9 
landowner or person authorized by him, while its market value by 
reason of its rarity would be probably more than enough to cover 
fine and costs. The Bill also proposed to prohibit everywhere the 
shooting and trapping of wild birds on Sundays. In the County 
of Middlesex an order had been obtained forbidding this taking of 
birds on Sundays, and the Society was endeavouring to induce 
other County Councils to procure similar orders. Mention had 
been made of the apathy of the police in regard to the enforcement 
of the present Acts, but there was great difficulty in carrying out 
the law in its present state. Many members of the force, and 
indeed, many other persons, knew little or nothing of ornithology; 
the police were not allowed to go on private land unless they knew 
an offence was being committed; and consequently the entire 
blame did not rest with them if they had not obtained many 
convictions. 
The Chairman moved the adoption of the Report. It was, he 
observed, a very satisfactory Report, because it showed that the 
Society had been growing in numbers and increasing in funds. 
There was ground for congratulation on the progress made by the 
cause since the last meeting. The Society’s object was not merely 
to become larger and richer, but that in becoming larger and richer 
it might add to its power and weight and influence throughout the 
land for the better preservation of bird life. There was no doubt 
it had done a great deal of good, and that public opinion was more 
alive now than formerly to the importance of checking the wanton 
destruction of birds. But a great deal more remained to be done. 
Probably many of his hearers had seen Prof. Newton’s recent letter 
to the Times , showing the wholesale destruction of foreign birds 
that was still going on in order to provide feathers for bonnets and 
hats. That destruction would continue until some means could be 
found of persuading persons to discourage the use of plumage 
which could not be obtained without the ultimate extinction of 
certain species. This, however, was not the only way in which the 
Society desired to affect public opinion. It had no wish to deal 
with “ sport ” ; and for his own part he thought that sport had 
tended not to the extinction of bird life but to the preservation 
of it. What the Society wished to deal with and prevent was the 
diminution of certain species of birds at home, which had become 
rarer and rarer, and stood in danger of extinction if more protec¬ 
tion were not afforded them. Since the Society came into existence 
a considerable step had been taken in obtaining legislation giving 
power to County Councils with regard to the protection of birds in 
their respective districts ; and the County Councils had responded 
in a manner that was really very satisfactory. So far public 
opinion had shown itself well-disposed and good natured, but 
public opinion was apt to grow lazy; and although excellent 
regulations had been sanctioned in most counties, the difficulty lay 
