Grey-lag Goose i79 



took the matter up, and passed a Bill insuring their complete 

 immunity through all seasons ; a short, concisely drafted Act, 

 altogether admirable in its conception. It had, however, one 

 fault — it did not become operative until February, 1889, by which 

 time all the Sand-grouse that had escaped being massacred, had left 

 the country ! 



In recent years, the protection of wild birds has been put into 

 the hands of County Councils. On paper this sounds ideal ; a body 

 of local legislators, knowing something of the natural history and 

 needs of the district, and peculiarly able to extend a fostering care 

 to such birds as require it. In practice, nothing could have turned 

 out more disastrously, and the parochial legislation has proved, 

 in fact, considerably more inefficient than the occasional spasmodic 

 efforts by the elect at Westminster. At least, that is my view, 

 based on the knowledge of the working of a number of county orders. 

 I draw your attention to it now, as the county of Inverness (N. and 

 S. Uist being in Invernesshire), especially excepts the Grey-lag 

 Goose from protection in S. Uist.* In Clause 2, in which the Grey- 

 lag is scheduled as a bird protected under the Act of 1880 for the 

 county of Inverness, the following exception is made : " Provided 

 that this Clause shall not apply within the Island of South Uist 

 to the Grey Lag Goose." In almost the last stronghold of this fine 

 bird, protection is refused during the breeding season ! ! In N. 

 Uist, in the same county, where the conditions are precisely similar, 

 though the birds nest in much smaller numbers, protection is 

 afforded ! 



There is no close time in S. Uist during any month of the year 

 for any of the Geese. The White-fronts and Barnacle are shot 

 throughout March and during as much of April as they remain 

 there, and with them the Grey-lag. "j" 



On the east coast of England, and in many parts of Ireland, 

 continual efforts have been made to have the season for Brent — the 

 black, marine-feeding Goose — extended from March ist to March 

 15th. These Geese are a source of great profit to the poor wild- 

 fowler ; their breeding-ground is thousands of miles awa}^ and the}' 

 are often more plentiful in March than in any other month of the 

 year, giving the fowler some chance of recouping himself after a bad 

 season. My sympathies are entirely with the proposed extension. 

 It is recognised as reasonable by an^'one who is cognizant of the facts 

 and of the efforts that have been made, for the past thirty years or 

 more, to open the season for Brent, at any rate to the 15th of March, 

 all without success. The Brent season still closes on March ist, 

 as it has done ever since the Wild Birds' Protection Act came into 

 force in 1880. 



In S. Uist, the law allows anyone to shoot any species of Goose 

 throughout the year. In the case of the Barnacle and White- 



* See the " Wild Birds' Protection Order, County of Inverness," issued on the 31st of 

 May, 191 1. 



I The taking of the eggs of the Grey-lag is prohibited by this Order. — Editor. 



