i8 
ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION 
OF BIRDS. 
Charter ant> Statutes. 
EDWARD THE SEVENTH by the Grace of God, of the United 
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, Defender of the 
Faith—To all whom these presents shall come Greeting : 
Whereas it has been represented to us that in the year 1889 there 
was instituted a Society called the Society for the Protection of Birds, 
for the object of the better protection of Wild Birds, more particularly 
of rare and useful species, by developing public interest in their 
utility in the economy of Nature as well as in their beauty of plumage 
and note, and that it has been represented to us that it would con¬ 
duce to the welfare of the said Society and to the furtherance of its 
objects, that the Society should be established as hereinafter appears. 
Now know ye that we, being desirous of promoting the objects 
aforesaid, have, of Our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere 
motion, given and granted that all persons who, pursuant to this Our 
Charter, become members of the Corporation hereby established, 
shall be a Body Corporate by the name of the Royal Society for the 
Protection of Birds (hereinafter called the Society), having perpetual 
succession and a Common Seal, with capacity to sue and be sued in 
their Corporate name, and for the purposes of the Society to take, 
purchase, and hold any personal property, and also notwithstanding 
the Statutes of Mortmain, any real property of a yearly value (to be 
determined according to the value thereof at the time when the same 
is respectively acquired) not exceeding £2000 (two thousand pounds), 
with power to sell, grant, demise, mortgage, exchange, or otherwise 
dispose of all or any part of such property, provided that the Corpora¬ 
tion shall apply its funds, howsoever derived, in promoting its objects 
and for no other purpose. 
And we do hereby declare as follows :— 
Objects and Powers of the Society. 
1. The object of the Society shall be as follows :— 
(a) To encourage the better preservation of Wild Birds, more 
particularly of rare and useful species by developing public 
interest in their utility in the economy of Nature as well as in 
their beauty of plumage and note. 
(b) In furtherance of the above to promote research and 
study in all matters connected with birds, either by means of 
lectures, demonstrations, exhibitions, and meetings, or by issuing 
from time to time pamphlets, leaflets, periodicals and other 
literature, or by inviting and promoting the writing of papers and 
essays with or without prize awards for the same, or by establish¬ 
ing or by contributing to Annual Bird and Tree Day Festivals, 
or in some other manner as may seem advisable. 
