THE DARTFORD WARBLER 245 



of an immense estate, and he was the bitterest of all 

 in denouncing the scoundrels who came to steal his 

 birds ; and if a law could be made to put an end to 

 such practices he would, he said, be delighted ; but 

 he drew the line at forbidding a man to collect birds 

 on his own property. " No, no ! " he concluded ; 

 " that would be an interference with the liberty of the 

 subject." Then it came out that he was a collector 

 himself, and was very proud of the rare species in 

 his collection ! If I had known that before, I should 

 not have gone out of my way to discuss the subject 

 with him. 



Clearly, then, there is a very strong case for 

 legislation. How strong the case is I am not yet 

 able to show, my means not having enabled me to 

 carry out an intention of discussing the subject 

 with a much greater number of landowners, and of 

 addressing a circular later stating the case to all 

 the landlords and shooting-tenants in the country. 

 That remains to be done ; in the meantine this 

 chapter will serve to bring the subject to the 

 attention of a considerable number of persons who 

 would prefer that our birds should be preserved 

 rather than that they should be exterminated in 

 the interests of a certain number of individuals whose 

 amusement it is to collect such objects. 



