398 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
interest zoologists particularly, and on which we should lead opinion. 
There exist in all the great continents large tracts almost empty of 
resident population, which still contain vegetation almost undisturbed 
by the ravages of man, and which still harbour a multitude of small 
animals, and could afford space for the larger and better-known 
animals. These tracts have not yet been brought under cultivation, 
and are rarely traversed except by the sportsman, the explorer, and the 
prospector. On these there should be established, in all the character- 
istic faunistic areas, reservations which should not be merely tem- 
porary recuperating grounds for harassed game, but absolute sanctu- 
aries. Under no condition should they be open to the sportsman. 
No gun should be fired, no animal slaughtered or captured save by 
the direct authority of the wardens of the sanctuaries, and for the 
direct advantage of the denizens of the sanctuaries, for the removal 
of noxious individuals, the controlling of species that were increasing 
beyond reason, the extirpation of diseased or unhealthy animals. The 
obvious examples are not the game reserves of the Old World, but the 
National Parks of the New World and of Australasia. In the United 
States, for instance, there are now the Yellowstone National Park 
with over two million acres, the Yosemite in California with nearly a 
million acres, the Grand Cafion Game Preserve with two million 
acres, the Mount Olympus National Monument in Washington with 
over half a million acres, and the Superior Game and Forest Preserve 
with nearly a million acres, as well as a number of smaller reserves 
for special purposes, and a chain of coastal areas all round the shores 
for the preservation of birds. In Canada, in Alberta, there are the 
Rocky Mountains Park, the Yoho Park, Glacier Park, and Jasper 
Park, together extending to over nine million acres, whilst in British 
Columbia there are smaller sanctuaries. These, so far as laws can 
make them, are inalienable and inviolable sanctuaries for wild 
animals. We ought to have similar sanctuaries in every country of 
the world, national parks secured for all time against all the changes 
and chances of the nations by international agreement. In the older 
and more settled countries the areas selected unfortunately must be 
determined by various considerations, of which faunistic value cannot 
be the most important. But certainly in Africa, and in large parts of 
Asia, it would still be possible that they should be selected in the first 
place for their faunistic value. The scheme for them should be 
drawn up by an international commission of experts in the geo- 
graphical distribution of animals, and the winter and summer haunts 
of migratory birds should be taken into consideration. It is for 
zoologists to lead the way, by laying down what is required to pre- 
serve for all time the most representative and most complete series of 
surviving species without any reference to the extrinsic value of the 
animals. And it then will be the duty of the nations, jointly and 
severally, to arrange that the requirements laid down by the experts 
shall be complied with. 
(Lo be continued.) 
