JANUARY 17 



of insect pests and with no fruit or grain-eating pro- 

 pensities whatever, which we allow to be slain each 

 year in increasing numbers. Already in poulterers' 

 shops, not of the first class, may be seen strings of 

 lapwings exposed for sale, and this will continue till far 

 on in next spring. May I make my annual protest 

 against this mischievous traffic? Great Britain has 

 held aloof from the convention of Continental States 

 formed for the protection of birds useful to agriculture. 

 King Edward's Government assumed this attitude on the 

 ground that Parliament had already effected by legisla- 

 tion most of the objects which the Convention has in 

 view. But the continued slaughter of lapwings is 

 altogether at variance with nay, is in direct opposi- 

 tion to the main provisions of the Convention. It is 

 true that powers have been conferred upon county 

 councils enabling them to prohibit the killing, capture, 

 or exposure for sale of lapwings or any other kind of 

 bird at any or every season ; but so long as these 

 powers are not exercised, this senseless slaughter will 

 go on, because, unhappily, there is a ready market for 

 the carcasses of these useful birds. People whose 

 palates are so gross as to be gratified by the flesh of 

 carnivorous birds eat lapwings greedily enough. Why 

 not compel them to be content with their eggs ? seeing 

 that every lapwing destroyed means the preservation of 

 hundreds of noxious insects, such as leather-grubs, 

 wireworms, click-beetles, caterpillars, and the like. 



