66 SAINT KTLDA AND HER WEEN 



sider it, the quixotic idea of obtaining legislative pro- 

 tection for these. De minimis non curat lex how was it 

 possible to avoid ridicule in framing an Act of Parliament 

 in the interest of one of the tiniest of warm-blooded 

 animals, of which, probably, not more than a dozen pairs 

 remained in existence ? 



Howbeit, I have always found the House of Commons 

 very sympathetic in regard to matters affecting wild 

 animals, so I framed a bill to bring St. Kilda under the 

 scope of the Wild Birds Protection Acts, with special 

 exemption of those species useful for food. Not even a 

 pigmy, methought, could make a breakfast of wrens' 



It is easy enough to get leave to introduce a bill into 

 Parliament and get it read a first time, no matter what 

 the subject thereof may be; but it is a different job to 

 obtain for it a second reading. The Irish members are 

 ever vigilant to oppose anything coming from a Unionist 

 source, and unless they could be conciliated, there was 

 no chance whatever for my little measure. So I went 



off to Mr. , the Nationalist Whip, and told him my 



purpose, explained that it was absolutely non-political, 

 and begged him to get Mr. Redmond's favour for the 

 bill. 



' Well,' said he, ' I '11 not object to your bill, Sir 

 Herbert, if you '11 persuade Mr. Balfour to allow a little 

 bill of me own to go through.' 



' What bill is that ? ' I asked. 



'A bill to emancipate the Catholics of Ireland,' he 

 replied. 



' I thought that was all settled in 1828,' said I. 



' So it was in part,' he said, ' but they left a big part 



