Collection of Mast African Mammals 



life is preserved, and where no shooting is permitted. 

 The law provides for different kinds of " close times." 

 The breeding-seasons occur at very different periods of the 

 year in different parts of German East Africa. From this 

 it has come about that between Rowuma and \Yami 

 between the coast and the great lakes eight separate 

 regions have had to be defined, each of which is differenti- 

 ated from the others by its climatic conditions, and each 

 of which has its own special fauna. In each the buffalo, 

 the giraffe, the elephant, and antelopes of every description 

 are distinguished by certain peculiar characteristics. In 

 the Masai region, for instance, all these animals differ in 

 appearance from those to be met with in the south. It is 

 possible to say for certain, from the shape of a buffalo- 

 horn, whether the animal comes from Rowuma or 

 Pangani, from the Masai country or Nyasa or Nyanza. 

 Many kinds of antelopes are to be identified in the 

 same way, not merely by special characteristics as 

 regards their colouring and the formation of their horns, 

 but also by their entire build, the shape of their 

 bones and of their skulls, as well as by their habits 

 of life. 



He whose business it is to preserve wild life, and to 

 maintain valuable animals for the benefit of mankind, 

 must first make sure what kinds of animals he is to 

 preserve and what are their habits, if he wants to do his 

 work efficaciously. To this end, zoologists have to busy 

 themselves over the study of the animal world, and 

 their researches have to be turned to account, so that the 

 preservation of wild life may be carried out upon the 



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