596 Dicjby Pigott : Wild Bini* 



ground that these birds are useful as scavengers iu harbours 

 and in warning vessels off rocks during fogs by their cries, 

 and in hovering over and pointing out to fishermen the 

 localities of the shoals of fish. 



In the meantime, the Close-time Committee, which had 

 been joined by Professor Newton and Mr. Harting, had not 

 been idle. It was mainly owing to their efforts that the 

 second Act of the series (35 and 36 Vic, cap. 78, " For the 

 Protection of certain Wild Birds during the Nesting Season ") 

 was placed upon the Statute book. 



The Act of 1872, with modification, extended the protec- 

 tion given to sea and cliff -haunting birds by the 1869 Act to 

 some 80 other more inland species. Por these a close- 

 time was fixed from the 15th March to the 1st August. First 

 offenders were let off with a reprimand and payment of costs, 

 and later offences punished by a fine of 5s. for each offence. 



The Bill, as first introduced, had made the penalty £1, as 

 in the case of offences against the Sea Birds' Act, and had 

 extended the protection to all birds, with power to Justices 

 in Quarter Sessions at discretion to make exceptions. 



But in this and other particulars it was altered by the 

 Select Committee to which the Bill was referred, and not 

 for the better. The penalty was reduced, and a scheduled 

 list of the birds to which the Act should apply substituted 

 for the more general protection, no power being allowed to 

 magistrates or others, as in the original proposal, to make 

 exceptions or alterations. 



The divisions taken on the details of the schedule, as 

 recorded in the report of the Committees, are rather curious 

 and interesting reading. Motion s were made to strike out of the 

 list of protected birds first the Hedge Sparrow, then the Whin- 

 chat, both, it might have been supposed, very innocent birds. 



In both cases the "Ayes " and "Noes" were equal, and 

 the birds saved only by the casting vote of the chairman, 

 Mr. Andrew Johnston, who had brought in the Bill. 



A member who had supported the Whinchat cast his vote 

 against the Hedge Sparrow. " Give a dog a bad name, and 

 hang him." Had the little Accentor appeared in the list 

 under any of his many names other than " Sparrow," votes 

 would, perhaps, have been recorded differently. 



■m 



