PROCEEDINGS. 281 



THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS AND ANIMALS. 

 The following letter has been addressed to Government by the Bombay Natural 

 History Society on the subject of protection of birds and animals in the Presi- 

 dency :— 



From 



The Honorary Secretary, Bombay Natural History Society, 

 To 



The Acting Under-Secretary to Government, Bombay. 



Sir,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 1575 of 28th 

 February last, containing draft rules, under section 25 (I) of the Indian Forest Act, 

 proposed by Mr. A. T. Shuttleworth. 



The Rules have been submitted to a large number of the members of this Society, 

 and I am now instructed by the Committee to say that, in their opinion, the rules, it 

 passed (with exception of Nos. 1 and 4), will be most unpopular and will prove a 

 constant source of irritation and annoyance to everyone. The Committee of the 

 Society have carefully considered the question from its various standpoints, anil 

 are strongly of opinion that the subject is of such importance that Government 

 should pass a special Act with a view of establishing a ''Close Season," during 

 which all indigenous wild birds and harmless wild animals should be protected. 



Considering the wanton destruction of birds for the sake of their plumage, which 



is of late taken place in many parts of the country, and which appears to be on tlu* 

 increase, the Committee are of opinion that protection should not be restricted to 

 game, but should extend to all indigenous wild birds, as well as to harmless wild 

 animals, and that a measure based on such liberal and comprehensive lines would 

 meet with the approval and sympathy of Naiivus as well as Europeans. 



In the meanwhile, the Committee of the Society would be glad to sea all the 

 forests in this Presidency closed for the monsoon mouths (say from 15th June to 

 loth October), during which time the majority of indigenous wild birds and harmless 

 wild animals breed. 



I beg to attach, in an appendix, several extracts from a large number of letter.^ 



which have lately been sent to this Society from Sind and other parts of tin* 



country. — I have, &c. 



H. M. PniPSON, Honorary Secretary, 



Bombay Natural History Society. 



6, Apollo Street, 16th April, 1891- 



Ar-PFXDix. 



" There can be no doubt that, unless some steps are taken to prevent it, the time 

 is not far distant when the indigenous game birds of Sind will be well nigh extermi- 

 nated in the more open parts of the country. Having had some experience all over 

 this district, I know that the Black Partridge has decreased greatly in number, 

 especially in the Rohri and Shikarpur districts. It was in the Rohri district that 

 rhey were netted for their plumage in enormous numbers a few years ago. I believe 

 the number was as mentioned by Mr. Symons — some 40,000. The shooting grounds 



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