-* The Preservation of African (iame 



Already there is in existence in Germany a society 

 for the preservation ot the beauties ot nature;. The term 

 should he held to include not merely scenery, hut also 

 the animal lite and plant lite thereto belonging. 



The sportsman sits as ruler over the entire animal 

 kingdom ; he gives out its laws, and has powers ot lite 

 and death. Whatever he may decide is accepted without 

 question. 



It (iermany can boast ot an old and honoured 

 institution, in its confraternity ot German sportsmen, 

 such as you will hardly find in any other country, many 

 Germans I say it clearly and frankly- -are a great deal 

 too prone to destroy a number of beautiful species ot 

 the animal fauna, considering themselves warranted IP 

 exterminating, by means ot traps and even <>t poison, 

 ris well as by powder and shot, all those vermin, as 

 they are designated, which prey upon our tavounte forms 

 ot game. 1 his interferes with the natural order ot 

 things, and degeneration ot the species results inevitably. 



It is not on y the man with the gun who arrogates to 

 himself this right: the angler is ot" the same wax ot 

 thinking, and to be logical we should sutler bee-keepers 

 to kill oft all our swallows and stand by xx'hile the \ me- 

 groxver spreads destruction among thrushes and other 

 singing-birds. There is scarcely any hx'ing creature 

 against xvhich some case might not be made out tor 

 damage clone to some human industry. 



In the days xxhen otters and herons and kingfishers 

 and any number of other animals and birds xvere left tree 

 to prey upon the lish in German seas and lakes and 



