142 A BIRD COLLECTOR’S MEDLEY. 
of July, and County Councils have powers to extend this close season in 
their counties, and to protect special birds throughout the year. 
Before discussing the working of these measures, I would lay it down 
as an axiom that all such laws, to be effective, must be supported by a 
certain amount of public sympathy, and that, too, the sympathy of the 
men on the spot, and, above all, of the better type of amateur collector; he 
perhaps can do more than anyone else to aid or nullify them. As matters 
now stand, both collectors and professional fowlers are for all practical 
purposes agreed in upholding the law. They recognize that it is for the 
common good that the birds, while breeding, should be protected. But there 
has been, especially on the coast, much ill feeling aroused by the extension 
of the close season in some counties to August. The collector feels that 
his chance, small as it was, of securing a summer-plumaged Wader has been 
much reduced; the fowler, noticing that Duck and Snipe, which frequent 
the fresh marshes of the neighbouring landowner, may now be shot, while 
his Curlew or Whimbrel must be left severely alone, can hardly be blamed 
for suggesting that this is a case of one law for the rich and another for 
the poor; while the villager who was accustomed to provide lodgings for 
collectors finds himself suddenly docked of what he had come to regard as a 
regular part of his income, and the local tradesman also sees his profits 
seriously curtailed. In fact, the village is hit all round, and but for the 
fact that bicycling has lately opened up these districts and thereby increased 
the number of casual August holiday-seekers, the outcry would have been 
far greater than it is. 
Letters have recently appeared in the papers, from well-meaning but, 
I think, misguided bird-lovers, suggesting that September also should be 
included in the close time. For this proposal there is practically nothing to 
be said. By the time August is out quite sufficient birds have passed south 
to provide a breeding stock for next year, and the remainder may well 
be left to take their chance. Again, if the collector is to be driven away 
from the villages in September, very real hardship will be inflicted on 
their inhabitants. He is the only person who goes there so late; the 
ordinary tripper has found his way back to town; and, lastly, the seashore is 
the poor man’s natural hunting-ground. Why, while his rich neighbours are 
shooting their Partridges, should he be deprived of a sport not one whit 
inferior to theirs? While, if it comes to mere sentimentality, I suppose 
a Partridge feels a shot as much as a Wader does. As for the rarities, 
even now it is easy enough, if one wants to do it, to bribe local shooters 
to get them in the close season; and if September is included, no doubt 
