Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Hunting, Ornithology, Cruelty, Government, Politics, Class

    Discusses the proposal (spearheaded by George C G F Berkeley) to implement a gun tax 'to protect small birds from hobble-de-hoys'. Relishes the possibility of a tax that would 'abate the confiscation inflicted on a class under the name of Income-Tax'. Warns that such a penalty would 'prevent poor boys and not rich' from shooting birds, and that it would not prevent the Gun Club from pursuing its activities. Suggests that Berkeley's disgust of young boys who shoot birds on Boxing Day is misplaced since such boys are no worse than gentlemen who indulge in 'cover-shooting'. Concludes by insisting that small birds should be protected 'like the sea-fowl'—a reference to a recent piece of government legislation—and that cruelty should be prohibited rather than licensed.