306 CONCLUSION. 
If France did not possess the horse, and some person introduced 
it, such a conquest would be of greater benefit to her than the 
conquest of the Rhine, of Belgium, of Savoy; the horse alone would 
be worth three kingdoms. 
But here now is an animal which represents in itself the horse, 
the ass, the cow, the goat; which combines all their useful qualities, 
and which yields moreover an incomparable wool; a hardy, robust 
animal, enduring eold with wonderful vigour. You understand, of 
course, that I refer to the lama, which M. Isidore Geoffrey Saint 
Hilaire exerts himself, with so laudable a perseverance, to naturalize 
in France. Everything seems leagued in his despite: the fine flock 
at Versailles has perished through malice; that of the Jardin des 
Plantes will perish through the confined area and dampness of the 
locality. 
The conquest of the lama is ten times more important than the 
conquest of the Crimea. 
But again, this species of transplantation needs a generosity of 
means, a combination of precautions, let us say a tenderness of edu- 
cation, which are rarely found united. 
One word here—one small fact—whose bearing is not small. 
oA great writer, who was not a man of science, Bernardin de 
Saint Pierre, had remarked that we should never succeed in trans- 
planting the animal unless we imported along with him the plant to 
which he was especially partial. This observation fell to the ground, 
like so many other theories which excite the philosophical smile, and 
which men of science name poetry. 
But it has not been made in vain, for an enlightened amateur 
had formed here, in Paris, a collection of living birds. However 
constant his attentions, a very rare she-parrot which he had obtained 
remained obstinately barren, He ascertained in what kind of plant 
she made her nest, and commissioned a person to procure it for him. 
