56 The Oologists' Record, September 1, 1923. 



There is no definition of the word " plumage." Supposing a 

 person is found in possession of the feather of a Red-backed Shrike, 

 has he to run the risk of an inquisition, because he picked it up ? 



The Bill does not define the word " Nest." Space does not 

 permit me to deal fully with this point, which is not so simple as 

 the Bill would imply. 



A very grave omission in the Bill is the want of definition of the 

 word " disturb." Now what does this word mean ? Does it mean 

 that it will not be prudent for a person to go birds nesting, find and 

 examine with care, the nest of a bird placed in Categories L and 

 IT, even although he may not take an egg ? Does it mean that 

 if a certain bird flew off its nest when looked at, that it would be a 

 punishable offence ? Does it mean that people who go in for bird 

 and nest photography would no longer dare to do so in safety ? 

 Thismaynot be an unmixed blessing as there isno doubt that frequent 

 visits to the nest have caused many a rare bird to forsake. May 

 a person take an egg out of a nest, look at it and place it back again ? 

 If this is not so, future generations will be quite unable to distinguish 

 one species of birds' eggs from another. 



I think it is probable that the police courts will have many more 

 cases to settle and in addition the courts of appeal be kept fairly 

 busy. 



The Bill would appear to render a farmer and his workmen 

 liable to be prosecuted for disturbing the nest of a landrail, even 

 if they do not know exactly where the nest is situated, and this 

 notwithstanding the necessity of cutting a field of grass. 



As for the owners or occupiers of land adjoining a road, they, and 

 the County Councils, will have to consider the advisability of con- 

 tinuing, or otherwise, the practice of trimming the fences and ditches 

 on the road sides, and they will be faced with the alternative of 

 a summons for allowing the same to become a nuisance or cutting 

 the fences and herbage and then being summoned for disturbing 

 the nest of a particular species. 



Do the authors of the Bill quite realize what they are attempting 

 to carry out, or what will be the effect of the Bill, if left as it is ? 



The suggested bonds and penalties, as pointed out in the debate 

 in the Lords, appear to be unnecessarily heavy. 



Fond as we may be of country life and grateful as we may be 

 to Lord Grey and those associated with him for taking up this 

 subject, let us have reason in all things, but above all do not let 



