THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN ESSEX. 275
withheld by Mr. Russell, but the reporters agree in stating that
since the passing of the Order under the "Wild Bird Amend-
ment Act, 1880," by the Home Secretary on February 6th,
1896 (vide Essex Naturalist, vol. ix., p. 44, and pp. 218-19),
the breeding-places and nests have not been interfered with.
One reporter writes :—
"The society has done one good thing, it has stopped all our London
sportsmen who used to come down almost every Sunday during June and
July, of late years. This season, I have not seen one down during the close
season. Catching the man (convicted of shooting a gull) at the beginning of
the season, I think made the others pretty cautious about taking the eggs.
Still, I find that they know just what time to come as soon as the close-
season has ended.....There were more birds about this season than
I have seen for many years, and some of the Terns stayed very late this
season."
Other remarks of the individual reporters as to the increase
of birds may be quoted, e.g. :—
"We had rather more of the Black-headed Gulls breeding here this year
than last, also more ducks ; I don't think the rooks destroyed quite so many
of the latters' eggs. We had less Terns and 'Dottrels' [Ringed Plover,
AEgialitis hiaticula, which I cannot account for, as we had such a lot last
year"—"Wild-fowl were very favourable last year, and shore-birds the
same."—"There seem to be a great number of wild-fowls and shore-birds."—
"I think there has been an increase of Ducks and Peewits, but of all other
birds a decrease." —"I think there is an increase of Ducks and Peewits."—
"The gunners report that there are more wild birds about this winter than
have been seen for several years."—"There were a great many Ducks bred
last year."
At the January meeting of the Essex County Council it was
resolved to apply to the Secretary of State for an extension of
the Order protecting eggs in the coast area for five years. At
the same meeting general approval was shown at the extension
of the close-time to August 15th (March 15th—August 15th), as
only three members supported the proposal that the close-time
"should be restored to the 1st August, so far as wild fowl are
concerned." Five rewards have been given for successful pro-
secutions in approved cases : (1) for shooting sea gull on fore-
shore in close-time (Walton), (2) for catching wild birds in
close-time (Ongar), and (2) for violating "Epping Sanctuary"
by taking birds in November. We understand that since the
issue of the report, other convictions have been obtained.
Altogether, Mr. Russell and his co-adjutors are to be congratu-
lated on a good year's work, and the society should be supported
by lovers of birds in the county. Mr. C. B. Russell's address is
"Stubbers," near Romford.