44 



Bird Notes and News 



says there have been tlu-ee nests this year 

 in that neighbourhood. Last year was a 

 good one for both Choughs and Buzzards, 

 but this is better, and the result is in great 



measure due to our Watcher. I believe him 

 incapable of taking the bribes that are 

 offered him. He is fond of his watching 

 and proud of it." 



Notes. 



The position seems fast being taken up by 

 a section of sportsmen that no bird has a 

 right to live which kills for food anything 

 which man wishes to kill either for food or 

 sport. Especially sport. In addition to all 

 the Hawks, Owls, birds of the Crow tribe, 

 and everything strange and rare which 

 come under the ban of a majority of game- 

 keepers, certain members of the Irish Game 

 Protection Association are now objecting that 

 the Gulls are becoming " a menace to game 

 preservers." The anglers, not to be out- 

 done, declare war on the Heron, Kingfisher, 

 Dipper, and other species, and some of them 

 are now urging death to the Mergansers. 

 The Merganser, a species of Wild Duck little 

 known in the south, has lately established 

 itself in Kincardine, and it is at once sug" 

 gested that since the bird lives chiefly on 

 small fish it should be deprived of all pro- 

 tection under the Wild Birds Act. The 

 Scottish Office demurred to the request, but 

 the Kincardine Road Board insist that the 

 new-comer must have the traditional half- 

 brick. 



* * * 



The State of Washington has chosen for 

 its seal the Downy Woodpecker in place of 

 the old device of the Bald Eagle. The Eagle, 

 selected symbol of so many lands, is of course 

 typical of the kingship of the state, and has 

 little to do with the Eagle of naturahsts. 

 But the Woodpecker has been chosen for 

 his own good deeds. He is America's friend 

 as the caretaker of the forests, which America 

 is learning to value now that settlers, lumber- 



men, and fire have destroyed so many a 

 league of the ancient woodlands. Human 

 agencies of destruction may be checked, 

 fresh trees may be planted; but no State 

 decree has any effect on the destruction 

 wrought by insect-borers, except decrees for 

 the protection of birds. It is the little 

 Woodpecker's sharp ears and bright eyes 

 that find out the borers and their eggs ; and 

 Washington shows her gratitude on her 

 new seal. 



4: « He 



The prosecution of a dealer for offering 

 newly-taken Barn-Owls for sale in Kingston 

 market (see " In the Courts "), though emi- 

 nently unsatisfactory from the point of view 

 of those who wish to see Orders made by 

 County Councils enforced by police and 

 magistrates, had a happy effect so far as 

 the Owls themselves were concerned. The 

 two birds were taken in exchange for her 

 parrot by a young girl who, on seeing the 

 report of the case in the Surrey Comet, 

 wrote to the Society to ask what she ought 

 to do -with the birds, as she loved animals 

 and would not on any account be guilty of 

 cruelty. One night, not long afterwards, 

 the birds were given their liberty in a 

 suitable sanctuary. " I was very sorry to 

 part with them," writes their young bene- 

 factress, " but it was lovely to see them 

 fly away." 



4c * * 



The tender mercies of the gamekeeper, 

 to whom game are " birds " and all other 



