CAMl". AND r.lRD PROTKCTION. 529 



partmeiit exists, termed the Royal Hungarian Bureau of < )rnitho- 

 logy. This has been for years under the direction, of Dr. ( )tto 

 Herman, who has made migration his s])ecial stud}-. The 

 bureau issues a comprehensive annual re])ort dealing with the 

 migration of birds in Hungary; the food of birds, which receives 

 the s])ecial study of a cou])le of the assistants, or statt; the pro- 

 gress of bird protection, etc. The members of the staff collect 

 an enormous amount of data as to the insects and other food 

 eaten by birds with a view to obtaining an accurate insight into 

 the economic value of birds in regard to agriculture — T'/r., the 

 S]:»ecies of noxious insects and harmful weed-seeds which the 

 birds eat — and so the exact status of each birvl in relation to 

 agriculture is eventually arrived at. Not only are birds of un- 

 doubted or proved economic value ])rotected by lav;, but all .-orts 

 of devices are adopted for their increase and well-being — as. for 

 instance, food shelters in win.ter, where the bii-ds may obtain 

 both shelter and a regular supply of food placed at their dis- 

 posal bv man ; artificial nesting ])laces in the sha|)e of hollow 

 boxes, hollow trunks, etc. 



In concluding my ])aper, let me (|Uote the following iiara- 

 graph from the interesting book, " P.irds Useful and Ilarmful," 

 by Dr. Otto Herman and Mr. J. A. ( )wen : 



Tlie question of usefulness and noxiousness of l)irds durinii the 

 nhole of the Nineteenth Century was treated only approximately upon 

 the assertions of authorities. When, later on, Congresses JK-gan to 

 embrace the cattse of bird-protection and the question of the usefulness 

 and noxiousness of each :-pccies assumed a r(Jle of tlie lir^t importance, 

 it turned out that there was no firm basis upon which tu rel.\-. in passing 

 jud.^nient. Eminent ornithologists were often at variance wiili re.uard 

 to the usefulness or noxiousness of a particular species. 



Where Nature is intact, the number of l)irds is autumatically regu- 

 lated in accordance with the natural development of their surroundings. 



The conception of "Useful" and "Noxious" are merely human 

 ■ones, and man can. by cultivation, or the contrary, alter tlie normal con- 

 ditions, and may consequently, modify the character and habits of birds 

 also. Agriculttire on a large scale, modern forestry, the draining of 

 territory — all these things alter the fundamental conditions of animal life 

 and in consequence of bird life also: and if these modifications in 

 respect to birds are injurious to man. it is in tlie interests of man to 

 iidai^t them artificiallx- for the benefit of birds; and if 1)v cultivation, 

 man deprives useful liirds of their natural nesting f.acilities. lie o'.-:ght 

 to provide them with artificial ones. 



Tobacco Ash. — In view of the serious shortage of 

 potash com;)ounds, which is now being experienced all over the 

 world. Mr. B. A. Burrell draws attention in the Cliciiiical !\'c-u's 

 to the fact that the tobacco and cigars consumed in the United 

 Kingdom during the course of a year yield a total of about 

 13,400 tons of ash, cf ntaining 2,672 tons of potash, or the erjui- 

 valent of 21.376 tons of kainit, a quantity worth £51,000 before 

 the war, and now worth three times as much. He therefore 

 urges the organised collection of tlie tobacco ash which is now 

 T3eing wasted. 



F 



