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freedom, they are far more likely to pass a happy existence than

if subjected to all the risks and torments which untra mmelled

Nature provides for her children.


In the second place, as regards the protection of wild

birds; if those who imagine that the prevention of birdsnesting,

bird-catching, (as practised in Great Britain during the past

century), or even shooting (as practised by ornithologists) is of

any avail, would only study the subject and reflect a little, they

would see that this notion is utterly ridiculous : as well might

they believe that the sands of the sea shore might be exhausted

by the efforts of trippers’ children with their toy pails. Those

who can credit such nonsense can have no conception of the

countless myriads of birds which pass over our Islands ever}' 1

spring, and only pass away from us because we have destroyed

and are still destroying the natural homes in which they once

delighted. By denying the aviculturist the pleasure of studying

British birds in cage and aviary, the peasantry of Italy and Spain

have a few more Nightingales, Robins, Skylarks, and other

sweet singers to eat; but we gain nothing for England excepting

blind faith in an ever receding millennium of bird life. It is

pretty certain that bird life in our country was never so varied

or so prolific as during the Middle Ages, when every male, so

soon as he could toddle, began to make war upon the feathered

family; when every ingenious contrivance for their capture was

used both by day and night throughout the year.


The box-trap which is very effective in the capture of

Blackbirds, Thrushes, and many of the small birds of our

gardens costs about threepence to construct. You get au

ordinary deal box from a grocer for about i£d., taking care that

you get the lid with it. The latter you saw across at about three-

fifths of its length, nailing down the longer length, across the

centre of the underside of the shorter length ; you screw a lath

which projects about half its length behind the wood and is

bevelled off at the end ; the loose portion of lid is then put in

position and hinged with thin leather or even tape tacked on

each side. An ordinary penny wire spring with one end fastened

through the edge of the lid, and the other carried from within

outwards through the side of the box, so as to keep the lid firmly

closed, completes the trap, which then only requires a crutch

with a notch cut in it to be ready for use.


To set the trap the lid is raised, the end of the crutch

rested against the end of the box inside, the fork being under

the opening, the end of the lath which crosses the lid is inserted



