PRESIDENT S ADDRESS, 205 



(Wild Birds Protection Act), 1896. I will simply deal shortly 

 with the Wild Birds Protection Acts between 1880 and the 

 present time, together with the orders of Council which have 

 been made in pursuance of such Acts on the application ot 

 County Councils and similar bodies. 



The Acts themselves are by no means easy to understand. 

 The orders made under them have led to considerable com- 

 plexity, and it is not easy to ascertain what is the state of the 

 law in a particular county as to a particular bird. In some 

 cases the birds are protected in one part of the county and 

 not in another part of the same county. The local names of 

 birds are largely used in the orders, and in many cases the 

 same bird is referred to under two or three different names, 

 and a local name refers to different birds in different localities. 

 There is no one in remote districts to give effect to the Acts, 

 for it can scarcely be expected that a pohceman is an 

 ornithologist to be found when the work of destruction is 

 being carried on. 



The following is a rough sketch of protection which I think 

 would very much more effectually accomplish its purpose :^ 



Protect all the year round every British nesting bird, its 

 eggs, and young. 



The term " British nesting bird " to be interpreted from time 

 to time by a competent authority. 



I should then make the following exceptions : — 



{a). Orders in Council to be made from time to time for the 

 destruction in specified localities of birds becoming too 

 numerous, but this would be necessary in few if any cases. 

 Such an order, however, only to be made after a competent 

 authority had expressed its opinion that such an order was 

 necessary. 



(b). During the shooting season all such defined birds as 

 now fairly fall to the sportsman's gun. 



{c). Birds and their eggs required as specimens either for 

 museums or private collections. 



I certainly would not deprive the private collector of a 

 reasonable number of specimens for his museum or cabinets, 



