SIR H. MAXWELL ON PROTECTION OF BIRDS. 1 53 



{b) The particular species of wild birds to which the prohibit is to appl) ; 

 and 



(c) The reason on account of which the application is made. 



VI. BREEDING AREAS. 



Orders may be issued by the Secretary of State on the application of a 

 County Council, defining specified areas within which the taking or destroying 

 the eggs of any wild bird is prohibited. Various areas have been thus pro- 

 tected, such as Holy Island in Northumberland, and part of the Island of 

 Sheppey in Kent. 



Any person may take up the duty of preventing disobedience to the Acts 

 and Orders, and help in obtaining convictions for any offences. 



There remains now to be considered what effect all this 

 legislation has had upon the stock of British Wild Birds. 



The Acts are left in large measure to the discretion of County- 

 Councils, and these have shown a satisfactory degree of activity in 

 adopting the optional powers committed to them. No doubt the 

 original Act of 1880, which is universal and compulsory as regards 

 scheduled species, has had a distinct effect. A notable local 

 increase has taken place in some species, especially, I think, in 

 gulls and shore birds, while the breeding range of others, such as 

 pochards, tufted duck, turtle-doves, and great crested grebes, seems 

 to be steadily increasing. 



As to the more recent Acts, sufficient time has scarcely elapsed 

 to allow of an estimate being formed of the extent of their effect. 

 There has been some want of uniformity in their administration, 

 which will probably be remedied by further experience. 



I know that high authorities are divided in opinion as to the 

 usefulness of prohibiting taking the eggs of certain species, owing 

 to variability in the eggs of different individuals of the same 

 species, and also of the close resemblance of the eggs of certain 

 species to those of other species. But all agree, I think, that 

 advantage is sure to follow the adoption of that power contained in 

 the Act of 1896 — namely, the power to prohibit all egg-taking 

 whatever within limited and strictly defined areas, frequented by 

 birds which it is desirable to protect. 



Any notice of what has been done to protect British wild birds 

 would be incomplete without some reference to the work and objects 

 of the Society for the Protection of Birds, under the Presidency of 

 the Duchess of Portland. Although I have been appointed to 

 represent that Society at this Conference, I can take very little 

 credit for diligence in the actual work of the Society. I can 

 therefore speak of the great discretion shown by the Society in 

 avoiding ultra-humanitarianism, and its constant activity, under 

 guidance of the indefatigable secretary, Mrs Lemon, in the diffusion 

 of knowledge and the attraction of intelligent and discriminating 

 sympathy by means of lectures, pamphlets, leaflets, etc. 



