156 
NATURE NOTES. 
I have already said that to many minds the mere act of 
destruction seems to give pleasure. To others, the motive for 
destroying may be fear or fashion, but, whatever be the cause, it 
is certain that in man's relation to the rest of creation, the 
economy of nature is grievously neglected. To the majority of 
people it seems little short of folly to use carefully that which 
seems to be so liberally'' provided. It is so difficult to realise the 
worth and value, the expense — to translate the idea into the 
language which is most readily understood — of life, that many of us 
fail to see the waste which we are causing. Especialtywith regard 
to birds and flowers is the waste most dangerous and useless ; 
and the Selborne Society endeavours to draw public attention 
to this fact, and so to check the disease of -wastefulness from 
which we are already suffering. 
The birds’ lives which are sacrificed, neither for utility nor 
comfort, but to satisfy woman’s craving for adornment, are- 
legion, and by their destruction man and nature often sustain 
a double less, for not only are the birds’ lives taken, but the 
crops, of which they are the natural protectors, are sacrificed. 
Truly some lives are saved by this system, those of the Hessian 
fly and the maggot, for example. Perhaps we ought to be thank- 
ful for these ! 
Briefly, the Selborne Society may^ be said to be humanitarian, 
economical and humane. Humanitarian, because it tries to 
provide happiness and pleasure for the greatest possible number 
of men ; economical, because it discourages that wastefulness 
which is so natural among men and so contrary to their own 
interests ; and humane, because it considers the lower creation 
as too valuable to be sacrificed to man’s lowest passions and 
desires. 
Isabel Fry. 
[In an accompanying letter Miss Fry says, that as she has dwelt almost exclu- 
sively on the cultivation of individual right feeling, with a view to the formation 
of a sound state of public opinion, she hopes some one else will before long deal 
with the more active work of the society in its corporate capacity. We hope soon 
to avail ourselves of her suggestion.] 
ENGLISH BIRD NAMES. 
HE following lists have been sent by various correspon- 
dents. We have omitted from them certain names 
which seem to be in general use, and have prefixed an 
asterisk to those not in Mr. Swainson’s Folk Lore of 
Biitish Birds. 
From South-West Surrey ; sent by the Rev. Gerald S. 
Davies, Godaiming : — 
