Meetings of Section IV. 51 



plumage or for eatings and their numbers were being greatly 

 diminished. To a lesser extent this applied also to Stonechats 

 and Skylarks, etc., and if these species were to be removed 

 from the list of disappearing birds the Italian Government 

 ought to be persuaded to take very strong action for their 

 protection. It was in this that the example of Great Britain 

 in joining the Convention would be most useful. He added 

 that the Egyptian Government had issued a decree for the 

 protection of useful birds, Swallows amongst others, which 

 decree had met with the approval of the Mixed Convention. 



Hans Freiherr von Berlepsch said : I should like to 

 say something about my experience in the Practical Pro- 

 tection of Birds, but I must first apologise for my imperfect 

 English ; I hope, however, that it will serve for the little I 

 have to say. 



The question of the protection of birds must be divided 

 into two entirely separate parts — the laws for Bird Protection 

 and the practical protection of the same — and it is on this 

 latter phase that I wish to speak to-day. I have arrived, as, 

 indeed, every one can, at important results in this study of 

 the practical protection of birds, but it is necessary to bear 

 the following points well in mind. Any protection of birds, 

 to be of any real service, involves of necessity an exact 

 knowledge of their habits. All the arrangements provided 

 for them must follow on Nature's lines, for the true pro- 

 tection of birds is not only a work of love, it is a science, 

 which must have its seat in the head, and not in the heart 

 only, and must be carried out without sentimentality. 

 Bird protection is a science, like every other science, and a 

 very important one. The chief factor in the protection of 

 birds is to afford them their natural condition of existence, 

 and more especially the possibility of building their nests, 

 which the cultivation of land has taken away from them, 

 and this may be done — 



(i.) By artificial nest-boxes. 



(ii.) Special plantations in which they may breed. 



(iii.) Winter food. 



(iv.) Ridding them of their enemies. 



The most important of these are the nest-boxes, since, by 



