PHEASANTS 
condition long after it has ceased to exist as a wild animal, 
owing to the rate at which these animals are being destroyed 
in Greenland, as stated by Dr. Hayes, and also by Mr. R. 
Brown in a paper published in the Zoological Society s Pro- 
ceedings, May 28, 1868, p. 352. He says, “ They are 
slaughtered indAscriminately hy the natives, these improvi- 
dent people, in nine cases out of ten, leaving the hides 
and flesh, and only taking the tongues.” The fallow deer 
makes a near approach to the condition of a domestic 
animal, but fails to become perfectly so. 
Many species of deer are brought from Asia and America, 
and thrive in Europe and Australia; antelo|Des from Africa 
and Asia thrive in Europe and Australia, and among birds 
from Asia we have pea-fowl, pheasants, ducks, and geese, 
of many species, acclimatized in Europe, but not one known 
case have we of either of the above-mentioned mammals 
or birds ever having been domesticated ; while, on the 
other hand, we may import wild animals and acclimatize 
them — that is, breed from them, and rear their progeny 
without the slightest chance of bringing them (the progeny) 
under domestication. 
Animals to become domesticated must be of those kinds 
which are easily changed, and subject to great variety 
amongst themselves — in fact, of a plastic nature. 
What has been done towards domesticating the peacock 
or guinea-fowl in this country amounts to literally or really 
nothing. It is true that they are acclimatized and breed 
freely here, but they are anything but what may fairly be 
called domesticated birds ; certainly they are not so wild 
as pheasants, and although these will when bred tame feed 
from the hand, like common fowls, yet they cannot be 
called domesticated. That efforts are made all over the 
world to tame and domesticate wild animals — and doubt- 
less our species always were aiming at that object — there 
285 
