298 FRANCIS ORPEN MORRIS 



thing. Even when stuffed and in a glass case, it is 

 a barely tolerable curiosity." 



Inserted in the circular were several of his friend 

 the Rev. Richard Wilton's tasteful and telling son- 

 nets, and the principles of the League were set forth 

 at the end. Lady Mount-Temple and the Hon. Mrs. 

 R. C. Boyle acted as secretaries. It was argued that 

 every one would acknowledge that "the enjoyment 

 of Nature is immensely enhanced by the lovely forms 

 and movements of the birds of our woods and shrub- 

 beries, filling the air as they do with song, and an- 

 swering in the most endearing way by their familiarity 

 and friendliness to any kindness shown to them on 

 our part. The display of the dead and distorted 

 bodies of these lovely creatures is obnoxious also 

 to good taste, and the plumage, which is doubtless 

 ornamental, can easily be obtained by fair means." 



It may be interesting here to state the relationship 

 between the Plumage League and the early history 

 of the Selborne Society, an organisation which has 

 since widely extended itself. This I gather from a 

 short circular issued in May 1888 by George A. 

 Musgrave, Esq., who with Mrs. Musgrave were the 

 originators of the Selborne Society, or, as it was 

 then called, the Selborne League. Cards of mem- 

 bership were issued on December 17, 1885. The 

 circular states : " The Plumage League was a happy 

 suggestion made by the Rev. F. O. Morris, the 

 veteran champion of the birds, on the i8th December 

 1885, in tne Times" Lord and Lady Mount-Temple 

 kindly defrayed the printing expenses connected 



