NATURE NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 129, 4 June 1927, Page 17

NATURE NOTES

-PROTECTION OF. BIRDS j

GROWTH OF MOVEMENT!

(By E, H. B. Stidblph, K.A.0.U.)

The necessity of protection t« bird life has become plainly apparent ii recent years on account of the scientific investigations carried out concern* ing the economic importance o£ birds * the world. Bird protection soeietiii have been formed in almost every country, and have • been ■ instrumental in.' achieving great results—but much sttU remains to be done/ In Vrder to: cub tivate throughout the world in a<fe. quate appreeittion of the value of In* ing birds to mankind, the International Committee for Bird Protection -has been founded, on which societies in the following countries are represented: France, United States, Canada, EoU land, Luxembourg, Australia, Great Britarn, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, fcouth Africa, New Zealand, Norway, Japan, Sweden, Cieeho-Slarokifc. and Germany. Such a world-wide brganisation should achieve jesulti that would otherwise. be impossible. The committee, in a statement, declares that it is in sympathy with investigations to determine the food of .wild birds in order that their relation to agriculture and other human interests may be accurately ascertained, and it would encourage the distribution of literature stating results of such investigations, which may be made the basis of effective conservation.' The committee believes that Governments should control public shooting of game birds in. order to prevent,- depletion of any species and to ensure at all times aa adequate breeding stock. It would discourage the destruction of birds to small as to be of little value for food, but which are of pronounced economic value,'or which by their songs and presence add to the joys of the earth. A* the trade in the feathers of wild bird* for decorative purposes has resulted ia the great diminution of some specie* in- portions of their ranges, and as the traflttc in these products is still active, the committee suggests that in all counr tries it be carefully supervised so that restrictive measures may be promptly applied when necessary for the miservation of any species'. ;

At the International Congress for th» Study and Protection of Birds hel« in Luxembourg in 1925 resolutions were passed deploring the fact that in many, countries no complete system of laws existed for the protection of insect-eat-ing birds, which were of such email size as to be of little value for hiiman'fopA, and yet were of great economic importance to. the agricultural and ibrticultural interests of mankind, and urging that such countries should" enact laws for the protection of that class of birds. Fortunately,-New Zealand has a good Bird Protection Act already on the Statutes, but the.great difficulty lie* .in its adequate, enforcement,' which Vas greatly hampered by the ignorance of many agriculturists and horticulturists as by the lack of an efficient controlling body. la some parts of New Zealand at the present' day farmers are urging the indiscriminate destruction of birds, which, if carried out, would end disastrously. The idea of bird protection by means of international agreements lies to the credit of German farmers and foresters,' y/h» s at a^ ( general assembly passedva r«*olntion appealing to the Austrian an< Hungarian Foreign Minister to persuade Bis Governments to join other States' in an international treaty for the protection of animals cf value to agriculture and forestry. That was aljout" 18138, .from which time the movement has advanced rapidly. .

Far-reaching results in bird-protec-tion have been achieved in many lands. Until recently many thousands; of Australian birds werp exported "for trade in England—on lie ships they were miserably overcrowded, and hundreds died every day., Now the legalised export of native birds in any numbers' is ended for all time. After many tor'tuQus political .channels- had been, navigated, a proclamation was issued by the Commonwealth Government pro* hibiting the exportj except under permit, of "any but a few species vof birds. New Zealand can even take a lesson from Austria. The law of Carinthi* decrees,* special obligation for teac>ers in primary schools t« teach chil*dren that it is wicked and forbidden to take or to kill useful birds or to r»t> them of their eggs. During the breed* ing season in Canada the birds are protected by Federal and Provincial yrsif den service, as we}! as by ©yer ; a thousand honorary game officers. A; marked increase in bird-lif« dice the inauguration of the patrol, is shown each year. Lessons on wild-lifa protection have .been authorised for teaching in all the public of Canada. In Italy, unfortunately, sky larka and other small birds are still eaten to an enermous extent, and all birds, especially; the small species, are decreasing enormously. The complete prohibition, of spring shooting in the United States has been productive of the. most noticeabl« results. Everywhere wild-fowl are imported to be returning in ever-increas-ing numbers. The establishment of wild-life refuges or sanctuaries is baying a tremendous bearing en the future of wild life conservation in th» United States. The 'first Federal bird reservation was created- by President Roosevelt in 1903. At the present time there are in existence considerably, over a hundred Federal game and bird reservations'/and more than five hundred State reserves and sanctuaries. In. addition there are innumerable;'areas owned and administered by "private individuals and bird protection societies. The National Association of the Audubon Societies has by means of tens of millions of pages of printed . matter, field lectures, and the organisation of over three millions of school, children into bird study clubs, doubtless played a unique and important part in the fight for bird protection. New Zealand is well advanced in the matter of sanctuaries. and bird protection laws, but the facilities vital for the enforcement of the law, and the supervision of sanctuaries, and wild-life conservation, are lamentably wanting. The New Zealand Native •.; Bird Protection Society is working", with- zeal to lemeij; the present defects. . ■ ■!'