420 WILD ANIMALS. 



Certain specimens that have been imported into England have 

 done very well. "Warren Hastings kept a yak at Daylesford, and 

 when his household goods were sold, a painting from nature of 

 this animal was amongst the articles disposed of. The late Lord 

 Derby also had a yak among the animals that formed the well- 

 known Knowsley collection, and it throve well while in his pos- 

 session. This beast was sold to a showman, and died a few 

 weeks afterwards through its having been kept cooped up in a 

 caravan, which was too much for even its hardy constitution. 



The attempts, however, to make the yak a common animal in 

 Europe have shared the fate which unfortunately has So far 

 befallen nearly all modern acclimatizing experiments. Some en- 

 terprising man or society, with a view of adding to the existing 

 number of domestic and highly useful quadrupeds, succeeds 

 in overcoming the initial obstacles, and by the introduction 

 of some new species into the" country demonstrate the fact that 

 with ordinary care the animals will live, thrive, increase, and supply 

 a public want ; then however, instead of the venture meeting with 

 cordial co-operation and the importation and breeding being con- 

 tinued, the experiment is simply looked on as a curious and harm- 

 less one, and although in some cases the benefit that would follow 

 on the breed being continued is acknowledged, yet no one moves in 

 the matter, and the stolid apathy of the very people in whose in- 

 terest the work has been undertaken, renders the value of the labour 

 — nil. A greater mistake was never made by the present generation, 

 for in some countries the native animals which are'capable of being 

 bred for food supply or for labour purposes are being rapidly ex- 

 terminated. The yak, certain species of antelope and deer, zebras, 

 well-bred asses and spme others might surely be thoroughly 

 acclimatized in Great Britain, where they would cheapen food 

 and the cost of animal labour. We can hardly imagine the benefit 

 we derive from our ancestors not having neglected their oppor- 

 tunities in this direction. What should we do if we were without 

 horses, asses, cattle, or dogs? Yet they are aU animals our 

 predecessors imported and acclimatized and the resulting advan- 

 tages are our inheritance. 



