76 
NATURE NOTES. 
fish-dinners chiefly are composed of sticklebats and minnows, which swallow 
scores of troutlings and eat trout-eggs by the hundred. Moreover, it is fond of 
small crustaceans and aquatic insects, such as dragonflies and beetles, whereof 
the larvae are most murderous to trout-fry. Dr. Hamilton describes a method 
used for capture of the Kingfisher, which they who love “ the gentle craft 
surely ought to be ashamed to sanction : — “A number of small spring-traps are 
set on narrow boards crossing the stream, on the hatches, and on old boilghs 
hanging over the river, oa which Kingfishers often perch, and when settling on 
these the trap is sprung, and catches the poor birds across the legs, breaking and 
tearing them. There they remain, may be for many hours, till the river-keeper 
visits his traps. It often happens that the trap cuts the legs clean off, and the 
poor maimed bird flies away to die a lingering and terrible death by starvation.” 
Let every true Selbornian try to stop this cruel practice, and let ladies— gentle 
ladies — all decline the gift of a dead kingfisher, like that of a blind bullfinch — - 
blinded in the stupid hope to make his song the sweeter. 
6, The Terrace, Kensington. BLANCHE SILVER. 
Birds and Bonnets. — I cut the following enclosure out of our Yorkshire 
Post one day last week : — 
Sir, — I beg to be allowed through the medium of your columns to call atten- 
tion to the Society for the Protection of Birds. This society, which at present 
numbers over five hundred members, was formed two years ago to prevent the 
enormous slaughter of birds which takes place for the purpose of millinery. 
There is no subscription ; all that is required of members is that they shall 
refrain from wearing the feathers of any bird not killed for food except the 
ostrich. It is a well-known fact that many species of birds are becoming rarer 
and rarer, and it is feared will become altogether extinct. It is quite time that 
this dreadful slaughter at the dictates of a cruel and remorseless fashion should 
cease. Every individual member of the society is a help to the cause, so no one 
need think that if she only were to practise this small piece of self-denial it 
would do no good. I shall be only too happy to receive the name and address of 
anyone desirous of joining the society and to give any further information. 
I am faithfully yours, 
(Miss) Hannah Poland, Local Sec. S.P.B. 
29, Warwick Road, Maida Mill, London W., March 7th, 1S91. 
One is always glad to hear or read of any such right-minded endeavours, and 
especially so in the case of a society formed for the furtherance of the object of 
them. I did my best in that direction some years ago in a letter I wrote to 
the Times, at the request of Lord and Lady Mount-Temple, and headed it “The 
Plumage League.” It brought together a large number of supporters from all 
parts of the country, but mostly — indeed, almost exclusively — from the higher and 
highest circles, from the late Duchess of Sutherland downwards. It was well, very 
well, as far as it went, but I have heard nothing of it recently ; and it seems to 
me that what is wanted is, mainly, to have some “head centre ” of operations 
for the working out of what is so very desirable — as the newspapers continually 
testify — a “ local habitation,” and also a “ name ” or “ title,” than which, “ as at 
present advised,” I do not think a better can be readily suggested than, that I have 
mentioned above, “The Plumage, League.” 
Only the other day a farmer’s wife near here, and of the first class, too, con- 
fronted me with a swallow, “displayed,” as the heraldic books have it, and not 
only so, but its “ blazon” was “gules” (i.e., bright red) from tip to tip ! What a 
satire on frivolity ! Can “ the force of folly further go ? ” 
I hope not a few of your readers will communicate with the lady, the writer 
of the above-given letter, and encourage her righteous effort in every way they 
can. F. O. Morris. 
Nunburnholme Rectory, York. 
[We are much pleased to give publicity, at Mr. Morris’s request, to Miss 
Poland’s appeal. This is a good opportunity for saying, in answer to a question 
which has been asked more tnan once, that no pledge whatever is exacted from 
members of the Selborne Society. In some cases, such as that of the principal 
of a school, who establishes a branch among her pupils, the requiring any such 
promise would be clearly undesirable. The fact of Selbornians in general being. 
