PRESERVATION OF WILD ANIMALS. 69 



singular fact, but one which I believe will be universal^ 

 accepted as true, that not a single wild animal which 

 existed in Britain when Caesar first landed in the year 

 55 B.C., became extinct before the close of the eleventh 

 century of the Christian era. The range of the rein- 

 deer had, indeed, become confined to the extreme north, 

 but this was owing to the circumstance that our climate 

 and the pasturage had been through long ages becoming 

 less and less adapted for its sustenance. And if, as I 

 am inclined to believe, the Urus did not perish in pre- 

 historic times in Britain, I think the circumstances 

 under which he was placed for the next eleven or twelve 

 hundred years would be eminently conducive to his pre- 

 servation. He had abundance of cover, shelter, and 

 food; the population of the regions he inhabited was 

 during all those centuries decimated by endless wars ; 

 frequently the people were well-nigh exterminated al- 

 together. Even of Southern Britain the Eomans were 

 not well masters till about eighty years after Christ, and 

 not more than 350 years later they left it for good. 

 While York was the seat of their empire, often indeed 

 for a time the residence of their emperors (two of whom 

 died there), the high civilisation they created round 

 them caused a great increase of cultivation, and may 

 have had some effect upon the ancient central forests. 

 But I think not much ; for the Eoman legions which 

 could be spared from other parts of this vast empire, 

 surrounded as it was everywhere then by hostile and 

 savage foes, had little time for clearing away woods. 

 When not occupied, as they constantly were, in attack- 

 ing the Picts and the Scots, or in constructing and 

 guarding defensive works to prevent invasion, they were 

 employed in making everywhere throughout the Boman 



