90 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIII, 
that there was quite recently in Somaliland a shooting party of six 
or seven guns organized, it would seem, on the “ personally-conducted 
tour” system, by a weil-known caterer for the tastes of the travelling 
public. 
The members of the party apparently had no further care than to pack up 
their carpet-bags and transport themselves and their guns to the rendezvous. 
At the end of the sea journey they were met by the contractor’s representa- 
tive, who handed to each a ready-made caravan, completely equipped with 
stores, camels, followers, and shikarries, and ‘‘every requisite” for a 
successful expedition, The several parties were then distributed singly or 
in couples about the country, and on getting back to the Coast at the end of 
the period contracted for, they simply returned the balance of their 
paraphernalia to the contractor’s ‘‘manon the spot,’ and took the first 
ship home with their spoils, They were thus saved a good deal of time and 
much bother, and I have no doubt paid well and willingly for economy 
of the one and immunity from the other. All of them, as far as I know, 
were good sportsmen, and had no other wish than to play the game; and one 
member of the party, who was on three months’ leave from England, told 
me that he had only approached the contractor afew hours before leaving 
London and that he could not possibly have carried through the trip at all, 
in the short time at his disposal, had he been obliged to make his own 
bundobast. As it was, he had had a delightful two months in the country, 
during which, by dint of hard work and fortune’s favours, he had made a most 
comprehensive little bag, including specimens of nearly all the big game of 
the country. 
Our own ideas on the subject may not be altogether in harmony with 
those of the participators in the enterprise, but there are two ways of looking 
at most things, and I have simply mentioned the circumstance asa sign of 
the times. The idea, however, opens upa vista of further possibilities in 
the same direction, and for us I think it points the moral that when a happy 
hunting ground has reached a stage in its existence when the enterprising 
but vandal attention of the Tourist Agent is directed to it, it is a hint to us 
to think of turning our energies and attentions elsewhere. 
But let not my croaking dishearten any reader who may be aidanine an 
expedition to Somaliland in the near future. There is yet time before the 
débacle, and there is still plenty of game, in spite of reports to the contrary— 
but I would urge him to go soon. Large bags of lions cannot be made as of 
old, I admit, but they are by no means scarce, and, as regards other game 
there seems little diminution ; consequently there is no reason why any 
sportsman, who does not aim at making a very long bag, should not pick up 
specimens of everything he wants in the way of big game during three o1 
four months spent in the country. Only,if he would save himself time and 
expense, let him realize the importance of making his arrangements and 
