BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



67 



LECTURES. 

 An interesting lecture was given at Wolvesey 

 Church House, Winchester, on May 22nd, by the 

 Rev. Canon Vaughan, Rector of Droxford (H.L.S. 

 for East Hants). The Hon. and Rev. Canon 

 Brodrick, Master of St. Cross, presided, and there 

 was a crowded attendance. Canon Vaughan 

 dealt especially with the bird-life of to-day as com- 

 pared with that of olden times, showing the changes 

 wrought by, among other things, the drainage of 

 the fens, the operation of the Enclosures Act, the 

 growth of towns and railways, the preservation of 

 game-birds, and the craze for egg-collecting. Our 

 loss was great in regard to the disappearance of the 

 larger birds, the Bustard, Bittern, Harrier, Honey 

 Buzzard, Kite, and others ; on the other hand, 

 partly through the extinction of birds of prey, 

 partly owing to the increase of gardens and the 

 operation of the Wild Birds Protection Acts, many 

 of the smaller birds had increased. Locally he 

 had been struck by the increase in the numbers of 

 the Brown Owl. The Society was referred to as 

 doing good work in the preservation of rare birds 

 through its Watchers, and in extending a know- 

 ledge of birds among all classes. The expenses of 

 the meeting, over and above a sum generously 

 contributed by a local friend, were kindly defrayed 

 by Miss E. M. Williams, H.L.S. for Winchester, 

 in order that the whole proceeds, ^5 5s., might be 

 given to the Society. 



The Rev. F. McClelland, Kilmount, co. Cavan, 

 recently addressed the scholars in the day-school 

 at Kilmount on the duty of bird-protection, and 

 spoke of the cruelties frequently attending nest- 

 robbing, egg-collecting, and the caging of wild 

 birds. He especially recommended the children 

 to listen to the songs of birds, and spoke of the 

 pleasure to be derived from a true study of bird-life 

 and also of the value of birds from an economic 

 standpoint. It maybe hoped that Mr. McClelland's 

 effort will lead to increased personal interest and 

 sympathy among teachers and children in this 

 part of Ireland. 



Lectures have also been given since March 1st, 

 at Clogher, by the Rev. P. N. Carleton ; Bristol 

 and Yatton, by Mr. H. V. Webb ; the College of 

 Preceptors, and at Clapham, by the Rev. J. E. 

 Kelsall ; Havant, by Mr. Beeston ; Manchester, 

 by Mr. W. II. Hamilton; Winchester, by Miss 

 Williams ; Cardiff, by Mr. Care ; Whitwell, I. W., 

 by Miss Lock. 



Mr. Richard Kearton will give a lecture under the 

 auspices of the Society at Reigate on October 30th. 



BIRD STUDY IX THE SCHOOLS. 

 A GOOD number of additional Bird and Tree 

 Festivals, in connection with the Society's 

 Challenge Shield Competitions, have been held 

 since those reported in the April number of Bird 

 Notes and News, the long winter and late cold 

 spring accounting for their postponement to 

 unusually late dates. Mention must especially be 

 made of that held at Wickham, on May Day, on 

 account of the proposal made to commemorate 

 the occasion by preserving the village churchyard 

 as a sanctuary where all nests shall be secure from 

 harm and all birds protected and held sacred. 

 Surely so graceful and appropriate a suggestion 

 might be adopted by every village in the country? 

 To this suggestion may be added another : that 

 on Arbor Day there might be planted in this 

 sanctuary berried trees, such as wild cherry, 

 mountain-ash, whitebeam, and hawthorn, from 

 which the birds may obtain food in winter; thus 

 furnishing an echo to the old behest of Vogelweid 

 the Minnesinger that the monks should "feed the 

 birds at midday, daily at his place of rest.'' Other 

 features of the Wickham festival were an enter- 

 tainment given by twenty of the children, assisted 

 by their teachers, Mr. and Miss Langford, an 

 encouraging little address from Capt. Davies, 

 R.N., and the planting of six trees in the Infant 

 School ground. 



By the Wayside, the official organ of the Wisconsin 

 and Illinois Audubon Societies, has been inviting 

 school teachers to send to its columns accounts 

 of the bird-work in their schools. In both these 

 States Bird and Arbor Day is officially appointed, 

 and observed in all the schools. Excursions to 

 parks and woods, talks about birds, and 

 compositions on subjects taken from bird-life, 

 together with " bird-days," when recitations and 

 songs about birds are given, are popular methods 

 of work. In one case the children form themselves 

 into observation clubs of six or seven members, 

 adopting the name of some bird and wearing its 

 colours. In another case the Supervisor of schools 

 makes out lists of books in the public library help- 

 ful to teachers and children ; the pupils construct 

 bird-houses for the birds in spring, supply them 

 with basins of water in the summer, and keep 

 " bird restaurants " in winter. As a result of 

 the study, it is stated (as teachers in England 

 also say) the children gain in quickness of 

 observation, in power of general composition, 

 and in the ability to express what they see and 

 know 



