34 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



midst. The gunner should be restrained, the bird- 

 catcher warned off, even the collector forbidden. 

 Legislation on behalf of our vanishing birds has 

 been most beneficial, and might, of course, be of 

 greater service ; but we would rather see our 

 favourites preserved by sentiment and kindly 

 feeling than protected by Act of Parliament. We 

 should like to see lessons on the uses and economy 

 of birds becom.e part of our national education, 

 and kindness to birds inculcated and fostered in 

 every school in the land. 



On the other hand, as a set-oflf against the many 

 interesting species that we have lost for ever, it is 

 gratifying to know that the spread of cultivation 

 and the improvement of waste land, so disastrous 

 to the larger birds, has favoured the increase and 

 dispersal of considerable numbers of the smaller 

 species. Many of these latter birds are songsters 

 of varying merit, and these have followed the 

 horticulturist and the agriculturist, so that many 

 districts are now made glad with song which 

 formerly were silent. The boom of the Bittern 

 has died away with the disappearance of marsh 

 and fen ; the song of the Passere is heard in its 

 place. This, in a measure, is some compensation 

 for our loss. In some districts, however, many of 



