18 



Bird Notes and News 



Bill is the best contribution that we 

 ourselves can make to this object." 



The Right Hon. Sir Sydney Buxton, 

 g.o.m.g. : — 

 "I think public opinion is greatly 

 hardening is favour of the Government Bill. " 



The Countess of Stamford : — 



" I am particularly sorry to be absent 

 on this occasion, as I feel strongly that it 

 is most desirable that the Plumage Bill 

 should be passed as soon as possible." 



The Lady Theodora Guest : — 



" I have very much at heart the objects 

 of the Society in promoting the passing 

 of the Government Plumage Bill. The 

 example of America ought to stimulate us 

 to do at least as well as they have done, and 

 I trust we shall not be behindhand ; but 

 even twenty years ago, when I was in 

 America, I was struck by finding their laws, 

 even then, far more stringent than ours, 

 both in Canada and the States. I find in 

 the country here that the suppression 

 of the bird-snarer's trade has had 

 immense effect in favour of our wild birds, 

 and it will be to England's credit if the 

 Egrets and Birds of Paradise can also be 

 protected from ruthless slaughter." 



The Lady Laura Ridding : — 



" I feel keenly the need of the passing of 

 the Plumage Bill, and I hope that real 

 pressure will be put upon the Government 

 to get it through the House. Several years 

 ago one used to see three and four aigrette 

 feathers in bonnets. Now, the milliners 

 put a forest of aigrettes like a soft sweep's 

 brush. The number of birds which must 

 be killed to make these terrible brushes 

 is beyond calculation. The Bill is really 

 the only means by which this nauseating 

 trade can be stopped." 



The Right Rev. Bishop Welldon: — 



" I wish with all my heart it were 

 possible for me to support the Duchess 

 of Portland and Lord Newton at the meeting 

 on March 5th. Every year strengthens my 

 conviction that the Royal Society for the 

 Protection of Birds is doing, and is the only 

 body which is capable of doing, a work of 

 great mercy and utility — a work that is 

 indispensable to the economy as well as to 



the beauty of Nature, and to the credit of 

 humanity." 



The Right Hon. C. G. Mdlnes Gaskell : — 

 " Nothing short of drastic legislation and 

 international action can save our vanishing 

 fauna and flora. Some architect in future 

 ages may be able to build something worthy 

 of his century when all buildings and monu- 

 ments of beauty have been destroyed by 

 our municipalities, but it will be beyond the 

 wit of man to replace Birds of Paradise 

 and Egrets and Humming Birds by more 

 exquisite fauna. 



" The task of the Society is a terribly 

 uphill one, for there are no more power- 

 ful forces than those of stupidity and 

 vulgarity." 



The Rev. Dr. Lyttelton (Headmaster 

 of Eton) : — 

 " I greatly regret that I cannot be present 

 on Thursday to add my voice to those of 

 other lovers of birds at this critical time. 

 I am convinced that if a hideous waste of 

 life is to be checked, England must take 

 a decided step without delay, and one 

 strong reason for supporting the Plumage 

 Bill is the hope that we of this generation 

 may yet save, ourselves from lasting 

 reproach, not to say indelible shame, from 

 those who come after us." 



The Rev. Canon Rawnsley : — 



" I am grieved that I cannot be with 

 you at your meeting to support your 

 President and Lord Newton in the matter 

 of the Plumage Bill. That such birds as 

 the Egret and the Scarlet Tanager, the 

 Smyrnian Kingfisher, the Lesser Bird of 

 Paradise, the Lyre Bird, the Scarlet Ibis, 

 and many Humming-Birds should be swept 

 from the face of the earth to satisfy a 

 barbarous fashion only fit for savages, 

 should be permitted in a Christian country 

 is a lamentable fact ; and as one who 

 believes that each of these birds was a 

 revelation of the mind of God to man, I feel 

 that no words are too strong to speak of the 

 short-sighted wickedness of the plumage 

 trade, or to plead for the passing into Act 

 of the Plumage Bill that is now before the 

 House." 



The Rev. A. L. Hussey : — 



"I believe that I was nearly the first of 



