Report of Meetings. By the President. 459 



tliat the hirds might fly away before the gunners arrive ; for, as 

 it is, they fall victims to the parental instinct which prompts 

 them not to desert their progeny, — an instinct implanted by 

 Providence, which, surely, should be respected, and, in the 

 interests of science as well as of humanity, not taken advantage 

 of by man. 



But a combination of both methods seemed likely to be 

 the more effective way ; so, knowing that the Association had 

 already entirely in their own hands the control of the eggs, it 

 seemed to me, after due consultation with several of our mem- 

 bers, that we might usefully signalise the visit of our Club to the 

 Parnes, and strengthen the hands of the Association, by passing 

 the following Eesolution, which, after the usual toasts, was 

 proposed by the President after dinner, seconded by the Eev. 

 J. P. Bigge, and carried unanimously. 



"In view of the great interest and value attached to the 

 Parne Islands as a breeding station for many rare birds, it is the 

 opinion of this Club that it is highly desirable, in the interests of 

 science as well as of humanity, that additional effort should be 

 made for the preservation and protection of the birds from the 

 time of their arrival until the 1st of September ; and that a copy 

 of this resolution should be sent to the Chairman of Quarter 

 Sessions of the County of Northumberland, and to the Parne 

 Islands Association." 



Members will, I think, be glad to know that in a short time, 

 in answer to that resolution duly sent off to the officials named 

 in it, our Secretary received certain documents from the Clerk of 

 the Peace for the County of Northumberland which it is not 

 necessary to reprint at length here, but whose substance is that 

 upon consideration of our motion, the close-time under the Wild 

 Birds' Protection Act had been extended from the 1st to the 

 11th of August for the whole county, I much wish, if possible 

 under the Act, the extension could have been granted for the 

 islands alone, without including the County, and I am not without 

 hopes that this may yet be done. 



The thanks of the Club are due to the magistrates for having 

 so courteously and so promptly considered our communication. 



Among the phenomena of Natural History, the migration of 

 Birds is one of the most curious, deeply interesting, and little 

 understood. 



It may be known to many of our members, that in 1883 the 

 British Association appointed a Committee for the purpose of 



