GAME LAWS AND LICENCES 
THE WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACTS 
1880-81-94-96-1902-04-08 
The general purport of these Acts collectively is to protect wild birds 
and their eggs from molestation between certain dates, the usual period 
being between March 1 and August 1 ; but on the application of any County 
Council or in Ireland of the Justices at Quarter Sessions a Secretary of 
State or the Lord Lieutenant may make an order varying or extending 
the close time, or protecting certain species named, or protecting certain 
areas specified. In pursuance of this proviso a great number of orders have 
been issued, with the result that much confusion now prevails in respect 
of the various close times, and the localities in which any particular birds 
and their eggs are or are not protected. With seven Acts of Parliament and 
at least a hundred orders varying them, it is now almost impossible to 
discover how the law stands. In every Act, and in the orders made in 
pursuance of it, there is a schedule of birds specially protected^ and the 
law (to put it briefly) is that a person who kills or takes during the close 
time a bird mentioned in the schedule is liable to a penalty not exceeding 
£1; and in the case of any other bird not scheduled he is for a first offence 
liable to be reprimanded or discharged on payment of costs, and for 
every subsequent offence liable to a penalty not exceeding five shillings 
for every bird killed or taken, in addition to the costs. 
But this section does not apply to any owner or occupier of land, or 
anyone authorized by him, killing or taking a bird that is not named 
in the schedule on land in his occupation. Under the Act of 1896 the Court 
may order, in addition to any penalty imposed, the confiscation of any 
trap, net, snare, or decoy bird; and under the Act of 1902 the Court may 
order any wild bird or egg to be forfeited and disposed of as the Court 
may think fit. This is perhaps the most important, as being the most 
deterrent, of all the Wild Birds Protection Acts, since it tends to pre- 
vent an offender from killing a bird which he might sell for perhaps a 
pound or two, at a cost to himself of a five-shilling fine. An offender 
convicted under this Act will find himself entirely out of pocket by the 
transaction. 
It is under the combined operation of these Bird Protection Acts that 
the destruction of the various kinds of wildfowl is sought to be prevented 
by the appointment of a close season, during the period of the year in 
which they are engaged in rearing their young. The “ close time ” varies 
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