TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 83 



America had only three or (if we reckon the Dog) at most foiu' domestic animals 

 belonging to the country before it was discovered by Europeans, who have, how- 

 ever, since introduced into it most of those which they themselves pre\'iously pos- 

 sessed. The Turkey was only domesticated by the native Mexicans ; and it may 

 be observed that in Europe these birds have only been imperfectly natm'alized, re- 

 quiring peculiar care and attention in their early stages to protect them from the 

 eft'ects of an imgenial climate. The Llama and Alpaca were also early domesticated 

 by the native Peru^aaus ; and it would appear as if these animals would not bear 

 transportation to other quarters. All the attempts, at least, which have hitherto 

 been made to introduce them into Europe and Australia have resulted in failure. 

 The Esquimaux inhabiting the more northern regions have a peculiar race of dogs, 

 which are in the highest degree useful to them ; but it appears to be of the same 

 original stock with the dogs of Europe, and had probably passed from one continent 

 to the other. 



In some parts of this vast continent, the Oxen and the Horse, since their introduc- 

 tion from Europe, have so firmly established themselves in a half-wild state as to 

 be often hunted and killed for their hides alone. 



Australia and the islands of the Pacific have no native domestic animals, if we 

 again except the Dog ; and Australia alone has any mammals sufliciently large 

 to be hunted for their flesh. There formerly existed in New Zealand a large bird 

 (the Moa) which was eaten by the natives ; but it seems to have been exter- 

 minated, or nearly so, before the colonization of the islands. 



Em-opean animals have been largely and advantageously introduced throughout 

 the Pacific Ocean, and in some cases have become wild and even dangerous. 



As in Europe, all the domestic animals of these various parts of the world 

 appear to have been brought into their present condition for many ages, inasmuch 

 as they were all found in a domestic state when the several countries were first 

 visited by Eiu'opeaus. 



And an attentive study of the list, and of the peculiarities of the animals com- 

 posing it, induces me to believe that, in attempting to introduce new domestic 

 animals into some of our colonies, it would be desirable not to confine om'selves to 

 the Em-opean breeds, but to ascertain whether some of the domestic races of 

 Asia or Africa might not be better adapted to the climate and other conditions of 

 the colony, although, for reasons to which I have before adverted, it would 

 neither be worth the trouble, nor consistent with good policy, to attempt their 

 introduction here. 



There is evidently ample room for such experiments, which might be advan- 

 tageouslj^ made, for instance, in the colonies of the coast of Africa, where our 

 horse, ass, oxen, sheep, and goats, and even dogs have gi-eatly degenerated, where 

 the horse and the ass live only for a brief period, where the flesh of the ox and 

 sheep is described as bad and rare, and the flesh of the goat, which is more 

 common, is said to be tasteless and stringy. The pig alone, of all our domestic 

 animals, seems to bear the change with equanimity ; and the produce of the 

 "milch pig" is often sold to passengers of the mail packets and the ships on the 

 stations, as the milk of the cow or even the goat is rarely to be obtained. Unfor- 

 tunately both the white and the blaclv inhabitants are merely sojourners in the 

 land, and do not seem to possess sufiicient energy or inclination to make the 

 experiment themselves. 



Some persons have confounded the collecting of wild animals in menageries 

 for show, or for the uses of the gladiator, with the acclimatization of them. The 

 custom of collecting animals for this purpose is coeval with our earliest historical 

 records. They are to be seen on the monuments of Assyria, Egypt, Rome, and 

 Mexico ; and the natives of some of the more uncivilized countries exhibit their love 

 for wild animals, some women even going to the extent of suckling them like, or 

 even with their children. Some domestic animals, as the Ox, the Cat, and even 

 wild ones, as the Baboon, are considered as sacred by the Egyptians, Hindoos, and 

 some of the negroes of Tropical Africa. 



Secondly, as regards the introduction of the domestic races of one countiy into 

 another, there can be no doubt that this is a much more important object in 

 relation to our Australian colonies, and other settlements planted in waste lands, 



6* 



