38 THE SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OP 



slow to grasp niceties, and the line generally adopted by those who 

 have much at stake is that it is better to take no risks. 



As I have perhaps made clear, it is my opinion that the wild 

 fauna in Southern Rhodesia is at the present moment in no danger 

 of extinction ; but I am also convinced that reserves are necessary 

 if it is to be permanently preserved. 



The game laws of the country are on the whole excellent, 

 although the usual difficulties arise with regard to enforcing them 

 in out-of-the-way places. 



The amendments which I would suggest would be that the sale 

 of all game meat be prohibited, that an export duty be placed on 

 horns and hides, and a licence required for their sale within the 

 country, and that a difference be made between the price of licences 

 issued to sportsmen and to inhabitants of the country, in favour of 

 the latter class. 



As regards reserves, a reserve has recently been proclaimed in 

 the North of the Lomagondi district, the Northern border of which 

 is the Zambesi. This reserve, which is in a very out-of-the-way 

 place, is admirably suited for the preservation of elephant, black 

 rhino, waterbuck, Burchell's zebra, bushbuck, pala buffalo, both 

 species of pig, and even kudu, and all kinds of buck which find 

 their home in low veldt and thick bush. 



It is not suited, however, as a home for sable and roan antelope, 

 giraffe, gemsbok, or reedbuck, nor is it very suitable for eland. 



At present no suitable reserve exists for the preservation of 

 these last-named species. 



In conclusion, I should like to mention an existing condition 

 which appears to me to be an anomaly. 



The Zambesi River is the boundary between North- West and 

 Southern Rhodesia. 



In Southern Rhodesia hippo are royal game, and are strictly 

 preserved; in North-West Rhodesia they are not protected at all. 



The result is that the hippo on the Zambesi River between the 

 Victoria Falls and Feira are being exterminated, as it is the 

 easiest matter in the world to evade the Southern Rhodesian law 

 by stating that all animals killed have been shot from the North- 

 West Rhodesian bank of the river. 



