as he appropriately designates it, in the same locality. Be this as it may, 
however, I should like, Sir, with your permission, to state the following 
facts, in order to illustrate the atrocities which are perpetrated in the name 
of the “ preservation of game,” where its use is, unfortunately, permitted or 
resorted to. Not very long ago I was taking a walk through the lovely 
district by which Dorking is surrounded, when, on ascending a high hill by 
a footpath which leads through some woods to the downs, at no very great 
distance from that town, I came upon a large open space of green turf. In 
the middle—or about the middle—of this space stood a pole of about six 
feet in height, from which something was hanging suspended. It was 
motionless, and at the distance I could not discern what it was ; but struck 
by the sight, and somewhat suspecting what it might be, I left the foot¬ 
path and walked up to the pole. By its side was hanging, by a chain rather 
more than two feet in length, a trap, and in the trap was a very fine tawny 
owl. There was no sign of life, and flies were swarming on and around 
the bird ; but I touched it with my walking stick, when, to my surprise, it 
slowly opened its eyes, and moved its wings slightly. I determined to 
release the bird, if possible. With some difficulty I detached the trap from 
the pole, and, covering the bird with my pocket-handkerchief, succeeded in 
extricating it. The poor creature then sat up—if I may use the expression 
—on the grass, and looked at me, for its legs were too badly injured to 
admit of its standing. My thought then was to take it away, in the hope 
that its life might, with proper attention, be saved ; but this was not to be, 
and turning over on one side, with a look which I shall long, perhaps ever, 
remember, it died at my feet. I examined its body. The legs were badly 
injured by the trap and by the bird’s struggles in it, and the wounds—may it, 
Sir, be told?—were full of maggots. Other parts of the body had been 
attacked by the flies, with similar results. 
This, sir, occurred in the height of summer. How horrible, through 
night and through day, must the sufferings of that poor helpless (may I not 
add unoffending ?) bird have been ? This, sir, is but one example of the 
atrocious cruelty and wanton destruction for which the use of the pole trap N 
is responsible. Such examples could be multiplied to a lamentable extent. 
Will landowners and game preservers, in the name of the “ preservation of 
game” and of “sport,” still continue to permit its use? Will they not 
rather, for the sake of humanity, use every means within their power to get 
rid of such an abomination from out of the land ? 
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 
ROBERT WILKINSON. 
The Temple, London, E.C., October 20 th. 
To the JFtditor of “ The Standard.” 
Sir,—I was pleased, and yet sorry, to see the letter of your correspondent 
in The Standard of to-day, concerning the detestable pole-trap —pleased to 
see quoted the evidence against it of a keeper, and sorry to find the inhuman 
invention used in the locality mentioned. 
I was speaking only this summer to an experienced keeper, one very 
keen in his profession, who said he did not believe in them. “ You chiefly 
catch owls or the kestrel; the sparrow-hawk is not taken by them.” But, 
Sir, apart from this, they are a cruel invention, for if they are not regularly 
visited, and the weather may sometimes prevent this, even if they are not 
sometimes forgotten, prolonged suffering must be given to the poor creature 
entrapped. 
Both owls and kestrels are now legally protected for a great part of the 
year, and I was pleased to note this season, in Devonshire, public notices 
about forbidding the taking of numbers of these birds, an evidence that the 
County Council of that District are wise in their generation. 
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 
October 20 th. TRAVELLER. 
Copies of this Leaflet may be obtained of the Hon. Sec., Society for the 
Protection of Birds, 3, Hanover Square, London, W. 
