The Chairman in opening the proceedings said the meeting had been called to discuss the question of the indiscriminate slaughter of and other birds in this and the surrounding districts and to see whether they could devise some means of stopping a practice which threatened to Jing about; the extinction of many species. Most of them were particularly interested in the Ie was not q ai, but to the increas hai market, districts th: were hitherto very fine for sportsmen could now be walked over for hours out a phear sant being seen, Every little village had its band of native sportsmen with and other lethe ons rapidly out the birds anywhere within When they added to this the demand which had sprung up for pheasant skins for the adornment Gresses, and the large export which taking plice, it did not need a prophet to say that in many years the pheasant would xist in these districts. He had much in proposing That in view of the great and wanton destruction of game and other wild birds in and out of season now taking place in China, which must shortly end in their practical extinction, and which therefore not only threatens to deprive a very large number of persons of the pleasure to be derived from the legitimate pursuit of game but also to cut off an important portion of our food supply, it is desirable to form a society to afford them such protection as is possible:
Count de Bezaure seconded, and the resolution was carried nem. con.
Mr. L. Rocher proposed, Mr. E. Hewett seconded, and it was agreed That the members of this meeting do hereby form themselves into such a Society to be called The Society for the Protection of Game and other Wild Birds in China."
Mr. W. D. Little proposed, and Mr. F. J. Maitland seconded 'That the following 25 gentlemen form the committee E. 0, Arbuthnot, Count de Bezaure, J, 0. P. Bland, C. M. Dyce, C. M. Ede, J. Ward Hall, E.' A. Hewett, Cecil Holliday, Kladt, N. Laptew, W. D. Little, A. P. Mac-Ewen, F. J. Maitland, W. C. Murray, Rocher, C. Rudolph, W. Schirff, Styan, Gr. Timm, J. Toche, H. T. Wade, P. L. Warren, and R. Wortmann.
Carried.
Upon the motion of Mr. F. J. Maitland, seconded by Mr. L. Rocher, it was re: solved That the Committee are hereby instructed to draft Rules and Bye-laws for the guidance of the Society such draft to be submitted to a general meeting of the Society to be held as Soon as convenient.
Mx. T. Morgan Phillips proposed, Mr. Holliday seconded, and it was agreed That the subscription be $5 per annum, payable in advance.
Mr. C, Holliday proposed "That in. view of the pressing necessity for stopping the wholesale slaughter of pheasants for the sake of their skins at present going on the Committee are hereby empowered and instructed to take up the matter by every means in its power with the object of an absolute prohibition being put upon the export of pheasant skins.
He said that the Society was not only for the protection of pheasants but other wild birds, although, just at present, seeing the way the pheasant was being destroyed that was the immediate question. Tt was practically not a matter of years. but months, when the pheasant would be extinct in these parts if the present state of things continued. In six months between Hankow and Shanghai 40,000 phear sant skins had been exported, which would represent 80,000 in a year, By passing the resolution the meeting did not com: mit themselves to any particular course, but he believed the committee if supported sful in stopping the tralic, D. Little seconded.
Mr. W. V. Drummond asked if some lit could not be thrown on what it
the resolution. was proposed to do in order to curry out Holliday replied that the proves committee thought that if a memorial were sent up from Shanghai and the river ports, through the Ministers to the Tsungli Yamen that the latter body would give the nweessiry orders and the Customs would do the rest. He thought the order would be one prohibiting the export of skins of pheasants and other edible birds entirely, Mr. R. W. Little thought it would be better not to reveal the Committee's scheme at present.
the resolution was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously, the proceedings concluding with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.