Utility and Egenomy of Birds 
owners of PHEASANTS were expected to kill 
off their birds as far as possible before the 
end of the season, so that they might not 
live to feed on the growing grain of the 
following harvest (Daily Mail, 12.1.17). In 
spite of these restrictions it 1s remarkable 
that, some months later, not a few persons 
were prosecuted for feeding hand-reared 
PHEASANTS on corn (Globe, 4.v.17). On 
February 13th, 1917, it was stated officially 
in Parliament that it had been decided that 
occupiers of agricultural land should have a 
concurrent right of killing PHEASANTs on the 
same lines that they had in respect of ground 
game, without any limitation as regards a 
close time for breeding (Daily Mail, 14.11.17). 
Thereupon ensued a literary warfare in the 
newspapers as to whether the PHEASANT was 
more useful to the farmer as an insect killer 
than harmful as a grain eater. On February 
23rd and March 13th and 30th were issued 
orders, known as ‘‘ The Destruction of PHEA- 
SANTS Orders,’’ under the Defence of the Realm 
Regulations, that the Board of Agriculture 
might (with a view to preventing or reducing 
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