THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN SCOTLAND 149 



clear to you, I shall be willing to give you any further 

 information or explanation you may desire. I am personally 

 most anxious, with your kind co-operation, to give the 

 proposed scheme a fair and reasonable trial, say for four or 

 five years, because I believe it is in this way that the admin- 

 istration of these protective Acts can be made to show the 

 most satisfactory results. I am, dear Sir, etc., 



BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH. 

 Circular No. 287. 



WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACTS. 



SCOTTISH OFFICE, 

 WHITEHALL, S.W., iS(/i April 1898. 



Sir, With reference to previous correspondence, including the 

 circular letter of the 2nd November 1894, No. 204, addressed to 

 you from this office, I am directed to request that you will call the 

 attention of the County Council of to the 



present mode in which the Wild Birds Protection Acts are being 

 administered, with a view of considering whether it would not be 

 advantageous to adopt a general scheme under which Scotland should 

 be divided into districts, consisting of groups of Counties, so as to 

 enable the Secretary for Scotland, upon application by the Council 

 of any County, to grant an Order bringing the County within a par- 

 ticular group. 



2. The powers conferred by the Wild Birds Protection Acts, 

 1880-96, bearing directly on the question, may be briefly summarised 

 as follows : 



(a) The provision in the Act of 1880 for the extension or 

 variation of the close-time for all wild birds by order of 

 the Secretary for Scotland upon the application of County 

 Councils. 



(ft) The provisions in the Act of 1894 enabling the Secretary for 

 Scotland, upon the application of County Councils, to 

 grant Orders prohibiting the taking and destroying of the 

 eggs of wild birds throughout the whole County, and of 

 the eggs of any specified birds within particular areas, and 

 also for adding further species of birds to the schedule of 

 the Act of 1880. 



(c) The provision in the Act of 1896 enabling the Secretary for 

 Scotland to grant Orders, upon the application of the 

 County Councils, for the extension of the close-time for 

 particular kinds of birds, or for all wild birds in particular 

 places. 



