THE PRESERVATION OF GAME. 233 



arrangement made. I would suggest that the most common animals in the country 

 should be carefully listed, and of these a licence should allow a number not exceeding 

 forty to be shot, irrespective of any proportion of each. These animals should be so 

 chosen that they are common, are widely distributed, and have no appreciable 

 trophies, so that they would not be likely to appeal to the sportsman. 



Zebra should certainly be included in this category. They are about the 

 commonest animal in the country, are never likely to be sought after as a trophy, 

 and in some parts are practically the only animals to be found. Moreover, they are 

 alleged to do considerable damage. Although their flesh is strong and unpleasant to 

 the white man, they are much appreciated by the native. At present only two are 

 allowed on a licence. If more were allowed, then zebras would often be killed in place 

 of rarer animals, for the zebra is very fat, and contains a quantity of meat, almost twice 

 as much as the skinny hartebeest. Perhaps this is owing to its superior teeth, which 

 allow it to crop the grass shorter. 



In certain districts special rules might hold where any different animal was 

 especially common. Of the animals selected for the common and useful purpose of 

 supplying meat to the white man and his porters, I would suggest zebra. Coke's 

 hartebeest, Jackson's hartebeest, common waterbuck, sing-sing waterbuck, and in 

 Jubaland the topi. All these animals are very common, and none of them except the 

 waterbuck has any appreciable trophy. Forty of these animals should, with an 

 occasional other animal, keep both porters and white man fairly provided for. As, 

 however, none of the animals named can be considered as very tasty meat, the white 

 man will probably be glad to make use of various small or other buck for his personal 

 use when occasion offers. 



It must not be forgotten that meat will only keep at most about four days, and 

 generally not so long. Of the other buck he should have no difficulty in securing 

 a sufficient quantity if his licence permits him to shoot four of all the other very 

 common kinds, such as gnu. Grant's and Thomson's gazelle, impala, bushbuck, 

 reedbuck, oribi, duiker, steinbuck, dik dik. 



So much, then, for the cheaper licence, on which the holder only wishes to 

 supply himself with meat. In many places where it is impossible to obtain the 

 supply other than from game such a licence is imperative. 



As a rough guide, I might say that during a year's trek in East Africa I found it 



necessary to shoot up to my full amount in only two of the common kind of animals, 



viz., ten Coke's hartebeest and two zebras. However, I had a number of other 



animals to depend on in supplying food for the men, such as elephant, rhino, eland, 



and many others. Had I but possessed such a meat-shooting licence as I have 



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