216 YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS. 



tions for the purpose of spreading knowledge of acclimatization, and 

 inquiry into the causes of success or failure. The Society have begun 

 with small and carefully-conducted experiments. It is proposed that 

 those members who happen to have facilities on their estates for ex- 

 periments, and who are willing to aid the objects of the Society, 

 should undertake the charge of such subjects for experiments as may 

 he offered to them by the Society, periodically reporting progress to 

 the Council. It will be the endeavour of the Society to attempt to 

 acclimatize and cultivate those animals, birds, &C, which will be 

 useful and suitable to the park, the moorland, the plain, the wood- 

 land, the farm, the poultry-yard, as well as those which will increase 

 the resources of our sea-shores, rivers, ponds, and gardens. Hitherto 

 the progress which the Society has made in obtaining encouragement 

 has been very cheering. Miss Burdett Coutts has presented the 

 fund with a donation of 5007., together with a promise of subscrip- 

 tion of 102. annually for five years. 



We cjuote the above from a report in the Critic of a lecture de- 

 livered by Mr. T. F. Buckland to the Society of Arts. If we re- 

 member rightly, the acclimatization of animals was one of the pri- 

 mary objects on the formation of the Zoological Society. 



In the ably condensed "Scientific Intelligence" of the Critic, we 

 find the following observations upon the paper by Mr. Buckland, 

 who (the Editor observes) enumerated a large number of animals, 

 birds, and fishes, which he thought would make desirable additions 

 to the zoology of Great Britain ; indeed, the bulk of his paper 

 (with the exception of an historical account of the Societe d'Accli- 

 matation, now working with such success in Paris) consisted of an 

 enumeration of these creatures, and a description of their qualities. 

 The most part were what may be called game. The number of 

 animals and birds capable of being extensively bred and sold (like 

 the sheep or the turkey) is exceedingly small ; and as for many of 

 the creatures named (such as the black swan, the beaver, and the 

 moose deer), we question very much whether they had not better 

 be left out of the list altogether. One branch of Natural History 

 was entirely omitted in Mr. BuckJand's list, ami that was the bo- 

 tanical. Now it appears from tin' 1.-'. hours of the French Society, 

 that it is in this department that they have effected the most. The 

 kangaroo and the ostrich have been great triumphs ; but it is by the 

 Sorgho and the Dioscorea Batatatthiit M. Geoffroy St. Eilaireand 



his coadjutors have added in tin' must effectual manner to the 



resources of their country. Both these already afford large and im- 

 portant crops. The Acclimatization Society formed in London 

 already numbers among its members and patrons some of the first 

 gentlemen in the country. The Society is, we hear, making ar- 

 mentfl to import several animals by way of experiment, and 

 •already we hear of an important pond fish ( l.uci perca) as on its 

 way hither. If the Society succeed in rearing and breeding from it, 

 it is said that a very valuable edible fish will be added to the ponds 

 of this country. Although the Society has not as yef got any 

 garden or experimental farm for the conduct of its own experiments, 



