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advise any legislative measure for the purpose of preventing 

 the destruction of birds ? 



15. Quite indispensable, and the legislature would confer an 

 immense boon upon cultivation of all kinds, by preserving 

 every kind of bird at present found in the island, and more 

 particularly the insectivorous birds, and in introducting new 

 species of them into the Island. 



However if wheat, oats, or other grain were to be cultivat- 

 ed in the island one day or another, in those fields where the 

 sugar cane is now dying, the granivorous birds would be an 

 obstacle to the cultivation of these plants, and therefore steps 

 would be necessary to limit their number. 



We beg, at the same time, to state that there are other 

 animals, now in great number in Mauritius, we allude to 

 flocks of goats, which left to themselves, as is too often the 

 case, are devouring the stems, leaves and even the bark of any 

 tree or shrub that they meet on their way. "When tied, their 

 proprietors go about, and more cruel than the axes of the 

 wood-men, they cut away branches of trees for the food of 

 their goats. 



We therefore suggest that steps would be taken by legisla- 

 ture, whether by a tax upon these animals, or in any other 

 manner to prevent their depredation. 



16o. Do you think that the Botanical Gardens at Pample- 

 mousses are sufficient for the creation of the Nurseries which 

 will become necessary to supply the young trees required for 

 the contemplated replantaticns ? 



16. The Pamplemousses Gardens, as existing now, in the 

 opinion of Dr. Meller, have no room for the required nurse- 

 ries, although they would be sufficient for distribution to the 

 north end of the island. 



l7o. Do you think that Nurseries ought to be established 

 in the higher plateaux of the Island, and can you state what 

 would be the extent of land required for such Niarseries ? 



17. Quite necessary to have nurseries on the bigher pla- 

 teaux. Almost every extra tropical plant and seed dies at 

 Pamplemousses. The extent might be any thing between 15 

 and 100 acres according to the degree to which replanting and 

 growth of useful things for the replacement of sugar cane may 



