BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



59 



pleasing feature of the gathering was the presenta- 

 tion of a Gladstone bag and silver-mounted walking 

 stick to the Headmaster, Mr. T. E. Paine, from 

 the parents and old scholars as a mark of their 

 esteem and appreciation of his work. A tea made 

 a happy termination to the day. 



The Havant Council School, winners of the 

 Third Prize, fixed the 6th of February for their 

 celebration. In the morning a laburnum-tree was 

 planted by the successful Team in the school 

 grounds and the children were photographed. In 

 the afternoon the 17 scho'ars who had joined in 

 Bird and Tree study during the year had a tea. 

 In the evening there was an entertainment in the 

 school, presided over by the Rector, the Rev. 

 Canon Scott, who is himself an enthusiastic natu- 

 ralist. Mr. Beeston's work as one of the pioneers 

 of Nature Study in the county's schools, is also 

 well known, so that it is perhaps no great wonder 

 that the school did so well. A delightful talk on 

 birds, chiefly representative Hampshire species, 

 was given by the Rev. J. E. Kelsall. The prize 

 essays were read, and songs and recitations given 

 by the scholars, one of whom (William Grant) 

 recited a poem he had written on his selected bird, 

 the Blue Tit. The meeting closed with the presenta- 

 tion of the prizes and medals by Mr. Kelsall, and 

 the National Anthem. 



Among other festivals held in Hampshire mention 

 must be made of that at Romsey, on December 

 7th, when those present included the Mayor, the 

 Right. Hon. Evelyn Ashley, Chairman of the 

 County Education Committee, Mr. Cowan, 

 Director of Education, and Captain and Mrs. 

 Suckling, and also the Bird and Tree Team from 

 Awbridge. A fine young chestnut tree, given by 

 Mrs. Suckling, was planted in the school ground. 



At Barton Stacey, the Rector, Rev. U. Z. Rule, 

 gave a laburnum tree, which was planted in the 

 churchyard ; and a programme of songs, speeches, 

 and essay-reading, with the presentation of books, 

 was gone through in the schoolroom. At Tadley 

 (December 14th) a fine lime tree in the school 

 ground commemorates Bird and Tree Day, 1906, 

 and a very successful festival was held. At 

 Laverstoke, Sir William Portal, Vice-Chairman 

 of the Hants EducationCommittee,presided. Other 

 schools have held similar celebrations, and a few 

 are still to be held. 



SOMERSETSHIRE. 



Last year was the second in which the Competi- 

 tion has been held in Somerset, and Yatton 

 National School has proved the victor on each 

 occasion, though not for lack of good competition. 

 Bird and Tree Day was accordingly celebrated 

 with much eclat on December 1. and was marked 

 not only by the presentation of Shield and prizes 

 and by Tree-planting, but by the unveiling of an 

 enlarged photograph of the winning Team of 1905, 

 who first brought the trophy to Yatton. The 

 enlargement was subscribed for by the teaching 



staff, and the framing by the children. (The 

 photograph appeared in Bird Notes and News 

 in April, 1906.) The gathering, held in the Schools, 

 was presided over by the Vicar, Rev. F. A. 

 Mather, who added a few kind words to the read- 

 ing of the Society's report on the essays. Mr. 

 Cooke Hurle, Vice-Chairman of the County 

 Education Committee, in presenting the Shield, 

 said that the Committee welcomed the application 

 made by the Royal Society for the Protection ot 

 Birds to be allowed to offer that Shield for compe- 

 tition amongst the schools of Somerset ; they 

 were glad to find that a considerable number of 

 schools had entered for it, and only wished that 

 many more would do so. The County Council 

 itself was interested in the preservation of natural 

 objects. They had a Wild Birds Protection 

 Committee, formed to protect the rare birds in the 

 county throughout the year ; and they had also 

 made bye-laws for the protection of the beauty of 

 their country lanes and roads from those persons 

 who came out from the towns to dig up the ferns 

 and wild flowers. What they wanted to arouse 

 was not only an interest in natural objects, but an 

 interest with knowledge and an interest with dis- 

 crimination — not a destructive interest, but a 

 scientific interest ; and the study also encouraged 

 in children the habit of accurate observation. Mr. 

 C. H. Bothamley, Secretary of the County Educa- 

 tion Committee, said that everyone interested in 

 education must be in sympathy with the objects 

 and competition of the Society. Anything that 

 could be done to increase a competent knowledge 

 of trees, and of the development of our timber 

 supply, was worthy of support from all concerned 

 in the prosperity of the country. He would like to 

 see a great extension of tree-planting, which was 

 carried out so widely on Arbor Day in America. 

 Mrs. H. H. Wills presented the prizes ; the children 

 read their essays and gave songs, conducted by 

 the master, Mr. Mansey ; and Mr. F. E. Lemon, 

 in a short address, thanked the local committee for 

 the trouble they had taken. 



A procession was then formed to the road from 

 school to church, where four trees were planted. 



At Castle Cary, Bird and Tree Day was fixed 

 for November 30th, when the Society's awards and 

 two special prizes, given by the Right Hon. H. 

 Hobhouse, were distributed in the presence of the 

 school managers and others ; addresses on wild 

 birds and wild flowers were given by Dr. Price and 

 Mr. Moore ; and Miss Naish, the head mistress, 

 entertained the essayists to tea. 



The planting of some fine beeches in the 

 Rectory grounds at Exford, by the Bird and Tree 

 team, was followed by a tea in the Schoolroom, 

 provided by the Rector, the Rev. W. New, who also 

 gave an encouraging address. At the subsequent 

 meeting a good entertainment was provided by the 

 children, including the reading of essays, and Mrs. 

 Greig presented the awards. Mr. Gretg presided, 

 and the room was crowded. 



