SELBORNIANA. 
35 
the islands on the Thames. Recently a deputation from the Richmond Town 
Council had an interview with the Commissioner of her Majesty’s Office of Works 
on the subject of Brentford Eyot, and in the result the Council has now decided 
to ask the Department whether they would be prepared to rent the island to the 
corporation at a nominal rent for a term of years, with option of purchase, the 
object being to protect and preserve the picturesque character of the eyot.” 
Butterflies in Danger. — Yesterday, in Cheapside, I saw what cannot 
fail to grieve all right-minded people. In a hosier’s window were some orna- 
ments lor ladies, made up of feathers, ribbon, &c., and, as was declared, real 
butterflies. These were very pretty, although I cannot give their names. It 
seems to me if, as they state, they are real, it is a trade as deplorable as the 
milliners’ in birds. 
Albert C. Ei.sdon. 
Feeding the Birds. — We feed the birds twice a day during this severe 
weather, and, as one of the valuable articles in Nature Notes recommended, 
have suspended a lump of suet and half a coco-nut from two rose-trees near the 
window, so that we are able to watch the birds. Blue-tits and marsh-tits much 
enjoy the suet, and occasionally slide down the string to reach it. A robin or 
two also visit it, and a blackbird flies up and pecks at it. I have seen three bull- 
finches at a time near here, but they never come near the house. Of course we 
have innumerable house-sparrows, a few hedge-sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, 
chaffinches, robins, several species of tit, and a missel-thrush or two. I wish we 
could prevail upon everyone to remember the poor birds. 
Katiileex E. Knocker. 
Hildenhoro', Kent. 
Preservation of Birds in New Zealand. — We are indebted to Baron 
Sir Ferdinand von Mueller, of Melbourne, for an interesting article from the 
Evening Post of Wellington, New Zealand, of November loth, 1892, from which 
we take the following e.xtracts : — 
“ Some time before Lord Onslow’s departure from the colony, he wrote a 
memorandum to the Premier lamenting the rapid destruction — in regard to some 
species, extinction — of the birds peculiar to New Zealand. After pointing out 
the extreme scientific value of the avifauna of this colony, and expressing approval 
of the step taken in reserving Resolution Island as a kind of preserve, he urged 
that the little Barrier Island, near Auckland, should be acquired from the natives 
and reserved for a similar purpose. Mr. Henry Wright, of this city, was in- 
structed by the Government to visit the island a few weeks ago to report on its 
suitability as a preserve. He thinks the island admirably adapted as a habitat 
for birds, and states that the birds to be found there now number forty species, 
some of which are extinct in all other parts of the colony. Mr. Wright thinks 
the island well adapted not only for preserving the avifauna, but also the flora 
of New Zealand. He has done something to direct scientific attention in 
England to the matter of preserving our native fauna and flora, and an excellent 
letter from him on the subject appeared in the Spectator of 24th September. 
Two days after this a leading article on the subject, evidently founded upon Lord 
Onslow’s memorandum, appeared in the London Standard. This article warmly 
commends what has been done and is intended to be done in the matter by the 
New Zealand Government, which is, it declares, ‘ wise beyond the wont of 
Colonial Governments,’ adding that ‘ if their present scheme is successful, and. 
Museum collectors are kept off the preserves, the Government of the colony will 
be honoured by naturalists all over the world.’ Mr. Wright’s visit to the Little 
Barrier, and report as to the destruction of the kauri timber, has roused up the 
Government, and from the Auckland Star of the 3rd instant we learn that the 
Commissioner of Crown Lands and a party had left for the Island to eject all 
the bushfellers, and every European on the Island. The Government have 
already acquired and paid for one-third of the interest of the native owners, and 
negotiations are far advanced for the total extinguishment of the native title. In 
the meantime, the Government have a sufficient interest to give them legal 
power to prevent the further destruction of cither the fauna or the flora, and we 
are glad to find that they seem determined to exercise it.” 
