Evening star., 1898-12-26
PROTECTING WILD BIRDS.
What English Laws Have Done To
ward stopping Their Slaughter


ward stopping Their Slaughter.
From the London Mail
The acts for the protection of wild birds
other than game. passed in 1880, 1881, 1891
and 1896, have been long enough in force tc
afford some idea of their efficacy and gen.
eral effect.
This novel class of legislation was the
outcome of a variety of circumstances The
| improvement and increasing use of fire
arms, the StrictneSs of game preservation
the zeal for natural history which takes
the form of collecting specimens both OF
birds and their eggs, and last but not
ieast. the encroachment of human popula-
ton and industry on the haunts of wild
foWi, mad rendered certain interesting spe-
cies of birds exceedingly rare, and threat
ened the complete extinction of some OF
them.
The great aux has disappeared forever
not only from the British list but from the
race OF the globe. Timely legislation might
nave saved the race when, during the first
man OF TINS century, a few pairs still lin
gered round the islands of St Kilda and
Papa Westra, and when, as Audubon re-
cords, thousands of nestlings were cut up
annually for bait by the Newfoundland
to interfere. and the great auk-the great
awkward. as 1t might have been ftly named
will never be seen again
W hen. in 1850, Sir John Lubbock first in
Vi
the grievances of our feathered fellow
creatures. he found it far from unsympa-
theuc 1t Is not on record that any hon
orable member shed tears over the fate of
the great aux but a distinct thrill ran
through the assembly when it was told that
the black tern, the avocet, the bittern the
great bustard, the black-tailed godwit and
Saws warbler had already manifested their
disgust at the inhospitable treatment they
had received by ceaSing to lay any eggs
with us, and had become so exceedingly
rare that individuals of these species
aliGhting on their seasonal migration for
"a wash and brush-up," were relentlessly
prosecuted and generally found their way
into some local museum with an obituary
notice in the country paper.
Sir Johns bill, then. found an easy pas
sage through all its stages, and became the
principal act" of which subsequent acts
have been amendments and extensions APP
pended to it was a schedule. containing a
list of wild birds for which close time was
provided, protecting them during the spring
and summer months.
Perhaps the most notable general result
of this act has been the increase of the
common wild duck. Formerly, fiapper-
shooting-the shooting of young ducks as
soon as they were able to ny-was a recog-
nized, though inglorious, form of sport; and
many persons prosecuted the helpless fowl
for gam, finding q ready market for them.
Sir John Lubbock's close-time, extending
from March 10 to August /, practically put
an tllI 70 lHlS IHuuSLEy- anu Wilu-lpWllliS
was restricted to seasons when the birds
are among the wariest and sWiftest of
feathered creatures.
Every bird, however. has to pass through
the stage of an egg, and of eggs the origi-
nal act took no account whatever Now
eggs. or rather eggshells, owing to their
beauty, portability and easy preservation,
have always been faVOrite objects of col
lection. They are sought after not only by
the managers of geological museums. but
they vie with butterflies and moths in the
esteem of multitudes of school boys. Con-
sequently the trade of egg-collecting has
become very brisk; the rarer the egg, the
more diligent the search for it. Not only
so, but British collectors insist on being
supplied with Brftish-laid specimens. An
egg is an egg, one might think; but no-the
egg of golden oriole or hoopoo laid on the
continent may be had for a few pence, but
It is impossible TO say how many Euineas
might be paid for one certified to be taken
in Britain. Regularly organized expedi-
tions used to be sent out each spring from
our great towns to visit remote places on
the coast freuuented by such birds as the
great ssua, Of which only limited num-
her Of pairs remained in existence.
The act of 1894, therefore, was framed to
give protection to the eggs of desirable
SrecieS: but inaSmuch certain BIRDS,
though desirable in limited numbers, mig IL
be undesirable in multitudes, this act, un-
like the original act, did not prescribe a
uniform schedule for the whole kingdom.
Taking advantage of the recently formed
county councils, it empowered these loc-l
pariaments to make provision suitable TO
local circumstances, and to obtain orders,
on due reason shown. from the secretary OF
state prohibiting the taking of eggs of spe-
Gifted kinds of birds within their juriSdic-
ton or if preferred, the taking of all eggs
within strictly defined areas. Further elias
ticity was secured by provision for the linn
tied duration OF such orders, which may be
made to run for one year or more. Power
was also given to extend the close time pro-
iFT,1 MT Of m NJ
included In the schedule of that act, and 20
vary that close time TO cover any part of
the year. or the whole of ii.
County councils have availed themselves
very extensively of their optional powers
under the act of 1894, and already expert
ence has proved the advantage of the dis
cretionary liberty accorded TO them. In the
anxiety TO protect interesting and vanish
ing species protection has been obtained
for certain birds which. were they allowed
to multiply unchecked, would become a
serious nuisance.
Thus the county council of Sutherland oh
tained an order prohibiting the slaughter of
golden eagles which, a few years ago had
become exceedingly rare. Already these no.
BILE birds have increased to such an extent
that sheen farmers are suffering loss in the
matter of lambs Had some persons OBJ
tained their way in 1891 the killing of eagles
or taking their eggs would have been made
penal under an act applying uniformly to
every county in the kingdom, and until that
been had by those who suffered AS mat
tiers stand, the local authority can arrange
for its own needs: as soon as the order eX-
pires eagles will he removed from Its pro-
lection as well as ravens, peregrines and
other birds of ravin which may have be-
come too numerous. No reasonable person
wants to have the air darkened with de-
structive creatures; but most people are in
terested in averting total determination
from any bird In the British list. and the
proper machinery for this purpose seems to
have been provided by parliament
One word to the powers of county
councils TO extend protection to any species
throughout the year. 1t Is a power which
with one exception, ought to be reserved
for special cases, such as the hoopoo,. oriole
ruff and reeve-beautiful birds which come
to our land each year with the intention of
breeding, but are no sooner seen than they
are shot without remorse.
The exception referred to is the lapwine
of which we cannot have too many. because
Of its unfiagging industry in destroying m
furious insects and molluscs on agricultural
land It Is incapable OF doing injury to any,
body and withal, 1t is lovely bird and
provides us with a prodigious harvest of de-
llclous eggs. BY all means let these eggs be
collected. although the action is commenda-
BILE of certain county councils who have fix
ed a date after which these eggs must not
be taken, thus securing protection for the
second layings. But let the destruction of
~ l. HI. h. 4