34 



Bird Notes and News 



Then you are free to ascend the hill — 

 your heart gladdened as you pass on by 

 the mincing Redshanks, and by the sight 

 of a notice-board warning all who come 

 that this is holy ground. Woe to the 

 collector who ventures here ! Woe to 

 the fool with a gun ! The authorities 

 will deal firmly and sharply with such 

 persons on Brean Down. Up and up you 

 go along the narrow path. The Gulls and 

 Herons and Oyster-catchers and Sand- 

 pipers that are standing about on the 

 fiats below are becoming mere dots at 

 the edge of the Atlantic. The path turns 

 a corner, and suddenly up the wind come 

 the cries of the Sheld-drakes. They have 

 seen you. A great whistling of wings and 

 a clamour of cackhng as they rise by the 

 hundred into the air above you, their 

 brilliant plumage showing gorgeously in 

 the sun as they pass to and fro, sometimes 

 within a few yards of your head. 



The path turns another corner, and 

 there, behold, on a crag against the sky- 

 line, a heavy and sombre form, with sus- 



picious eyes that are watching you. It 

 is the hen Raven. She puts down her 

 head and speaks in a solemn ogre-like 

 voice. Then spreading her wings she 

 floats off into space, circhng in wide 

 circles until you are out of sight. 



Further on a Peregrine flashes scream- 

 ing and chattering from the face of the 

 cliffs below. A Whimbrel calls, high and 

 shrill, and up from the tumbled boulders 

 by the sea a tiny Rock-Pipit rises — and 

 descends again like a parachute, singing 

 his sweet clear song. Birds are every- 

 where. It is a wonderful enchanted 

 place. The precipitous island of Steep- 

 holm across the water looks almost 

 unreal. 



And when you feel tired, you can lie 

 down among the white rock-roses and 

 watch the bunnies playing. 



Such is the Hill of Birds. May the 

 mean and contemptible work of piKering 

 and carcase-coUecting, which has been 

 done there every year, cease now and 

 for ever. 



K. H. 



The Royal Society for the Protection 

 of Birds have secured Brean Down by 

 renting the shooting rights in order to 

 prevent all shooting. On their appli- 

 cation, the County Council of Somerset, 

 s,t their Meeting on July 2nd, agreed 

 to apply for an order prohibiting all 

 killing or taking of birds, and all taking 

 of eggs, in the area. The Order will 

 be signed by the Home Secretary in 

 due course. Watchers appointed by 

 the Society will see that these provisions 

 are duly regarded. 



It will readily be understood that the 

 rent of the " shooting " and the pro- 

 vision of Watchers constitute a heavy 

 pull on the Watchers Fund ; and it is 



earnestly hoped that nature-lovers, not 

 only in Somerset and neighbouring 

 counties but in other parts of England, 

 will come forward with regular sub- 

 scriptions in order that this Hill of Birds 

 may be maintained for the preservation 

 of the many rare and interesting species 

 which breed there. 



It is surely no small thing that Ravens 

 and Peregrines, with Sheld-duck, Sand- 

 pipers and other shore species, and with 

 charming httle birds hke Rock-Pipits 

 and Linnets and other haunters of the 

 downland, should dwell at peace within 

 so short a distance of a popular seaside 

 resort. For lack of rigorous safeguards 

 they must speedily have been exterminated 



