THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN ESSEX. 



AT this sprint^ season of the year, whe i ''the time of the singing 

 of birds is come," the attention of those interested in 

 the preservation of our native fauna may again be usefully 

 called to the important consolidated "Orders" of the 

 Secretary of State, which now run in tlie County of Essex. 

 We summarised these orders, and printed in full the various 

 schedules accompanying them, ui the Essex N.^turalist for 

 April-June, 1897 (\'ol. \., pp. 133-136). As was there stated, 

 the effect of these orders is to establish some of the largest 

 protected areas in England. 



(1). In tlie first place, under the orders, every luiid of K<ildhivd fi-equcnting the 

 (ipeii 01- ptihlic lands In the Cuiiiily is absolutely protected between the 

 15th of March and the 15th of August (both days inclusive). 

 (2). The scheduled birds are protected on all uinds, public or private, between 



the dates mentioned. 

 (3). Within the Metropolitan Police District, the (',i,';^s of birds mentioned 

 in one of the schedules (see p. 134, vol. x., E.N.), are absolutely 

 protected ivhether found on public or private land. 

 (4). Within the Metropolitan Police District above mentioned, or within 

 the parishes of Epping, Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, Theydon 

 Garnon, and Lambourne, the birds mentioned in another of the 

 schedules [ante, vol. x,, p. 133), are protected between the 15th 

 of August and the 15th of March folio wmg. These scheduled 

 birds in this area are consequently absolutely protected all the year 

 round. 

 (5). The Eggs of any Wild Birds found on the foreshores of the coast and 

 tidal inlets extending from Harwich Lighthouse to Shoeburyness are 

 absolutely protected. 

 In addition to the above orders, absolute protection all tlie 

 year round, is afforded to all blnh and their eggs occurring in 

 the Forest lands officially under the care of the Corporation of 

 London. 



And, finally, the owners of certain estates bordering the 

 Forest have agreed, by joining .\Ir. E. N, Buxton's " Epping 

 Forest Bird Protection League" (E.N. ix., pp. 49-51), to protect 

 all the Owls and Hawks (excepting the Sparrow-hawk), the 

 Magpie, Peewit, Heron, and the Kingfisher, within their lands, 

 an area amounting in the whole, with the official forest, to 

 about 20,000 acres. 



As we have frequentl)' pleaded, these Wild Bird Acts and 

 Orders refjuire drastic re\ision ; the schedules in particular, are 



