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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXVI. No. 925 



tion of the camera for the rifle, appears to 

 be of the opinion that the platform of the 

 convention of 1900 is sufficient. It in- 

 eluded the sparing of females and imma- 

 ture animals, the establishment of close 

 seasons and game sanctuaries, the absolute 

 protection of rare species, restrictions on 

 the export for trading purposes of skins, 

 horns and tusks, and the prohibition of 

 pits, snares and game traps. Certainly the 

 rulers of Africa are seeing to the estab- 

 lishment of game reserves. As for British 

 Africa, there are two in Somaliland, two 

 in the Sudan, two in Uganda and two in 

 British East Africa (with separate re- 

 serves for eland, rhinoceros and hippopot- 

 amus), two in Nyasaland, three in the 

 Transvaal, seven in Rhodesia, several in 

 Natal and in Cape Colony, and at least 

 four in Nigeria. These are now admin- 

 istered by competent officials, who in addi- 

 tion are usually the executive ofScers of 

 the game laws outside the reserved terri- 

 tory. Here again, however, the preserva- 

 tion of game animals and of other ani- 

 mals of economic value, and of a few named 

 species is the fundamental idea. In 1909 

 I had the honor of being a member of a 

 deputation to the Secretary of State for 

 the Colonies, arranged by the Society for 

 the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the 

 Empire, one of the most active and suc- 

 cessful bodies engaged in arousing public 

 opinion on the subject. Among the ques- 

 tions on which we were approaching Lord 

 Crewe was that of changes in the locality 

 of reserves. Sometimes it had happened 

 that for the convenience of settlers or be- 

 cause of railway extension, or for some 

 other reason, proposals were made to open 

 or clear the whole or part of a reserve. 

 When I suggested that the substitution of 

 one piece of ground for another, even of 

 equivalent area, might be satisfactory 

 from the point of view of the preservation 



of large animals, but was not satisfactory 

 from the zoological point of view, that in 

 fact pieces of primeval land and primeval 

 forest contained many small animals of 

 different kinds which would be extermi- 

 nated once and for all when the land was 

 brought under cultivation, the point was 

 obviously new not only to the Colonial 

 Secretary, who very coiu-teously noted it, 

 but to my colleagues. 



This brings me to the general conclusion 

 to which I wish to direct your attention 

 and for which I hope to engage your sym- 

 pathy. We may safely leave the preserva- 

 tion of game animals, or rare species if 

 these are well known and interesting, and 

 of animals of economic value, to llie awak- 

 ened responsibility and the practical sense 

 of the governing powers, stimulated as 

 these are by the enthusiasm cf special so- 

 cieties. Game laws, reserves v/here game 

 may recuperate, close seasons, occasional 

 prohibition and the real supervision of li- 

 cense holders are all doing their work 

 effectively. But there remains something 

 else to do, something which I think should 

 interest zoologists particularly, and on 

 which we should lead opinion. There exist 

 in all the great continents large tracts al- 

 most empty of resident population, which 

 still contain vegetation almost undisturbed 

 by the ravages of man, and which still 

 harbor a multitude of small animals, and 

 could afford space for the larger and bet- 

 ter-known animals. These tracts have not 

 yet been brought under cultivation, and are 

 rarely traversed except b.y the sportsman, 

 the explorer and the prospector. On these 

 there should be established, in all the char- 

 acteristic faunistic areas, reservations 

 which should not be merely temporary 

 recuperating grounds for harassed game, 

 but absolute sanctuaries. Under no con- 

 dition should they be open to the sports- 

 man. No gun should be fired, no animal 



