274 The Protection of Wild Birds. 



concluded that all are intended; yet gamekeepers 

 destroy owls ruthlessly during the close season 

 without fear of prosecution. The truth of the 

 matter is, that the law has, in most places, been 

 allowed to become practically a dead-letter, owing, 

 we imagine, to the fact that no one is appointed to 

 see that its provisions are enforced, for as usual 

 what is everybody's business is nobody's business, 

 and this is further emphasised by the boldness with 

 which the captures of rare birds during the close 

 season are constantly reported. That close times 

 can be enforced is proved by the fact that coarse 

 fish, which in open waters at all events were until 

 quite recently considered by the multitude fair 

 game at any time, are now most efficiently 

 protected. 



As it is Mr. Pease's intention to remodel his Bill 

 we do not propose to criticise the draft which is 

 now before the public further than by saying that 

 we are at a loss to understand by what principle of 

 selection he decided on " the sixty or seventy kinds 

 of eggs" we quote from his letter to the Times 

 which he proposed " to abandon to the ravages 

 of the birds'-nesting boy," as we have no doubt 

 that if, as is his declared intention, he obtains 

 " the best advice he can," his second schedule will 

 be very materially altered when next his Bill is 

 published. We hope, however, that among the 

 authorities whose advice he proposes to take he 

 does not number his Norfolk correspondent, who 

 is responsible for the startling statement that in 



