KILLED BY WILD BEASTS AND SNAKES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5993, 30 July 1887, Page 6

KILLED BY WILD BEASTS AND SNAKES.

The total number of persons killed by wild animals and venomous snakes in the ten divisions of Bengal during the official year 18S5-86 was the highest in the last five years, and amounted to 11,823. As is usual, nine-tenths of these deaths -were caused by snakes. But of 12,223 " cattle " — tbat is buffaloes, oxen, horses, and ponies — destroyed in this manner, only 311 were killed by snakes. These annual returns do not seem to take account of sheep, goats, pigs, and donkeys, the destruction of which, we should think, must be very large. The hyena is credited with the destruction of 773 head of "cattle" — that is, the larger domestic animals just named. In Bhagalpur the number of wolves killed fell to eighty-six, from 337 in the year before, and the reason gjiven was that a shikari had been punished for an attempt to pass off jackals' heads for the heads of wolves. This may mean either that the shikaris had given up killing wolves, or that there had never been many wolves in that district to kill. In the Presidency division that is, immediately north-easfcof Calcutta, where 257 head of cattle were reported killed by wolves, the Commissioner declares that no wolves exist. Passing over the moat formidable wild animals we find that 528 persons (probably nearly all children) were killed by jackals, 221 by crocodiles or alligators, 84 by pigs, either wild or domestic, 22 by elephants, 12 by buffaloes and oxen, one by a horse, one by a deer, one by a •• black wasp," and two by "musk rats," the bite of the latter having brought on mortification or tetanus. Only eighteen deaths arc put down fco mad dog 3. Not a single death, according to the returns, was caused by wild animals in the town and suburbs of Calcutta, not even the death of a child by a jackal, but thirteen persons died from snakebite. Notwithstanding, 513 " wild animals " were destroyed in the town ; these, however, turn out to have been sharks in the Hughli. The total amount of Es. 29,854-4 wa3 paid for the destruction of wild animals and venoinenous snakes, against Its. 42,37-ifll paid in the year proceeding that under report. ' j