The Rationale of Bird Protection. 615 



view, but merely to procure curios for their cabinets. 

 Among the rare and interesting birds thus in danger at the 

 hands of collectors in the British Isles are the Kite., the 

 Osprey, the White-tailed Eagle, the Harriers, the St. 

 Kilda Wren, the Bearded Tit, Dotterel, and Dartford 

 Warbler. 



(6) And lastly should be mentioned the absolute wanton 

 destruction wrought through sheer ignorance and brutality, 

 which are features that have to be reckoned with in all 

 questions of this nature. 



To put it briefly, some of the results of bird destruction 

 are that the more beautiful birds are rendered scarce, that 

 indigenous species are in danger of extermination, and that 

 the charm of country life is affected. A further and more 

 important result from the destruction of insectivorous birds 

 is the effect upon agriculture, and the devastation which 

 results from injurious insects in the absence of birds. 



How, then, and to what extent should Bird-protection 

 proceed so as to deserve universal support from all right- 

 minded men and women ? Within what limits must the efforts 

 of Wild Bird Protection Societies be restrained so as to secure 

 the approbation of the large land-owners, the game-preserver, 

 the tenant-farmer, and the fruit-grower, as well as that of 

 the ornithologist and the bird-lover ? 



Advocates for the protection of birds can, among other 

 things, rightly claim : — 



(1) Protection for native and indigenous species. The 

 extent to which this may be needed must depend upon the 

 country and the attitude of the people. All should at least 

 aim at preserving and maintaining as nearly as possible 

 the Avifauna of their country in as perfect a state as 

 regards species as is compatible with human requirements 

 and the already disorganised balance of Nature brought 

 about by the agency of man. 



(2) Protection during the breeding season. A provision 

 desirable for most birds, but particularly so for rare and 

 diminishing species which come to a country for their nesting. 

 As for example, to quote from two extremes, the Hoopoe, 

 Golden Oriole, Ruff, and Spoonbill in England, and the 



