THE TECHNOLOGIST. [Oct. 1, 1864. 



114 ON MUSEUM ARRANGEMENT 



are large herds of the sasin (Antilope Cervicapra) in a semi -domestic 

 state ; and our officers found in the park of the Emperor of China at 

 Pekin more than one species of domesticated native deer. We 

 have as yet received from Japan only one peculiar species of 

 domestic animal, viz., a pig with a plaited face (sus plicatus) ; hut 

 it is not unlikely that the deer called Cervus Luku is a domes- 

 ticated species, like the Cervus Swinhoei, of the Island of Formosa. In 

 Celebes there is a small buffalo, called Anoa ; and in the same 

 island, as well as in Java and some of the other islands of the Indian 

 Ocean, most of the aboriginal pigs, including the Babiroussa, have been 

 more or less completely domesticated. These numerous instances will 

 suffice to show how largely Asiatics have been enabled to draw upon 

 the wild animals around them for additions to their domestic or semi- 

 domestic races ; but a glance at the habits and manners of most of 

 them will suffice to show how little they would be suited to our more 

 northern climate, and how small would be the advantage gained were 

 it possible to introduce them here. Africa has only sent to Europe 

 the Guinea-fowl, that vagrant from our farm-yards, but it, too, has some 

 domesticated animals of its own. In the more fertile and well-watered 

 parts of that continent there exist at least five different kinds of domes- 

 tic cattle. The buffalo (Bos Bubalus) and humpless cattle, which 

 appear to be of the same species, and to be derived from the same 

 source as the buffalo and domestic oxen of Europe. The African zebu 

 (Bos Dante) appears to be distinct from the zebu of India, and is pro- 

 bably an indigenous domestic race ; and the long-eared bush-cattle or 

 zamous {Bos boachyceros) is certainly an aboriginal species peculiar 

 to Tropical Africa. Besides these, it has in the desert regions the camel, 

 with Asia ; this animal is also domesticated in the southern parts of 

 Europe. America has only three, or (if we reckon the dog) at most four, 

 domestic animals belonging to the country before it was discovered by 

 Europeans, who have, however, since introduced into it most of those 

 which they themselves previously possessed. The turkey was early 

 domesticated by the native Mexicans ; and it may be observed that in 

 Europe these birds have been only imperfectly naturalized, requiring 

 peculiar care and attention in their early stages, to protect them from 

 the effects of an uncongenial climate. The llama and alpaca were 

 also early domesticated by the native Peruvians, and it would appear 

 as if these animals would not bear transportation to other quarters. 

 All the attempts at least which have hitherto been made to introduce 

 them into Europe and Australia have resulted in failure. The Esqui- 

 maux inhabiting the more northern regions have a peculiar race of 

 dogs, which is in the highest degree useful to them, but it appears to be 

 of the same original stock with the dogs of Europe, and has probably 

 passed from one continent to the other. In some parts of this vast 

 continent the ox and the horse, since their introduction from Europe, 

 have so firrnlv established themselves in a half-wild state as to be often 



