WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



wounded by the bear now in the British Museum. Again, 

 the rapid death of animals wounded by poisonous serpents 

 makes their suffering but of short duration. 



I trust, however, it may not be supposed that I am 

 endeavouring to make it appear that all nature exists free 

 from cruel torture and frightful suffering from pain and 

 misery, this state of things being wholly inseparable from 

 life. All living creatures have been and always must be 

 subject to casualties that from time to time occur to injure 

 or destroy life. Sometimes it is fire or water, or the want 

 of these necessaries, or by the changed condition of the 

 atmosphere or other disturbance of the elements producing 

 disease, and sometimes by want of food and loss of life. 

 Added to these we find throughout the world a spirit 

 of destruction inherent not only in the lower animals, 

 but inseparable from the highest state of civilization. 



302 



