52 



ITALY, 



No less than twelve different kinds of licences for different 

 kinds of fowling are sold, ranging in price from 6 lire, for carrying 

 about a decoy bird and limed twigs, to 100 lire, for every hectare 

 of ground occupied by springes and nooses and for flight nets 

 along the sea shore. The licence to carry a firearm costs 18 lire; 

 other permits cost respectively 15, 20, 25 and 40 lire, and their 

 sale brings in a considerable revenue to the Government. The 

 President of each " Deputazione provinciale " issues every 

 summer the rules for the following season, specifying the dates 

 of close time for various species. These rules, which seem 

 based on the agreement of 1875 between Italy and Austria, 

 are printed on posters and exposed in certain pubhc offices ; 

 and they differ in each Province as to dates and details. There 

 is no doubt that the compilers of the laws, the " Deputazione," 

 are accessible to the mayors of the communes ; who, in their 

 turn, do their utmost to maintain their popularity with their 

 electors ; and these latter are the sportsmen against whose 

 excessive sport the laws are framed. In the Province of Naples 

 the close season for 1908 was April 1 to August 31, but Quail 

 were excepted until the end of May ; and " birds of passage " 

 until the end of July along the seashore and on uncultivated 

 lands ; the object being presumably to protect the crops from 

 trespassers whilst granting the fullest possible licence to sports- 

 men. The taking of nests of any kind is forbidden at any time 

 and place ; also the killing of Swallows and Swifts, and the use 

 of nooses, trammels, and certain kinds of nets. A reward is 

 promised the poHce and customs officers for the greatest number 

 of convictions of illegalities. 



The follo^ving is a translation of the laws prescribed for 1907 

 in the Province of Porto Maurizio, and may be taken as a fair 

 sample of any of the others : — 



1. The caccia is prohibited on the territories of this province from 

 February 1 to August 31, 1907, both days inclusive. Exceptions : The 

 pursuit, with the gun only, of Quail, Turtle Dove, Ortolan, and of Lapwing, 

 Thick-Knee, and other waders, as also of aquatic birds and birds of passage, 

 will be permitted along the banks of rivers and streams beyond the 2 kilo- 

 metres of the seashore. For Ortolans permission remains to use the 

 " retina," clap net and trench. The pursuit of Thrushes, with the gun 

 only, is allowed vmtil March 31 inclusive. 



2. The taking of Orioles at a fixed spot will be permitted from August 1. 

 The fowler must declare the stand he intends to take up two days before- 

 hand at the Commimal Office. Whoso is found exercising the pursuit 

 away from this spot, or off roads or beaten tracks, will be punished according 

 to law. 



3. FowHng with limed twigs, either stationary or ambulatory, is per- 

 mitted from October 1 to November 30 (tree and decoy for robins). 



