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Bird Notes and News 



Bird and Tree Challenge Shield Competition 



The Society's work in the Elementary Schools 

 is not only for the benefit of children but of 

 primary consequence to the common weal. In 

 these days, when efforts are being made on 

 every hand to tempt workers to the land and to 

 make the countryside a more attractive place for 

 intelligent dwellers, few things can be more 

 desirable than giving rural residents a genuine 

 interest in the country itself. Innumerable 

 meetings are held and speeches made with the 

 object of settling inhabitants of town and 

 country upon the soil, as the ultimate source 

 of food and wealth, and of bringing town 

 lectures, town classes, town cinemas, into the 

 country. It is a singular thing that at the same 

 time little if any attempt is made to divert 

 attention from and dependence upon city shows 

 to the incomparable fascinations of the country 

 itself, or to instil first-hand acquaintance with 

 that wild life, sentient or otherwise, which is 

 inextricably bound up with every form of 

 agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. To 

 supply at once some delight in nature itself 

 and essential practical knowledge, the Bird 

 and Tree scheme was started ; and it must be 

 regarded as one of the most important develop- 

 ments in modern education, soon to be focussed, 

 it is hoped, by the institution of a national 

 Bird Day as foreshadowed by the report of the 

 Home Ofiice Bird-Protection Committee. 



By directing the natural curiosity of children, 

 stimulating their interest, eliciting their 

 sympathy and sharpening their powers of 

 observation, the form of Nature-study, framed 

 and adopted by the Society, meets the demands 

 of the Bird-Protector, the educationist and the 

 agriculturist. It aims at evolving a genmne 

 first-hand intelligent knowledge of the ways and 

 habits of birds that will gradually supersede the 

 conventional statements and hoary mistakes 

 conspicuous in so many nature-books for the 

 young, and the venerable superstitions and 

 prejudices which stand so largely for informa- 

 tion to-day. The extent of popular ignorance, 

 and the unlimited possibilities and results of 

 open-air study, are strikingly shown in the 

 variety of papers written by children. 



Where the teacher is enthusiastic, enthus- 

 iasm is quickly kindled in boys and girls. 

 Many of the essays are delightfully fresh and 

 original in tone and observation . It is naturally 

 difficult to divert the child's mind from that 



confidence in books and in verbal repetition 

 which has been fostered by educational methods 

 of long years. There is still too much recollec- 

 tion or memorising of lesson or reading-book ; 

 but individual outdoor watching, and the 

 fascination of finding out things new and 

 strange, is strong in a large number of Teams, 

 admirably guided by the teachers. The charm 

 of these essays is as irresistible as the powers of 

 accurate observation acquired are invaluable. 

 If space permitted, pages of Bird Notes and 

 News might be filled with these notes and 

 discoveries, thrilling to the child and often of 

 real interest to the ornithologist ; and if 

 printer's bills permitted, a pleasant pamphlet 

 might be composed of specimen papers. One 

 such it is hoped to reproduce in the Spring 

 Number, as a sample of the kind of work 

 encouraged. 



Practical Bird-Protection almost inevitably 

 results from acquaintance with living birds. 

 More than one school has formed a bird club 

 for natural history study and active protection 

 of birds and nests. Feeling against bird- 

 catching, caging, unnecessary bird-slaughter, 

 the destruction of nests, and cruelty to nesthngs, 

 grows apace ; in one instance recently, a teacher 

 reports that quick information given by a 

 little Cadet led to the apprehension and con- 

 viction of birdcatchers. No one who knows 

 the country can say such a movement is not 

 needed. 



Neither can it be urged, as regards the study 

 of trees, their beauty and utility, that such 

 knowledge is uncalled for in these days of 

 furious motoring, hedge-cutting, indiscriminate 

 lopping and topping, and the requirements, 

 real or supposed, of intensive farming. The 

 national importance of tree-planting, and of 

 the character and uses of timber, was brought 

 home to England only too clearly during the 

 war. 



Summarised reports of the work sent in by the 

 several counties where Challenge Shields are 

 offered may be had by readers interested in 

 those counties. It is greatly regretted that the 

 Somerset Shield has to be withdrawn this year 

 for want of sufficient competition. Somerset 

 began with ardent enthusiasm, but has appeared 

 unable to maintain effort. In Lancashire, 

 Norfolk, and Northants, on the other hand, the 

 work grows and improves steadily year by year, 



