20 WILD BIRD PROTECTIOX. 



for future bird legislation, as it was the iir^t occasion 

 on which absolute protection had been given to any 

 species of wild bird in the United Kingdom for a 

 term of j^ears, except in the Isle of Man, where Sea 

 Gulls are of so much value to the fishermen that the 

 law there prohibits altogether the killing of Sea 

 Gulls at any time of the year under a penalty of £5 

 for killing a Sea Gull or taking its eggs. 



Many of our rarer and more useful wild birds 

 still continuing to diminish in numbers, several 

 having entirely ceased to breed in many of their 

 old haunts, it was felt that further legislation was 

 necessary on their behalf. This produced the Wild 

 Birds' Protection Act of 1894 (57 & 58 Vic, c. 24) 

 to be construed as one with the Wild Birds' Protec- 

 tion Act of 1880, and whereby (Sec. 2) a Secretary 

 of State may upon application of a County Council 

 by order prohibit: — 



(1) The taking or destroying of wild birds' 

 eggs in any year or years in any place or 

 places within that county, or 



(2) The taking or destroying the eggs of any 

 specified kind of wild birds within that county 

 or part or parts thereof as reconnnended by 

 the said County Council and set forth in the 

 said ordci'. 



