BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



79 



conviction, the Egret, Heron and other birds 

 being protected by law throughout the year in 

 this Colony. Attention was drawn to the state- 

 ments made by Mr. Goodfellow, in a paper read 

 before the Zoological Society of London, as to the 

 destruction of Birds-of-Paradise in New Guinea 

 (see page 82), and it was agreed that should definite 

 information be procurable, an appeal for the better 

 protection of these birds should be addressed to 

 the Kaiser, and also to the Governors of Dutch 

 and British New Guinea. 



In consequence of the numerous complaints 

 received by the Society of the condition of British 

 birds in the bird-dealers' shops of London and 

 other towns, it was decided to take special steps 

 to test the efficacy of the present law for the 

 prevention of cruelty to wild animals in captivity. 



After some discussion it was agreed that no 

 Autumn Conference be arranged by the Society 

 this year, but that efforts be made to organise a 

 gathering of Members to take place during the 

 summer of 1908. 



OBITUARY. 

 Since the publication of the last number of Bird 

 Notes and News the Society has lost some con- 

 spicuous members, each of whom was a prominent 

 advocate of the principles of Bird Protection. 



Admiral Maclear, who died on July 17th, from 

 heat apoplexy, while on a visit to the United 

 States, was a most kindly and sympathetic worker 

 in the cause, which he took up heartily at the 

 close of his distinguished career in the Navy. 

 Though deafness prevented him from taking so 

 active a part as he might otherwise have done, he 

 was an effective advocate with both voice and pen, 

 and interested himself keenly in the removal of 

 "osprey" feathers from the catalogue of the Army 

 and Navy Stores. He spoke at the Society's 

 Annual Meeting in 1905, and also lectured on its 

 behalf. Admiral Maclear, who entered the Service 

 in 185 1 and held the Turkish, Chinese, Crimean 

 and Afghanistan medals for active service, com- 

 manded the "Challenger" in her scientific voyage 

 round the world, and, subsequently the "Alert" in 

 her similar voyage. He was a Fellow of the Royal 

 Meteorological and Geographical Societies. 



Mr. John Bruce, of Sumburgh, who, with Mrs. 

 Bruce (Hon. Local Secretary for Shetland), took 

 special interest in the preservation of the birds of 

 that region, was Deputy Lieutenant and Convener 

 of Zetland, and the head of every movement for 

 advancing the welfare of his native county, with 



which his family had been connected for 300 years. 

 He, too, died in July. 



No member of the Berkshire County Council 

 was more active in promoting the County Bird 

 Protection Order in 1901 than Mr. Thomas 

 Frederick Wells, formerly Mayor of Wallingford. 

 He worked most patiently for this object, seconding 

 the efforts of the R. S. P. B., was a genuine lover 

 of birds, and made a point of attending the Society's 

 Annual Meetings. Mr. Wells died very suddenly 

 on August 23rd, falling dead in the street at 

 Wallingford. 



Lord Aldenham, who died on September 13th, 

 was an old and valued friend of the Society, which 

 he joined ten years ago, very shortly after his 

 elevation to the peerage. His son, the Rev. K. F. 

 Gibbs, is a still older adherent, being one of the 

 earliest Life Associates. 



In the death, on September iSth, of Mr. Edward 

 Clifford, head of the evangelistic work of the 

 Church Army, the cause of the birds loses a 

 warm supporter, whose sympathetic and generous 

 encouragement will be much missed. He joined 

 the Society in 1891. Before devoting himself to 

 the Army Mr. Clifford won distinction as a portrait- 

 painter. 



Miss A. E. Gardner, the Society's Hon. Secretary 

 for Leicester, was on the teaching staff of the 

 Wyggeston High School for Girls, and her earnest 

 and persuasive advocacy, coupled with no incon- 

 siderable knowledge of birds, won many recruits to 

 the ranks of Bird Protection. Her premature death 

 in July last is sincerely regretted by all who 

 knew her. 



TAKING EGGS AT HASCOSAV. 

 The exceptionally bad case of egg-lifting in the 

 Shetlands, which was heard at the Lerwick Sheriff 

 Court on July 15th, 1907, illustrates with peculiar 

 force the necessity for the presence of Watchers on 

 the breeding-grounds of rare birds, and for extreme 

 caution in giving permission to visitors to inspect 

 such areas. The island of Hascosay has been 

 for some years most carefully guarded by 

 Mr. Hoseason, the lessee, a substantial grant 

 towards the Watching having been made by the 

 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds since 

 1901. The number and variety of breeding 

 species, many of them birds of much interest and 

 rarity, has considerably increased in consequence. 

 It appears that on May 31st of this year, Mr. J. C. 

 Grierson, solicitor, of the North of Scotland and 

 Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company, 



