158
EPPING FOREST
and encouragement of all wild life. The Forest
is a sanctuary for all birds and beasts, even for
those marauders who are generally classed as
vermin, unless they can be proved to be so
predatory as to endanger other species.
The rule of the Committee on this matter is—
" That no shooting be allowed on the Forest
unless with the express authority of the Com-
mittee, and then only for such animals or birds as
are injurious."1 Besides the protective measures
of the Conservators, most of the large proprietors
adjoining the Forest have agreed to extend their
protection to those birds which are becoming rare,
and which especially need it. The birds which they
have, up to now, agreed thus to encourage are, the
family of owls, all the hawks, except sparrow hawks
—and even that little brigand is protected on some
estates—the magpie, which is extremely scarce in
Essex, the peewit or green plover, the heron, and
the kingfisher. In addition to the above measures,
powers have been sought by the County Council,
and granted by the Home Office, under the Act
of 1896, for constituting all the Forest parishes
and several adjoining parishes, an area within
which bird-catching with nets, etc., is prohibited
throughout the year. The only birds which are at
present admitted to be injurious on the Forest are
the jays, which are there in excessive numbers,
and undoubtedly harry other birds' nests; and
those rooks who have chosen to breed on the
same island as the herons at Wanstead Park.
This black-coated colony have so increased of
recent years as to endanger the existence of the
heronry, with which they are at perpetual war.
Fairplay to all things that fly, run, creep, or
swim, should be our motto, so that man, who is
at times the most predatory animal of them all,
may study, and learn to respect them. Nor
1 There is an exception to this rule which I must mention
to prevent misconception. When the Lord of the Manor of
Loughton parted with his manorial rights to the Corporation
he reserved to himself and to his sons the right of shooting
over the Manor of Loughton within the Forest.