THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS 241 



on this brook during summer ; but as regularly as 

 the birds arrive they have been caught, immediately 

 killed, and sold to the first customer who would take 

 them at the price one shilling and sixpence each ! 

 There is always a ready sale for birds of such fine 

 plumage among publicans. In many public-houses 

 of North London, cases of kingfishers can be seen, 

 and the greater part have been caught on the 

 suburban stream to which I have referred. All 

 persons who buy birds which they know to have 

 been caught in a protected district ought to be 

 held responsible and heavily fined. They should 

 certainly suffer punishment similar to that to which 

 the bird-catcher would be liable if he was caught 

 in the act. Such persistent extermination of a rare 

 species is a disgrace to the county of Middlesex, 

 while, at the same time, the countryside is being 

 robbed of one of its principal charms. If a few 

 of these men were taken, as could easily be done, 

 and were made a severe example of, it would check, 

 if it did not actually stop, bird-catching in the entire 

 district. The news that a bird-catcher has been fined 

 or imprisoned spreads amongst the fraternity very 

 rapidly, the effect being correspondingly wholesome. 

 I know from experience that that would be the surest 

 and quickest way to protect our feathered songsters ; 

 but when these men are allowed to " work " fields 

 and streams day after day, as they are doing in parts 

 Q 



