viii PREFACE 



concert-hall and other similar attractions, people flock 

 to it, and are insensibly led to take an interest in the 

 wild animals which they see around them. It seems to 

 me a pity that we do not make our few English 

 Gardens equally attractive. The result would be, I 

 feel sure, that more people would become interested 

 in wild animals, and probably many of our large towns 

 would start Gardens of their own. 



It is not generally known that most wild animals 

 can be easily acclimatized, and, if properly treated, will 

 breed well in captivity. The great secret is fresh air : 

 animals which come from the equator do not require 

 heat when once acclimatized. Just as human beings 

 die of consumption through the want of fresh air, so do 

 our anthropoid apes and other animals often die in 

 captivity through being shut up, winter and summer, 

 in hot-houses devoid of fresh air. We are far behind 

 Germany and America in our knowledge of the breed- 

 ing and cross-breeding of wild animals, and yet there 

 must be many influential men in England who would 

 assist in the formation of a National Park for such a 

 purpose, thereby furthering the cause of science and 

 conferring a great benefit on the natioji. Our cousins 

 in America have the Yellowstone National Park ; we 

 ought to have a similar place. 



