256 TEHMINCK'S EXPECTATIONS. [CHAP. n. 



anticipation that these creatures will be, therefore, an 

 addition to our domestic animals. But others, who have 

 united practice with theory, will believe that the Cracidae 

 have already had a fair trial, and that further pains and 

 trouble are likely to be thrown away, and that the adage 

 still remains true, " Naturam furcd expelles, tamen usque 

 recurret," " You may expel Nature with a fork, yet she 

 will still come back again." 



Temminck, at the time when his valuable treatise was 

 published, was justified in expecting a successful result. 

 The birds imported showed in their menagerie every 

 reasonable symptom of capability for domestication. 

 They were as tame as tame could be ; they had even in 

 a few instances bred; he might naturally exult that "ces 

 tentative* ont ete couronnee par les plus heureux succes;" 

 and then, in the midst of this commencement of success, 

 they were suddenly dispersed or destroyed by political 

 convulsions. The testing of the creatures was abruptly 

 interrupted just at the point when a decided result, 

 either positive or negative, might be expected shortly 

 to show itself. The very able naturalist was right in 

 advising that they should be again collected and tried 

 with care. They have been patiently tried for the last 

 thirty years, and not a circumstance has been omitted 

 which could lead to success ; and we now take upon our- 

 selves to recommend those who may be inclined to con- 

 tinue the experiment, to discard all hope of useful profit, 

 whatever they may gain in interest and amusement. 

 They may find agreeable pets to divert their leisure ; 

 but they will raise from them no profitable poultry to 

 repay their expenditure and reward their trouble. 



How sanguine Temminck was when he wrote his 

 treatise, may be seen from the following passages, which 



