Birds as Food 



Scotland made similar provision for that 

 country. In Ireland, however, August I2th 

 was still adhered to as the opening day for 

 GROUSE shooting. On July 22nd a deputa- 

 tion from the National Farmers' Union of 

 Scotland was received by the Board of Agri- 

 culture in Edinburgh on the subject of 

 damage done to crops by winged GAME, and, 

 in view of the approaching harvest, it was 

 promised that the matter should receive 

 immediate attention (Dumfries and Galloway 

 Standard, 24.vii.i8). It may be noted that 

 in America the protection of the upland 

 game-birds was discussed, in New York in 

 1918, at the fourth National Conference of 

 the Game Protection Association. A shorter 

 open season and the provision of sanctuaries 

 were the outcome of the discussion, which 

 was prompted by the desire to increase the 

 food-supply (New York Times, April 1918). 

 Although this cannot be regarded entirely as 

 a war measure, it is another demonstration of 

 the systematic manner in which the economic 

 value of birds is considered by our American 

 allies : Utinam sic omnes. 



57 



