BIBB NOTES ANB NEWS. 



67 



international protection for insectivorous birds 

 from the economic standpoint. If a list of such 

 birds could be made out with the aim and 

 intention of having them scheduled in the 

 protective laws of the nations concerned, agri- 

 culturists might have cause gratefully to re- 

 member the Congress of 1905. 



Topics like these are well worthy the attention 

 of international ornithologists. Beyond such 

 problems there is also great need for the forma- 

 tion of a standing International Committee, 

 consisting of working representatives of Bird 

 Protection Societies and practical ornithologists, 

 who would constitute a permanent body for 

 interchange of information, and for co-operative 

 action, in all matters touching the preservation 

 of birds. 



COUNCIL MEETINGS. 



The Council of the Society met at 3, Hanover 

 Square, on April 14th. Present : Mr. Montagu 

 Sharpe (Chairman), Mr. Bell, Hon. Mrs. Drewitt, 

 Rev. A. L. Hussey, Miss Hall, Mr. Hastings Lees, 

 Mrs. F. E. Lemon, Mr. Meade-Waldo, Miss Pollock, 

 Mrs. Owen Visger, and the Hon. Secretary. 



It was reported that 25 lectures had been given 

 since March nth; that the usual annual letter 

 had been sent to the 81 Divisional Officers of H.M. 

 Coastguard with reference to the enforcement of 

 the Wild Birds Protection Acts ; that various steps 

 had been taken with regard to the watching of 

 the Dnngeness area and of Lundy ; that the new 

 County Bird Protection Orders for Scotland had 

 been received from the Scottish Office, and had 

 led to correspondence with the Office relative to 

 the Inverness Order. 



The following appointments of Local Hon. Secre- 

 taries were confirmed : — Chelmsford, Mr. Alec 

 Sacre ; South Bucks, Mrs. Dixon Davies. The 

 Southport Branch was reported to have constituted 

 itself a separate Society. 



Six Fellows and 28 Members were elected. 



A large number of communications having been 

 received with reference to sparrow clubs, it was 

 agreed to be desirable that in these clubs someone 

 with ornithological knowledge should be appointed 

 to inspect the takings, and the subject was referred 

 to a committee. 



A suggestion from Mr. Jesse, Hon. Secretary of 

 the Indian Branch, for the establishment of one or 



more scholarships at Meerut College was considered. 

 The cost of a scholarship would be ,£15, the qualify- 

 ing examination would consist of an essay on some 

 subject in connection with birds, and the competition 

 would be open to all Indian boys of the United 

 Provinces. The matter was referred to a com- 

 mittee to report upon. 



At the meeting of the Council on June 3rd there 

 were present : Mr. Montagu Sharpe (Chairman), 

 Mr. Bell, Sir John Cockburn, Mr. H. E. Dresser, 

 Miss Hall, Mr. W. H. Hudson, Rev. A. L. Hussey, 

 Mrs. F. E. Lemon, Miss Pollock, Mrs. Owen Visger, 

 and the Hon. Secretary. 



The following appointments of Local Hon. 

 Secretaries were confirmed : Rutland, Miss Maud 

 Tryon ; Taunton, Miss A. M. Sibly ; Kettering, 

 Miss H. Wicksteed. One Fellow, two Life Mem- 

 bers, and 17 Members were elected. It was 

 reported that six lectures had been given since 

 April 14th. Reports were received relating to 

 Bird Protection in the Bahamas ; Watchers ; 

 Sparrow Clubs ; the Ornithological Congress, etc. 

 On the recommendation of the Committee it was 

 agreed that ^15 be given by the Society to found 

 an Indian Scholarship, and that efforts be made 

 to establish others by the aid of persons interested 

 in India. The issue of three new leaflets was 

 agreed to. 



It was decided to arrange, if possible, for a 

 Conference of Local Hon. Secretaries in the 

 autumn of this year. 



OBITUARY. 



The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has 

 suffered a heavy loss in the death, on the same day 

 (May 14th, 1905), of Sir Daniel Ross O'Connell, 

 Bart., of Killarney, one of its Vice-Presidents, and 

 Lieut.-Colonel L. Howard Irby, a Member of the 

 Council. 



The name of Sir Ross O'Connell had been 

 associated with the Society for some twelve years, 

 as Hon. Local Secretary, as Member of Com- 

 mittee, and as A r ice-President successively ; he was 

 among the best friends of its early days, and his 

 warm and ready sympathy with the work was 

 always most helpful and encouraging even after he 

 had been compelled to retire from active co-opera- 

 tion in its conduct. Sir Ross O'Connell, who was 

 only forty-four years of age. had been in indifferent 

 health for a long time, and died at San Remo. 



Colonel Irby, who had a gallant record for 

 services in the Crimean campaign and the Indian 

 Mutiny, will be long remembered, says the Times , 



