The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-29

Canges are found a few species, such as
the black buck, gazelle nilgai, hog deer.
etc. In the high central plateau of Gen.
trail and Southern India south of the
Ganges and Jumna valleys is an immense
tract, where the use of elephants in hunt
ing is impossible on account of the rough
nature of the ground. Here are found all
the species mentioned as inhabiting the
Terai and sub-Himalayan forests and
plains. with the chetah. or hunting Loop
ard, In addition. In the extreme north
west of this tract the Asiatic lion is still
to be found. In the Nilgiri hills and in
Mysore the Nilgiri ibex (Hermitragus
hylocrius) Is met with.
Australia is the home of the marsupials
which are distributed all over the con-
tinent. Kangaroo of many species
abound and AFFORD good sport. The Tas-
manian wolf, carnivorous marsupial
(Thylacinus cynocephalus), Is the largest
predatory mammal, and restricts itself
to the highest mountains of Tasmania.
The island of Ceylon has many wild game
species distributed over the less-settled
districts. The elephant CASUALLY tusk-
less), gaur. sambur or Ceylon elk. spot
ted deer. (Cervus axis;) the muntjac. the
bear (Malurus ursinus,) and leopard are
numerous in different localities One rep
resentative of the edentata, the scaly
anteater, (Manis pendactyla,) is to be
found, and the animals above enumer-
ated. with few monkeys of the genus
sernnopithecus. and flying foxes, genus
pteropus. comprise the mammalian fauna
Of the island.
The Malay archipelago is wonderful re-
gion and in some of its great islands and
on the Malayan peninsula rhinoceros and
tiger may be obtained. while our new en-
pire, the Philippine archipelago, contains
numerous deer, which, with the water
buffalo. are the largest mammals found
there.
The various countries Of Europe contain
numerous districts in which certain kinds
OF game still abound, but they are so sur
rounded for the most part by civilization
that 1t might be said one has ceased to re-
gard them as wild animals tn the sense in
which we apply the term to the beasts of
Africa, for instance, which have never
seen a white man. Wolves still abound in
some districts, as In certain parts of East
ern and also Western Europe. and in Rus
STA the brown and Siberian bear are found,
while the ancient European bison of the
pliocene, the great auroch, Of more than
six feet in height and relative OF our
late American bison. yet survives in a
small herd and is rigidy protected by the
car in the forests of Lithuania. In Cor
sica, Sardinia and Cyprus Is the mutton
sheep (Ovis musimon). and plenty Of wild
hogs, deer. etc. But all European coun-
tries have passed beyond the pale of being
considered hunting grounds for the gem
eral sportsman, the larger part Of all suit
able tracts for game being entirely con-
trolled by comparatively few persons.
North America, our own land. was at
one time a great game country. but at
the present day 1t must be classed among
the has beens." Our finest quadruped
the magnificent bison, is practically ex-
tinct, and most of our other large man,
mails are rapidly passing toward that
bourne from which none win ever return.
The wapiti has been driven from the
great plains into the recesses OF the
mountains, and the deers of various spe-
cies. save perhaps the white tail, are
yearly becoming scarcer. the result of too
many guns and a reckless indifference
to all game laws. These last are good
enough IL they were only enforced, but to
do this In many instances might produce
hostile votes against those in power and
politics exerts its baneful influence over
our game animals as we'll as everything
else in the land. The number of our
that graceful creature, the only
representative of its genus. is iessening
every year, and under present conditions
II must become extinct In the near flu
ture. And the same may be said of all
our large game animals. A rapidly In
creasing population pressing into the Wild
Ing continually the avaflsbts ranges OF
the wild creatures, the constant improve
ment In firearms. and the increasing
number of sportsmen, are the infallible
signs that foretell the speedy arrival of
that day when North America will no
longer be regarded as one of the worlds
great hunting fields for big game.