President's address. 27 



Professor Frezteg found that air with one part of sulphurous 

 acid in fifty-five thousand destroyed the green leaves of wheat, 

 oats, and peas, when moist, the effect being visible in a few 

 hours. Muriatic acid is the special pest of the alkali districts, 

 but the operation of the Alkali Act occasions a continually in- 

 creasing development of sulphuretted hydrogen from the tank 

 waste. The amended Alkali Act, which came into operation in 

 the year 1875, dealt more strictly than before with the muriatic 

 acid, and required the suppression of all other noxious gases 

 given forth by alkali works, so far as ''the best practicable 

 means" could compass the end. In due course we shall be told 

 of the real extent of the evil. It is to be trusted, also, that 

 some way may be discovered for preventing the growing pollu- 

 tion of the atmosphere, while still leaving to the manufacturer 

 ample scope for the realisation of profit. 



Another question which calls for comment, which more par- 

 ticularly concerns naturalists, and more particularly ornitholo- 

 gists, is the providing, by the Legislature, a close time for the 

 protection of indigenous animals. It is with a feeling of great 

 satisfaction that allusion is made to the passing by Parliament 

 of the Wild Powl Preservation Act, in the Session of 1876. 

 The bill was carried in the House of Commons by a majority 

 of three hundred and twenty -four, the voting having been three 

 hundred and thirty-seven for and thirteen against. Petitions in 

 favour of the bill were presented to the House of Commons by 

 Matthew White Ridley, Esq., M.P., for JSTorth Northumberland. 

 The petitions were signed by the magistrates, numerous land- 

 owners and residents in the county of JN'orthumberland. The 

 Committee of the British Association appointed for the j)urpose 

 of inquiring into the possibility of establishing a close time for 

 the protection of indigenous animals, reported at the Annual 

 Meeting of the Association at Glasgow. The indirect cause of 

 the decrease of wild fowl, Wheatears, Goldfinches, Linnets, etc., 

 are the diminution of their breeding haunts by reclamations and 

 the various other improvements and curtailments induced by 

 modern civilization. Fishes, such as Cod, Herrings, and the 

 like, have Dog-fish, Cormorants, Porpoises, and otlior enemies 



