PROTECTION OF OWLS' EGGS 129 



the house, it is situated on the side farthest 

 away from that occupied by the servants' 

 offices. 



That kingfishers are capable of destroying fish 

 is indisputable, but they should be surely free of 

 every stream in Britain. No true English sports- 

 man would ever think of harming them. The 

 man that can do so ought to be ostracised from 

 the society of all decent Englishmen. 



Since commencing this portion of the present 

 work, I am delighted to be able to inform my 

 readers that I have received information that in 

 Oxfordshire steps are being taken to procure pro- 

 tection for the eggs of the owls in that county 

 during the nesting season, and I trust ere long to 

 have the opportunity of examining the list. It 

 is sincerely to be hoped that other counties, if 

 they have not already done so, may follow this 

 example. Should this happen, the new Act 

 will be indeed welcomed by all lovers of birds, 

 by none more so than myself ; but it will be 

 necessary for those in authority to see that the 

 notices are properly posted in every village ; 

 that they are protected from injury ; and that a 

 penalty is not only threatened, but enforced in 

 every instance in which they are defaced. At 

 present the annual notice of the former Act, 

 which relates to the protection of wild-birds, 

 is not always properly posted in our villages, in 

 some not at all. 



As I have endeavoured to show, the majority 



9 



