DOMESTICATION. 55 



the park, which is so large that the confinement, one would think, 

 could scarcely be felt, I had imagined that the constitutional 

 vigor might have been impaired when young, by having been 

 nourished by cows' milk ; but such was certainly not the case in 

 this instance. If in my grounds they fail to find some kind of 

 food which their well-being requires, such could not have been the 

 case where Dr. Canfield tried his experiments. Altogether it is 

 manifest that further observations must be made, and further 

 experiments tried, than I have been able to make or learn, before 

 we arrive at a satisfactory comprehension of this branch of our 

 subject. 



I believe, however, that with time and care all the difficulties 

 which now present themselves to the complete domestication of 

 this interesting animal may be ovei'come, and that without these 

 they Avill soon be known only as an extinct race. They would 

 require at first to be kept in large inclosures on their native 

 plains, with a keeper to show himself among them daily, who 

 would introduce them gradually to new food, such as the various 

 kinds of cereals, with a careful observation as to how they could 

 bear it. Even then, some might sicken and die, but others no 

 doubt would be capable of bearing it, and the small restraint and 

 partial change of food would leave some of them capable of re- 

 production. In that way the moi*e feeble would be weeded out, 

 but the more robust would rear a race, whicli, by degrees, might 

 be restricted in their range, and live upon different food, and 

 gradually be transferred to new conditions of life and ultimately 

 become capable of enduring complete and permanent domestica- 

 tion. It may be that not more than one per cent, would be 

 found capable of enduring the least restraint and change of food, 

 but if any could be found which could retain their full vitality 

 and vigor and reproductive powers, even with the limited re- 

 straint and change of condition suggested, the experiment might 

 not prove a total failm-e. At any rate, I think there is little 

 hope of their permanent domestication, by suddenly transferring 

 them to the east of the Mississippi River, where thej^ never 

 roamed wild. We may keep them for a short time, but they 

 will not prosper, and will soon sicken and die. We may have 

 little hope that any individual will undertake this project ; but 

 may we not anticipate that the laudable enterprise which our 

 government, especially of late years, has shown in the promotion 

 of scientific researches, which has produced such rich results, and 

 from which abundant practical benefits may be surely antici- 



