10 



taking larks with a mirror at migration season* after the close of 

 the time for general sport, but during the time appointed by the 

 Prefect for the taking of birds of passage, it is no defence to prove 

 that he was taking a migrating species in the season appointed 

 for that purpose, unless the Lark is specifically mentioned as a 

 bird of passage in the Prefect's regulation. f 



On the 30th June, 1903, another law was passed approving 

 of the terms of the Paris Convention. " Le president de la 

 Republique est authorise a ratifier et, s'il y a heu, a faire executer 

 la Convention." Since this date more interest seems to have been 

 taken in the subject, and, as already stated, a good many Prefects 

 have issued decrees prohibiting the kilhng, taking, export, 

 import, hawking and sale of certain birds deemed useful to agri- 

 culture. One of such Departmental Decrees is now before us, 

 and well repays study. J It is most complete in its provisions. 

 It fixes the periods and methods of chase relating to water- 

 game and birds of passage ; contains a Hst of protected birds, 

 which includes, besides those named specifically, all small birds 

 of a size inferior to that of the Quail, Thrush or Blackbird ; 

 extends protection to the eggs, nests and young of the protected 

 species, and prohibits the placing of traps§ of any kind for the 

 purpose of taking birds " en masse." The decree further gives 

 a hst of birds which are to be considered harmful, and contains 

 regulations as to their destruction by the owners and occupiers 

 of the properties affected, who may obtain special permits to 

 shoot Sparrows in cases where this bird— which is not included 

 in the hst of harmful species — causes " par sa surabondance un 

 reel dommage a 1' agriculture." Sparrows, however, which have 

 been thus destroyed may not be sold. 



Hunting birds at a prohibited time and the use of prohibited 

 implements are punishable by fines ranging from fifty to tw^o 

 hundred francs and in addition by imprisonment from six days 

 to two months. II 



SWITZERLAND. 



In Switzerland the law for protecting useful birds is very 

 definite and stringent. For a good many years past the subject 



* For the use of mirrors to attract Larks in England see Pennant's British 

 Zoology, Vol. I., pp. 299-300. The mirror is also used for this purpose 

 in Italy and in Russia, as well as in France. 



t Decided by the Court of Rennes on 20th May, 1863 ; reported in Dalloz, 

 1865, p. 71. 



J The Decree for the Department of the Seine of the 19th August, 1907. 



§ This article of the Decree in question (9) only prohibits " la pose " of 

 traps. Article 3 of the Convention of 1902 prohibits " la pose et 

 Temploi " ; apart from this difference the two articles are identical. 



II Law of 1844, Article 12. 



