SELBORNIANA 
>«3 
in operation for several years, is a large one, and mars the very 
grandest bend in the entire gorge, both by the artificial exposure 
of raw edges of rock and by the din of the stone-crusher, that 
destroys all the natural (juiet of this lovely spot. No doubt, if 
now abandoned, kindly Nature would soon heal over this un- 
sightly scar, bleaching the iron-stains from the stone and draping 
it with clinging bushes and herbage. There are assuredly plenty 
of other less beautiful spots where Mendip limestone can be 
quarried ; but we suspect that the excellent road down Cheddar 
gorge to the railway was one of the determining causes of this 
act of vandalism. It seems to us one of the many burdens 
suitable for the willing but insufficiently supported shoulders of 
our friends of the National Trust. 
Bird Protection in India. — The Simla correspondent of 
the Daily Mail, writing under date September 19, says : — 
“The Government of India has to-day issued an official announcement pro- 
hibiting all further export of wild-bird skins and feathers, of which enormous 
(|uantiiies have hitherto been sent to England for use in trimming ladies’ hats.” 
To this our contemporary adds this comment : — 
“ India exported during the trade year 1900-01, ^^9,029 worth of feathers and 
;^T,I48, 155 worth of skins, the latter not, of course, all bird-skins. 
“That the agitation against the inhumanity of the trade has taken effect is 
shown by the facts that in the year 1896-97 the value of the feather export was 
.i^370,990, and that in the year 1897-98 the value of the skin export was 
^6,935,320.” 
Helix Pomatia. — Miss Woodd, of “ Glenthorne,” Eastbourne, 
asks us to announce that she has specimens of this edible snail 
for sale, price is. for two, carriage paid. 
The Canterbury Congress of the South-Eastern 
Union of Scientific Societies. — The Council have received 
the following Report from their delegate, Mr. J. L. Otter; — 
“ It was a great pleasure to me to represent the Selborne Society at the Congress 
at Canterbury. The Congress seemed to me quite successful. A matter for regret 
was the small attendance at the address of the President, as it w.is of exceptional 
interest. Dr. Hutchinson, who took leprosy for his subject, was listened to with 
close attention, and his exposition of the thejry that the source of the disease is 
exclusively in imperfectly cured fish, was a good deal more than plausible. 
“ The Council will be glad to hear that the Selbornian subject of tbe preserva- 
tion of our native flora stirred a genuine interest, as was shown by the discussion 
which followed the reading of the papers. Both Professor Boulger’s and Mr. 
Martin’s papers were appreciated, and the only division of opinion was with 
reference to ways and means, especially legislative. Mr. Merrifield, who was 
present, and with whom I had some conversation afterwards, thinks that a 
legislative protective measure of limited scope might be usefully passed. His 
opinion is valuable, as he is Clerk of the Peace for Sussex, and Clerk of the 
Sussex C'ounty Council, as well as a field naturalist. I hope that Mr. Boulger’s 
and Mr. Martin’s papers may be printed in Nature Notes, or, as the space is 
limited, an epitome at any rate. Some of us were a little concerned to see in the 
exhibition-room specimens of Orchis militaris, O. fits a, and of a species of 
Cephalaiithera (I forget now which), the last being taken up by the roots. These 
are, to the experience of most, tare species ; but as Kent is in localities rich in 
species elsewhere absent or rare, no barm may have been done.” 
