experimentation. At both gatherings resolutions condemning vivisection were carried by large majorities. A parish meeting is also being organized at Penge.

I am asked to say that the loan of drawing-rooms or schoolrooms for meetings will be greatly appreciated. If any of our readers can oblige with one or the other, and will let me know, I will announce the fact in the proper quarters. There are several capable lady and gentlemen speakers available, and the use of magic lanterns is readily granted. I must not omit to mention that in the early part of this month (December) a meeting is to be held in Kensington Town Hall, over which Lord Coleridge will, it is hoped, preside, and at which discussion will be invited. Both the Penge and Kensington meetings are under the auspices of the Victoria Street Society.

While I am on this question of vivisection, let me ask if you noticed a bit of advice dropped by Mr. John Morley in a recent speech at Glasgow? You know, of course, that Mr. Morley is a great lover of animals, has a sincere respect for their rights, and has been an opponent of vivisection for many years. This advice is very appropriate to us whom the Pall Mall Gazette once, in a moment of impertinent and frivolous irresponsibility, dubbed "sloppy sentimentalists." Mr. Morley said: "Do not be ashamed of conscience because they [that is, your opponents] choose to call it sentiment."

So, my dear Gabrielle, never mind the taunting charge of being a faddist, for that is probably the light in which the Scribes and Pharisees regarded John the Baptist and Christ. Don't be ashamed of saying you are an anti-vivisectionist, for when you publicly avow your faith you take your stand with some of the best and the noblest people this century has known. Next month I will give you a list of them; they are so numerous I cannot stay to collect the names now.

While I remember it, pray let me remind you of the claims of our birds. The winter, so the prophets say, is going to be very hard. If so, then I can only beg you and other friends to bear the birds in constant remembrance. In a paper by Col. John R. Campbell, published by the R.S.P.C.A., containing some excellent advice, appears a suggestion for the setting up of a bird shed (or table), just like this which I have taken the liberty of reproducing (Fig. 1). You should have it

placed on the top of a pole, so as to be out of the reach of cats.

Fig. 1.

Another bird table is as follows, suggested by Mr. George D. Leslie, R.A., which he set up in his garden on the Thames side near Wallingford (Fig. 2). You can adopt any plan you like so long as you do something; only be sure your pole is several feet high. On the table you can put crumbs, seed, or broken food of infinite variety. Some of my correspondents place a shallow dish or pan of water in their gardens to give the birds an opportunity of taking a bath, which I am assured they do. I have never seen the operation, however, but it must be very interesting.

Fig. 2.

With regard to the cruelty in your district to which you refer, please don't be content with asking me to do something. My mentioning the matter in these pages will not avail much. Why don't you do something? Really some of our

friends are dreadfully helpless. Just think for a moment! What do you want to do? You want, I suppose, to abolish the frequent acts of cruelty which annoy your eyes and harrow your feelings.

Well, you must abolish the cause, and the cause full frequently is thoughtlessness and disregard for the rights of creatures which cannot retaliate or protect themselves. Now, how is this state of things to be altered? By teaching the children and by working away at the elders. Therefore, write to your district or local newspaper on cases of cruelty which come within your knowledge, making very sure of your facts. If a newspaper advocates vivisection write a protest to the editor; never fail to do this; never mind if it is ignored. Tell him you will never subscribe to a journal which supports vivisection. When a bench of magistrates fail to do their duty to some cowardly ruffian write to the Chairman or to the Press. The main thing is to keep quickening the public conscience. But, pray do not expect me to do the impossible! do everything and move everybody. Do do something yourself in the way I have suggested. By adopting these means you will compel attention, and, in time, you will cause the public to regard cruelty in the same way that they now regard drunkenness wholly reprehensible and not to be tolerated or condoned in any civilized and self-respecting community.

I cannot

-as

Colonel Coulson, whose tongue and pen are constantly employed in animal protection work, has sent me a beautiful little booklet on The Otter Worry" (published by the Pelican Band of Mercy, Newbrough), on which subject he writes in another page. The Colonel is fairly well known now throughout the country for his strenuous denunciations of cruelty, and on the 17th of this month (Thursday), at 8 p.m., he speaks on "Christmas Cruelties" for the Humanitarian League at St. Martin's Town Hall, Charing Cross.

It is due to the kindly interest, in some cases the enthusiasm, of our friends that I have the great pleasure of acknowledging a further batch of subscriptions to the fund for sending our November number to school teachers:

The total sum received up to the making up of this account, is about £12 10s. We have sent out to teachers all over the country about 3,500 copies, the printing and postage of which amounted to £18.

I have been asked by Mdme. and Mdlle. de Grival to say they took their dog for treatment and to be boarded by Mr. Martin Musgrave, the well-known breeder of the beautiful Borzoi (Russian wolf-hound) and canine specialist, of the Dog and Cat Sanatorium, Putney Bridge Road, Wandsworth. They left their dog in Mr. Musgrave's care while on a visit to France, and on their return were delighted to find how successfully and kindly the creature had been treated. I can safely recommend Mr. Musgrave as an intelligent and successful student of the dog and his woes, and as a thoroughly humane man. Here is a head portrait of his beautiful champion wolf-hound "Opromiot" (Kennel Club Stud Book, No. 37,299) :

Birthday congratulations: Frances Power Cobbe-born, December 4th, 1822; 74 years of age, and still working hard for the Cause for which she has striven so many years.

Mrs. G. B. Watson

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Miss Dorothy Robinson

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W. Budge, Esq.

"Hul "

Mrs. Hives

There were several other matters about which I wished to write to you, but my space is exhausted, for this month at least. Next month I hope to deal with numerous questions awaiting consideration, so, until then,-Believe me, your sincere and faithful

EDITOR.

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BOUT twenty-six years ago, at the invitation of Mr. S. Morris Waln, a number of ladies assembled in the parlours of his spacious old mansion, on Walnut Street, Philadelphia, for the purpose of forming a Woman's Branch of the Pennsylvania S.P.C.A. The parent Society had been in existence nearly two years at that time, and Mr. Waln, who was the President, thinking it might be desirable to have the female element represented in so important a work, called together the wives of several prominent men, and others known to be interested in the subject, for the purpose of forming a branch. This undertaking was happily accomplished, and our organization dates its existence from that day. For twenty-five years it has had the same president, although the other officials have frequently changed.

It seems strange to us now to recall all the obstacles that beset our path, the want of sympathy and appreciation, the cold indifference and disdain, even when not ridicule, with which we were greeted. Since then twenty-six years of education in humanity towards the brute creation has made a great difference

performed. Everything in connection with it was horrible. The dogs were caught or lassoed by nooses in the hands of men indifferent to the suffering they inflicted, and were dragged sometimes two or three blocks in a choking and partially-suffocated condition to where the dog waggon stood, and were then thrown into it so carelessly as, perhaps, to break their legs. This waggon, a barbarous contrivance without any springs, was, after all its cargo had been collected, jolted over the stones to what was called the "pound," a miserable one-storied building with an earthen floor. Here the unfortunate animals were con

fined, all thrown in indiscriminately together, without any food or water, for from one to two days, at the end of which time, if not redeemed, they were killed. They were slaughtered in each other's sight by men, who, fastening them up to beams of the building by chains, beat out their brains.

Having, at that time, the good fortune to possess in the Mayor of your city (Hon. D. Fox) a cordial sympathizer, we sought his aid in changing the manner of killing the dogs, but, finding that so large a business was in the hands of paid city Officials, we could never have done as we wished, we sent in a petition to Councils that the whole work, as well as the city money appropriated for it, might be given. over to our Society. This was thought a very bold step, but we succeeded, nevertheless, with the aid of the Mayor, after a long battle, in getting what we desired. A first step was to erect a building a short distance from the city with yards, kennels, and other appliances, suitable for our purpose, and for twenty-four years this branch of the city work has devolved upon

us.

We have made an entire change in the manner of taking up and keeping and killing the dogs. They are now taken by means of nets, which, although they confine, do not hurt them; they are provided with comfortable kennels, and when it is

found necessary to kill them, it is by means of carbonic oxide gas, which, we have reason to think, reduces their suffering to a minimum.

Some time after we had inaugurated this much-needed reform, we succeeded in establishing a somewhat similar institution, called the "City Refuge," where homeless, sick and injured cats could be taken in and mercifully put out of existence; but this, though still in operation, has now passed out of our hands. Another most important movement to which we soon directed our attention was that of "Humane Education." We formed Bands of Mercy in different schools, for the purpose of instructing the children. We now have about 10,000 boys, besides 1,600 in Girard College. The pledge that they take when they become members of the Band of Mercy is I will try to be kind to all living creatures, and will try to protect them from cruel usage."

We have for a number of years employed several agents, whom we send to different places, and who go through almost the whole State to inspect the condition of the canal horses, the mules employed in mines, and other animals that may be abused. No one who is not engaged in this work, and who does not read the heart-rending details which are reported to us, can imagine how much cruelty is going on all the time.

Among other reforms that have been accomplished, partly through our Woman's Branch, is the change in the transportation of cattle on the Pennsylvania and connecting railroads. They now have easier cars, with better springs and couplings, more room to lie down and rest, and more food en route than formerly. There is, in fact, but one thing more we desire for them, and that is to have watering troughs placed on the cars, so that they can drink at intervals all through the journey. This is a most important thing.

Our monthly Journal of Zoophily is steadily increasing in its subscription list and is receiving commendation from friends on both sides of the Atlantic. The barbarous and foolish fashion of docking is, too, we hope, on the wane. If now we could never perceive a bird, or a wing, or egret on the hats or bonnets of our women, we should think that we detected afar off on the horizon the dawn of the Millenium.

In conclusion, let me ask all of you to join in this work of pleading for those who cannot plead for themselves. Every woman can join a Society for the prevention of cruelty. What can be more

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