INTRODUCTION. 13 
PROTECTION. 
In Cheshire, as in most parts of England, the Wild 
Birds Protection Act of 1880 was practically a dead 
letter, hardly any attempt being made by the local 
authorities to enforce the law. Taking advantage, 
however, of the powers conferred by the Act of 1894, 
the Cheshire County Council applied for an order for 
extended protection, which was granted on July 10th, 
1895. This order enacted that the close time, which by 
the Act of 1880 existed from March Ist to July 31st, 
should be extended to August 12th, and that through- 
out the whole of the county the Kestrel and Heron 
should be afiorded the protection enjoyed by the 
specially scheduled birds. Further, that within a 
specified area, lying between Birkenhead and Meols, 
which included the shoreline and sandhills, the follow- 
ing birds should be classed with those in the schedule 
of the Act of 1880:—Red-backed Shrike, Whinchat, 
Spotted Flycatcher, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Grass- 
hopper Warbler, Wood Warbler, Garden Warbler, 
Mistle Thrush, Common Bunting, Reed Bunting, Gold- 
finch, Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Golden-crested Wren, 
Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, and Titlark. 
The taking or destroying of the eggs of all wild birds 
was prohibited in this prescribed area, and the eggs of 
Owls, the Bittern, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Heron, Sheld 
Duck, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Common Tern, and 
Oyster-catcher received protection throughout the 
county. 
On March Ist, 1897, a further order, based on the 
additional powers conferred by the Act of 1896, was 
issued, which prohibited the taking or killing of the 
Kingfisher, Great Crested Grebe, Heron, Goldfinch, and 
