172 PROTECTION AGAINST INSECTS. 



which goldcrests and wrens frequent should be ascertained, and 

 the birds fed there. 



(v) Forest-litter should not be removed from March till 

 July, as many useful birds nidify on the ground, or close to 

 it, and would be disturbed. 



(vi) Birdsnesting and the trapping or killing of useful birds 

 should not be allowed. 



In continental forests, enormous numbers of thrushes, field- 

 fares and similar birds are caught every year in the autumn 

 and winter by means of horse-hair nooses attached to the 

 trees. Wherever such bird-catching is allowed, the open 

 season should be limited to the period between the 1st of 

 October and the 1st of February. 



Legal enactments to protect useful birds are necessarily 

 made by the State, and should be properly enforced. 



A convention, dated 19th March, 1902, has been made for 

 the protection of useful birds between all the principal 

 countries in Europe, except the United Kingdom, Holland, 

 Belgium, Bussia, and Norway. The Wild Birds Protection 

 Act became law for the United Kingdom in 1880. It has 

 since been slightly amended in 1881, 1894, 1896, and in 1902. 

 As the destruction of vermin in country districts, the curtail- 

 ment of the area of cultivation, and the protection afforded by 

 the Act to wild birds have upset the balance of Nature bull- 

 finches, starlings, blackbirds, thrushes, and sparrows do much 

 harm, especially in orchards. Except, however, for a scheduled 

 list of rare birds, that no one may kill during a close time, 

 owners and occupiers of land and persons authorised by them 

 may kill other birds during the close time. 



Reptiles and Amphibia. 



Toads, frogs, and lizards are very useful as insect and slug 

 destroyers, especially in gardens and forest nurseries, but 

 they are not nearly so numerous as useful birds and mammals. 

 Snakes and slow-worms are also useful, but the poisonous 

 adder (Pclias berus, L.) will naturally not be protected. 

 Adders are found all over Europe, in brushwood and on 

 sunny slopes among stones. They feed chiefly on mice 

 and moles. 



