TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 123 



scenclauts are now thrown. Can we doubt that the victory inclines to the heirs of 

 the ancient conquerors ? The struggle is like one between an army of veterans 

 and a population unused to warfare. It is that of Spaniards with matchlocks and 

 coats of mail against Aztecs with feather cloaks and bows and aiTows. Ahihi 

 salus vietis. A few years, and tlie majority of native species are exterminated. But 

 this is not the worst. The species which perish most quickly are just those that 

 naturalists would most wish to preserve ; for they are those pecidiar and endemic 

 forms that in structure and constitution represent the ancient state of things upon 

 the earth, and supply us with some of the most instructive evidence as to the 

 Order of Nature. 



With the progress of civilization it is plain that there will soon be hardly a laud 

 but will bear the standard of a Em-opean nation or of a community of European 

 descent, and, as things are going on, be overrun by their imports. If this wei-e 

 inevitable it would be useless to complain. But is it inevitable ? Is it not obvious 

 that most of this extermination is being carried on nuwittingly? and may not some 

 of it be avoided by proper precautions? If so, should not men of science make a 

 stand, and interest the ignorant or careless in the importance of the subject ? I 

 cannot divest myself of the belief that the course of tlie next century will see the 

 extirpation, not only of mo.st of the peculiar faunas I had in view a few minutes ago, 

 but of a great multitude of other species of animals throughout all parts of the 

 world. The regret with which I regard such extirpation is not merely a matter of 

 sentiment. Here sentiment aod science are for once on the same side. A heavy 

 blow will be inflicted on Zoology^ by the disappearance of some of these marvellous 

 and peculiar forms. There is no one species of animal whose structure and habits 

 have been so completely investigated that absence of the means of further exami- 

 nation would not be a distinct deprivation to vScience ; and as what Science has 

 done is only an earnest of vrhat she will do, we cannot say that the time shall ever 

 come when the want of those means will not be severely felt. It is then for 

 scientilic men, and for naturalists especially, to consider whether they are not 

 bound, in the interest of their successors, to interpose more than they have hitherto 

 given any sign of doing. 



But outside this audience there are many who care little for consequences lilce 

 these. Such persons may, however, be impressed by thinldng that the indiscrimi- 

 nate destruction of animals which, in one way or another, is now going on, must 

 sooner or later lead to the extirpation of many of those which minister to our 

 wants, whether of comfort or luxury. The fur-bearing creatures will speedily, if 

 they do not already, requu'e some protection to be generally accorded to them ; and 

 that such protection can be efiectually given is evident if we take the trouble of 

 inquiring as to the steps taken by the Russian local authorities in Alaska, and now, 

 I believe, continued by those of the United States, for limiting the slaughter of the 

 Sea-Otter and the Fur-Seals of the adjacent islands to particular seasons. No one 

 can suppose that, even with the assistance we get from Siberia, our supply of ivory 

 will continue what it now is when the interior of Africa is pacified and settled, 

 as we can liardly doubt that it one day will be ; and, unless we can find some sub- 

 stitute for that useful substance before that day comes, it would be only prudent 

 to do something to check the wasteful destruction of Elephants. Many people 

 may think that the continent of Afi-ica is too vast and its animal life too luxuriant 

 for tlie efforts of man materially to affect it. If we inquire, however, we shall find 

 that this is not the case, and that there is an enormous tract of country, extending 

 far beyond our colonies and the territories of the neighbouring Republics, from 

 which most of the larger Mammals have already disappeared. There is good 

 reason to believe that at least one species has become extinct within the last tive- 

 and-twenty years or thereabouts ; and though I do not mean to say that this species, 

 the true Zebra, had any economic value, 3'et its fate is an indication of what will 

 befall its fellows ; while to the Zoologist its extirpation is a matter of moment, 

 being probably the first case of the total extinction of a large terrestrial mammal 

 since the remote days when the Mec/aceros hibeniictis disappeared. 



Time would fail me if I attempted to go into particulars -svith regard to the 

 mmne Ma III nictlia. It is notorious that various member.'j of the Oi-deis Siretiia, 

 Cfitaren, and Pinnijiedia have recently dv/iudled in numbers or altogether vanished 



