9 
Mr. F. E. Lemon read extracts from letters expressing regret at 
inability to attend the meeting from the following, among others :— 
The Duchess of Portland, President of the Society; The Marquess 
of Granby, who wrote, “ I think the idea of a Bird and Arbor Day 
sounds an excellent one, should it be found practicable to effect 
such an institution in these prosaic times in matter-of-fact 
England ” ; The Duchess of Somerset; The Earl of Stamford ; 
Lord Avebury, who said, “I shall read your proceedings with 
interest ” ; Lord Eeay, “ fully approving of the object of the 
meeting and wishing it all success”; The Earl of Jersey, who 
“ considers that the proposal of the Committee to start a Bird and 
Arbor Day for England is excellent ” ; Lord Overtoun ; Lord 
Wolseley. 
Sir Boss O’Connell, who wrote from Killarney, “ there will 
not be a bird or a tree in Ireland shortly, the tenant purchase 
business is nearly as bad for them as for the unhappy and less 
interesting landlord. When the tenants ‘ buy ’ they acquire 
shooting and timber rights formerly reserved to the landlord, and 
to them every bird is a target and every tree either saleable or con¬ 
vertible into firing or fencing. It is rather sad to see the old trees 
going down and to hear the perpetual popping on every side. 
Well, it is a free country, much too free, I think ! ” 
Sir Charles Dilke, who was “ very sorry indeed, as he had 
the greatest sympathy with the work ” ; Bishop Welldon ; Canon 
Lyttelton, Headmaster of Haileybury ; Dr. James, Headmaster 
of Rugby, who said “ I am entirely in sympathy with the objects of 
the Society ” ; Rev. W. Compton, Headmaster of Dover College ; 
Professor Cunningham of Dublin, “ I hope you will attain the 
object you have in view ”; Professor Newton of Cambridge; 
Canon Tristram of Durham; Canon Rawnsley, “ My idea would 
be that your Society should urge the making of the May Day 
Festival a real children’s day as we try to do and have done for 
some years past in Keswick ” ; Canon Jessopp; Lady Theodora 
Guest; Mrs. Brightwen ; Sir Herbert Maxwell, M.P. ; Mr. Sydney 
Buxton, M.P.; Mr. A. E. Pease, M.P.; Mr. E. N. Buxton, who was 
working in his own county (Essex), and the other Eastern Counties, 
“We now have an Order against Sunday shooting right round the 
coast of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex.” 
Mrs. Phillips moved that the thanks of the meeting be given 
o o 
to Sir George Kekewich for his able address. The Committee— 
and indeed, the Society in general—could not but feel deeply 
grateful for the appreciation of their objects shown in the speeches 
just delivered. The hearers would be encouraged in teaching 
children to prize the rich heritage of woodland, meadow, and 
hedgerow, and all the varied vegetation, which made Great Britain 
what it was. The trees, and the birds which live in them, should 
