12 
persecution of these beautiful creatures ? I know a district, in the 
country, where Owls were extremely plentiful, but are now very rare, 
owing to the unfortunate ignorance which prevails, as regards their 
value to the farmer. As a consequence of this, all the stacks in the 
neighbourhood were found to be perfectly full of mice. There were 
two stacks near to where I live, in one of which it was estimated 
there were 500 mice ; and when the next stack was thrashed, nearly 
1000 mice were killed. A few years ago, such a thing could not 
have happened ; the number would have been much smaller. 
I cannot help hoping, in the midst of the good work your 
Society is doing, and proposes to do, that it will devote special atten¬ 
tion to this subject of the senseless destruction of Hawks and Owls,, 
which is now going on. (Cheers). As a last word, I would say, one 
cannot fail to lament the unfortunate cheapness of guns ; and I 
should like to add, for the benefit of the Members of Parliament 
present, that if we are going to have a bad budget this year, it might 
be worth while, and I am sure it would be a good thing for the 
birds, to impose a tax on guns. (Laughter and cheers). 
The motion was carried nem . con. 
Mr. John Colam :—My remarks will be short, as the Resolution* 
I have to move refers merely to a matter of business—in fact, a. 
formality necessary in order to put your rules right. You will find 
on page 11 of the Report, which has been handed round the room, 
it is stated under Article 7 that “Members may become Associates- 
of the Society on agreeing to pay not less than one shilling 
annually,” after which, it is now proposed to insert the words “ and 
Life Associates by a donation of one guinea.” Now, although that 
Rule has been passed at a Committee Meeting, it is necessary that a. 
Resolution should be carried to-day, embodying that addition, 
which I have the pleasure of moving. (Cheers). May I add a word 
on what has already been said in regard to the dispute between Sir 
Herbert Maxwell and Professor Newton as to the form legislation,, 
on behalf of birds, should take ? I noted a singular anomaly in 
the Bill proposed by Sir Herbert Maxwell, to which I think no¬ 
reference has yet been made, namely, that by it the punishment for 
taking an egg was much heavier than the punishment provided for 
taking a living bird under the Wild Birds Act. (Hear, hear). That 
seemed to me a provision which required further consideration. To 
take a bird, I should imagine, is a far greater crime than to take an 
egg, which may never become a bird. (Cheers). With regard to 
Mr. Buxton’s excellent suggestion, that a tax should be levied on 
guns, I would like to add a rider, that also a very heavy tax should 
be placed on traps. (Cheers). If you were to ask me what I 
consider the greatest source of cruelty in the whole of this country,. 
I should answer you that it is the cruel steel trap. In scores, 
hundreds or thousands it is to be found in every preserve throughout 
the country, maiming numberless animals which die a slow death 
of terror, wounding and starvation after their limbs have become 
torn and mangled in the jaws of this horrible instrument of torture. 
(Sensation). I am glad to tell you that the Royal Society for the 
