4 
were scheduled; yet to this Order belonged 127 of our British 
birds. 
The Wild Birds Protection Acts gave large powers to the Secre¬ 
tary of State in England, on the application of County Councils or 
Borough Councils, to vary or extend the statutory protection by 
Order. In the exercise of these powers the Secretaries of State had 
altered or extended the periods during which all birds are protected 
in certain counties ; had added specified birds to the schedule ; had 
protected the eggs of certain birds altogether or within defined areas ; 
had set aside breeding areas in which the eggs of all birds were pro¬ 
tected ; had prohibited the taking or killing of birds throughout the 
year on Sundays. These Orders varied in every county. Some Councils 
had been active in bird protection ; others supine. One Council— 
that of Cornwall—had only applied for the protection of the eggs of 
one bird—the chough. Few Borough Councils had invoked the aid 
of the Secretaries of State to protect the neighbourhood of towns. 
But, as the law now stood, it was through the County Councils or 
Borough Councils that individuals interested in bird life could best 
secure the protection of particular birds. The statutes were criminal 
statutes : but the law could be put into motion by any individual 
who applied for a summons. The following table shows the number 
of convictions under the Wild Bird Protection Acts since 1893, the 
first year in which a special record appeared in judicial statistics :— 
Year. 
Persons dealt with on summons. 
Discharged. 
(See note.f ) 
Convicted. 
Otherwise 
disposed of. 
Total. 
Males. 
Females. 
1893 
177 
174 
3 
93 
84 
1894 
178 
172 
6 
106 
68 
4 
1895 
116 
114 
2 
62 
54 
1896 
222 
217 
5 
126 
96 
1897 
207 
206 
1 
93 
114 
1898 
351 
345 
6 
166 
185 
1899 
317 
312 
5 
154 
163 
1900 
317 
308 
9 
189 
128 
Total ... 
I885 
1848 
37 
989 
892 
4 
No later returns were yet available.* * The difficulty which existed 
in carrying the law into effect arose from several causes, notably:— 
(1) A general unwillingness to take the trouble to prosecute an 
f Note. —The Act of 1880, in the case of non-scheduled birds, provided that 
the offender “shall for a first offence be reprimanded and discharged upon the 
payment of costs.” 
* Note.— The following are the number of convictions obtained by the Royal 
Society for the Prevention ot Cruelty to Animals under the Wild Birds Protection 
Act:—1900—101 ; 1901—in; 1902—127. 
