PRESERVATION OF GAME. 531 



(b) The " bi'eeding season " means, in the case of bii-ds, from the 1st January 

 to 3lst December in each year, and with reference to animals other than birds, 

 to which by the Notification No. 921 aforesaid the provisions of Section 3 

 have been declared applicable in the case of — 



1. Sambur ... ... ... -) (From 1st October to 31st May 



2. Deer, includmg Bhekor and Pisora i, n 



3. Hares ) eacn yearj. 



II. {a) No one shall, within the limits of the said municipality, possess or sell, 

 dui'ing its breeding season, any wild bird or any such animal as is mentioned in 

 Rule I., which has been recently Mlled or taken. 



(b) No one shall, during its breeding season, import into the said municipality 

 the plumage of any wild bii'd or the fur of any such animal as is mentioned 

 in Eule I. 



III. (a) A breach of Rule II. (a) or (6) shall be punished with a fine which 

 may extend in the case of a first offence to Rs. 5 in respect of every wild 

 bird or animal possessed or sold in breach of Rule II. (a), or of which the 

 plumage or fur has been imjaorted in breach of Rule II. (&). 



(b) In case of a subsequent offence to Rs. 10 in respect of every such 

 bird or animal or the plumage or fur thereof. 



IV. That these Rules shall, as regards all birds, be in force for a period of 

 five years. 



6, Apollo Street, 



Bombay, 8th October, 1S9J. 

 To 



The UNDER-SECRETARY to GOVERNMENT, 



General Department, Bombay Castle. 



Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receij)t of your letter No. 3186, 

 dated the 8th ultimo. 



I have duly placed the copy of the Rules for the Protection of Birds, &c., in 

 the Municipality of Malcolmpeth, before the Committee of this Society, and 

 they are of the opinion— whilst fuUy concurring with Government that total 

 protection for five years will be extremely beneficial to the birds and animals 

 at Mahableshwar, and is much needed, they feel that representing a Natui-al 

 History Society, they cannot acquiesce in the definition of the " breeding season" 

 laid down by Government in the case of birds from 1st of January to 31sb of 

 December, and animals from the 1st of October to the 81st of May. 



The breeding season for almost all birds at such altitudes as Mahableshwar 

 is between the months of April and September (both months inclusive) in each 

 year, whilst for animals such as Sambur, Bekri, the smaller Deer, and Hares, 

 the breeding season is principally as follows : — 



Sambur Jime to October. 



Bekri January and February. 



Smaller Deer May to November. 



Hares October to February. 



