126 The Irish Nahirali St. 



half-a-crown would be within reach of National and Board 

 School teachers, factory hands, and others. Unfortunately, 

 however, it has been found to be not low enough for persons 

 receiving small incomes, and not large enough to comfortably 

 bear the cost of issuing the Society's organ, Nature Notes, 

 which, of course, considering the limited circulation of all 

 scientific periodicals, is absurdly cheap — 2d. per part! Owing 

 to larger subscriptions and donations from wealthy people 

 and the contributions from the branches, the Committee have 

 been enabled to defray the cost of the magazine, the rental of 

 office, and the honorarium of the Secretary, but not to print 

 leaflets for free distribution broadcast in the way originally 

 contemplated. This is a pity, because cyclists, fishermen, 

 and other wanderers, could do a great deal amongst people 

 prone to kill every rare bird, uproot rare plants for sale, and 

 otherwise do mx is chief. Every year it is getting more difficult 

 to obtain specimens of particular birds for local museums, and 

 what makes it more annoying is that the birds are shot and 

 carried away by private persons for the pure love of acquisition, 

 and eventually lost in some distant auction. 



A capital plan in starting an association such as the Selborne 

 Society, is to get each member to secure ten others, and then 

 the society "snow-balls" on in that way, and cheereth the 

 hearts of the Committees. 



Amongst the very earliest adherents of the society were 

 I^ord Cork's sister-in-law, the Hon. Mrs. R. C. Bo3de, well 

 known as E- V. B., without whose artistic and literary powers 

 and influence very little progress would have been made. 

 Through her, H.R.H. Princess Christian became chief 

 Patroness, and the lamented lyaureate, President. Eouisa, 

 Marchioness of Waterford, a lady of extraordinary abilities, 

 Eady Muncaster, Professor Haddon, Mr. Burbidge, and others 

 also lent a helping hand. 



The Committee in England cordially wish every success to 

 the efforts now about to be made in Ireland to establish 

 branches of a society which admittedly is not only doing a 

 good work, in the prosecution of its various objects, but 

 offers a common ground of fraternization between resident 

 naturalists and visitors from distant parts, who are sure of 

 finding in a Sclbornian, a guide, philosopher, and friend. 



