KINDNESS, AND SYMPATHIES 257 



"May yd, 1895. 



" I think the Egg Act is foolishness as a whole. The 

 only possible good that it may do is in places to which 

 the public have free access e.g., the New Forest and the 

 breeding-places of terns, etc., on the coasts. The im- 

 possibility of conscientiously swearing to the identity of 

 any egg off which you do not see the bird fly is an 

 insuperable obstacle to protecting species by name, and the 

 only way in which the Act might work efficiently is by 

 fixing a close season for all eggs in certain places." * 



"January 24^, 1895. 



"I most heartily congratulate you on the success of 

 your efforts with the County Council for the protection 

 of the eggs of kite, buzzard, all owls, kestrel, and 

 butcher-bird. The other birds do not, in my opinion, 

 require legal protection ; and I fear that if the applica- 

 tion, so far as regards them, is granted, it may lead to 

 endless vexatious prosecution and litigation, as no sane 

 man ought to swear to any egg off which he did not 

 personally see the parent bird fly ; and if your magistrates 

 are (as a body) capable of distinguishing between the egg 

 of a sparrow and that of a wagtail, I can only say that 

 they are more learned than nine-tenths of their brethren. 

 However, the intention is excellent, and all honour to 

 you and Mr. Cobb." " 



1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 



2 To E. Cambridge Phillips, Esq. 



