52 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



adjacent islands. They are nowhere very numerous, 

 and hive little chance of becoming so, as only one 

 egg is laid. Some years ago the plume-trade 

 penetrated New Guinea in quest of them, but 

 lately fashion has run on other species. Now it 

 would appear that the tuft of feathers on the head, 

 known as " the goura mount," is again the incen- 

 tive to the persecution of the Crowned Pigeon, and 

 ladies who are tempted with " pigeon " feather 

 trimmings will do well to ascertain what manner of 

 pigeon is meant. The number of Birds-of- Para- 

 dise catalogued was 4,328 light and 400 dark ; 

 nearly all of which were sold. For " Osprey " 

 plumes the demand was less ; 504 packages were 

 offered. Fifty-three Emu skins were put up ; the 

 Emu is the Australian representative of the 

 Ostrich, much hunted and now being hunted to 

 extermination. There were 138 Impeyan Pheasants 

 from India, which " sold at higher prices." 



SOME SUGGESTIONS TO LOCAL 



HON. SECRETARIES OF THE ROYAL 



SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION 



OF BIRDS. 



(A Paper read at the Society's Autumn Conference, 



1906, by Miss Clifton, Hon. Local Secretary 



for Romford.) 



THE post of a Local Hon. Secretary may be likened 

 to that of the watcher in the "crow's nest" of an 

 Arctic vessel ; we should keep a good look-out ; 

 we are in touch with our base for guidance and 

 support when difficulties are ahead. But the simile 

 does not carry far ; monotony finds no place in our 

 watch and ward for the protection of birds, so varied 

 are its opportunities and functions. 



Perhaps, as in other fields, the actual task of 

 conversion is that demanding the most discretion, 

 and the best results arise less from denunciation 

 than from indirect appeal, especially through educa- 

 tional channels, such as are presented by the high 

 schools and secondary schools now so numerously 

 established throughout the country. There is to 

 be found the most promising material ; young 

 girls with imaginations unjaded, enthusiasm easily 

 kindled, in whom the words may be realised that 

 indeed 



" Women are knights-errant to the last, 



To see a wrong or suffering moves us all 



To undo it — ," 



who will readily respond to the claim for sympathy 

 of our innocent and beautiful clients, the birds. 



A Local Hon. Secretary will commonly be within 

 reach of the schools in question, and of private 

 schools for senior &irls, at least in towns. The first 

 step must be to gain over the principal and assist- 

 ants, and to obtain permission for a lantern lecture 

 in winter, or for an informal talk on the lawn in 

 summer ; a distribution of leaflets will close any 

 such gathering, and cards will be shown and asked 

 for, but eagerness for Associateship may be gently 

 tempered by the suggestion that permission should 

 be requested at home before joining any society. 

 The girls will then repeat to their mothers what 

 has been given by way of information, and, as a 

 rule, the home verdict will not run counter to the 

 chivalrous and merciful impulse of the children, 

 and bird-protection will enlist many recruits. 



The G.F.S. is a fertile hunting-ground for the 

 Local Hon. Secretary, as fresh subjects are sorely 

 needed at the meetings. Sunday school teachers 

 are a valuable asset ; in our parish nearly all belong 

 to the R.S.P.B. Good example is a desideratum 

 in the humblest edition of " Church Parade." The 

 elementary schools must not be neglected, especi- 

 allyas to the studyof wild-birds ; the Local Secretary 

 will bring to the notice of the head teachers the 

 Educational leaflets and will generally meet with 

 courteous and kindly acceptance of the series 

 for use in school. In Essex great interest has 

 been taken in bird-protection in the reformatory 

 ship " Cornwall," off Purfleet. Admiral Morrell, 

 when in command, created a strong esprit de corps 

 among the boys as to the sea-birds, and the ship 

 provided a vigilance committee to assist the police 

 in catching the cockney gull-shooters who infest 

 the reaches of the river. 



The next duty of the Hon. Secretary is concerned 

 with the Press. Editors of county newspapers are 

 wont to show the most generous alacrity in back- 

 ing up appeals for bird-protection, supporting 

 letters from Local Secretaries by comments in their 

 columns, and also by reporting in special para- 

 graphs convictions under the Wild Birds Acts. 

 Careful observation should be kept on all matters 

 relating to our work. An Essex paper is regularly 

 supplied with " Nature Notes " from a correspon- 

 dent who recently advocated the extermination of 

 Hawks and Herons, on the ground that the Hawk 

 flies at small birds and the Heron is a feeder on 

 fish. The Hon. Secretary replied to this wiseacre 

 at some length, in defence of the Hawk as not 

 only a beautiful specimen of wild free bird-life but 

 a useful member of its sanitary police, and a 

 vermin-killer ; and of the Heron as not so strong 

 in numbers, nor his meal of little fishes so costly, 



