The letter from Elsa Meyland-Smith (July 22) made very interesting reading. She complained that she has not seen many birds in Malta and could not imagine from where the 30,000 birds which will be trapped by bird trappers will come from.

The correspondent is obviously not familiar with the hunting scene in Malta. For years hunting has been carried on in the spring as well as in the autumn and winter by around 11,000 hunters who have decimated the number and species of birds.

Unfortunately, most of the hunters are not very intelligent as otherwise they would forget about shooting birds in spring and allow the birds to fly North, breed and then come back to Malta in the autumn together with their offspring. Thus there will be more birds to practise on and destroy.

Unfortunately, we and our children are condemned not to see and hear the singing of birds. This stark picture is in strong contrast with Corfu where thousands of bee-eaters flit through the skies on top of Corfu town every evening. Swans also grace us with their presence when they come near the beach to eat bread from our hands.

I am afraid, Ms Melyand-Smith, that birds for many years to come will be conspicuous by their absence in our islands due to the selfishness of this troglodyte breed.