. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. AN ADVENTURE WITH A LEOPARD 195 exceedingly plentiful in the plains and forests of the United Provinces. Numbers still exist, but to nothing Hke the same extent as formerly. Nor are the big heads to be obtained now in the numbers which were comparatively plentiful in the gorgeous days of old. Two decades ago, from the tent door or verandah of the forest bungalows in the early morning great herds could be seen feeding on the plain in areas where they were not often disturbed. One encountered them fihng or jumping across t
. The diary of a sportsman naturalist in India. Hunting; Game protection. AN ADVENTURE WITH A LEOPARD 195 exceedingly plentiful in the plains and forests of the United Provinces. Numbers still exist, but to nothing Hke the same extent as formerly. Nor are the big heads to be obtained now in the numbers which were comparatively plentiful in the gorgeous days of old. Two decades ago, from the tent door or verandah of the forest bungalows in the early morning great herds could be seen feeding on the plain in areas where they were not often disturbed. One encountered them fihng or jumping across the forest rides as one rode along on the pony or elephant on the march or inspection duty. In the early morning or evening one could watch them feeding out on the savannah- like expanses of grass where cut or burnt ; or entering or issuing from the neighbouring forests like troops of miniature cavalry. One could pick out and shoot a decent head with ease ; men shot several head of a morning or evening, good and indifferent (more's the pity). There were no rules and regulations in those days ; rules and regulations which are now so necessary if the game of the country is to be protected. A fat young buck or hind was shot without contravening any rule. In fact, for the Forest Officer it was a necessity, since he was often away in the jungle weeks on end by himself and dependent to a great extent on his rifle for his meat supply. And a record head is not usually accompanied by a delicate and tender flesh ! But those days are gone for ever and, as we shall see later, many causes up here have tended to produce the present state of affairs. The sun was sinking as we sat and watched the deer at present visible. Already the sky was changing colour and a small cloud near the west took on a crimson tinge. Away in the forest the pea-fowl were calhng from the trees, having already commenced to seek their roosting perches for the night in the darker shadow of the forest. I was not out for a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1920
