Fortune: The Protection of Birds in the West Riding. 109 
to forty each time ; it is pleasant to know that such ‘sportsmen’ 
are now answerable to the law for their dastardly conduct. 
Of non-breeding species the Bee Eater is included, and if we 
bear in mind the Bentham episode, we cannot but feel that it is 
only just that it should be so. The slaughter of Rough Legged 
Buzzards, which sometimes visit us in numbers, will for the 
future be prevented, and in like manner the young Sea Eagles 
which visit us are to have every protection. The Golden Eagle 
was on the list before. The wanton destruction of Pallas’ Sand 
Grouse, should they again visit us, will probably be prevented, 
and the inclusion of all the British breeding Terns may save 
some senseless destruction, should any of them by chance pay 
a visit to the West Riding. 
Professional bird catchers are to be prevented from following 
their nefarious calling, for those favourite cage birds, Bullfinch, 
Goldfinch, Linnet, and Chaffinch, must not now be caught at 
any time of the year. They have all suffered considerably in 
the West Riding, the first three especially, and while not being 
against the keeping of cage birds, the cruelties I have seen 
practised in the wholesale capture of wild birds, makes one 
extremely glad that they are now thoroughly protected. The 
Heron too is safe against the selfish angler who cannot bear 
anyone but himself to catch a fish, probably the antipathy to 
the Heron arises in many cases because he can catch fish ; the 
fact that he feeds considerably upon other fare seems to be 
entirely overlooked. The bold little Merlin, the Lady’s Falcon, 
must not now be molested at any time, nor must our useful 
friend the Kestrel. 
In addition, the eggs of all the birds mentioned in Schedules 
A and B, ninety-three of which at any rate nest in the county, 
are also protected, formerly there was a separate schedule for 
the eggs of certain species, but it certainly simplifies matters 
when it is understood that the eggs of all the birds scheduled 
are not to be taken. Probably no naturalist is opposed to egg 
collecting when conducted reasonably, but the senseless manner 
in which rare local species are harried merits the condemnation 
of every true ornithologist. 
There are many species scheduled in A for protection 
during the nesting season—as, for instance, the Fulmar, 
Avocet, Smew, etc.—which it seems absurd to place upon the 
list. This I pointed out to the West Riding authorities, but 
they were determined not to omit any species which had been 
scheduled before. Hence the unnecessary inclusion of certain 
1907 March 1. 
