18 



beginning of August* ; while to export skins or eggs of any bird 

 without permission is forbidden. f There are also in Cyprus 

 several areas in which birds are absolutely protected, though the 

 killing of birds and taking of eggs may be allowed even in these 

 areas by the High Commissioner for scientific objects. J 



GREAT BRITAIN. 



The chief laws on the subject in Great Britain will shortly be 

 referred to. It is sufficient here to say that we have now in force, 

 apart from Game Laws, Statutes of 1880, 1881, 1894, 1896, 1902, 

 two of 1904§ and one of 1908, in addition to endless County 

 Protection Orders and the enactments of the local legislative 

 bodies of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. 1 1 



On paper the number of laws to ensure the protection of birds 

 in Europe appears perfectly astounding. If we except Turkey, 

 Greece and the Balkan States, the subject has everywhere been 

 more or less seriously treated by legislation, and this has been 

 especially the case in Central Europe. In practice, however, birds 

 cannot be considered adequately protected in the southern parts 

 of the Continent, and any laws which exist there seem to be 

 " more honoured in the breach than the observance." 



CLOSE TIME PROTECTION TO BIRDS. 



The idea of protecting birds by the establishment of a close 

 season is by no means modern. It originated with sportsmen, 

 who long ago recognised the fact that unless the objects of chase 

 were allowed to reproduce their kind without interference, sport 

 would soon be either seriously curtailed or would entirely cease. 



It is not within the restricted scope of this treatise to consider 

 the historical side of the question of bird-protection, though it is 

 interesting to note that a close season was first established in 

 England as far back as the reign of Henry VIII. by an Act " to 



* Act of 1883 (No. 2). f Act of 1904 (No. 13). J Act of 189.5 (No. 3). 



§ These two Acts of 1904 are not of any very general importance ; the first 

 made the use of the pole-trap illegal, while the second has enabled 

 protection to be given in the Island of St. Kilda to the eggs of the 

 insular form of Wren and the Fork-tailed Petrel. 



!| In Jersey an Act of 1879 protects sea-birds and forbids their sale or 

 transport from 1st April to 1st August ; and Gulls may not at any 

 time be destroyed. In the Isle of Man an Act of 1868 prohibits the 

 killing of all Gulls and the taking of their eggs (" Gulls " includes the 

 Gannet, Shag, Guillemot and Skua). Another Act of 1887 makes a 

 general close time for all wild birds and extends protection to their 

 eggs and nests from 1st February to 1st September, and forbids nets, 

 snares or traps being at any time used to take them. 



