Page:Bird-lore Vol 05.djvu/52

 The Audubon Societies 37

Movement. so that it shall live up to its title as the organ of these snt‘ieties, antl furnish the necessary information and en- cout'ag‘emcttt to those desirng to join in the work. It is inrposs )Ie for tile editnr continually to repeat what for the last four yeah in these pages in asking, “What the Audubon movement? Hnw do you

has appeared

answer to personal lettt:

join asociety?" etc. etc.: and friends of the work, or those desiring to become such, are referred to tlte nearest library for tiles of this magazine,

In order tltat all with BIKD»L1)RE has ltatl the good fortune to secure a series or papers upnn Bird Prue S. Palmer. the first. Coverng Intlia, appearing in this

mar keep in mild!

similar work itt other I’mtntriesr

tection Ahmad. by Dr. ’I‘.

issue.

Let us read tltern carefully, tor the sooner we learn that not only national httt inter- national coiiperation is the only cement that will huid together the stones of in- dividual effort that are to build the protec— tive wall against which the shut of plume- and pot-hunter is to rattle in vain, the that rise in its might to he one of the grandest monuments of the best spirit of ruodern civil. tiUII. ‘

l\/.0. W.

sooner shall \vall

BIRD PROTECTION ABROAD

I. Bird Protection in India"

By 1'. s. Palmtk

The large number of ltidiati birds used by the tnillinery trade this season renders the subject of bird protection in India one of general interest, Apparently, the ﬁrst movement for the protection of birds in British India was a proposal to secure the passage of a game law, which was discussed as early as t869—72, this movement until r879, when the govern- ment of Madras secured the passage of an act "To provide for the protection of game

Nothing came of

society lot the ptnteetion of aims. Stt- t.carlrts No rn ‘lndia and her wdd Birds." by St Charles La '50“. up. n. ‘1'he Protection 0! Wild Birds in trtttrax by SurzconACcneul 5. Butte; Annual Reports lnr tone and I90]. copies at these puhlieatrnns may he nhtaint-ti through the Hon. Sncrclnry ul the sncieti. Mrs. . E. Lemon. t Hanrrrersttuartu Lnrntnt. w,
 * nased mainly on publications of the

Etutlish

and acclimatizcd fish in the district of the Nilgiris " The area thus protected come prised a mountain range apprnsirnate area oi 725 square mitt-s and

vast with all supporting. in rxxr, a population of ahout 91,000 persons, at which le -than who were European” In r88r. at the suggestion of Surgeon-General G. Bitlit. the governe merit of Madras sought to extend similar protection to hirds other than game, antl especially tn such spct‘ics as were killed for their plumage; hilt the proposal was not regarded with favor by the government of trtdia. in the same year the government of Bombay endeavored to secure sanction of a hill to protet‘t nine species of game hirds and such other species as were used for food; but this also vetoed "on the grounds that the public irrtere- - involved did not appear suﬂirientlv strong to warrant interference with tile habits of the rural population, itt the manner contemplated." Three years later another local government

it as

was refined permision to impose a tnx of tire rupccs on every hint and hate hmttght intu Kasauli. u Punjah station. during,r the close season. ostensibly hecause the tax could nnt he legally imposed.

Meanuhile. in July. 1884, the East India Association, of London, ltemme interested in bird protection and brought the whim to the attention of the government of India. This movement tinnlly resulted \in the pa 7 t887, of ‘ The \‘i’ild Protection Act.’ which still remains

sage. in Octuhcrv Bird

in force.

This act contains four sections with a numlicr ot provisions, among which may he mentioned the following: lSec. t) The Act extends to the whole of British India: (Sec. 2) The term ‘Wild Birds" includes the Peacork and every hird of game; (Sect 3) Local governments may make rules for the territory under their administration, deﬁning a wild bird, (18* tining the breeding season for eat-h species, and prohihiting pnssession or sale during the breeding season. or the importation of the plumage of any wild bird during such season; violations of the titles to he punr ished by a line (not exceeding ﬁve rupees tor a first ohense and ten rupees tor a sec—

ontl oﬁeusel for each lvird. and conﬁsca»