WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



times they are found either black, white, or reddish-brown. 

 This variation of colour, in most or all of our domestic 

 breeds, is a strong contrast with the uniform colours of 

 most wild animals. Many years since attempts have been 

 made to introduce and domesticate various species of 

 wild animals. Up to the present time these attempts 

 have ended in failures. Without further argument, let us 

 suppose that we obtain the young of any wild species 

 which are easily reared by hand, and become perfectly 

 tame as pets, we find they invariably are liable, if of a 

 timid nature, to become alarmed and wild ; on the other 

 hand, if of a savage nature, they become dangerous and 

 unmanageable. It appears impossible to so overcome their 

 natural habits as to introduce them as associates of man 

 with domestic animals. This is particularly noticeable in all 

 the deer and antelope species, and other vegetable feeders. 

 It is still more unlikely to succeed with flesh-eating 

 animals. However tame they may be reared, at any 

 moment their natural habit, as they attain maturity, 

 would render them unsafe to be associated with man or 

 other animals ; they would become the terror of all living 

 creatures, the danger of their savage nature being developed 

 at any moment. In the foregoing list the elephant, the 

 camel, and the ferret have not been included, as they 

 appear on the borders, as it were, of domestic animals in 

 this country; these maybe regarded as semi-domesticated. 

 It is true the ferret has been regarded for many genera- 

 tions as a domestic animal, at the same time it has always 

 been found unsafe to allow this blood-thirsty little beast to 

 have its liberty. Numerous instances of its savage nature 

 are well kno^vn ; the cry of an infant is sufficient to excite 

 its thirst for blood. A very striking instance of this is well 

 recorded in Bell's British Quadrupeds, page 163. 



The foregoing remarks are confined to mammals ; and a 

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