7 
for me to notice the kind allusions in the Report to certain actions 
taken by that body, particularly in awarding medals to certaia 
persons who have distinguished themselves by their endeavours to 
preserve some species of birds from destruction. (Cheers). I am 
glad to say that those awards are not the only action of the Zoo¬ 
logical Society that demands the thanks of those present here. I 
can tell you of another case. A letter was addressed to certaia 
persons living in Breconshire, thanking them for the kindness they 
had shown in supporting the praiseworthy efforts which were being 
made in that county to protect the Kite. Perhaps you may not be 
aware that the Kite, a bird which a hundred years ago was numerous 
in all parts of Great Britain, is now almost restricted to one single 
county in Wales, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the town 
of Brecon, where Mr. Cambridge Phillips, an influential gentleman, 
has interested himself in its preservation ; and it is now to be hoped 
that the Kite will not become extinct as a British bird. (Cheers), t 
I cannot help taking notice of the remarks the Chairman made 
in regard to that important Bill for the protection of birds and their 
eggs, introduced into the House of Commons last year by Sir 
Herbert Maxwell. I know not what my fate may be, whether I may 
be torn in pieces by those present, but I cannot help avowing the 
fact that if that Bill had been carried, one of the most useless and 
mischievous measures would have been added to the Statute Book. 
I am extremely glad that that Bill was re-constructed by the House 
of Lords ; but at the same time I am bound to say that the House 
of Lords went further in their action than I contemplated. (Cheers). 
If they had stopped with the amendments introduced by Lord 
Walsingham, who understood the questions at issue, all would have 
been well, but in their Standing Committee they adopted other 
alterations, which were no improvement at all. 
I may speak in the name of the Committee appointed by the 
British Association, when I say that the introducers of the Bill to 
the House of Commons never attempted to ascertain what the views 
of that Committee were, but I can assure them that the Committee 
were unanimously opposed to the Bill as introduced. 
Mind you, I am of the same opinion as everybody in this room 
as to the desirability of doing something to check the ravages that 
are going on at the present time ; but the question is, how shall it 
be done ? Sir Herbert Maxwell’s measure proposed to give County 
Councils, or other local authorities, power to name certain species of 
birds, the eggs of which should be protected from being taken, It 
seems to me that very few persons realise the fact that there would 
be a great practical difficulty in enforcing any provision of that kind. 
I am quite sure our friend Mr. John Colam with his large 
experience, will tell you what difficulty there often is in obtaining a 
conviction before a Bench of Magistrates in an ordinary case, 
{Hear, hear, from Mr. Colam). 
Very few people seem to know to what an extraordinary extent 
the eggs of birds of the same species vary. Now in this little box I 
have put a dozen-and-a-half of eggs of the House Sparrow, taken at 
