42 
NATURE NOTES 
nately the public are not always so purblind as the clever people 
of the community seem to think. The local branch of the 
Selborne Society, under the leadership of their energetic secre- 
tary, Mr. E. A. Martin, F.G.S., called a public meeting on the 
Hurst on January 22, at which it was explained that out of the 
whole area of about eighty acres, the Whitgift governors have 
consented to sell thirty-five acres to the Corporation, while 
reserving the base for building purposes ; that this involves 
cutting up some of the prettiest portions of the Hurst ; and 
that for half a century and more, Croydonians have rambled 
unmolested over the Hill, so that some of the well-beaten tracks 
are undoubtedly public footpaths. The meeting was unani- 
mously in favour of the purchase of the property as a whole, 
and an influential committee was formed to further this object. 
At the meeting of the County Council on February 6, however, 
whilst the acquisition of the thirty-five acres was agreed upon, 
the request of various deputations that the whole should be 
purchased was left in abeyance. True lovers of nature and 
those who value open spaces must, therefore, continue to 
contest this insidious attempt to use public funds to improve 
the property of a private building estate, and to so assist in the 
ruin of a beautiful bit of woodland. 
Sundays as Close-time. — The Norfolk County Council has 
just adopted a proposal for the administration of the Wild Birds’ 
Protection Acts, which is worth the consideration of other 
County authorities. The Acts fix the close time for wild birds 
from March i to August i ; but give to County Councils the 
power to make orders, with the approval in each case of the 
Home Secretary, for extending this time. This has generally 
been interpreted as a power of adding a few weeks in continu- 
ance of the statutory period. The Norfolk proposal is to make 
all Sundays close days, as they already are for game. It is on 
Sundays that the prowling gunner is most in evidence, especially 
along foreshores and in districts that can be easily reached from 
any considerable town . — Westminstev Gazette. 
The Trade in British Song-birds. — A few weeks back at 
the Lambeth County Court some sad revelations were made as 
to the needless suffering caused by the public demand. A bird- 
dealer named Charles Grimwood, of Lee, summoned Alfred 
Wison for £2, the price of ten dozen linnets. Wison said he 
could not pay, because nearly all the birds had expired. His 
Honour asked if they usually died, and the reply was that the 
close confinement killed them. The plaintiff said defendant 
could easily disburse: he generally bought 150 dozen a week, 
including linnets, skylarks, and other British song-birds, 
judgment was given for the plaintiff; but Judge Emden said it 
was a great pity that the birds should be comlemned to such a 
miserable life, or rather death. Obviously a bird had better be 
born a sparrow, or a chicken. 
