The only other ruminant on the list of this order, indigenous to 

 climates similar to our own, is the hardy little roe-deer or roebuck, 

 common in the beech woods of. northern Europe. I am confident 

 that this animal would thrive in the extensive beech forests of Cum- 

 berland ; and as it seems to live and thrive close to civilisation, it 

 would find ample room and food in our suburban copses and un- 

 cleared barrens. Descending in the scale of animal classification, 

 the next selections for consideration of a future Acclimatisation 

 Society in this country, as adapted to live and multiply and become 

 profitable in the woodlands, seem to be offered in the prolific order 

 Kodentia, of which many families are already indigenous — the squirrel, 

 beaver, porcupine, and American hare, commonly known as the rabbit. 

 The first of these might receive an interesting accession by the intro- 

 duction of the black and grey squirrels of Canada and the States ; 

 the beaver, porcupine, and woodchuck, are all prized by the hunter 

 as food, lacking the supply of venison, and the hare, persecuted 

 though it be by human, furred, and feathered foes, is still so prolific 

 and common, as to form a great portion of the winter subsistence of 

 both settlers and the poor of this city. Indeed, when we enumerate 

 its enemies of the animal creation, which almost altogether live upon 

 it, the lynx and wild cat, the foxes, the horned owl, the marten, and 

 the weasel, and take into consideration the numbers which are taken 

 by man, by snaring them in their easily discovered paths to and from 

 their feeding grounds in the swamps, it is wonderful that they still 

 remain so plentiful. A great objection to the flesh of the American 

 hare, however^, is its insipidity and toughness, except when taken 

 young. Far more delicate and esteemed is that of the Spanish, or 

 domestic, and common wild English rabbit (Lepus cuniculus), and it 

 would seem that both are of a sufiiciently hardy constitution to stand 



