iv DOMESTICATION MUST ADVANCE 161 



mankind may derive many benefits. Our acclimatisa- 

 tion societies do not yet understand the real aim they 

 ought to pursue, and they are much more occupied 

 with the pursuit of new or rare animals, which are 

 seldom of any use, than in that of the useful species 

 which certainly exist. We cannot believe that our 

 present domestic animals are the only ones which can 

 be of use to us ; there are many others which may 

 be profitable, but instead of trying to domesticate 

 these, we often wantonly destroy them. Such is the 

 case at present with the American bison, which com- 

 petent writers state to be an excellent flesh-producer. 

 While it roamed in millions some years ago, not 

 300 could be found to-day on the whole surface of 

 the earth. I do not wish to open here a chapter 

 recording the foolish and cruel dealings of so-called 

 civilised man the real civilised man occurs in infi- 

 nitesimal proportion among the featherless bipeds 

 with animals, for a whole book would not suffice, but 

 whoever is acquainted with the facts cannot help 

 regretting this stupid and sinful waste. 1 



Revenons a nos moutons. Domesticated animals are 

 few in number. There are good reasons, however, apart 

 from that which has been already given, for this fact. 



1 For interesting details as to domestication of animals in India, see 

 J. Lockwood Kiplings's recent volume, Man and Beast in India. 

 Lond. 1891. 



M 



