FIELD AND FOREST. 35 



damage under the cousideration of the agricultural bodies of the king- 

 dom." 



Dr. Maxwell Masters moved the next resolution, and in doing so 

 said he was charged to express the regret of the President of the 

 Royal Society that he was unable to be present. He spoke of the 

 great ignorance throughout the country on the subject of insect 

 damage, and as an indication of the amount of damage done, said 

 that half the time of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society was occupied with answering inquiries from all parts as 

 to how to deal with insect foes. The resolution he moved was,' — 

 M That much of the . loss occasioned by insects is preventible, and 

 ought to be prevented." This was seconded by Mr. Maclagan, and 

 carried. 



Mr. Mechi then moved — " That it properly belongs to Government 

 to provide the necessary means for protecting cultivators from this 

 loss, as it is only by combined and simultaneous action over consider- 

 able districts that it can be effectually done, and Government alone 

 possesses or can obtain the requisite means of endorsing such action." 



Both Mr. Mechi in moving it and Prof. Voelcker in seconding it, 

 spoke of the want of knowledge througout the country on the subject. 

 Mr. Sewell Reed urged it was not a question for government but for 

 agricultural societies. The resolution was declared earned, though 

 many hands were held up against it. 



The last resolution was — "That the President and Lords of the 

 Council and the Agricultural Societies of the United Kingdom be 

 informed of the opinion of this Conference, and urged to take the 

 subject at once into their consideration, with a view of providing a 

 remedy," which, after a long discussion was carried. — From Nature. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Editor Field and Forest : 



As I have lately read in Nature some sharp words to those who en- 

 tertain the idea that birds hibernate, I send you the following items 

 bearing on the subject : 



Mr. John T. Goss, now living in Presque Isle in this county, is a 

 gentleman of intelligence and honesty. He informs me that fifty 



