ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.) 
Mature Motes : 
Zbe Selborne Society’s fll>aoa3fne. 
No. 198. JUNE, 1906. Vol. XVII. 
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 
By the Right Hon. Lord Avebury, D.C.L., F.R.S. 
Delivered May 25, 1906. 
1 have in the first place to congratulate the Society on 
having come of age. This in itself shows that it fulfils a real 
want. Unquestionably the love of Nature is stronger, more 
general, and more intelligent, than it used to be; and if on the 
one hand this originated the Society, on the other hand we may 
fairly claim that the Society has done much to open the eyes 
of our countrymen and countrywomen to this great source of 
interest and happiness. 
But the lapse of time brings losses with it. This year three 
of our Vice-Presidents have left us. Sir Mountstuart Grant 
Duff, Lord Mansfield and Mrs. Brightwen, whose writings have 
done so much to carry out the objects of the Society. 
The Society now numbers over 1,800 members, and several 
new branches have been formed during the year. 
The summer excursions have been very successful, mainly 
through the excellent management of Mrs. Percy Myles, who 
has for the last two years been ably assisted bv Mr. Poole. It 
is a great loss to the Society that Mrs. Myles feels herself unable 
to continue the work. I am sure that I shall be expressing the 
wishes of the Society in offering her our thanks. 
Mr. Poole has been good enough to organise also our winter 
meetings. 
Several of our members are taking a prominent part in the 
Country in Town Exhibition. 
Our Ealing Branch has secured an enclosure in which birds 
are effectively protected and were enabled to rear several 
hundred broods. This is a good example which might be 
carried out with advantage elsewhere also. 
