178 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVI. 



tion on animals in the wild state, for those kept in a state of captivity cannot 

 be relied upon to afford trustworthy data on such a matter. 



" As regards the large game of Africa, our information with regard to their 

 seasons of breeding is much more defective than is the case with those of India; 

 and in the work on African big game already cited, which, be it noted, has been 

 written almost entirely by sportsmen practically acquainted with the animals they 

 describe in their native haunts, it is really surpsising how very little definite 

 information^ supplied on the subject in question. In the case of some species 

 nothing at all is said, while in that of well-known forms with a wide geographi- 

 cal range, such as the kudu, the date of the breeding season is given in one or, 

 perhaps, two districts. Such information is practically valueless in the case of 

 an antelope whose range extends from Cape Colony in the south to Somaliland 

 on the east and to Angola on the west coast ; and what we want to know are 

 the dates of the breeding season in these widely-sundered areas as well as in 

 the intervening districts. As to the period of gestation in the big game animals 

 of Africa, little or nothing seems to have been recorded. Sportsmen are unlikely 

 to be able to supply the information required with regard to the latter subject, 

 which will probably have to be obtained from animals kept in captivity. They 

 have, however, unique opportunities for acquiring trustworthy data with regard 

 to the breeding seasons of the various species that may come under their notice, 

 and when the interest and importance attaching to information of this nature 

 become generally known, I have strong hopes that British sportsmen will not 

 be behindhand in endeavouring to supply what is vanted in this matter. The 

 columns of the Field will, I feel sure, be always open to letters containing 

 definite and exact information on this subject, while it is probable that lists of 

 the dates of the breeding seasons of a number of species would be accepted for 

 publication by the editors of some of our zoological journals. 



" For further information with regard to the periods of gestation of the larger 

 herbivorous mammals we must look, at all events in the main, to the officials of 

 zoological gardens and menageries, and, above all, to the owners of private 

 collections in parks both in this country and in Africa, where the animals live 

 under conditions more like those of their native homes than is the case in 

 ordinary menageries. " 



This so ably points out the directions in which our investigations should 

 be pursued and the weak points in our knowledge of the life-history of big 

 game that I feel there is little that I need add to the appeal. Many of our 

 members have almost unique opportunities of gathering the information 

 required, and I would emphasize the point that it is only by the accumulation 

 of authentic notes from all parts of the country that reliable conclusions can 

 be arrived at. As the protection of game has lately engaged the attention of 

 the Government of India with a view to legislation appointing close seasons, 

 further information regarding breeding seasons will afford useful data for the 

 effective carrying out of this object, which every sportsman must have at heart. 



There is often a certain reluctance amongst many of those who can collect 



