268 
NATURE 
[ Fan. 18, 1883 
systematically, as the comet is growing lower for northern 
observers. But as it will not pass the limit of 303°, S. 
Decl. the southerly observatories of Europe and all those 
of the United States will probably be able to follow it as 
long as it remains visible, and will find comparison stars 
in Argelander’s Zones. 
It will not have escaped your notice that all the 
elements differ from those of 1880 in the same direction 
in which these differed from those of 1843. 
In the earliest observations made with the large tele- 
scope there appeared to be, in the place of the nucleus, 
a series of bright points following the axial line. The 
preceding and brightest of these seemed scarcely to 
exceed the tenth magnitude, and all were connected by 
intermediate material of somewhat less brilliancy which 
made it difficult or impossible to count them. Mr. 
Thome, who has made all the micrometric measurements, 
thinks that there were certainly not less than five or six, 
and perhaps more. The appearance was as though the 
original nucleus had been resolved into a series of ill- 
defined granules. These have gradually become less and 
less distinct, until the place of the nucleus now appears 
occupied by a line of irregular definition and. unequal 
brightness, about 45” in length, and of an average width 
of about 5”. All our determinations of position were 
made for the preceding and brightest of these nodules 
while they were clearly distinct ; and, since then, for the 
anterior extremity of the bright line, where is a point which 
is still somewhat brighter than the remaining portions. 
Since we are at present overloaded with work, in the 
preparation of the Zone-Catalogue, and observations are, 
without doubt, still making in Europe and North America, 
I will reserve the micrometric determinations until the 
reductions can be revised. 
Those made on the meridian are as follows :— 
a 5 
Ds aml ees: aes ae 
1882, Sept. 18 Il 20 51°3 +0 16 393 
LO) \..-, ebL 14) 31-0 —0 32 38°6 
Oe sett, 45770 —1 59 30°2 
‘Cordoba, November 14, 1882 B. A. GOULD 
DESTRUCTION OF LIFE IN INDIA BY WILD 
ANIMALS 
ie a recent communication I called attention to the loss 
of human and animal life in India from snake bites ; 
I now proceed to describe the mortality due to wild 
animals, which, though much less than the former, is 
very considerable, and forms an important item in the 
mortuary returns. 
The statement appended shows in detail for each pro- 
vince. the number of persons and cattle killed by wild 
animals, and the number of wild animals destroyed, with 
the rewards paid for their destruction during the year 
1881, as compared with the previous year. The figures 
are summarised in the following tables :— 
Number of Human Beings and Cattle Killed by Wild 
Animals 
Persons killed. Cattle killed. 
1880, 1881, 1880. 1881. 
Madras 223 238 ... 8,667 ... 8,668 
Bombay 130 I4l ... 4,537 <-. 2,398 
‘Bencalgy ee 1205 15307) 218 ids507 meno) 423 
North-Western Pro- 
vinces and Oudh ... 561 470 8,140 ... 7,971 
GOD es) ean oes 2. oo0 27...) Yg86 awemt4s083 
Central Provinces ... 289i in.) P2404 23 abo ye 20) 
British Burma... ... 32 CY rece 978 ... 898 
Coorg Pa es ik. ING czy PON we ZLO mens 191 
(Assam ll o) os-ee- 2Bai cep ZEL-0:) 93,200 mene, OO2 
Hyderabad Assigned 
Districts tg teks 24 LO! jess pS 500m ee Sj O13 
Ajmere-Merwara 4 en PATO) SR 264 
Total 2,840 2,757 «.- 55,950 ... 41,640 
Number of Wild Animals destroyed and Amount of 
Rewards Paid 
Destroyed. Rewards. Destroyed. Rewards. 
1880. r88r. 
Sa eaciDp: Rs. a.p. 
Madras......... 1,284 ... 16,579 10 0... 1,429... 20,251 50 
Bombay ...... 1,717 4,775 10... 1,367 .... %4;905113 0 
Bengal ......... 4,783 ... 24,841 106... 4,213 ... 23,316 30 
N.-W. Provinces 
and Oudh... 2,924... 7,295 40... 3,037... 8,434 140 
Punjab .ceescers 17380)... 4,705 OIOL., aX, 411 4,856 30 
Cent. Provinces 1,408 ... 17,887 80... 1,351 15,842 00 
British Burma. 639... 3,468 O0... 1,059 4,200 80 
Coorg........... 26.:... 140 (010. 15 215 00 
SASSaTn ee cere 41 7,022 100... 1,176 7,552 2°0 
Hyderabad As- 
signed districts 167... 1,590 OO0.. 216 2,156 00 
Ajmere-Merwara 8... 13 00 5 Nil 
Total 14,886 ... 88,327 II 6... 15,279 ... 91,850 00 
The resolution of Government, dated November 8, 
1882, in dealing with this subject, gives the following 
details, which are so far satisfactory, as they show that 
organised measures are now being put in force for the 
destruction of wild beasts, and that already there has 
been diminution in the loss of human and domestic 
animal life. As in the case of venomous snakes, the pre- 
vention, or at all events diminution of loss of human and 
domestic animal life from the ravages of wild animals, is 
a question mainly of time, perseverance, and expenditure 
of money. The last consideration perhaps may have 
stood in the way of progress, not that expenditure of 
rupees either has been or would be grudged, were there 
certainty that it would overcome the evil, but that there 
may have been, perhaps is, a natural reluctance to spend 
public money for what seems an uncertain benefit, as 
some have regarded a system of rewards for destruction 
of snakes and wild animals. The Government of India 
has always evinced a desire to adopt any steps that might 
reasonably afford hope of relief, and many resolutions by 
the supreme and local Governments, and considerable 
expenditure of money wlth this object in view, proves 
that the authorities have been and are alive to the magni- 
tude of the evil and to the importance of repressing it, 
and that they have taken measures which in some districts 
have been attended with a fair amount of success. But the 
absence of a thoroughly organised system of dealing with 
the evil, and the desultory and varying methods employed 
have prevented the attainment of the success that might 
fairly be expected and would be obtained under better 
arrangements ; and it will not be until some complete 
organised system have been steadily and perseveringly 
prosecuted that the desired result will be accomplished. 
A few years ago (in 1878), when calling attention to this 
subject, I noted that the loss of life from wild animals in 
1875 and 1876 had been as follows :— 
Killed in 1875. Killed in 1876. 
Animals. 
Persons. Cattle. Persons. Cattle. 
Elephants... ... Olle Olgas Ber os 3 
Tigers oa 828 ~2-01E25423) oe OL ele sLo) 
Leopards ... US 7ipees ghOs05'7, 156 ... 15,373 
Bearsi-cumccuawess Amen 522 F 230m 410 
Wolves 1,061 ... 9,407 887 ... 12,448 
LER ESM ooh S55 (ys ey th 49 ... 2,039 
Other animals ... 1,446 ... 3,011 143 ... 4,573 
Total... 3,735 --- 43,642 2,327 ... 47,962 
Comparing these returns with that of 18S0-81 it will be 
observed that the loss of life has not been materially 
diminished 
Persons killed. 
1880 2,840 
1881 2,757 
1875 3735 
1876 2,327 
though there is reason to hope that future yearly reports 
will be more favourable. 
