606 Digby Bigott : Wild Birds 



lists of from 50 to over 70 birds wliose eggs may not be taken 

 in Middlesex or ivithin the metropolitan areas of Kent, 

 Hertfordshire, and Surrey, in none of the lists is the name of 

 the Robin to be found. 



London itself is more conservative, it includes in a shorter 

 list the eggs of "the Robin or Red-breast." 



If time and the patience of the meeting permitted it would 

 be easy to multiply inconsistencies of this kind indefinitely. 

 I will only ask to be allowed to mention one more, — a typical 

 instance of the absence of anything like uniformity of 

 action in adjoining districts to be found everywhere in 

 England. 



In Norfolk three birds only are added to the Schedule of 

 1880, in East Suffolk 39, and in West Suffolk 48 are added. 



In Norfolk one bird only (the Great Bustard) is protected 

 throughout the year. In West Suffolk, in addition to the 

 Great Bustard, Owls of all kinds, Kestrels and Kingfishers, 

 and in East Suffolk as many as 57 are protected through the 

 year. 



In Norfolk and East Suffolk the close season (excepting 

 only for ducks) is extended to the 1st September. 



In West Suffolk it ends on the 1st August. 



There is one and only one point upon which there seems to 

 have been any general agreement. 



In 19 counties and 10 boroughs Sunday bird-catching is 

 forbidden. 



Confused and conflicting as the different county Orders are, 

 they have, I am informed, in the opinion of the police 

 authorities, been on the whole effective. 



During the five years ending on the 31st December, 1903, 

 the average number of persons against whom proceedings 

 were taken under the Wild Birds Protection Acts was no less 

 than 386 in each year. 



In 132 cases the defendants were discharged under the 

 Summary Jurisdiction Act of 1879, which enables a Court 

 "•'should it think that though a charge is proved the offence 

 was in that particular case of so trifling a nature that it is 

 inexpedient to inflict any punishment,'' to "dismiss the 

 information," and in 181 cases fines were inflicted. 



