rt of meal, while the
stem contains a juice. In my planet large patches of ground,
particularly in the vicinity of rivers, abound with these plants, which
grow thickly together like wheat, and in long blades.

The beast eats these plants in the green, the ripe, and the over-ripe
states; and as they are thrown up in some places when others have been
exhausted, the herds will pass over large tracts of country to get at
their favourite food.

The nearest approach to this food in your world would be parched flour
mixed with water. It would of course be preferable if the plant itself
could be found.

In confined situations, when the young are sickly, we feed them with
turnips and new milk boiled together. This compound is with us a
sovereign remedy, and almost invariably restores them, but cannot be
safely administered till the animal is at least a month old.

XLVI.

WILD ANIMALS.

"The hippopotamus exceeds the mite in size, strength, and
usefulness to man far less than do the riches yet concealed in the
air, in the earth, in the waters, on the land, exceed those already
possessed by Montalluyah."

I may mention here, that although the hippopotamus is to us the most
valuable of all the wild animals, nearly all other beasts furnish us
with materials that are turned to account.

The serpent, and particularly the boa, possesses wondrous properties.
Birds of prey, many insects, and, in fact, nearly all that has life, is
turned to some use. The living animals generally contain electricity of
more or less value.

A large body of professors are kept by the State solely for the purpose
of examining the various medicinal and other qualities found in the fat,
marrow, oil, bones, and carcases of animals.

This is the mode of capturing lions, tigers, and many other wild beasts,
when it is desirable to take them alive:

The huntsmen selected are men of a fearless, daring nature, and of great
address and agility.

A net of iron-work of very large dimensions is taken into the wilds most
frequented by the beast. This net is placed on the ground and covered
over with leaves and other, materials so as to be concealed from view.

Close to one extremity of the network a pit is dug, in which is placed a
hut large enough to contain two men. The pit is then covered over,
though an aperture is left sufficiently large to admit air and to serve
for observation and egress from the hut, from the top of w