3 
to do so, and doubtless he was right. However, I hope that you 
will not let the matter rest where it is, Use your influence to bring 
about the promotion of another Bill, and induce Sir Herbert 
Maxwell to take it in hand. His knowledge and experience will be 
of the greatest service and he will get valuable support on both sides 
of the House. The present Wild Birds’ Act has been of value in 
protecting a large number of useful birds, but the objection to it is 
that if does not go far enough. (Cheers). It merely protects 
certain birds that are scheduled, whereas we ought to preserve not 
merely certain favoured birds, but all birds that are useful or 
beautiful or good songsters. Favourite song birds, such as thrushes, 
blackbirds, larks and others, are omitted from this schedule, and 
others are included that few people have heard of. What is wanted 
is a Bill to give protection to all birds during a certain period of the 
year, and if this Society will exert its influence to bring about an 
enactment of that kind, it will confer a great benefit on mankind as 
well as advance the cause of humanity. (Loud applause) 
Mrs. Phillips :—In moving “ that the Report of the Committee 
be received, adopted and circulated,” I beg on behalf of the 
Committee to speak a few words of special greeting to the Branch 
Secretaries, Associates and Members now present, and in kindly 
remembrance of those who are prevented by illness, distance or 
other unavoidable circumstances from being with us to-day. 
You have heard what has been said by our Chairman. Perhaps 
I may be permitted to remind him, and others present, who (unlike 
him) may in all kindness be termed “ outsiders/’ that we are still a 
young society. (Hear, hear). The noble words of Portia on “ the 
quality of mercy,” have been often quoted in this rccm. The 
previous description of herself may easily be adapted to our own 
case. We also are,— 
11 Happy in this, we are not yet so old 
“ But we may learn; and happier than this, 
“ We are not bred so dull but we can learn 
“ Happiest of all ”— 
if to us be granted that great strength which lies only in moderation 
and gentleness. (Cheers). Among our 152 secretaries, some are of 
course younger, more enthusiastic, or gifted by nature with more 
energy than others, but we must all remember that as a body, we 
can only accomplish a great work by united effort; that we cannot 
always do what we wish, but must be content to do what is 
practicable, not making compromises in a bad or cowardly sense, but 
at the same time not jeopardizing our usefulness by attempting 
impossibilities. The cruelty we deplore arises in great measure, we 
feel sure, from ignorance. We cannot think that women—that any 
woman, can really understand what she is doing when she wears an 
(l aigrette/’ (Cheers). We all acknowledge how beautiful the 
lovely spiral plume is, but we refuse to believe that our sisters would 
sanction (if they duly realised what it implied), the enormous 
sacrifice of “ Ospreys ” and Herons, which are killed on the nests, in 
hundreds and thousands, while their young are left to starve, for so 
poor, so inadequate a consideration. v ' 
