(Authors are responsible for nomenclature used.) 



The Scottish Naturalist 





No. 28.] 1914 [April 



EDITORIAL. 



We learn with sincere regret, as we go to press, of a serious 

 motor-car accident, wherein Sir John Murray, K.C.B., F.R.S., 

 has lost his life, and his daughter has received serious 

 injury. The long life of the veteran scientist, devoted 

 especially to the explorations of seas and of lakes, to the 

 investigation of their physical conditions and animal 

 inhabitants, has been filled with a record of scientific effort 

 and achievement which redounds to the credit of the land 

 of his adoption. 



Still more and more must the lover of nature fight against 

 the evils which follow in the train of civilisation. After forty 

 long years of struggle he at last rejoices in the probability 

 of seeing a Bill passed to prevent the importation into Britain 

 of the plumage of such birds as have been slaughtered in 

 their tens of thousands to gratify human vanity. The roll 

 of death is heartrending. At single sales there have been 

 sold 12400 oz. of "Osprey" feathers, representing about 

 75,000 birds; 10,700 skins of Crowned Pigeons; 24,800 

 Humming Birds; 162,750 Smyrnian Kingfishers, and soon, 

 in an unending tale of shame. The facts that the Govern- 

 ment has adopted the Plumage (Prohibition) Bill, and that 

 it has passed its second reading by a majority of 282 votes, 

 point to the probability that London will soon cease to be 

 the world's mart for this nefarious trade. It is encouraging 

 also to know that should the British Bill succeed, Germany, 

 Holland, and several other European nations are likely to 

 follow the lead already given by the United States and 

 many of our own colonies, and now likely to be shared in 

 by ourselves. 



28 K 



