200 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



1874, thanks to the protection and consideration 

 shown them by the proprietor ; and again return- 

 ing the following year to meet with similar success. 

 Possibly the poor birds were destroyed on migra- 

 tion before a third effort could be made. The fact, 

 however, very clearly proves that there is a normal 

 migration of this species to Britain, and every effort 

 should be made to encourage and protect such 

 handsome, musical, and interesting birds. Their 

 beauty, alas ! is a fatal attraction to every owner 

 of a gun, to every " collector " of British birds ; and 

 until English people show more kindly forbearance, 

 we are afraid the Golden Oriole's attempts to settle 

 amongst us will be futile. 



Next on our warning list comes the Hobby (Falco 

 subhuteo), which, through being a summer visitor 

 only to our English woodlands, is fortunately only 

 exposed for half the time to that wanton persecu- 

 tion so persistently bestowed upon all our indi- 

 genous birds of prey. We have personal knowledge 

 of the ruthless way in which the nests of this Falcon 

 have been robbed over entire districts season after 

 season, to supply certain dealers in birds' eggs, 

 only too eager to meet the demand for British- 

 taken specimens. To this wholesale taking of the 

 eggs must be added the incessant persecution of 



