LETTER TO THE EDITOR 
147 
Wild Bird Protection Orders. — We have received from 
the Home Office an Order for the County of Salop, dated April 
23, repealing that of March 9, adding several species to the 
schedule of the Act of 1880, protecting several kinds of eggs 
throughout the county, and entirely prohibiting the killing or 
taking of the Goldfinch, Kingfisher, Owl, Lesser Redpole, Mealy 
Redpole, Siskin and Woodpecker. 
An Order also readies us, dated May 30, for the County 
Borough of Warrington, protecting all birds in the River 
Mersey within the County Borough, and the eggs of many 
species, and adding a large number of species to the schedule of 
the 1880 Act. 
An Order, dated June 3, for the County of Hereford, protects 
the eggs of many species, protects many birds throughout the 
year, adds the 13 uzzard, Honey Buzzard, Dipper, Peregrine 
Falcon, Hen Harrier, Hobby, Kile, Merlin, Raven, Red-backed 
Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Siskin and Wryneck to the schedule 
of the Act, and deprives the House Sparrow and Woodpigeon 
of protection. It is certainly regrettable that the authorities 
should find it necessary to vary the law so frequently as they 
have in the first-named of these districts. 
LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 
The City Pigeons. 
Sir, — Are there any readers of Nature Notes who would 
not miss the flying and strutting about of the pigeons in various 
parts of the metropolis ? I should not like to think so. How- 
ever, it is stated that the City Medical Officer suggests that 
they contribute to the pollution of the atmosphere during the 
hot weather. 
That pigeons are not very cleanly birds we know ; but are 
there any extraordinarily clean birds ? How is it that this 
gentleman has only just thought of bringing out this remarkable 
theory of his ; has it been lying in a dormant state, or, as the 
Westminster Gazette jokingly puts it, “ Has any city magnate 
had a new hat spoiled ? ” According to the above paper, a 
recent estimate of the birds’ numbers was 4,000. It would be 
better to have this number decreased than to have the whole 
lot of them destroyed. 
I am sure there are many who would agree with me that 
such places as St. Paul’s Churchyard, the Guildhall Yard, and 
the British Museum, would lose an attractive feature were they 
minus their pigeons. 
Carlyle Lodge, 
Canonbury Place, N., 
May 27, 1904. 
Chas. E. J. Hannett. 
