ACT FOR PRESERVATION OF BIRDS' EGGS 93 



of certain birds' eggs during their nesting season 

 has been forwarded to me by a friend. It appears 

 to be a step in the right direction, but still hardly 

 all that it might be, and, unless it is better enforced 

 than its predecessor, utterly useless. I much 

 doubt if, in any case, more than a very few in- 

 dividuals will take the trouble to apply for the 

 protection which may be needed, and any action 

 in the matter will necessarily rest very much with 

 the farmers, a class of men who, with compara- 

 tively few exceptions, are strangely ignorant of 

 the habits of birds, and, so long as their crops do 

 not suffer, are absolutely indifferent as to whether 

 any particular variety of bird requires protection 

 or the reverse. 



I feel it a duty to make known in the present 

 instance, to any of my readers who may not be 

 aware of its existence, that there is a society 

 called the Society for the Protection of Birds, 

 and that it is at the present time using every 

 endeavour to promote the protection of our wild 

 birds and their nests during the breeding season ; 

 the Duchess of Portland is the president, and the 

 names of the vice-presidents, sixteen in number, 

 are well known. The committee, also composed 

 of sixteen individuals, are sufficient guarantee for 

 its efficient working. The hon. secretary is Mr. 

 F. E. Lemon, Hillcrest, Redhill. The subscrip- 

 tion is so small as to be within the reach of the 

 poorest. 



Any person may become a member on paying 



