THE TAMING OF YOUNG ANIMALS 219 



Zoological Gardens have learned to recognise an individual visitor 

 both by her voice and by sight. They come rushing to her as she 

 approaches, and follow her to the front or the back of the enclosure, 

 grunting with pleasure and offering their special welcome by spitting 

 at her. Both of these are dangerous to their keepers. The vicugna 

 was brought from Patagonia by a Fellow of the Society, who had 

 obtained it when it was very young and with whom it was quite 

 tame and affectionate. After an absence of more than a year this 

 animal recognised and welcomed its original owner. 



The fawns of all wild deer and the young of all wild cattle, sheep, 

 goats and antelopes readily attach themselves to man, submitting 

 to a good deal of handling, liking to be petted, recognising their 

 owners and readily following them. Equally I think they are all 

 uncertain when they are adult, the males at the breeding season, 

 and most of them, all the year round. There are differences in 

 temperament which are not easy to explain and which do not 

 depend on size or on habits, and of which the young show no trace. 

 Thus gnus are much more dangerous and ready to attack their 

 keepers than are elands, wild sheep are more combative than 

 wild goats, and some of the small gazelles and small deer are quite 

 savage. 



I have little personal experience of young rodents except of 

 pet rabbits, which, like most boys, I used to keep, but these 

 have been so debased by domestication that their qualities are 

 not interesting. It is certain, however, that the young of all 

 rodents are easily tamed, and every one has seen or heard of tame 

 rats and mice, hares, dormice, squirrels, and so on. They recognise 

 their owners, like to snuggle against them, to climb on them, and 

 readily follow them about. They show in every way a willingness 

 to accept from human beings the attentions they would naturally 

 receive from their mothers. They belong to the set of animals 

 which on the whole dislike being laid hold of, and which are disposed 

 to bite any one who tries to grasp them, but are much more often 

 willing to climb on an extended hand or leg. How long their tame- 

 ness lasts it is difficult to say. We get a good many presented 

 to the Zoological Gardens because they have begun to bite, but I 

 suspect that in some cases it is merely because their owners do 

 not pay sufficient attention to the natural disposition of which I 

 have just spoken. We are too ready to treat all tame animals 

 like young carnivores, which do not in the least object to be grasped 

 and picked up and have no fear of being held ; but most animals. 



