INTRODUCTION. 



The serious diminution in the numbers of our British 

 Wild Birds in recent years, and the actual extinction of 

 many species, in so far as they have ceased to nest in our 

 Islands within the memory of man, has at length aroused 

 public attention to the fact that we are losing many of 

 our useful Wild Birds altogether. Such a calamity can, 

 of course, only result in further losses to our already 

 unfortunate agriculturists from injuries to their crops by 

 an increasing number of insect pests, which are now only 

 kept in check by our Wild Birds. 



Happily our legislators, by the Wild Birds Protection 

 Acts of 1880 and 1881 (43 and 44 Vict., c. 35, and 44 

 and 45 Vict., c. 51) at last came to their rescue in 

 some degree ; and, by the further Wild Birds Protection 

 Act of 1894 (57 and 58 Vict., c. 24), County Councils are 

 thereby empowered to apply to a Secretary of State for 

 Orders for the Protection of the Eggs of our Wild Birds, 

 and also for the further Protection of the Birds them- 

 selves in their respective jurisdictions. This last- 

 mentioned Act has already been taken advantage of by 



