102 
XATURE XOTES 
place at least every two months — shows that the Legislature 
must choose between the extermination or the protection of the 
birds in question. 
“ A precedent for legislation on this subject exists in the law 
that now obtains in the State of New York, where the entire 
feather trade of the United States has its centre ; according to 
which law no wild birds, other than certain species named 
therein, and birds for which there is an open season, can be 
taken or possessed at any time, dead or alive, except under the 
authority of a certificate, and no part of the plumage, skin, or 
body of any protected bird can be sold or had in possession for 
sale. It is greatly to be desired that the British Parliament may 
follow the example thus set by the Legislature of the State of 
New York, and not delay taking action until it is too late.” 
The Bill itself runs as follows : — 
“ Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and 
Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, 
and by the authority of the same, as follows : — 
“ (i) Any person who, after January first one thousand nine 
hundred and nine, shall import or bring into the United King- 
dom for the purpose of sale or exchange the plumage, skin, or 
body, or any part of the plumage, skin or body, or any dead 
wild bird which is not included in the schedule of exemption to 
this Act, shall be guilty of an offence, and shall on summary 
conviction be liable to a penalty of not exceeding five pounds, 
and for every subsequent offence to a penalty not exceeding 
twenty-five pounds, and in every case the court shall order 
forfeiture and destruction of the articles in respect of which the 
offence has been committed. 
“ Provided that this section shall not apply — 
‘‘ (a) to anything done by virtue of a licence issued from 
time to time by the Board of Trade under such 
conditions and regulations as they may prescribe 
for the purpose of supplying specimens of any 
birds not included in the schedule to any particular 
natural history or other museum or for the purpose 
of definite scientific research ; or 
“ {b) to the plumage, skin, or body, or to any parts thereof, 
of any bird not included in the schedule to this Act 
and forming part of the wearing apparel being 
bona fide the property of and either actually in the 
use of or accompanying any person entering the 
United Kingdom and not being for the purpose of 
sale or exchange. Every such person shall if so 
required made a written declaration to this effect. 
“ (2) On the advice and with the consent of the Privy Council 
the name of any other foreign wild bird may at any time be 
added to or removed from the schedule to this Act by notice 
published in the Gazette, and thereupon the provisions of this 
