5 
were certain of endorsement. In 1903 a Bill for the abolition 
of the trap was introduced into the House of Commons, but 
went no further than a first reading. In 1904 the attempt wild Birds 
proved more successful, and special thanks are due to Mr. 
Sydney Buxton, the Society’s Hon. Treasurer, for steering the 4 Edward 
measure through the Lower House, and to the Earl of Jersey, VIL,G ' 4 ’ 
a Vice-President, for securing its passage, with one slight 
amendment, through the House of Lords. It received the 
Royal Assent on April 30th, 1904. It is difficult to enforce 
the Act, but the Society trusts that landowners and shooting- 
tenants will insist upon the provisions of the law being complied 
with by those whom they employ. Notices of the new Act were 
sent by the Society to a number of landed proprietors, and also 
to the Chief Constables of G-reat Britain and Ireland, who in 
turn distributed upwards of 1200 copies of the notice among 
members of the force. 
The second Bird Protection Act of the year is likewise a st. Kiidu. 
result of much antecedent effort. The story of St. Kilda and 
its birds has now been told so often that it is needless to do 
more than briefly summarise the facts of the case which neces¬ 
sitated a special Act of the Legislature to deal with this remote 
little island and its tiny feathered resident, the St. Kilda Wren. 
In 1880, when the principal Bird Protection Act was passed, 
St. Kilda was the only spot in the United Kingdom exempted 
from its operations, the isolated position of the rock and the 
neediness of the inhabitants requiring that there should be no 
interference with the killing of the countless sea-birds of value 
for food or for their feathers. But in recent years dealers and 
collectors had taken undue advantage of this exemption to strip 
the island of its rarer birds and their eggs; and scarcely had 
attention been called to the existence of a Wren slightly different 
from the mainland species, than a greedy rush began which has 
well-nigh resulted in its extermination. The Society entered 
into correspondence with the island’s owner, The MacLeod of 
Macleod, from whom they received most cordial support; and 
whose suggestions made at the Society’s annual meeting in 
Februarv indicated the line of action to be taken. A Bill was 
framed extending the Act of 1880 to St. Kilda, and inserting 
the Wren and the Fork-tailed Petrel in the Schedule, but 
omitting from it the five birds on which the St. Kildans largely 
depend for support. The co-operation of the Secretary of State for 
Scotland was secured, Sir Herbert Maxwell and Lord Balfour 
of Burleigh respectively piloted the measure through the two 
Houses, and it received the Royal Assent on August 15th, 1904. p™^^ 
The Inverness County Council has now power to protect any of (St. Kilda) 
the island birds, and their eggs, and it may be assumed that 4 Edwani 
nests and eggs from St. Kilda will cease to be a feature of vn. c. 10. 
