5 
flight of locusts consuming everything green, or a host of 
insatiable grubs devouring the rice crops. The losses inflicted 
on agriculturists by these visitations are very great, and there 
is imminent risk of such pests increasing largely if measures 
be not adopted to protect their natural enemies, the insect¬ 
ivorous birds. These and other birds used to find shelter and 
breeding places in the patches of jungle which formerly existed 
more extensively than at present on the plains, and there can 
be no doubt that the clearing away of such jungle has, with 
other ill results, had the effect of banishing many birds from 
their favourite haunts.” 
The remedial measures suggested were : — 
(a) That the pupils in all State and aided Schools should, 
by means of diagrams and teaching, be made familiar 
with the appearance and important uses of the chief 
insect eating birds, and 
(&) The imposition of a substantial export duty on all 
bird skins and feathers, so as to render the traffic 
unprofitable. 
The Government of Madras, in forwarding this letter to the 
Government of India, remarked that they were alive to the necessity 
of the adoption, in the interests of agriculture, of some vigorous 
measures to control the destruction of birds which appeared to be 
going on throughout India, and they, therefore, deemed the matter 
worthy of consideration with a view to a general Act being passed 
“ to regulate netting and other means of capture or destruction.” 
The matter was then referred by the Supreme Government to 
certain amateur ornithologists resident in Northern India, who, 
instead of helping on the good work, gave the extraordinary 
opinion— 
“ That the bulk of insectivorous birds in India, being of 
dull-coloured plumage, are not destroyed for the sake of their 
feathers, and that those few classes of insectivorous birds 
whose feathers are exported from India are so abundant and 
prolific as to render it doubtful whether any perceptible 
