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to the books dealing with this subject, especially those mentioned 

 in the note.* 



The principle of utilitarianism has taken such a strong hold on all 

 classes of society nowadays, that many intelligent people have found 

 that, much to their regret, they must begin, in many cases, by dwelling 

 on the usefulness of birds. A one-sided view of the matter should be 

 avoided, however, and I would point out the following fact : We do 

 not protect birds solely because they are useful, but chiefly from 

 ethical and sesthetical reasons, as birds give beauty and animation to 

 nature. We also wish to preserve their species, and hence the pro- 

 tection of birds signifies the preservation of the monuments of 

 Nature. 



Special attention should therefore be paid to what the above- 

 mentioned official guide says in reference to this point : " The native 

 birds are not only very useful to agriculture, and woods and forests, 

 but they add to the charm of nature." These are the motives which 

 should serve as the motto of a really rational protection of birds, the 

 motives which induced Baron von Berlepsch to take up his far-reaching 

 and successful work in this field. 



in. HISTORY OF THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS. 



THE efforts to protect birds date from the time when a marked decrease 

 in their number was noted to the detriment of agriculture and forestry, 

 and of the general harmony and beauty of Nature. We can accordingly 

 trace back the history of the protection of birds to the 18th century. 

 Oken, Gloger, Lenz, Brehm, Russ and Liebe are the ornithologists 

 with whom the history of the subject is connected. 



With all due respect for those pioneers in the solution of the problem 

 of bird-protection, we cannot conceal the fact that their efforts frequently 

 ended in bitter disappointment. The matter was still in its infancy. 



* The publications of the U.S. Board of Agriculture. The publications of the 

 National Committee of Audubon Societies in North America. The publications 

 of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in England. " Studien iiber die 

 wirtschaftliche Bedeutung der insektenfressenden Vogel," " Magenuntersuchungen 

 land-und forstwirtschaftlich wich tiger Vogel," "Tierwelt und Land wirtschaft," 

 by Prof. Dr. Rorig. "Nutzen und Schaden der Vogel," by Otto Herman. 

 Older works are those by Oken, Gloger, Lenz, Baldamus, Brehm, etc. 



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