36 MR. E. F. STEBBIXG OX 



Nortliern Circle closed to shooting, but permits could be obtained 

 to kill carnivora, and 293 sq. miles in the Southern Circle, or a 

 total of 1738 sq. miles in the Province. 



Other areas are closed conditionally, subject to the issue of a 

 permit or to sportsmen being exempt from obtaining one. 



As already stated, the blocks vary from year to year, and the 

 list is made out annually in October and published. 



The game protected are bison, buffalo, sambhar, barasingha, and 

 ehital, and, in fact, all horned game. 



Berar. 



The revision of the shooting rules in the Central Provinces in 

 August 1905 was followed by a similar revision in those of the 

 forests of the Berar Circle in the following October, the rule 

 regarding the formation of Sanctuaries being made applicable 

 here. The number of individuals of each species to be shot in a 

 year is laid down and notified. An area of 885 sq. miles was 

 closed to all shooting (save carnivora on permit) during 1909. 

 Shooting in the other forests was subject to permits being taken 

 out in the ordinary manner. 



The game to be protected are chiefly sambhar and ehital. 



Bengal. 

 Bengal has recently taken up the question of Sanctuaries and 

 under Notification No. 1992 For., dated 6th April, 1907, the 

 following have been formed : — 



Darjiling Division. 



Senchal Forest. The boundaries of this Reserve are : — 

 North — Pashok Road from Jore bungalow to the 3rd mile. 

 East — From the 3rd mile to Lalkhunti where the road crosses 



the saddle (by the Rangbi path). 

 South — From Lalkhunti to the old military road. 

 West — The old military road to Jore bungalow. 



Puri Division. 



The Bharatpur, Jaimangal, and Majna forests are Game 

 Sanctuaries. 



In Angul and Puri the shooting of bison is prohibited. 



The shooting of the rhinoceros, buffalo, and female bison is 

 entirely prohibited throughout Bengal. 



I would suggest that in certain parts of the Province further 

 Sanctuaries are urgently needed. For instance, the game of the 

 hill forests of Darjiling, Kurseong, and Tista Divisions, especially 

 the two former which are surrounded by planters, requires 

 protection if it is not to be completely exterminated. The 

 Senchal Sanctuary can scarcely be considered sufficient in a 

 country as rugged and diflicult as the Himalayas. The plains 

 and forests of both Kurseong and Tista Divisions were once noted 

 for the game they held, but a very different state of affairs now 

 exists and the accounts of old sportsmen ai'e like legendary fables. 



