The city was large in proportion to the territory round it, which was of no greater extent than many an English or Hungarian nobleman’s estate; but the whole if it, to the verge of the rocks which constituted its boundary, was cultivated to the nicest degree, except where certain allotments of mountain and pasture were humanely left free to the sustenance of the harmless animals they had tamed, though not for domestic use.  So great is their kindness towards these humbler creatures, that a sum is devoted from the public treasury for the purpose of deporting them to other Vril-ya communities willing to receive them (chiefly new colonies), whenever they become too numerous for the pastures allotted to them in their native place.  They do not, however, multiply to an extent comparable to the ratio at which, with us, animals bred for slaughter, increase.  It seems a law of nature that animals not useful to man gradually recede from the domains he occupies, or even become extinct.  It is an old custom of the various sovereign states amidst which the race of the Vril-ya are distributed, to leave between each state a neutral and uncultivated border-land.  In the instance of the community I speak of, this tract, being a ridge of savage rocks, was impassable by foot, but was easily surmounted, whether by the wings of the inhabitants or the air-boats, of which I shall speak hereafter.  Roads through it were also cut for the transit of vehicles impelled by vril.  These intercommunicating tracts were always kept lighted, and the expense thereof defrayed by a special tax, to which all the communities comprehended in the denomination of Vril-ya contribute in settled proportions.  By these means a considerable commercial traffic with other states, both near and distant, was carried on.  The surplus wealth on this special community was chiefly agricultural.  The community was also eminent for skill in constructing implements connected with the arts of husbandry.  In exchange for such merchandise it obtained articles more of luxury than necessity.  There were few things imported on which they set a higher price than birds taught to pipe artful tunes in concert.  These were brought from a great distance, and were marvellous for beauty of song and plumage.  I understand that extraordinary care was taken by their breeders and teachers in selection, and that the species had wonderfully improved during the last few years.  I saw no other pet animals among this community except some very amusing and sportive creatures of the Batrachian species, resembling frogs, but with very intelligent countenances, which the children were fond of, and kept in their private gardens.  They appear to have no animals akin to our dogs or horses, though that learned naturalist, Zee, informed me that such creatures had once existed in those parts, and might now be found in regions inhabited by other races than the Vril-ya.  She said that they had gradually disappeared from the more civilised world