104 
NATURE NOTES 
cessful, although there were some eminent exceptions, which 
made the fact more vexing. To have well organised branches 
supplied one of the strongest foundations for a permanent sort 
of Society such as the Selborne. Other societies which were 
comparable to it had definite purposes, as for example. The 
Commons Preservation Society, and the Footpaths Preservation 
Society. But the purposes of the Selborne Society were so 
comprehensive that it was all the more necessary their locally 
established branches should work together for the common 
objects of the Society. The purposes of the Selborne Society 
could not be defined by rules, but were matters of practice. 
There were several official objects ; but probably, what the 
Society desired more than anything else was by precept and 
example to induce a certain attitude of mind towards objects of 
Nature. It might perhaps be a definition of the attitude to say 
that the Selborne Society believed nothing to be common or 
unclean. They did not wish to preserve plants or animals 
simply because something in them was attractive to one’s par- 
ticular taste or fancy, but they desired to preserve and take an 
interest in everything pertaining to natural history. A Society 
like that therefore required, more than any other, local associa- 
tions where members could meet together and study together. 
He therefore urged the branches to give a more satisfactory 
support to the finances of the Society, and thereby become not 
so much branches as roots. 
Lord Avebury, in moving the adoption of the Report, referred 
to the loss the Society had sustained in the late Secretary, 
Mr. Western, to whose efforts so much was dne. As regards 
the main objects for which the Society was founded, he thought 
they might, on the whole, fairly congratulate themselves that 
good work had been accomplished. As regards the Wild Birds 
Preservation Acts, while many of the County Councils — particu- 
larly the London County Council — had carried out the Acts in 
a wise and energetic manner, there were others whom they 
would be glad to see taking a somewhat more lively interest in 
the preservation of the wild birds of our country. In London, 
certainly, there had been a remarkable change, and everybody 
who had watched the wood pigeons in the parks and the beautiful 
gulls flying up and down the Thames, must have had brought 
home to him how much more pleasure and interest there was 
in watching animals when they were living than in killing them 
and preventing them from providing us with further interest. 
But in spite of the Wild Birds Preservation Acts, there was still 
a great deal of ruthless destruction going on, which was very 
difficult to prevent, and which every now and then was brought 
out prominently by some side light, as when, a short time ago, a 
man brought an action against another to recover £7. for which 
he had sold ten dozen linnets — most of which he (Lord Avebury) 
was told, died — and the dealer in question was said to buy 
generally about a hundred dozen song birds every week during 
