WILD LIFE 'AND THE COLLECTOR
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In his excellent article in the Spectator of the 19th September, " E. M. N." writes that the " disastrous slowness with which it is formed is the weak point of public opinion as a means of suppression of abuses." That is unfortunately true, but I believe that public opinion is already strongly against the jackdaw tricks of private collectors, and only needs to be made articulate. Recently, I took a plebiscite of the members of the Natural History Society, to which I belong, on the subject of Bird Protection ; of our 80 members, 50 were in favour of Protection without any qualifications, and five in favour, With reservationd ; ,five Were against or neutral, and 20 did not reply. The figures are significant. Coranitinies. lions, oral and written,- which I received from members, showed a very strong current of opinion againit the depreda- tions of private collectors. •
W. H. IlfalsOri;•iii Birds and Man, after discussing various suggestions' for preVeirtihg the destruction of rare species of birds, wrote, " there is really only one way out of the difficulty . . . namely, a law to • forbid the rita,king. of collections of British birds by private persons.": I am glad to see that " E.-M. N:" also suggests this method; -though; apparently, with modifications, and only as a last resort. Collections of
British birds eggs or skins should be allowed only for the purposes of, and be controlled by, public museums. There is no need for the multiplication of series of clutches and skins in private collections. - - I am sure that the vast majority of naturalists and nature lovers are in agreement-with," E. M. N.' s " article. They can help to speed 'up the formation of public opinion by giving voice to their views, and that is the object of this letter.— I am, Sir, &c., E. W. HENRY. Holt Anstiss, Porlock, Somerset.
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