Protection 45 
rare and interesting species, which 
perhaps are becoming extinct ; in one 
district a stretch of meadow, and in 
another a tract of fenland ; here a 
heath, and there a sand-hill with a 
pontic plant association ; here a pine- 
wood, and there a deciduous forest. 
Moreover, it has been proposed 
that governments should purchase all 
lands bearing, or constituting in them- 
selves, monuments of nature. This 
proposal, however, cannot be carried 
out, as many places of that kind are 
not for sale. Besides, it is not always 
to the purpose that all natural monu- 
ments indiscriminately should come 
into one hand. In fact, it is only in 
those cases where the owner cannot 
be interested in the natural monument, 
and persuaded to protect it, that it is 
desirable for the State to purchase it. 
The required sums should be sub- 
scribed by public bodies, societies, 
