THE PRESERVATION OF GAME 



CLOSE upon twenty years have passed since I con- 

 tributed an article on " Game Preservation and its 

 Relation to the Protection of Birds" to the Westminster 

 Review. Conditions are not what they were then, but 

 still are not what they ought to be. The deadly pole- 

 trap, a deceitful lure, has been declared illegal. An 

 unbaited trap, usually circular in shape, was chained to 

 the top of a post in some open position; the passing bird 

 hawk, owl, cuckoo, nightjar, even the harmless pipit, saw 

 this promising rest, alighted, and sprung the trap; after an 

 ineffectual flutter it hung head downwards, held by its 

 lacerated legs, until the keeper chose to come to end its 

 agonies. Declared illegal yes, but has it gone entirely ? 

 Do those who are responsible for seeing that laws are 

 respected ever cross the wild Welsh or Scottish moorlands 

 with their eyes open ? Do those who shoot, and per- 

 chance take their place on the Bench to deal out justice 

 to that terrible criminal, the poacher, always instruct 

 their keepers that no illegal traps must be set ? Is it not 

 more frequently urged upon these underlings that they 

 must keep down the " vermin " without any instructions 

 as to methods to be employed ? 



Yet, it is only fair to state, the present generation of 

 land-owners and sportsmen includes a much larger 

 number of men who take pride in protecting persecuted 

 species, willingly sacrificing many head of game to the 

 rapacious visitors. On many large estates bitterns, 

 harriers, eagles, ospreys, and other rare birds may come 

 and go without danger; there are estates, too, which are 



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