THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIRE. 63 



year. The principal cause of destruction appears 

 to be the profit derived from the sale of hides." 

 Tims, the Moudir of Senaar reported that large 

 organized hunting parties, well armed with rifles, 

 come from the direction of Gedaref and the 

 Abyssinian frontier into the country between the 

 Kahad and Binder rivers and slaughter game 

 indiscriminately. Hunting parties also did much 

 harm in portions of the Kassala district. 



Mr. Butler makes several suggestions with a 

 view to checking these evils. They will, without 

 doubt, receive full consideration. But so long as 

 the natives possess firearms — and it is difficult, if 

 not impossible, to disarm them altogether — it is 

 very questionable whether the illicit destruction 

 of game in the Soudan can be entirely stopped. 



Mr. Butler, the Head of the Game Preservation 

 Department, writes : " The necessity for Game 

 Laws seems to be now generally recognised, and in 

 most cases the limits have been loyally observed. 

 There have been cases of unsportsmanlike conduct 

 among visitors and officials, but they have been 

 few in number. . . . That game in the Sudan 

 must, with the advance of civilization, largely 

 decrease is, I think, inevitable ; but in many parts 

 of the country I am hopeful that it will, if in 

 somewhat reduced quantities, be able to hold its 

 own." 



According to the returns furnished by the 

 holders of game licences, the total number of 

 animals killed during the year ending on October 

 81, 1902, was 1,340, as against 842 during the 



