194 Bird - Lore 



This sounds well, but has not Sig. Salvador! confused the main point with 

 subordinate issues? The great question raised is the protection of song birds, 

 which, according to a large number, — probably the largest number of students, the 

 world over, — are, upon the whole, of decided benefit to agriculture, and therefore 

 to man, to say nothing of esthetics, and this question must not be involved with the 

 Hindoo doctrine of the sanctity of all animal life. Invertebrates, like the insects, 

 are not to be placed on a par with the highest expressions of vertebrate life. We all 

 must and do acknowledge that hunting, whether for food or sport, entails inevi- 

 table hardship upon the animals. The rule for all to follow is: No needless 

 sacrifice of the life of any animals whatsoever, whether vertebrate or invertebrate, 

 unless (i) they are destructive to the life of man, or to his interests, especially in 

 tilling the soil, and (2) unless they are of prime value as food. Where two living 

 beings — the man and the animal — can not dwell together in peace and to mutual 

 advantage the rule has ever been and must ever be that the weak gives way to the 

 strong. Under the head of necessary food animals, come the domesticated kinds 

 like the pig, sheep, and ox, various birds, and, as a compromise to the latent 

 savage instincts of man in the present state of civilization, wild or preserved game, 

 whether fish, flesh, or fowl. As to what shall be legitimate game among the 

 mammals and birds, it should not be difficult to reach a common-sense agreement. 

 No animal should be considered game which is not useful for food, and no food 

 animals should be sought among the small and harmless mammals, or among 

 the small or useful birds. Taking the life of the higher animals is an unpleasant, 

 and, when needless, a cruel proceding ; but it is necessary unless the whole world 

 is to be converted to a vegetarian diet. Nature, however, does not seem to 

 expect this, and probably would not permit it, for in the alimentary tract of man 

 she has made a luxurious provision for both the digestion and the absorption of 

 proteids. Proteid is also stored away in the muscles and other tissues, to meet 

 unexpected emergencies, like the storage bins of fat and starch in both plant and 

 animal bodies. Now, since the animals are the great source of proteid, or nitro- 

 genous food, it is evident that nature expects us to make a liberal use of them 

 in our diet. 



The laws and proposals of laws, as given by Lico, upon hunting in Italy, are 

 interesting and instructive. As he remarks, those who are interested in the protec- 

 tion of birds, from whatever motive, confine their attention to laws to regulate 

 hunting. Many assemblies have been held for this purpose, and many societies 

 have been formed to obtain from the government the most judicious laws upon 

 the subject.* 



"We are told upon the authority of Comm. Durando, that the present laws which regulate 

 hunting are those which were in force in the ancient Italian States. Thus, in the Neapolitan 

 and Sicilian provinces the law of October 18, 1819 exists, and is still in effect; in what were 

 formerly the Papal States, with the exception of the Marches, the edicts of July 10, 1826, and 

 August 14, 1839 prevail; in Tuscany the law of July 3, 1856; in Modena the decree of Febru- 

 ary 6, 1815, and notifications of January 22, 1826 ; in Parma the royal resolutions of Septem- 

 ber I, 1824, June 10, 1828, May 23, and 28, 1835; in Venice the law of February 13, 1804, 



