Page:Bird Haunts and Nature Memories - Thomas Coward (Warne, 1922).pdf/247

Rh Legislation for the protection of the fauna is not viewed with much intelligence by some of those who are sent to act as our representatives. During the second reading of the Expiring Laws Bill, in August, 1921, one Member made what he considered a witty speech, in which he poured scorn on the work of protectors. This is what he said, as quoted by Hansard:

"Then we come to the Sand Grouse Protection Act, which inflicts penalties for killing, wounding. or selling sand grouse. We are getting very near the 12th, and I suppose there are some honourable Members who know something about grouse. I believe that the object of this Act is to acclimatise a species of bird which, when this Act was passed, was supposed to be the sand grouse but which is now recognised by ornithologists as not being a grouse at all, but a form of pigeon. The amusing part of this Act is that it was passed to protect sand grouse in this country. There has never been a sand grouse seen in this country since the Act was passed. It is called the Sand Grouse Protection Act and, apparently, like all protection Acts, it had the effect of destroying the thing which it was intended to protect. There are various forms of grouse—the red grouse, the willow grouse, and others—but the one thing that does not exist here is sand grouse, and why in the name of common sense we are going on year after year with the object of acclimatising a form of grouse which is not a grouse at all I cannot understand."

It is perhaps unnecessary to say that every sentence uttered is erroneous; it is true that the Act, passed in 1889, was too late to save the birds which came in the 1888 invasion, but there have been seven irruptions or invasions since that date. The object, of course, was to protect a species, not to acclimatise a sporting asset, as the gentleman who appeals "in the name of common sense"