Bird Notes and News 



23 



Books Received. 



Frederick Goodyear : Letters and Remains. 



1887-1917. (London : McBride, Nast & Co.) 

 The Buzzard at Home. Bv Arthur Brook. (London : 



Witherby & Co. 39. Gd.) 



Among the many ornithological students of 

 brilliant promise lost through the war— G. V. 

 Webster, C. C. Baring, H. 0. Murray Dixon, 

 J. M. Charlton, H. V. Charlton, and 0. B. Ellis, 

 to name a few of those associated with the 

 R.S.P.B. — Frederick Goodyear occupies a 

 special place, since ornithology was but one of 

 the keener interests of a peculiarly alert, 

 introspective, and critical mind, more than 

 ordinarily capable of self -study and self- 

 revelation. The Letters and Eemains bring 

 the reader in close touch with a strongly- 

 marked and very attractive personality, 

 characteristically 20th century in its outlook, 

 besides affording graphic and often humorous 

 descriptions of experiences in Finland, India, 

 and Flanders. His love of birds comes out, 

 not in studied investigations or records, but in 

 the casual yet observant touches of the out-door 

 bird-watcher ; and in an admirable preface 

 Mr. F. W. Leith Ross states that from the 

 observations collected during his life consider- 

 able material is left for a book on British Birds. 



When he was a boy of six or seven only, hia father 

 was explaining that a person becomes an "authority" 

 on a subject when he knows a lot about it. "Must he 

 know everything?" asked Frederick. "No, not 



everything, but more than any one round him." 

 "Then," said Frederick, with a boy's logic, "in thia 

 house I suppose I am an authority on birds?" At 

 an early age he became a member of the Royal Society 

 for the Protection of Birds, and regularly attended its 

 meetings. His habit of taking long solitary rambles 

 grew from his desire to study Nature undisturbed ; 

 and his letters bear evidence how strong this evidence 

 was in him right to the end. 



The last letter quoted, when Lieut. Goodyear 

 lay in hospital with an amputated leg, ends 

 with notes on the spring migrants : " Did just 

 hear a nightingale on May 11th. No cuokoo 

 at all." Six days later he died. The self- 

 written record of his too brief life was well 

 worth j)ublishing. 



" The Buzzard at Home " has just been 

 added to Messrs. Witherby 's Home Life series. 

 Mr. Arthur Brook has followed closely with 

 notebook and camera the history of two young 

 Buzzards in the nest, with details of the food 

 brought. He attributes the increase of the 

 species in Wales to the absence of keepers, and, 

 as out of five nests he found three were robbed, 

 probably by man, the increase is not likely to 

 become over-dangerous to the moles and frogs 

 which constitute the birds' chief diet. The 

 hen bird, Mr. Brook tells us, decorates the nest 

 daily with fresh green leaves, on one occasion 

 pulling off and bringing a huge spray of moun- 

 tain-ash. 



Bird and Tree Challenge Shield Competition. 



Essays, due September 1st, are still coming in 

 for this year's Competition, and reports on 

 results will be sent to the Schools as soon as 

 possible after the judging by the Society's 

 examiners. 



A happy suggestion for Tree-planting in 

 village and town is furnished by Washington, 

 D.C., where a tree has been planted in memory 

 of birds and animals killed in the war. 



Harris), chairman of the school managers, and 

 the Headmaster (Mr. H. Halton). 



A member of the first Bird and Tree Team 

 from Newburgh School in 1913, who in that 

 year won one of the Society's medals, has this 

 year passed her Inter. B.Sc. examination at the 

 Liverpool University. This pleasant annoance- 

 ment was made at the Festival at Newburgh 

 on July 14th, when the School celebrated its 

 notable success in winning both the County 

 and Inter-County Challenge Shields, Excellent 

 addresses were given by the Vicar (Rev. C. 



A teacher who does not inculcate ideas of 

 love and sympathy for the great out-of-doors, 

 and conservation and protection of our natural 

 resources — which means, first of all, the bird 

 and animal life — is indeed remiss in her duties 

 towards the future citizens of the United States. 

 Besides, she is overlooking a splendid oppor- 

 tunity, for nothing goes to make for better 

 discipline in a schoolroom than a healthy, 

 wholesome interest in Nature. Nothing is 

 more easily correlated with every routine 

 schoolroom subject. No clubs are formed 

 with more enthusiasm. Here is something 

 tangible, something the child can see, feel, 

 hear, something that touches his intimate 

 everyday life. The appeal is universal." — 

 Blue Bird (Ohio). 



