Supplement to Mvb Botes anb Bew>& 



JULY, 1905- 



PROTECTION OP WILD BIRDS 

 THROUGHOUT the BRITISH EMPIRE. 



Throughout the greater part of the British 

 Empire, efforts are being made to preserve and 

 protect Wild Birds by legislation, whether on 

 account of their utility, beauty, or rarity, or as 

 game. A brief summary of the methods pursued 

 and of the laws and ordinances in force may be of 

 interest as showing practically the position of Bird 

 Protection throughout the Empire, account being 

 taken only of those which have reference to birds 

 other than game. In addition to the Houses of 

 Parliament meeting in London, there are about 

 seventy Legislative Assemblies in the British 

 Empire. A law is passed by a Legislative 

 Assembly ; an Ordinance is enacted by a Gover- 

 nor, either on his own responsibility or " in Council." 



In the majority of cases birds to be specially 

 protected are named in a schedule ; but in one or 

 two instances the method proposed for future 

 legislation in England is adopted, viz., protecting 

 all birds and proscribing certain named species. 



The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds 

 will be very glad to receive any information and 

 copies of enactments from friends in the Colonies, 

 in order that this tabulation of the Society's records 

 may be continually revised and kept up to date ; 

 and particulars as to Bird Protection in other lands 

 will also be most welcome. 



EUROPE. 



United Kingdom of Great Britain and 

 Ireland.— By the Acts of 1880 and 1881 a Close 

 Time (breeding-season) is provided for all wild 

 birds, but farmers and occupiers of land are allowed 

 to kill any bird not named in the " Schedule." 

 Provision is made for the variation of Close Time, 

 and the offering for sale of birds recently taken is 

 forbidden. 



By the Act of 1894 power is given to prohibit 

 the taking of eggs and to amend the " Schedule " 

 for any district. 



By the Act of 1896 birds can be protected during 

 that portion of the year not covered by Close 

 Time. " Sanctuaries " may be established wherein 

 no birds may be killed (1896) and wherein no eggs 

 may be taken (1894). Bird-catching on Sundays 

 can be prohibited. 



It is left to the Councils of Counties or County 

 Boroughs to apply for Orders* under these Acts. 



By the Acts of 1896 and 1902 the Courts were 

 empowered, in addition to the penalties by fine 

 (maximum £1), to forfeit traps, nets, and decoy 



* There are at present 140 such Orders in force. 



birds (1896), and the bird's egg illegally taken 

 (1902). 



By the Acts of 1904 the use of the pole-trap was 

 made illegal, and legislation for the Island of 

 St. Kilda was passed. The Act of 1896 does not 

 apply to Ireland. 



Isle of Man. — The Act of 1868 prohibits the 

 killing of all gulls and the taking of their eggs 

 ("gulls" including gannets, shags, guillemots, 

 kittiwakes, and skuas). 



The Act of 1887 prohibits the killing or taking 

 of all wild birds and the destruction of nests and 

 eggs, February 1st to September 1st (with a higher 

 penalty for scheduled birds), and the use of all 

 nets, snares, traps, lime or lantern, for taking wild 

 birds at any time. 



Jersey. — The Act of 1879 protects all sea- 

 birds and forbids their sale or exposure for sale, 

 or transport, between April 1st and August 1st ; 

 and also prohibits the killing of gulls at any time. 



Guernsey. — 



Cyprus. — The Act of 1883 (No. 2) provides for 

 the protection of birds " during the time when 

 the island is infested with locusts" (February 15th 

 to August 1st). By the Act of 1895 (No. 3) the 

 High Commissioner may permit the killing of 

 birds or taking of eggs in the interests of science. 

 A recent Act (1904) (No. 13) declares it illegal 

 to export the skins or eggs of any wild bird, except 

 with special permission, and also creates eight 

 areas wherein no birds may be killed. 



Gibraltar. — 



Malta.- 



ASIA. 



British India. — The Wild Birds Protection 

 Act, 1887 (No. 20), extends to the whole of British 

 India, and gives the local governments and 

 cantonment and municipal authorities the power 

 to define the expression "wild birds," and also 

 to specify the breeding season, during which it 

 will be illegal to possess or sell any of the pro- 

 tected birds or their plumage within the cantonment 

 or municipality. The amount of fine to be imposed 

 for each offence is also specified. 



The Court may order the confiscation of any 

 wild bird or plumage in respect of which the 

 breach was committed. 



An edict of the Governor-General in Council 

 (No. 13 of 1902) prohibits the taking by sea or 

 land out of British India of skins, feathers of all 

 kinds, except feathers of ostriches or skins as 

 specimens illustrative of natural history. 



[The history of wild bird legislation in India 

 and the text of the 1887 Act will be found in the 

 leaflets of the Society, Nos. 36 and 37.] 



Ceylon. — 



Straits Settlement.— By Ordinance No. 3 

 of 1884, wild birds are protected. Penalties are 

 enacted for the killing or taking of all wild birds 



