10
THE PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN ESSEX.
AT this spring season of the year, when "the time of the singing
of birds is corne," the attention of those interested in
the preservation of our native fauna may again be usefully
called to the important consolidated "Orders" of the
Secretary of State, which now run in the County of Essex,
We summarised these orders, and printed in full the various
schedules accompanying them, in the Essex Naturalist for
April-June, 1897 (vol. x., pp. 133-136). As was there stated,
the effect of these orders is to establish some of the largest
protected areas in England.
(1). In the first place, under the orders, every hind of wild bard frequenting the
open or public lands in the County is absolutely protected between the
15th of March and the 15th of August (both days inclusive).
(2). The scheduled birds are protected ou all lands, public or private, between
the dates mentioned.
(3). Within the Metropolitan Police District, the eggs of birds mentioned
in one of the schedules (see p. 134, vol. x., E.N.), are absolutely
protected whether found on public or private land.
(4). Within the Metropolitan Police District above mentioned, or within
the parishes of Epping, Epping Upland, Theydon Bois, Theydon
Garnon, and Lambourne, the birds mentioned in another of the
schedules (ante, vol. x., p. 135), are protected between the 15th
of August and the 15th of March following. These scheduled
birds in this area are consequently absolutely protected all the year
round.
(5). The Eggs of any Wild Birds found on the foreshores of the coast and
tidal inlets extending from Harwich Lighthouse to Shoeburyness are
absolutely protected.
In addition to the above orders, absolute protection all the
year round, is afforded to all birds and their eggs occurring in
the Forest lands officially under the care of the Corporation of
London.
And, finally, the owners of certain estates bordering the
Forest have agreed, by joining Mr. E. N. Buxton's "Epping
Forest Bird Protection League" (E.N. ix., pp. 49-51), to protect
all the Owls and Hawks (excepting the Sparrow-hawk), the
Magpie, Peewit, Heron, and the Kingfisher, within their lands,
an area amounting in the whole, with the official forest, to
about 20,000 acres.
As we have frequently pleaded, these Wild Bird Acts and
Orders require drastic revision ; the schedules in particular, are