58 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



was planted on a suitable site selected by Councillor 

 Woollard, on the outskirts of the town. About 

 300 children, with flags flying-, marched in proces- 

 sion to the spot, where they formed in a semi- 

 circle, and the tree was installed by a few of the 

 bigger boys, with professional assistance, to the 

 accompaniment of cheers and the singing of the 

 National Anthem. 



CUMBERLAND. 



The Speaker of the House of Commons again 

 showed his interest in the promotion of Nature 

 Study, and his sympathy with the Society's work 

 in that direction, by his presence at the Festival of 

 the Shield-winning School, Greystoke, on 

 January 10th. In the course of a charming 

 address, he remarked that last year, in presenting 

 the Shield at Kirkoswald, he had said that he did 

 so with the greatest possible pleasure, but that at 

 the same time he would have preferred to give it 

 to the parish in which he lived — Greystoke. This 

 year his wish had come true and he hoped it would 

 be the same next year ; but competition in this as 

 other matters was very keen, and no doubt many 

 other parishes and districts in Cumberland would 

 be fired with enthusiasm and the spirit of emula- 

 tion and be very anxious to wrest the Shield from 

 Greystoke. Not long ago the study of natural 

 history was much neglected, and men and boys 

 thought birds' nests were only meant to be robbed 

 and birds only objects to throw stones at. Those 

 days were gone, or rapidly going, and it was a 

 source of gratification to both grown-up people 

 and children to see the birds, to watch them, 

 and to take note of their coming and going. In 

 France and Italy and Spain one of the first 

 things that struck the English traveller was the 

 almost entire absence of little birds, because they 

 were shot and trapped, and this made life much 

 more melancholy and dreary. It was pleasant to 

 listen to the voices of birds and try to imagine 

 what they were telling one another ; it was most 

 interesting to study their migration, noting down 

 the dates on which they were first seen and heard. 

 Then, again, by taking a little trouble it was 

 possible to tame wild birds in a wonderful way. In 

 London, that wildest of birds, the wood-pigeon, 

 would feed out of your hand, and he had fed the 

 sea-gulls out of his bedroom window. One man 

 who walked about Hyde Park followed by a cloud 

 of sparrows, would put a bit of bread in a tree, 

 point to it and the birds would all fly to it and get 

 the bread. He sincerely congratulated Mr. Titter- 

 ington on having instilled into the children the love 

 for and interest in the things of nature round 

 about them. 



The Speaker then presented the Shield and 

 prizes, and Canon Rawnsley gave a most helpful 

 criticism on the essays. Songs and recitations 

 were given by the children. Lady Mabel Howard 

 presided. Earlier in the day the Team planted 

 three trees — birch, poplar and apple (the subjects 

 of the three prize Tree essays), in the School play- 

 ground, under the direction of the Rev. A. M. 

 Maclean. 



Mr. Freeland, H.M. Chief Inspector of Schools 

 for the north of England, was among those present 

 at the function at St. John's (Girls') School, 

 Keswick, on November 21st. Mr. Atkinson, one 

 of the school managers, who presided, offered a 

 special prize for next year, remarking that the 

 Society has a very important and praiseworthy 

 object in view in teaching children to live with 

 their eyes open, which was a particularly useful 

 habit in a beautiful district such as theirs. Mr. 

 Highton, complimenting Miss Hayes, promised to 

 encourage his boys to enter in 1907, and Mr. Hope 

 offered a prize for their best essay. A tree was 

 planted in the Fitz Park by Mrs. Hope. 



HAMPSHIRE. 



The Sandown Schools had a grand day on 

 December 16th, the Boys' School, which won the 

 Shield, and the Girls' School, which was equal 

 Second with Privett, uniting to celebrate Bird and 

 Tree Day in fitting style. The meeting was held 

 in the Town Hall, which was well filled and nicely 

 decorated ; and the programme included suitable 

 songs and recitations by the scholars, the boys' 

 choir being under Mr. Prickett, head master, and 

 the girls' choir under Miss Watson, head mistress. 

 Four of the prize essays were read by their authors. 

 The Vicar of Sandown, the Rev. W. T. Storrs, 

 B.D., presided, and while congratulating the 

 school on its splendid position in the competition, 

 referred to the valuable aid the young essayists 

 must have received from the teachers ; he also 

 read the report of the Society's judges. The silver 

 Shield was then handed by him to the custody of 

 Mr. T. A. Wright, of the Isle of Wight Education 

 Committee, as representing the school. Mr. 

 Wright gave a kindly and encouraging ad- 

 dress, and presented the prizes and medals to the 

 two winning teams. An adjournment was then made 

 to Royal Crescent, where nine trees were planted 

 by the boys' team, in the presence of a large con- 

 course of townsfolk and visitors. The girls' team 

 planted shrubs in the school grounds. The 

 weather was splendid. 



Privett, winners of the Shield last year, dis- 

 tinguished themselves by sharing the second place 

 with the Sandown Girls in the 1906 competition, 

 and held festival on November 30th, even the 

 heavy rain which unfortunately fell not damping 

 the spirits of the young people and their friends. 

 The first performance was the planting of a pink 

 chestnut tree in the school field by Miss Gertrude 

 Nicholson, who was duly presented with a bouquet 

 by one of the little folk. A largely attended meet- 

 ing was then held in the schoolroom, the Rev. W. 

 H. Thomas presiding. Among those present were 

 the Rev. S. Carr (Froxfield) and the head teachers 

 of East Tisted and Colemore schools. A pro- 

 gramme of songs and recitations was rendered, 

 and the three essays read by the Headmaster 

 proved so interesting that others were called for. 

 The prizes were presented by Miss Nicholson. A 



