JOURNAL 
OF THE 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF WILD BIRDS. 
By Walter E. Collinge, M.Sc, F.L.S., F.E.S., Hon. F.R.H.S., 
The University, St. Andrews. 
[Read January 25, 19 16 ; E. A. Bowles, M.A., in the Chair.] 
For some years past there has been evidence of an awakening in the 
public mind to the importance of the subject of Economic Ornithology, 
or the status of wild birds in relation to agriculture, horticulture, 
forestry, and fisheries. This is reflected in the annual newspaper cor- 
respondence on the injuries inflicted on farm crops, fruit orchards, 
Sec, by various species of wild birds ; in the numerous writings in 
the agricultural and horticultural Press ; and the recent suggestion 
that our Board of Agriculture should " establish a Bureau of Ornitho- 
logy, such as has long been at work both on the Continent and 
in the United States/' (Nature, Oct. 15, 1915, p. 177.) Further, the 
subject is one of such great importance to all who are interested in 
the products of the land that I need offer no apology for introducing 
it before the members of this Society. 
As one who has devoted considerable time and means to the 
subject during the past twelve years, I claim your attention to a 
rapid survey of the many problems it presents, and its very important 
bearings to mankind. 
The problem isjio easy one, and the longer one works at the subject 
the more complicated does it seem to be, so that we can quite under- 
stand Professor Theobald stating that it " is one that can be 
Vol. XLII. 1916. 
Part I. 
VOL. XLII. 
