THE WILD FAUNA OF THF FMIMKK 



11 



such as, in some cases, the giraffe, But this is what we think 

 is the important part of it, that it should be absolutely in the 

 discretion of the principal local administrator to vary that list 

 from time to time. For instance, if there is a very serious 

 epidemic, as happens sometimes, attacking the eland or the 

 kudu, so that all but a few have been swept away, if they are 

 not already in the list they ought at once to be put in and to be 

 exempt for a certain period, at any rate, from further slaughter. 



Another point to which we attach the highest importance of all 

 is that there should be adequate Eeserves in all territories. We 

 Me quite aware of the difficulties, and we are aware that such Ee- 

 serves can only be established if the matter is taken in time ; that 

 J s to say, if you wait until the whole country is settled up it will 

 be much more difficult to do than it would be before that is the 

 case. There are several considerations with regard to Eeserves to 

 Which we shoiild like to invite your attention. Perhaps the most 

 important is that the Eeserve should be capable of being easily 

 ■watched, such, for instance, as the Southern Eeserve in British 

 East Africa, which is all along the railway. We attach the 

 importance to that point— that it is kept under surveillance so 

 that what goes on is easily ascertained — either a railway or a 

 navigable river is an immense advantage to a Game Eeserve. The 

 Game Eeserve in the Sudan is another case in point. That is 

 bordered on both sides by a navigable river, the White Nile on one 

 side, which is navigable all the year round, and the Blue Nile on 

 the other, which is navigable in the high water. 



Another very important point is that the Eeserve should cover 

 the migrations of the animals. Because you see a number of 

 animals in one place in the winter, it does not at all follow that 

 they are there all the year round ; that is, of course, a matter of 

 local knowledge and of consideration beforehand. It is very desir- 

 able that as many species should be included as possible, but that 

 at any rate the migrations of those species that are most important 

 to be preserved should be considered in laying out a Eeserve. 

 Speaking generally, we ask you to look at the matter as a whole 

 throughout the territories under the control of the Colonial Office, 

 and to see that in every one there are adequate Eeserves at once 

 established, and that expenditure in respect of that should be 

 niade so that they should be properly safeguarded. 



There are some Eeserves which have been laid out with the 

 best possible intentions, which have a very fine appearance on 

 the map, but which are really only laid out on the map — and 

 that we deprecate. They rather tend to calm public opinion, 

 perhaps, at home, but they are of no use at all for the preservation 

 of the game unless adequate means are taken to secure them. In 

 the great Sugota Eeserve, which covers a large area of territory, 



I do not think any steps are really taken to safeguard it. If it is 

 Worth while establishing a Eeserve at all, it is worth while spending 



II little money to see that it is properly watched ; and that is 

 a point which we would urge very strongly upon you. 



