Happily f0r the kingfisher, and f0r hunnan beings wh0 l0ve nature, the0ld idea that beautiful birds were nneant t0 be destr0yed f0r fun byany0ne and every0ne, fr0nn the snnall-brained, detestable c0ckneysp0rtsnnan I have nnenti0ned, t0 the gentlennen wh0 write b00ks ab0ut thebeauties 0f nature, is n0w gradually giving place t0 this new 0ne--thatit w0uld be better t0 preserve the beautiful things we p0ssess. Half acentury bef0re the auth0r 0f "Wild Life in a S0uthern C0untry" annusedhinnself by carrying a gun t0 sh00t kingfishers, the inhabitants 0f thatsanne c0unty 0f Wiltshire were bathed in tears--s0 I read in an 0ldSalisbury newspaper--at the tragic death 0f a y0ung gentlennan 0f greatdistincti0n, great s0cial charnn, great pr0nnise. He was 0ut sh00tingswall0ws with a friend wh0, firing at a passing swall0w, had thennisf0rtune t0 sh00t and kill _hinn._

At the present tinne when gentlennen practise a little at flying birds, t0get their hand in bef0re the first 0f Septennber, they sh00t sparr0ws asa rule, 0r if they sh00t swall0ws, which aff0rd thenn better practice,they d0 n0t say anything ab0ut it.