50 MR. E. P. STEBBING ON 



I here mean "mammals" classed, say, into some such gi-oups 

 as, e. g., 



(a) Carnivora. Each species in the country to be quoted. 



(b) Herhivora. do. do. do. do. 



The various deer, antelope, goats, and sheep are all perfectly 

 well known, and the preparation of lists detailing each animal 

 by name is an absolutely easy matter. 



(c) Rodentia. Including the hares, porcupines, etc., the total 

 extinction of which from a sporting point of view is far from 

 desirable. 



(d) A General Group which may be made to include the 

 rest of the 3Iammalia. This would allow protection to be ex- 

 tended, should it be deemed necessary from the point of view of 

 the preservation of the species in the case of rare species now 

 perhaps being exterminated for the value of their fur or for other 

 reasons, to animals not at present included in the sportman's 

 category of Game. 



Turning to the Birds. There is no distinction made between 

 migratory birds and non-migratory birds, and no mention made 

 at all of Insectivorous Birds, and yet the distinction is one of 

 enormous value in a great agricultural countiy like India, where 

 the benefit the cultivators must derive annually from insectivorous 

 birds is quite incalculable. 



I suggest that the Birds be sharply defined into groups and 

 the names of all the game-birds and of all the chief insecti- 

 vorous birds be definitely given in the Act. This likewise is a 

 matter of the greatest simplicity, since there wovild be no difficulty 

 in drawing up such lists. 



With a proper classification by name of all our animals and 

 birds, sections and subsections 2 [a) (I.) to (VI.) would be revised 

 and (VII.) and (6) (I.) and (II.) could be eliminated if considered 

 necessary. 



Turning now to section (3). Allowing that it is necessary to 

 make separate rules for the Army, I think that the Act should 

 specifically lay down that permits may not be given for parties of 

 more than say 4-6 men from a cantonment to go out together to 

 shoot in any area. At present it is well known that at times parties 

 of from 15 to 20 or more men go out into a block of forest and 

 drive the game systematically into a cul-de-sac and then slaughter 

 the animals in numbers. The Gurkha is particularly addicted to 

 this form of " sport " during the rainy season, when in the parts of 

 the country where they are cantoned it is generally impossible 

 for the European to go near the Terai forest owing to its great 

 unhealthiness. Parties of military men should be small and the 

 number of head they may shoot should be distinctly laid down on 

 the permit, and penalties be enforced if this number is exceeded. 



I think the Game Act might embody some such definite ruling 

 for the whole country. 



3. (II.) I am of opinion that Game rewards in general should 

 be abolished and that no provision on the subject should be 

 included in the Game Act. 



It would be quite within the power of the Local Government to 



