Appendix No. 1. xv
a true bill had been found over and over again. Their natural instinct
prompted them to take winged game, but on the other hand, many of
them destroyed a vast number of rats and mice, which would otherwise
unduly increase, to the farmers' prejudice. He thought, as there was
no particular hurry about this matter, the Society might consider whether
it would not be desirable to put forward some little pamphlet on the
subject of the mammals and birds which it was desirable to preserve in
that district by way of experiment, and have the pamphlet properly
circulated. He believed that a great deal of good might be done in that
way. He fully sympathised with Dr. Cooke's regret at the destruction
of his "happy hunting-grounds": at the same time he thought they
ought to consider the other side of the question a little. One would
like to know whether the deep drainage system, while it utterly destroyed
the little pools that were so fruitful for the microscopist, did not improve,
or, at all events, preserve from perishing, the forest trees. If deep
drainage was positively beneficial to the trees, he thought they must not
sacrifice the trees for the sake of the pools which Dr. Cooke had dilated
upon with such zeal. But that was a question, of course, for the
Conservators. They would no doubt have their reasons to give for the
system of drainage which had been adopted.
The Rev. W. Linton Wilson said—Mr. Johnston had promised that if they
put a proposition before the Conservators it would receive consideration.
Dr. Cooke had put a proposition before the Society, and Mr. Harting had
enlarged upon it and brought it to bear on the mammals and birds. They
ought, he thought, to put what they meant into some shape that the Con-
servators could understand, and forward a resolution with it. The matter
was now somewhat ripe. They had been considering it ever since the
Club started, for he remembered that the President made a very able
beginning of the discussion in his first address ; and he thought, with
the gentlemen they had there, they were quite able to put the matter
into the form of a resolution which the Conservators would understand.
For his own part he would allow everything to have free play. [Cheers.]
Mr. Gould did not believe in disturbing the balance of Nature. His
opinion was that there were still a large number of birds of prey in the
Forest. With regard to the jays, there was no doubt that jays were great
robbers, but he would be very sorry to see their extermination. [Hear,
hear.] It might not have a very musical voice [laughter], but it was
one of our most beautiful birds for colour, and he should be very sorry for
its destruction. He thought things would go on very much better if
everything were allowed to have free play. [Hear, hear.] He did not at
all sympathise with what Mr. Johnston had said about the sparrows ; he
did not see why the sparrows should not have as much chance as the
martins. [Hear, hear.] The sparrow stopped with us all the year round,
but Mr. Martin went away when it got cold. [Laughter.] After expressing
his regret that Sir Fowell was not present, because being one of the largest
game-preservers near the Forest he could have been of great service to the