THE QUESTION OF THE INTERN. PROT. OF BIRDS COMES TO HUNGARY 87 
of Agriculture, part of which was included in the chapter 
headed ^developments" (v. supra). From this part of the 
despatch we know that the majority of the European States 
made their decision concerning the „ Declaration" dependent 
on the attitude of Germany, which was at the time engaged 
in the framing of a law to be put in force in the whole 
Empire. This Imperial Law, as we know, was passed on 
March 22, 1888; consequently the Austro- Hungarian Foreign 
Minister concluded that those States which had made their 
decision dependent on the German Imperial Law, would now 
be ready to assume a definite attitude, especially after hearing 
the latest opinions of the experts. 
The part of the Foreign Minister's despatch referring to 
this question runs as follows: 
„ Since then the state of affairs has materially changed, 
for the German Imperial Law treating of the protection of 
birds was sanctioned in 1888: this is certainly a moment 
which would justify the continuation of negotiations with 
Germany and the other States. 
We may pretty certainly presume that we may reckon on 
the support of the German Empire. 
We may further presume that an action started by Austria, 
Hungary, Germany and Italy with the object of bringing 
about the international protection of insect-eating birds based 
on principles sanctioned by the respective parliaments, would 
not meet with an absolutely definite refusal on the part of 
the other States. 
In the present state of affairs I should advise Your Ex- 
cellency to consider whether it would not be opportune to 
include the continuation of the negotiations among the agenda 
of the Ornithological Congress which is to meet next year 
(1891): if the question were treated by several experts and 
scholars and then discussed, great progress might be achieved. 
