ORIOLES AND HOOPOES.
The seductive picture—drawn by a speaker on Bird Protec- tion in the House of Commons—of the avocet waiting on the shores of Holland till a sanctuary was made for him in Britain is a true picture of more birds than one. Lord Grey, who with Mr. Montagu had much to do with the form of the Bill, proved . by one very salient example how thoroughly and quickly birds learn the meaning of a sanctuary. Within his own reserve he could approach the duck, including a particular teal, as nearly as he wished. On a piece of water just outside the boundary this teal was wild, timid and unapproachable. A bird that ought to be seen every year in England is the golden oriole ; and the surest way of converting such casual visitors to regular visitors is to establish sanctuaries close to the neighbourhood where, as a rule, they land. Probably the hoopoe could be thus attracted. It is so remarkable in shape and colour, as indeed is the oriole, that its doom is almost certain. The sanctuary, endowed with a watcher, is the one adequate safeguard. * * * * Over the question of shooting on Sunday, it is surprising that no speaker referred to the quaint and most democratic legislation of Belgium. The chief sport of the people is fishing ; and Sunday is the day when the town workers flock
to the riverside with their long bamboo poles. On that day every river, in their own phrase, is trop Latta, flogged to death. But it is unfair that the busy folk should be outfished by the lazy. So the law forbids you to fish with a worm or such bait, except on Sunday. The idea is that the fly-fisher is too big a fool (or the fish not fool enough) to do serious damage. Ile may be allowed a free hand without risk. Incidentally, the Government preserves by making all waters where the woods come down on either side into reserves. No man may fish, even with a fly; or on a week-day, entre les bats. If he does–. eaperto crede—a picturesque warden in Robin Hood uniform descends on him with admirable celerity and routs him firmly and courteously.
The secret of preservation—of birds, of plants and trees, of the amenities of the country in general—lies in the elemen- tary school. At present you cannot in England beautify any place to which children have free access. A most admirable society for planting the dumps of shale in the Black Country has recently been dissolved because the trees and bushes they planted were wantonly cut or dug up. You cannot plant flowers an inch outside the boundary of any country house, Nearly all the early nests, built before the leaves conceal, are wantonly destroyed. The country boy is only less bad than the collector ; but he is much more easily cured. How some of us would like to see the issue to every schoolmaster of a little pamphlet—on the lines, say, of the admirable " Safety First " leaflet issued to motorists—which should seductively preach the pleasures of preservation ! Sympathetically used, it might very soon create a public opinion of more value than all the legislation in the world. Who was it who said that the world would be healed not by politics, but by manners ?
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