26 LIFE OF FLOWER 



less young by slow starvation, was painted in forcible 

 language by more than one letter from Flower's pen. 

 Happily, as the result of these and other letters from 

 sympathetic naturalists, and the foundation of the Society 

 for the Protection of Birds (whose general aims were 

 likewise strongly advocated by Sir William), this detest- 

 able practice has been much diminished of late years, 

 although very much remains to be done in this way 

 before there can be any pretence of saying that birds, 

 even in this country, are treated by man as they deserve. 



On another occasion he wrote, deprecating the whole- 

 sale destruction of bottle-nosed whales, which had been 

 advocated on account of the enormous quantities of fishes 

 devoured by these cetaceans. The question of pelagic 

 sealing in Bering Sea, and the best way of preventing 

 unnecessary slaughter, and thus eventual extermination, 

 of the sea-bears and sea-lions which visit the Pribiloff 

 Islands, also occupied his attention. And to him was 

 confided the duty of selecting the naturalists (Professor 

 d'Arcy Thompson and Captain Barrett-Hamilton) who 

 represented British interests in the International Com- 

 mission despatched to those islands in 1896 and 1897, to 

 report on the sealing generally and the habits of the sea- 

 bears, or fur-seals. 



The best mode of disposing of the bodies of the dead 

 was also a subject to which Sir William devoted a share 

 of his attention, and he was a strong advocate for 

 cremation, or, failing this, for burial in wicker caskets 

 in light sandy soil. 



The effects of the weather on " Cleopatra's Needle " 

 a comparatively short time after it had been set up on the 

 Thames Embankment $ the best means of utilising and 



