9 
and municipal authorities the power to define the expression “ wild 
birds,” and also to specify the breeding season, during which it will 
be illegal to possess or sell any of the protected birds or their 
plumage within the cantonment or municipality. The amount of 
fine to be imposed for each offence is also specified. 
To those unacquainted with the conditions of life in India, this 
Act may appear much too narrow for the attainment of its pro¬ 
fessed object, but, as already explained, the rural population in 
the smaller villages do not as a rule kill birds ; but in most canton¬ 
ments and municipal towns there are a few men called Shikaris, 
who earn a livelihood by killing and selling game and other birds, 
and the Act, if properly worked, shuts their market for the sale of 
their spoils during the close season. In pursuing his vocation the 
Shikari does not confine himself to the immediate vicinity of his 
headquarters, but often proceeds for long distances on foot, and 
even travels by rail so as to reach distant places in which game is 
plentiful. As a rule he does not shoot much, powder and shot 
being expensive, but catches most of his bag by means of snares, 
bird-lime and nets. It will thus be obvious, that by restraining 
the action of the wandering professional bird-killers the protective 
influence of the Indian Wild Birds Act extends far beyond what 
would at first sight appear likely. It is obviously also a tentative 
measure, and must in due course lead on to a wider enactment, 
which will secure a larger amount of protection for the feathered 
population of the country. The Indian forest rules also, by re¬ 
serving large tracts of forest and woodlands, afford secure breeding 
places for numerous birds, and it is astonishing how fast both 
birds and plants multiply, when they are protected from the 
invasion of men and cattle. In a park surrounding a house in the 
outskirts of the city of Madras, a piece of ground measuring about 
4000 square yards was fenced by me so as to prevent trespass, 
and in the course of two or three years there sprang up in this 
enclosure 165 self-sown trees and saplmgs belonging to nine species. 
