THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN ITALY
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—At the recent meeting of the International Committee for 'the Protection of Birds, convened by Dr. Gilbert T. Pearson; the President of the Audubon Societies of America and Acting Chairman of the International Committee, Dr. Borghesini, of Rome, declared that under the Fascist regime extraordinary measures have been taken in Italy to protect birds. Mussolini, said Dr. Borghesani, loves flowers, trees, birds and animals, and has given Italy a discipline which makes it a national concern to protect birds and Nature in general. Under 'the Fascist regime, said Dr. Borghesani, the psychology which formerly made every Italian feel that he had a right to kill every feathered thing has changed to a psychology which regards birds, especially, as the property of all the people and the State. The Fascist militia, he added, also serves as game wardens, and the Government has made ample provision for enforcing its laws.
This would be good news to bird lovers, who deplore the wanton destruction of millions of birds every year in Italy on their migratory passage, if Dr. Borghesani's statement cor- responded to the facts. But the truth is that the Fascist regime has done nothing to prevent the wholesale netting of birds which takes place in the autumn, and that the law which proclaims a closed season for the birds in May and June is more honoured in the breach than in the observance. During May this year the netting of swallows and martins went on as usual at Montecatini, and the same terrible toll will be taken of all migratory birds as they pass through Italy in the autumn. But perhaps the fact that a new law for the protection of birds is being framed by the Fascist Government affords a glimmer of hope that something may be done to prevent what for so long has been a scandal and a reproach to Italy. And for this reason every bird lover should rally to the suppOrt of Mr. Leonard Hawksley, who has done such a wonderful and heroic work for the pro- tection of animals and birds in Italy in the efforts which he is making to effect an improvement.
At present Mr. Hawksley has seven inspectors who go wherever their services are needed to see that the law, imper- fect as it is, is observed. Thus at Assisi, which was long the centre of the trade in blinded birds for use as decoys, this horrible practice has been suppressed, and a local society for
the protection of animals and birds has been started there. At Carrara, 110 convictions have been obtained for barbarous treatment of oxen in the marble quarries. An inspectcr who was transferred to Frosinone in February, 1927, has secured eighty-two convictions and has confiscated many hundreds of instruments of torture.. • To some extent the netting and snaring of birds in the mouths in which it is against the law to capture them has been stopped. The Rome Society, which was resuscitated by Mr. Hawksley in 1901, had eleven inspectors in Rome and- five in the country, rescued 6,000 stray dogs and cats yearly, main- tained a dogs' refuge and lethal chambers, two veterinary surgeries and twenty-three drinking stations ; it held horse and donkey parades, abolished cow-baiting and many other cruel sports, including the plucking of fowls alive, and carried out an extensive propaganda work in the schools. It was during his work for the Naples Society, which he organized in 1895, that Mr. Hawksley nearly lost his life owing to a mur- derous assault upon him. Since then at least twenty assaults have been made on him, and one of the mementoes of his work is a hat with a bullet hole through it.
There is undoubtedly an improvement in the treatment of animals and birds in Italy ; but an immense amount still remains to be done, especially for the protection of birds. As the International Committee pointed out at its recent meeting in Geneva, in appealing to the League of Nations to call an International Conference on the question of bird protection, if steps are not taken soon to prevent the slaughter of birds in countries like Italy, France and Belgiuni, those countries which value bird life will in the near future be robbed of much of their beauty and interest in wild birds.
I am, Sir, &c., HUGH F. SPENDER. 2 Crets de Champed, Geneva.
[We are glad to print this tribute to Mr. Hawksley's work on behalf of animals and birds, and do so with full knowledge of the many glaring abuses there are yet to remedy in our own' country. We understand Mr: Iawksley's work is being restricted owing to lack of funds. Those willing to help should send their contributions to W. H. Sharland, Esq., Secretary, Hawksley Society, 5 Hayes Road, Bromley, Kent., --En. Spectator.] •
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