80 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



6. To the fees in themselves the Chief Commissioner attaches comparatively 

 little importance. They constitute, however, a useful anil simple riheck upon the 

 entry of persons of a clas^ which it is moib difficult to control, Whil9 they are not so 

 heavy as to be a serious tax upon any respectable spo'tsman, European or nsitive. A a 

 to the right of Government to levy fees for permission to shoot in its forests, there 

 can hardly be any serious question, if it is remembered that a reserved forest is 

 merely permanent Government estate, in and over which all outside jights and 

 easements have been extinguished or commuted by process of law, the whole produce 

 of which (as forest produce is defined in the Act) is Government property, and 

 trespass in which, if access is forbidden, is a punishable offence. Government already 

 lets ita fisheiies, and the right to collect ho/ns and hides. It has a perfeotly indefeasible 

 right, in the Chief Commissioner's opinion, to close any forest block to outsiders, 

 or to say that it will admit them on any terms, pecuniary or other, which it chooses 

 to prescribe. Nearly all the Government forests of the Central Provinces were 

 declared reserves shortly after the the passing cf Ait VII. of 1878, and if large arena 

 have hitherto been practically neglected, this has been due only to the weakness of 

 the establishments and the impossibility of extending a sti ict couservanc}' to the 

 whole or even any very great portion of them all at once. 



7. But the rules have other objects besides the prevent r on of fires. As above 

 expla'ne'i, the forests of these provinces have for years been freely exploited by large 

 numbers of native shikarees for trade purposes. Bi.ds have been shot and snare 1 

 fur their feathers. The hinds, does, cows, and young of harmless game have been 

 destroyed ruthlessly for their skins. Men of the class observe no close season, and 

 jinn cm us interest'Bg and valuable species are now on the verge of extinction. The 

 Chief Commissioner hopes by the system cf permits in course of tin e, and as expeiiencc 

 is gained, to do something to check this and put matters on a better footing. This, 

 he feela sure, is an object in which he will carry with him the sympathy of the 

 Bombay Natural History and of all true sportsmen. If the Society would communion to 

 to him any information at its disposal regardii g the proper clo'e season of the 

 different species of birds and game known in the province, he would welcome it. He 

 fin Is much discrepancy and doubt existing on this question. 



8. For the rest, the Conservator has been instructed to work the rules in a 

 reasonable and liberal spirit, with du« regard to the primary object which they have 

 in view. Special facilities for the destruction of dangerous caruivoia will be afforded 

 as far as possible. Any temperate representations regarding the operation of the 

 rules in individual cases or generally will alwv.ys receive the Chief Commissioner's 

 early attention. But as th ; s year the province is suffering from a continued drought, 

 and the ftrests are in a specially r'angerous condition, Mr. Mackenzie must decline 

 to «u8j end the operation of the rules as suggested by the Society. Any delay in giving 

 effect to them might involve serious conse jueuccs. He is responsible to the Govern- 

 ment of India for his management of the forest?, and Lc must adopt on bis own 

 responsibility, and subject only to the control of the Governor General in Council, 

 euch measures as appear to him called for in the public interest. He can share that 

 responsibility with no non-official person or society, though he is always ready to 

 accept information and suggestions from such a body as you represent. 



?'. The onl , other point which it is perhaps desirable to notice is theexemption of 

 Forest Officers from the necessity of taking out permits. The Chief Commissioner 

 would have supposed the reasonableness if this would havo been self-evident, but, one 

 of your members, he observes, takes exception to it in a letter to the Bombay Gazette 



