SELBORNIANA. 
97 
itself is reached. It of course follows that the noble picture presented by Box 
Hill as seen from Dorking, Burford Bridge Station, or indeed anywhere in the 
neighbourhood, continues unspoiled. But again it has to be asked — what when 
the fort and its big guns are there? Justify the appropriation as we may, Box 
Hill can never be the same again. 
Wll.I.IAM WHITWELL. 
“Object Lessons” (p. 38). — We are glad to announce that, in response 
to the representations of the Society for the I’rotection of Birds and other bodies, 
the following paragraph appears in the “Revised Instructions” (1896) issued to 
H.M. Inspectors by trre Education Department ; — 
“ It is very desirable that such courses should include lessons on animal life, 
but you will discourage, so far as you possibly can, both in infant schools and in 
schools for older scholars, the killing of birds and other animals and the purchase 
of stuffed specimens to be placed in the school museum. The charm of a lesson 
given to young children on animal life lies in the observation of the movements of 
the living animal and in its adaptation to its usual surroundings. The wanton 
sacrifice of life should by itself be a sufficient reason for discarding the use of 
stuffed specimens. But you should also point out the uselessness of their em- 
ployment in object lessons, they generally exhibit but feebly the structure and 
habits of the living animal, and awaken only a languid interest in the minds of the 
scholars. The same arguments apply, though with less force, to tame animals. 
Our English song and other wild birds, such as thrushes, larks, and starlings, 
should never be kept in cages ; and unless its happiness is secured (as is possible 
in the case of canaries and animals born in captivity) a caged animal should not be 
kept in any school.” 
Cats and Birds (pp. 56, 77). — I think Mrs. Turle has quite overlooked the 
fact that my letter did not deal with the morality of keeping wild birds in cages, 
but with the method of training a cat to birds. If Mrs. Turle had hail the ex- 
perience that I have had with rats and mice she would certainly not advance the 
theory of trapping, as she would find it did not answer in practice. There is no 
substitute for the cat but poison, and I think rats and mice ought to have their 
due amount of sympathy as well as the birds. 
J. W. H. 
Plant Protection in Switzerland. — The Aiheno’uni for April 18 says : 
“ The measures taken in Switzerland for the protection of the ‘ edelweiss ’ and the 
‘ Alpen-rose ’ are now extended by some communes to other plants. The Com- 
mon Council of Andelfingen, in the east of Switzerland, and that of Bex in the 
west, have prohibited the gathering of Daphne Cueortim, D. alpina, Iberis 
saxatilla (rrV), and Lunaria reJiviva, under a penalty of 10 francs. In both com- 
munes the fines ate allotted to the commercial school fund.” 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
A Collie’s Sagacity. — Some friends of mine residing in a neighbouring 
villa, some years ago possessed a handsome black and tan Lammermoor collie. 
Rover was a very sagacious dog, and a very privileged one too, for he not only slept 
in the room of his master and mistress, but wffien morning came and his mistress 
awoke, he was allowed to come upon the bed. He was a good house-dog, never 
allowing anyone to enter the garden gate at early or late hours without informing 
the family, intimating the matter with loud barkings. One dark early dawn in 
mid-winter, the frost having been exceptionally sharp, the windows of the bed- 
room w'ere designed all over with lovely mosaic fern-patterns. Someone entered 
by the garden gate ; Rover, curled up and warmly buried in the soft eider-down 
quilt, instantly sprang up, rushed to the door, which, being shut, he as quickly 
sprang to the window. The thick rime prevented his seeing the in-comer, but 
with quick intelligence he licked a large round hole in the frosted glass, and put 
his eye to the space he had cleared, to view the supposed intruder. 
Torquay. L. F. S. 
