^95



scarce to justify its slaughter! We feel also bound to enter a

protest against the author's astonishing SN'mpathy with the

wearing of birds' plumes b}^ ladies.



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS.


Sir, — The last paragraph in Mr. A. Crafer's letter raises a subject

which has given me a lot of thought : — the wanton destruction of birds

and their eggs. I am afraid no real good will be done until there is a

society formed (on similar lines to the R.S.P.C.A.) whose special object shall

be to protect the birds and eggs {c). I know some people argue that birds are-

as plentiful as ever they were; well, they maj' be in some parts, but I am

sorr}^ to say that here in Yorkshire it is not so. I remember when I was a

lad seeing Goldfinches flying by the dozen, and hearing my father talk of

hundreds, but now, alas, where are they .' I have not seen a dozen out of

cages in as many years. The last I saw \vere a pair crossing the road near

Scarbro' ; and the next day that I went past there was the bird-catcher,

call-birds and all. I felt that I would like to give him a ducking in the

sea ; an3'\vay it would have given him a wash, a thing he very much

needed. I am not against keeping bii'ds in captivity, far from it, providing

they are caught out of the breeding season and properly cared for, but

when I see a dirty, filthy thief, too lazy to work, catching birds to get

money to booze, I think it is time that something were done to protect

our song birds from extermination. I have no doubt that there are a few

respectable Ijird-catchers here and there, but the best of them are not the

kindest of individuals. What do they do with those they cannot sell, hen

Linnets, for instance ? I once asked one the question, he said: "Oh, we

kill them; we cannot be bothered with them." I do not include in my

condemnation the working-man who catches a few for his own iise — only

the seven-days-a-week man.


I am afraid the Wild Birds' Protection Act is dying a natural death ;

and if something be not done to remedy the existing state of things many

of our most desirable birds will be altogether extinct. What is the use of

fining a man 7s. 6d. for shooting a bird when he has sold it for £•] ? No,

the Act should be amended so that the bird (or eggs) should be confiscated

and go to the public museum in the town or county where taken ; and if

it could be proved that anyone has bought it, or tried to buy it, he

should be fined as well as the man who killed or caught it. This, and

nothing less, will stop the wanton destruction that is now going on, and

which every right-minded man must deplore. I hope some of our

influential members will give this their serious thought, and tr}- and get the

Act amended so as to make it more effectual. Then may we hope to see the

Goldfinch, Chough, etc., as plentiful as they were forty }-ears ago.


R. Cre;ighTon.


(c) Has I\Ir. Creighton never heard of the "Society for the Protection of Birds," of

which Mrs. Lemon, of Hillcrest, Redhill, Surrey, is the Hon. Secretary ? It is a large and

influential Society, and doing a good work. The Selborne Society also works in the same

cause.— Ed.



