74 



Bird Notes and News 



of these imported into England through 

 Singapore. Mr. Moulton's efforts have 

 now led to the issue of a Government 

 Order prohibiting both import and export 

 of feathers. 



Among other questions considered were 

 the continued destruction of sea-birds by 

 oil-wastage from ships, and the danger to 

 bird-life in various parts of England by 

 the burning of gorse and heather in the 

 nesting-time. 



Next meeting of the Council, April 13th. 



shire Days is recorded in the March 

 number of The Bookman's Journal, where 

 also appear some other addenda to the 

 bibliography of the great naturalist's 

 writings. 



Just as BiED Notes and News goes to 

 press comes the sad news of the death, at 

 Woodcote, Epsom, on April oth, of the 

 Hon. Mrs. Arthur Henniker, a keen and 

 most sympathetic member of the Council 

 since 1904. Mrs. Henniker, who was a 

 daughter of Lord Houghton and sister of 

 the Marquess of Crewe, was born in 1 855, 

 and married Major-General the Hon. 

 A. Henniker, who died in 1912. 



A discovery of considerable interest to 

 collectors of Mr. Hudson's first editions 

 concerning the real first issue of Hatnp- 



In the Winter Number of Bird Notes 

 AND News it was stated that the memorial 

 to Mr. W. H. Hudson would, if possible, 

 take the form of a drinking and bathing 

 place for birds in one of the London 

 Parks, together with the presentation 

 of his portrait, generously given by 

 Professor Rothenstein, to the National 

 Portrait Gallery. The portrait has now 

 been hung (Room 35) ; and H.M. Board 

 of Works has approved the Committee's 

 scheme for a sanctuary in Hyde Park, 

 which, with its handsome design, memorial 

 piers, provision of water and special 

 shrubs and trees, and fine symbolic 

 figure in stone, will be a noble feature 

 of the Park. It waits the King's 

 approval. Those who wish to be 

 associated with this memorial should 

 send subscriptions to the Hon. Treasurer, 

 Mr. H. R. Dent, Aldine House, Bedford 

 Street, W.C.2. 



Notes 



Two cases have already been heard 

 in the Courts under the Importation of 

 Plumage Act, which came into force in 

 April, 1922, bearing out the contentions 

 of the Society that trouble was courted 

 by the " compromise " clause in place 

 of exclusion of all wild-bird plumage 

 from importation. The question is not 

 whether this or that species is numerous 

 enough to stand a commercial drain 

 upon it, but whether the addition of 

 any species does not add unreasonably 

 and unnecessarily to the work of enforcing 

 the law. The first case concerned the 

 identification of certain plumage which 

 had been stopped at Newhaven. Twelve 

 specimens were sent to the Natural 

 History Museum, all feathers of foreign 

 pheasants, and one of these was found 

 to be a species that 7 has been added 

 to the schedule of the Act for admission. 



The Drapers' Record (March 10th, 1923) 

 comments : — 



" There is such an immense variety of 

 plumage, and such a number of alternative 

 methods of treating and dressing feathers, 

 that even those with a life-long experience 

 of the trade are not always readily able to 

 identify the class of plumage to which a 

 particular feather or mount should be assigned. 

 How, then, is the trade buyer to safeguard 

 himself against ofiending the Act ? " 



Two well-known firms, says the same 

 writer, have been convicted, although 

 in each case " it was clear that the 

 infringement was unintentional," while 

 made-up millinery has passed the Customs 

 by means of false declarations. " Such 

 a position is intolerable and vexatious 

 beyond sufferance." The difficulty is 

 obviously exaggerated, seeing that so 

 far only twelve species of the world's 

 bird life are placed on the admission 



