, 
Fan. 18, 1883 | 
NATURE 
269 
Registration is now becoming more accurate than it 
has been, and the returns are probably more reliable than 
they were, but they do not indicate any marked im- 
provement on the whole. It is evident, however, from 
the terms of the resolution before referred to, that Lord 
Ripon is determined to deal vigorously with the evil, 
and, just as in the case of the poisonous snakes—only, 
perhaps, more surely —will the result, in time, justify the 
expenditure which must needs be incurred. 
Of the wild animals and venomous snakes which de- 
stroy life in India, the wolf and tiger, it will be seen, are 
the chief offenders among the former, the cobra and bun- 
garus(krait) among the latter. A list of the rewards that 
have been offered at various times and in different parts 
of India is appended, but I do not know the amount now 
offered for each animal, though it is probably much on 
the same scale. If these rewards be distributed regularly 
and systematically throughout India, they will probably 
suffice to insure a steady reduction in the number of 
noxious animals, and so will diminish a great evil. 
“‘The figures quoted show a decreas2 during the year 
under review, as compared with the previous year, both 
in the number of persons and cattle killed ; and, on the 
other hand, an increase in the number of wild animals 
destroyed. As was the case in the previous year, the 
mortality which occurred in Bengal and in the North- 
Western Provinces and Oudh, was far greater than in 
other provinces. Of the total number of deaths, 2757 
were caused by wild animals, the figures for the previous 
year being 2840. 
The number of persons killed in Bengal (747), and in 
the North-western Provinces, and Oudh (208) by wild 
animals other than those specifically named in the 
returns, was considerable. In future returns the animals 
which come under the general head ‘ other animals,’’ 
and which causes in all provinces a very large proportion 
of the mortality, should be specified in a foot-note, with 
the number of deaths caused by each kind. 
The total number of cattle killed also decreased. This 
result is chiefly due to the exclusion from the Bengal 
return of sheep and goats, of which a large number were 
included in the figures of the year 1880. There has, how- 
ever, been a marked decrease in, the number of cattle 
killed by wild animals in the Bombay Presidency. In 
the Punjab, also, the number of cattle killed was con- 
siderably less than in the preceding year, but in this 
province, as in the case of Bengal, the decrease appears 
to be due to the exclusion of sheep and goats from the 
returns of the year 1881. 
The number of wild animals destroyed was 15,279, 
against 14,886 in 1880. The number of tigers, leopards, 
bears, and wolves destroyed was 1557, 3397, 991, and 
4538 respectively, as compared with 1689, 3047, 1100, 
and 4243 in the preceding year; and the number of 
human beings killed by these animals respectively, 
amounted to 889, 239, 75, and 256, against 872, 261, 
108, and 347 in the year 1880. 
Of the total amount of rewards paid during the year, 
Rs 91,850 were awarded for the destruction of wild 
animals. 
In the review of the returns for the year 1880 a hope 
was expressed that endeavours would be made to induce 
men belonging to the Shikari class to devote themselves 
specially to the work of destruction in districts which are 
more than usually infested with wild animals, and Local 
Governments were authorised to make special arrange- 
ments for the experimental employment of such men. 
From the present reports it appears that the Government 
of Madras has decided that the employment of a paid 
corps of Shikaris is undesirable, as the cost of supervision 
would be excessive, while the employment of such a corps 
would discourage local Shikaris. On this point the 
Governor-General in Council desires to remark that where 
local Shikaris exist it is very desirable that every en- 
couragement should be held out to them, and that in such 
cases it is preferable to trust to fixed, certain, and prompt 
payments according to results, as the most effective way 
of inducing the Shikaris to devote themselves to the 
work, At the same time certain tracts of country exist 
in which the special and temporary employment of men 
from outside may be very useful and expedient, and the 
reports show that the adoption of this plan has in some 
cases been followed by satisfactory results. For instance, 
in the Futehpore district, in the North-Western Provinces, 
the entertainment of a body of special Shikaris resulted 
in the destruction of a considerable number of wolves 
with which that district was infested. In Dinapore, in 
the Lower Provinces, also, professional hunters were 
engaged during the closing month of the year for the 
destruction of tigers. 
“In the Central Provinces the ravages committed by 
tigers in the Balaghat and Seoni districts necessitated the 
offer of enhanced rewards for their destruction, and the 
district officer of Seoni has endeavoured to organise a 
special expedition of shikaris for the purpose of hunting 
down the animals, and has provided the shikaris with 
ammunition. Licenses under the Arms Act appear to 
have been more freely given than hitherto to persons who 
require arms for protecting themselves and their cattle 
and crops from the attack of wild animals, but the 
Governor-General in Council desires to take the oppor- 
tunity of expressing a hope that this matter will be care- 
fully kept in view by Local Governments and Administra- 
tions in order that every possible facility may be offered 
to cultivators and others for obtaining such licences in 
districts in which wild beasts are more than usually 
abundant.” 
Wild Animals destructive to Life in India 
CARNIVORA 
felide 
Felis—F. leo Lion 
F, tigris Tiger 
F. pardus Leopard 
F, jubata Hunting Leopard 
Hyaenine 
Hyzna—H., striata Striped Hyzna 
Canide 
Canis—C. pallipes Wolf 
C, aureus Jackal 
Urside 
Ursus—U. isabellinus 
U. tibetanus 
U. labiatus 
Brown Bear 
Black Bear 
Sloth Bear. 
UNGULATA 
Elephantide 
Elephant 
Khinoceros 
Suide 
Wild Boar 
Bovine 
Bison, gaur 
Buffalo, arna 
Elephas—E, indicus 
Rhinoceros—R. indicus 
Sus—S, indicus 
Gavzeus—G, gauri 
Bubalus—Bb, arni 
SAURIA 
Crocodilide 
Crocodilus—C, palustris Crocodile 
C. biporcatus a 
C, pondicerianus 90 
Gayialis—G. gangeticus Gharial 
PISCES 
Carcharide 
Carcharias—C. gangeticus Groundshark of Ganges 
