president's address. 277 



The lateness of the season has been strikingly illustrated 

 by the late appearance of so many of our wild flowers. At 

 the end of August much of the hay is lying in the fields, and 

 some of it only cut within a day or so. Oats have been much 

 damaged by wind and rain. Some of the ears look as though 

 they never would fill, and a very great part is mildewed. 

 The flowers of the bramble are yet on the bushes, and in 

 many cases the buds have not even opened. At this time of 

 the year I have always been able to find some of the fruit 

 perfectly ripe. Near Amble and Alnmouth the Starworts in 

 flower are more numerous than I have ever seen them. 



I addressed you at some length la«t year on the unnecessary 

 and cruel destruction of many of our British birds. I was 

 glad to observe a few days after that address was delivered, 

 at a meeting of the Biological section of the Birmingham 

 Natural History and Philosophical Society, Mr. Robert W. 

 Chase, M.B.O.U., expressed the same views. The abolition 

 of the poletrap is very much to be desired, as it destroys with 

 torture every bird which alights upon it. I am glad to see 

 that Lord Barnard has issued printed instructions to his 

 agents and keepers for the abolition of this trap and the 

 proper protection on his estate of many of our birds. I trust 

 his example will be followed by other landowners. During 

 my year of office the following additions have either been 

 made to the list of our British birds or are under considera- 

 tion : — 



Guldenstadt's Redstart (Rubicilla erythrogastra) was with 

 little doubt observed in Hampshire ; but as the identification 

 depends entirely upon one person the occurrence may not be 

 considered to be sufficiently authenticated. 



Yellow-billed Goose (Anser arvensis) has been added as a 

 new species. This Goose is now recognised as being sub- 

 stantially distinct from the Bean Goose (Anser segehmi) with 

 which it has long been confused. 



Greenish Willow Warbler (Phyllosco;pus viridanus). — A fine 

 adult male example was killed at the lantern of the Sule 



