Dec. 1, 1900.] THE TROPICAL 
To the Editor. 
PHOTEOTION OF BIED-LIFE. 
La Mavtiniere College, Lucknow, 
November 1st, 1900 
Deah Sin, — The Goverument of India is desirous of 
maliiEg a fnrtbei- enquiry into the qnestion of the 
destruction of the bird-life of this country. It is prob- 
able that, if a proper case be made out, further res- 
trictions will be placed on the indiscriminate slaughter 
of birds for their plumage— a policy which has had 
Buch disastrous effects in other countries. 
The Government has requested that a report on this 
matter be compiled as soon as possible, and, in order 
that such may bear due weight, it has been determined 
to obtain the opinion of as many of the leading 
ornithologists in this country as possible. 
Feeling assured of the great interest that you take 
in the welfare of the birds, I venture to ask you to be 
so kind as to peruse the following questions and to 
return to me your opinions as early as possible. 
(I) Are you aware of any trade in birdskins, or 
feathers, being carried on in any district, and, if so, 
where? 
(II) . Is the trade, if any, increasing o r decreasing ? 
(III) . If you know of any regular destruction of 
birds, please name the principal species affected, and 
furthermore state whether any of them are threatened 
with extinction, 
(IV) . What effects have you noticed on the bird- 
life of closed or reserved forests, as a result of the 
latest Government regulations ? 
(V) . Has the destruction of any particular species 
in any way affected the agriculture of a district, either 
for good or ill ? 
(VI) . Are there any tribes, or castes, in your district 
(if so name them) whose time honoured and imme- 
morial custom it has been to destroy birds for the 
sake of their plumage ? 
(VII) . Do you think it likely that an act restricting 
the destruction of bird-life would be received favour- 
ably by the natives in your district, or do you think 
that any such legislation would be regarded as op- 
pressive and an interference with tribal customs ? 
(VIII) . Do you think that, even if there is no 
trade in feathers in your district at the present 
moment, that the conditions are such that the trade 
if established would prove profitable to the merchant, 
and inimical to bird-life ? 
(IX) . Do yorf think that it would be advisable (o 
introduce measures restricting the destruction of birds, 
they would such action in your opinion be un- 
necessary? 
Trusting that you will give this letter your fullest 
and most careful consideration. — I have the honor to 
be. Your most obediently, WILLIAM JESSE. 
GOURAMI FISH FOR CEYLON: -A 
QUESTION FOR THE CEYLON 
FISHING CLUB. 
Oxley Island, Nov. 3. 
Deah Sirs, — I fell in today with a volume, 
Bix months of 1898, of yonr Tropical Agricul- 
tu7'ist, and was much interested in looking 
through it. On page 432 I was reminded of 
a forgotten jDromise to report the result of 
the frog experiment : pray pardon my faulty 
memory. I regret to say only a few of the 
frogs lived, and they, after a few weeks, 
disappeared, 
H 
AGRICULTURIST. 42V 
I read with interest "C D."'s letter about 
the Gourami. I presume you have by this time 
acclimatized it in Ceylon, If not, I may be able 
to assist you in the matter. I am thinking of 
going to England about March next, and 
would be willing to take a sufficient number, 
say fifty to eighty, to establish them in 
Colombo. I would undertake to do this for 
twenty-five pounds, delivered on board the 
ship into tanks supplied tO me: a couple of 
tin, not zinc, lined boxes about 3ft. by 2ft. 
by 2ft. would do. I purpose tak'nf< ceratodus 
to England and the gourami might share 
tlieir tanks to Ceylon. If you know of any- 
one (or any club) that will agree to this 
proposal, please inform ms at your earliest 
convenience so that the necessary arrange- 
ments may be made. The Superintendent 
at the Zoological Gardens, London, informs 
me that their two ceratodus, also those in 
Paris, which he had recently seen, are aliye 
and well.— Yours faithfully, 
D. O'CONNOR. 
"THE THEORY OF MANURING" (AND 
FARMYARD MANURE). 
Colombo, Nov. 9th. 
Dear Sir, — Referring to the extract from th* 
" Journal of Horticulture " dealing with the 
composition and mannrial value o£ Farmyard 
Manure, wa beg to give below for compari* 
son seven analyses of cattle manure, A inade 
by Mr. John Hughes, B made by Dr. Bnemplet 
C D, and E by Mr. Cochran, F, the analysis 
quoted in the Observer, and G, an analysis recently, 
made by Dr. Roller, in charge of oar Hultadoif Mill'a 
Laboratory : — 
ANALYSIS OF CATTLE MANURE: PROPORTION 
OP NITROGEN, PHOSPHORIC ACID 
AND POTASH. 
Manure. « 
sphoric 
cid. 
CD 
&f 
O 
en 
Anaiysti 
ca 
o 
f4 
per c. 
p. C. 
p. c. 
p. 3. 
(A) Sun-dried 
IndianCattle 
Mr. Hngbefi 
Manure 7-22 
0-54 
1-47 
0-63 
(B) European 
Cattle Manure 
with litter ? 
0-32 
0-68 
0-80 
Dr. Raem^piet 
(C) CeylonCattle 
Manure No. 1 80 4 
0-25 
0-4S 
0-95 
Mr, Cochran 
(D) Ceylon Cattle 
Do 
Manure No. 2 74-67 
0-09 
0-64 
1-07 
(E; CeylonCattle 
Do 
Manure No. 3 67 00 
0-08 
0-47 
0-86 
(F) Farmyard 
Prom the 
Manure 1 
0-22 
0-40 
0-4 
to 
to 
to 
" Journal of 
0'36 
0-53 
0-53 
Horticaltnr«'* 
(G) CeylonCattle 
Manure from 
Upcountry 50'34 
0-86 
0-33 
0*41 
Dr. KoUer 
To facilitate comparison of the respective Vftln© 
©f the different cattle manures, we have reSucecl 
the percentage of samples A, C, D, E, and G. to 
the amount of lb. nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
potash present in a ton of cattle manure dried at 
812° F, 
