WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
is every reason to lead us to believe, as the larger part of 
the domestic animals now known were domesticated long 
before our race became in any way civilized. Have not 
the various races of men that ^ve please to call savages, at 
the present time, pets and domestic animals about them ? 
And do they not in many countries keep large numbers of 
them as a means for subsistence and for trading ? Animals, 
such as deer or antelopes, that are bred in confinement, 
are, of all creatures, the wildest should anything cause them 
to be alarmed. It is a well-known and authenticated fact 
to all who have had experience in the breeding and rear- 
ing of animals, not domesticated, that they are in their 
houses or paddocks perfectly tame, and that they will come 
even to a call, feed out of a person’s hand, and will 
probably allow themselves to be stroked by those whom 
they know. Should, however, anything new or strange 
be placed near one of these animals, or an attempt be 
made to remove one to another locality, the animal in an 
instant becomes alarmed, its fear knows no bounds, its 
whole strength and determination exhibit themselves, and 
its wild disposition at once returns ; in a word, it is trans- 
formed from an apparently perfectly tame beast, into one 
of the most uncontrollable of wild animals. 
The difficulties and dangers attendant upon the catch- 
ing and transporting wild animals of this class are known 
but to few persons. The cause is, however, by no means 
beyond comprehension. We will assume, as an instance, 
that a pair of antelopes are imported from Africa. Before 
they were shipped for this country they had been caught and 
tamed. Large numbers die in the process, and it is only 
occasionally that the people who attempt or undertake to 
tame them succeed. The animals are then confined in a 
small space and sent on board ship. Out of a large number 
shipped but few survive the voyage, and those that reach 
286 
