308 



44 % ^Ica for i\t gtolb/' 



By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



[Bead before the Society at the Anuuat Meeting" alt Devizes, September, 1874] 



jN the first paper on the natural history of the county which 

 j I read before the Society at its first meeting in 1853 at 

 Devizes, I expressed a hope that the inauguration of this and other 

 kindred societies might not only be the dawn of a happier era of 

 kindness towards the whole animal creation, and that the system of 

 wanton persecution of God's creatures, hitherto unhappily so much 

 practised in this country, and especially amongst the uneducated 

 classes, might receive a timely check from the remonstrances of 

 those who compose this Society j but also that the systematic per- 

 secution of certain species of animals, oftentimes prompted by igno- 

 rance of the true habits of the animal so persecuted, might be done 

 away, by dispelling many erroneous fictions respecting the furred 

 and feathered tribes, then so generally rife ; and by diffusing more 

 correct information regarding their economy, their habits, and their 

 usefulness to man. 



During the twenty-one years which have elapsed since the forma- 

 tion of this Natural History Society, we have from time to time 

 • endeavoured to disperse some of the fictions, and to substitute true 

 histories of some of the species of living creatures we have yet 

 touched upon. But a very great deal in this direction yet remains 

 to be done : and when in furtherance of this intention I, twelve 

 years ago, read a paper before the Society at Malmesbury, on the 

 better preservation of a race of birds, against which a wholesale 

 crusade of extermination was being then in some districts practised, 

 and which I entitled " A plea for the Rooks/"' I promised that at 

 some future day I would follow it up with another paper of apology 

 for no less injured, no less harmless, no less valuable a quadruped, 

 viz., the " Mole ; " a promise, which, though postponed much longer 

 than I intended. I desire now to redeem. 



