REPORT. 155 
record the death of Dr. Hurd, who, although unattached to the Branch, 
often stayed in Hath and was allowed all the privileges of a member. 
Birmingham and Midland Branch. — In the Annual Report for 
1896, presented by the Committee at the meeting held in January, 1897, 
the Rev. A. R. Vardy presiding, the Committee have to record a slight 
increase in numbers. Lectures on Birds, illustrated by lime-light 
pictures, were given by .Mr. E. .S. Baker at Blackwell, and at Staniforth 
Street. Thirty-three essays were sent by the Blackwell children, most of 
them giving good accounts of the Lecture there. In February, prizes 
were offered in four more schools for the best essays on liird Life. 
The Committee issued a Question Paper, in the summer, to various 
schools in Birmingham and the neighbourhood. 
These are examples : 
1. What is the consequence to the farmer of the destruction of small birds ? 
2. Why should you not dig up all the primrose roots and fern roots which 
you can find for vour garden ? Describe the right way and the wrong 
way of picking flowers when you go into the country lanes and fields. 
3. What birds leave us during the winter ? Which stay, and how can we 
help to preserve those that are with us during the cold weather ? 
4. If you hid, and watched quite quietly on the banks of a stream, what 
fishes, birds, and little animals might you see on a summer morning ? 
5. Why is it not right to use osprey feathers and small birds as ornaments ? 
What feathers may be worn without injuring the birds to whom the 
first belong ? 
6. Why is it not right to keep thrushes, black-birds, larks, linnets, and 
migratory birds in cages ? 
■\nswers have been received from children of all ages between 
eight and seventeen ; the papers were divided into two classes, one 
for competitors under eleven, and the other for those over that age. 
Many replies are very well written, and contain much that is interesting ; 
some little scholars give more startling information, as : “Moths are 
not so bright as butterflies ; from living in boxes they like to get the 
colour of old clothes,” and “ Some birds, when they fly into Egypt, 
put a mark on some little islands in the sea, so that they know how 
to find their companions on the way back to England.” One boy 
remarks : “ One of these grand ladies had a cloak lined with humming 
birds ; she must have been a very careless woman.” Many of the 
Head Masters have been most kind in allowing the children time to 
write, and in giving special lessons on the subjects beforehand ; it is 
evident from the answers how much they have been taught of kindness 
to living things. 
Selborne Leaflets have been given to the pupils in many schools, with 
the help of the Masters. 
It is hoped that this year the Committee may be able to arrange for 
Lectures to be given to the older girls in High Schools, that before it is 
too late they may be helped to think for themselves how unnecessary it 
is to buy and wear for fashion’s sake things which involve such cruel 
modes of slaughter as ospreys, small rare birds, sealskin, &c. Notices 
have been distributed to excursionists asking them not to remove plants 
and flowers from the districts which they visit in such a way that “ The 
woods are mournful, meadows lose their charm.” 
Clapton (Lower Lea \^allev) Branch, Eighth Annual Report, 
Abridged), 1896. — This branch now numbers 62 members, being a 
slight decrease on the previous year. 
During the summer months several field excursions of archaeological, 
botanical and entomological interest were undertaken by members of the 
branch under the auspices of the Selborne Society’s Field Club, and a 
series of winter lectures were given in the district by Messrs. C. J. 
