150 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



3. I am to point out that an Order under (a) extending the close- 

 time in Shetland has been issued by the Secretary for Scotland, but, 

 with this exception, all the Orders made upon the application of 

 County Councils have been under (b] of the aforesaid provisions. 

 The administrative area for the purpose of these Orders, with one 

 exception, has always been the County. 



4. It appears to His Lordship that the larger the area within 

 which identical Orders can be made applicable the easier it will be 

 found to administer the law, because all concerned can more readily 

 make themselves acquainted with the provisions of the Orders in 

 force for the protection of birds and their eggs. But, with the 

 exception of the Counties of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Wigtown, 

 in which an identical list of protected birds is now in force, there has 

 hitherto been a complete want of uniformity in the Orders applied 

 for even by adjoining Counties. 



5. Lord Balfourof Burleigh has accordingly been led to consider 

 whether it might not be desirable to form districts and to frame a 

 model list of birds for each district which would meet the case of 

 a larger number of Counties than it seems probable could by any 

 other means be found working in co-operation. 



6. As the result of a careful consideration of the whole subject 

 both from the administrative and the ornithological point of view, 

 and in the light of the experience gained in the past four years, the 

 Secretary for Scotland has come to the conclusion that the best plan 

 to secure a really effective administration of these Acts would be to 

 divide Scotland into two districts, Northern and Southern, in the 

 manner indicated by the red line on the accompanying map 

 (Appendix II.). 



7. Following upon this the Secretary for Scotland has considered 

 what birds are in need of special protection, and is advised that the 

 list, of which a copy (Appendix I.) is annexed, comprises all the 

 birds which it is needful to protect in the Northern and Southern 

 districts respectively. 



8. The list shows (i) what birds should receive protection in 

 both districts: (2) what additional birds should be protected in the 

 Northern district ; and (3) what additional birds should be protected 

 in the Southern district, by Orders under the Act of 1894. 



9. It is obvious that although certain rare or local species do not 

 breed in all the Counties of one or the other of the districts, yet from 

 the fact that they breed, in most instances, in Counties not far re- 

 moved, it is suggested that it would be expedient to protect them in 

 all the Counties of the district, in the hope that under such combined 

 protection they may possibly become more numerous and extend 

 their range. This course would prevent their being killed during 

 their visits to Counties which are not far removed from their breeding 

 areas. And there is the additional reason already indicated that the 

 larger the area over which one uniform Order can be put in force the 





