VANISHING BIRDS.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—More than one vanishing form of bird life has fallen a victim to the collecting mania of the amateur naturalist during the last six months. The kite, osprey, honey buzzard, jer-falcon, are to be counted among his miserable spoils. Besides the vanishing species, many others, among them the goldfinch, red-backed shrike, reed warbler, and white-ear, are known to be annually diminishing in numbers. I have evidence of these species being molested in a wholesale manner, either by the harrying of their nests, or the opera- tions of the bird-catcher. The kingfisher, too, is still sub- jected to much bitter and senseless persecution. A Leicester Correspondent writes to tell me that there is a man in that town who boasts of having killed no fewer than fifty-three kingfishers ! The kingfisher is protected on the Thames by the river authorities, and in the counties of Middlesex and London this beautiful fellow is protected all the year round; but, otherwise, there is very little protection for him in the country. In Ireland, I believe, there is absolutely none. It must be apparent to every one that not only is a rigid enforcement of the present laws much needed, but that the absurd anomalies existing under them must be of a very serious nature indeed. The wanton slaughter of our rarer winged " casuals " is positively exasperating. The hoopoe is but one of a large number of species that must ran the risk of being shot down unless the law is amended so as to stop vandalism of this description. Very little restric- tion, indeed, has as yet been placed on the actions of the modern Goth. Pending some amendment of the law, what is specially needed is the co-operation of the public. Hitherto it has shown too little interest in the question of protecting our birds, and in many cases its culpable apathy has led to very disastrous results. It is disgraceful that humane laws should be allowed to be practically a dead letter. As it is the unmistakable duty of the police to aid in the administra- tion of the Bird Protection Acts, it is to be hoped that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Societies will look after them and see that they carry out their duties properly.—I
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