

THE WILD FAUNA OP THE EMPIEB 



Colonial Office, Whitehall : February 2, 1005. 



Minutes op peoceedings at a deputation fbom 

 the society foe the peeseevation of the 

 fauna of the empiee to the eight hon. 

 alfbed lyttelton (his majesty's seceetaey 

 foe the colonies). 



PEESENT : 

 ■The Maequobss of Hamilton, Mr. Edward North Buxton, 



Sir Hknry Shton-Karr, Bart., Mr. A. G. DuCane, 



. M.P., Mr. F. C. Selous, 



Sir H. H. Johnston, Mr. S. H. Whituread, 



Uol. Dblme Eadolhth, I Mr. Ehys Williams (Hon. Sec.) 



Mr. Edwabd Buxton : Wo arc not here, Mr. Lyttelton, to 

 ffiake complaints ; we come to you because we think the moment 

 >s appropriate, the Colonial Office having taken over, or being 

 about to take over, so many great territories in regard to which 

 the question in which we are interested is distinctly urgent. It is 

 ""necessary to urge upon you the importance of this question. 

 We should like to see uniform principles adopted, now that so 

 many territories are to be combined under the Colonial Office. 

 We regard the fauna which we find — a wonderfully varied fauna — 

 especially in South Africa, as an Imperial inheritance, and we 

 wink that if the game were to be killed out, especially if species 

 were to become lost, it would be an Imperial loss. It would be 

 absolutely irreplaceable, and this generation would be held 

 responsible by those who come after us. We believe it to be 

 avoidable to a large extent even where the country becomes thickly 

 Populated. 



We belong to an Association which was formed a year and 

 a-half ago to watch this question, and we find that throughout the 

 Empire there are quite a number of officials, especially of the 

 "tfhly placed officials, who take a deep interest in this question. 

 We have, therefore, a very wholesome public opinion already 

 scattered about the Empire. That public opinion ought to be 

 Supported _ by public opinion at home: and for the purpose of 

 'ocussing it as a whole we have formed our Association. 



We have watched very carefully for official reports on this 

 s Jib]ect. We notice that there is a very marked difference between 

 l hem. Some show a very considerable knowledge of the question 



