Z,22 CAMK AND IWKD I'KOTI-X'TION. 



which may not be hunted without special permission ivuni the 

 Administrator. 



TraiiSc'cial. — In this Province the game is divided intrj two 

 divisions for the ]nn-poses of the administration of the law. 

 " ordinary "" and " big " game. The former sciiedule contains 

 the various smaller buck, hares and warthog, and includes the 

 various varieties of game birds and water fowl. The latter 

 schedule contains the larger and rarer forms of antelope, and 

 the buffalo, as well as the crested crane, the wild ostrich and the 

 l)aclnderms. No game may be shot without a licence b\' any- 

 one except the owner or lessee of a farm. This costs, for ordi- 

 nar\' game, 30s. for the whole open season, and T5S. for any one 

 month during the open season, fiig game can only be hutited 

 on a l)ig game licence from the Administrator, formerly costing 

 £25, but now at such rate as the Administrator may deem fit. 

 The exception given to farmers from taking out a licence to 

 shoot dues not include big gainr. so that in the Transvaal, at 

 any rate, these noble animals are now virtitally protected by law. 



A game licence restricts the shooting of game to the open 

 season only, which in the TransAaal extends from the ist May 

 to the 31st August inclusive. It can be made to restrict the 

 number of any given species allowed to be shot, or the sex of 

 such species. 



The destruction of any ])artictilar kind of game can l)e pro- 

 hibited from time to time; owners of farms are not allowed to 

 shoot such prohibited species (as. for instance, springbuck were 

 strictly preserved on the " Springbuck Flats " for a term of 

 years). The reservation of game on private farms is a sore 

 point with many farmers, and there are many, even scientific 

 men, who advocate the total exception of the farmer from the 

 game laws, so far as his own farm is concerned. I am very 

 much op]:)osed to this, as I think such an exception woitld sound 

 the death-knell of many scarce species. Many a farmer has not 

 the slightest interest in the antelo]:)e from a scientilic. or even 

 aesthetic, point of view^ His interest is often limited to the meat 

 or biltong he can get from the animal, and little does he care 

 for such ideas as the jjerpetuation of a s])ecies. Apart from all 

 this, in most of the Provinces there is a clause safe-guarding the 

 farmer from the overstocking of his farm by game, and he has 

 only to apply to the Administrator for the necessary permission 

 to thin out his herds. 



The sale of game meat in the Transvaal is only permitted 

 under certain restrictions, and may be retailed only by a licensed 

 butcher or market master under a special licence costing ±3. 



The export of game. Avhether alive or dead, trophies, horns 

 and hides of game is only allowed under a special permit obtain- 

 able from the Administrator. 



Rewards were ])aid for the destruction of re;cognised de- 

 predatory animals (classed as "vermin") ranging from 2s. 6d. 

 for a silver jackal to £1 for a n'ild dog. These rewards. 



