26 



Bird Notes and News 



and Berlepsch, food-tables of various 

 patterns, and food-bells, were effectively 

 exhibited ; and large numbers of leaflets 

 dealing with the relations of birds to 

 horticulture and with the general subject 

 of bird protection, were taken by the 

 thousands of visitors who passed through 

 the tent, many of whom were greatly 

 interested in the display. Many questions 

 were asked as to the work of birds in the 

 garden and the work of the Society for 

 the birds, as well as about the boxes and 

 tables. The stall was not entered for 

 competition, but the Judges awarded the 

 Society a Bronze Medal, 



BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. 



A Bill to amend the Ground Game Act 

 of 1880 was introduced into the House of 

 Commons on March 19th, by Mr. Hay 

 Morgan, supported by Sir George C. 

 Marks, Mr. Haydn Jones, and Mr. R. 

 Lambert. Under the plea of befriending 

 the tenant-farmer, it proposes to allow 

 the setting of spring-traps otherwise 

 than in rabbit-holes (as decreed by the 

 present law) " provided such traps are 

 completely and securely covered during 

 the hours between sunrise and sunset." 

 The extended permission thus suggested 

 for the use of these cruel instruments, and 

 the certainty that birds as well as animals 

 would suffer greatly in consequence, 

 naturally ensured strong opposition from 

 the R.S.P.B. A member of the Society 

 who is in Parliament undertook to move 

 the rejection of the Bill it if came to a 

 second reading, and other Members of 

 Parliament are ready to resist its passage. 

 The second reading has, however, not 

 been reached. The County Gentleman 

 (May 18) comments on the Bill;: — 



" The proposal to allow rabbit traps to 

 be set in the open all night, with a proviso 

 that somebody shall go round at sunrise 



and cover them up, displays at one and the 

 same time a cynical disregard of humani- 

 tarian sentiment and a touching faith in 

 the farmer's boy . . . The implied sug- 

 gestion that good husbandry can only be 

 served by enlarging the right to maim 

 inoffensive birds and beasts can hardly be 

 passed over without a protest." 



Mr. G. Greenwood brought in, on June 

 13th, a Bill to prohibit the hunting, cours- 

 ing, or shooting of any animal or bird 

 released from captivity for that purpose. 



THE NEW FOREST. 

 Last year leading naturaHsts signed 

 a protest against a proposal of the War 

 Office to use the New Forest for mihtary 

 manceuvres in the height of the breeding- 

 season of wild animals and birds, among 

 the signatories being the Chairman and 

 members of Council of the R.S.P.B. The 

 proposal has happily not been repeated 

 this summer, thanks in great measure, 

 no doubt, to the exertions of Mr. Trevor- 

 Battye, who promoted the memorial. 



BIRD-PROTECTION ORDERS. 



A circular letter has been addressed by 

 the Society to the forty County Boroughs 

 of England that are Avithout Bird Protec- 

 tion Orders, drawing attention to the fact 

 that the Order for an administrative 

 county is not operative in a county 

 borough, and urging that the absence of 

 Borough Orders (1) causes confusion in 

 the public mind ; (2) allows birdcatchers 

 and egg-robbers to destroy the bird-life 

 of the suburbs, where its preservation is 

 peculiarly desirable ; (3) permits the 

 possession and sale in the Borough of 

 species illegally taken in the County. 



Official replies promise that considera- 

 tion shall be given to the subject, and the 

 Boroughs of Northampton and West 

 Ham have already decided to apply for 

 orders uniform with those of their respec- 

 tive counties. 



