Thrushes is permitted up to the end of the hunting season. The 

 right is reserved to owners and occupiers of destroying the birds' 

 eggs and young in their estabhshments and gardens.* The 

 Minister of Agriculture can grant special permits for scientific 

 objects or for the advantage of certain localities, but he must 

 define the duration of the authority and specify the appUances 

 which may be used.f 



In a Circular Letter which was sent to the Grovernors of the 

 various Provinces by the IMinister of Agriculture, J it was explained 

 that this Article could be utfiised not only for work for scientific 

 objects, but also for " la tenderie aux ortolans," and to enable 

 certain birds to be destroyed, such as Sparrows, Starhngs, Wood- 

 pigeons and Rooks in cases where their numbers are so great as to 

 become a local danger to gardens, orchards and fields. 



In addition to fines for infringement of the law, it is provided 

 that traps and appHances illegally used are to be confiscated,§ 

 and so are the birds illegally killed or taken or exposed for sale.|| 

 It is worth noticing that there is no pro\'ision for the confiscation 

 of eggs taken in contravention of the law. 



HOLLAND. 



In the Netherlands the chief law is that of 1880^ for the Protec- 

 tion of Animals useful for Agriculture and Forestry, as amended 

 by the law of 1886.** It is proliibited to catch, kill, remove, sell 

 or offer for sale, dehver, or have in stock for sale or dehvery, 

 any birds useful to agriculture or forestry. It is further forbidden 

 to collect, destroy, carry away, or deal in the eggs of protected 

 birds, or to destroy or disturb their nests. 



Exemption from the penalties for the infringement of the law 

 is given to the o\\aier and occupier of isolated properties {i.e., 

 gardens or fields surrounded by a substantial wall, fence, hedge or 

 ditch). 



This law of 1880 also provides that the birds and eggs taken and 

 aU articles used for the commission of any detected offence shall be 

 confiscated, and captured birds, if aHve, are to be set at hberty.ft 

 The punishments are fines of fifty cents to twenty guldens. 

 A repetition of the offence ^-ithin two years, or repeated offences, 

 may be dealt A^dth by doubhng the maximum fine or by imprison- 

 ment for from one to seven days. 



By the combined operation of further enactments J{ certain birds 



* Article 5. f Article 7. '% Dated the 16th August, 1906. 



§ Article 8. || Article 9. ^ 25th May, 1880 (Staatsblad, No. 89). 



** 15th April, 1886 (Sect. 64). ft Article 7. Jt These are 



laws of 24th October, 1892 (Sect. 236) ; 9th June, 1893 (Sect. 87) ; 

 14th April, 1898 (Sect. 105) ; 3rd February, 1902 (Sect, 15). 



