INTRODUCTION. Xlll. 



Pheasants, would be abundantly compensated by the pleasure 

 of watching the graceful soaring flight of the more noble birds of 

 prey. The fox has long been spared : why should not these birds 

 be' allowed equal immunity ? Indeed, there seems to be some 

 faint hope on the horizon of humanity, that as the test of a good 

 gamekeeper is said to be the abundance of hares he can produce, 

 the good keeper of the future will be known by the abundance of 

 rare and interesting birds he can encourage. Every true lover of 

 birds must devoutly wish that it may be so. 



No birds that haunt my valley free, 



To slaughter I condemn ; 

 Taught by the Power that pities me, 



I learn to jjity them. 



The preservation of our wild birds has, happily, been very 

 greatly promoted by some recent Acts of Parliament. The Gun 

 License Act of 1870 {^:^ and 34 Vic, chap. 57), which imposed a 

 duty of ten shillings on every one carrying a gun, has acted most 

 beneficially for the protection of the smaller birds, whose habits 

 and songs add so much pleasure and interest to country life ; and 

 the Wild Birds' Protection Acts, passed in 1872 (35 and 36 Vic, 

 chap. 78), and also in 1880 (43 and 44 Vic, chap. 35), have also 

 rendered great service. 



The long-continued severe weather of the winter of 1880-1 

 following, as it did, the sharp frost of 1879-80, proved very 

 destructive to bird life ; and great numbers were picked up dead 

 in all directions. It was found also in the summer of 1881, that 

 it had been very fatal to our summer visitors, not only to the 

 Warblers, and more delicate birds, but also to the Swifts, Swallows 

 and Martins, whose migratory habits might have been expected to 

 have enabled them to get beyond its influence. The scarcity of 

 birds in our woods and fields in 1881 was very marked; but, 

 happily, the subsequent mild winters, and the beneficial operation 

 of the Acts of Parliament mentioned above, have already done 

 much to repair the loss. 



The same severe winter froze up the little pools, and brought 

 great quantities of Water-fowl to the more open waters of the Wye 



