The Annals 



of 



Scottish Natural History 



NO. 33] 1900 [JANUARY 



A FEW NOTES ON THE WORKING OF THE 

 WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACT (1894) 



By WILLIAM BERRY, B.A., LL.B. 



THE Wild Birds Protection Act of 1894 has now been in 

 operation within one district of Fifeshire for three complete 

 seasons. Even after such a short period as this, though great 

 results cannot yet be looked for, some distinct effect and 

 improvement are already to be seen ; and it may be interesting, 

 such as they are, to have them recorded in the ' Annals.' 



The district referred to lies in the north-east of the 

 county, and is known as the ' Tentsmuir ' ; about a third 

 of it has been under the writer's pretty constant supervision 

 since the autumn of I 890. For some time before that this 

 moor, which is naturally very attractive to many species of 

 wild birds, had not been sufficiently watched or protected, 

 and in the absence of this had become a happy hunting- 

 ground for egg-gatherers, who regularly searched it for eggs, 

 and gathered every egg they could find. Most of the eggs 

 were doubtless boiled for food if fairly fresh, or thrown away 

 and destroyed if much incubated, though the egg-gatherers 

 as a class are not very fastidious ; but boxes were also 

 regularly despatched by rail to collectors and dealers in 

 33 B 



