128 
NATURE NOTES 
much the same bag was made, except that no elephants were 
shot, and only 2 panthers or leopards, but two rhinoceros were 
obtained ; also some klipspringer and Clarke’s gazelle and 
hartebeeste. Others have shot zebra by crossing the Shebeyleh 
or Leopard River.” 
How does this wholesale slaughter of anything and every- 
thing distinguish itself as sport from the action of the Cockney 
gunners on Sundays and bank-holidays, in the fields round 
the metropolis ? We notice that Mr. Seton-Karr has written 
to a contemporary that he gives place to no one in his “ love 
of all dumb animals ” ; but in that case we can only reply on 
behalf of those dumb animals, “ Save us from our friends.” 
When Mr. Seton-Karr goes on to speak of “ God-planted 
instincts of the chase ” which he claims to possess “ in common 
with all carnivorous creatures,” we feel tempted to ask whether 
it was hunger that prompted him to shoot rhinoceros and 
hyaenas. 
“ANOTHER PETITION FOR OUR CAGED BIRDS.” 
pros and cons on the subject of caged birds are so 
fig* i numerous that I feel it is somewhat futile to raise 
iffv.uC i another plea in defence of such captives ; and the 
endeavour (such as I would make), viz., to obtain 
legislation for the prevention of any birds being kept in captivity 
will very likely meet with universal objection, but may 1 beg 
for a small space in Nature Notes in which to ask the 
opinion of any member of the Selborne Society who may be 
interested in this matter ? 
There is no doubt that many of us derive great pleasure from 
the keeping of such pets. Certainly those birds which are bred 
in cages have less need of our sympathy than those victims 
which are caught annually by the bird-trappers. These are the 
ones that I especially plead for. 
The cruelty of the snaring and the sight of the birds dis- 
played later on in the bird-fancier’s window have often set me 
wondering if a league against the custom of keeping captive 
birds could not be started, which might have the ultimate aim 
of obtaining helpful legislation on the subject. Who would not 
willingly give up his, or her, pet canaries in order to free the less 
fortunate and more closely confined prisoners who live out their 
little lives hopping unceasingly up and down, round and round, 
on a single perch, in the tiniest and most miserable of little 
cages. 
Limited space naturally forbids much freedom for birds 
put up for sale. One cannot enter a shop and accuse the dealer 
of cruelty. One may, perhaps, purchase two or three of these 
