62 



Bird Notes and News 



observation. The growth of a young Cuckoo 

 in a Robins nest is well observed, and an 

 excellent paper on the Wren must be 

 specially commended for its accurate note 

 of the song. St. Andrew's Murray School, 

 Rugby, would probably have been a prize- 

 winner but that only four species of Birds 

 are chosen as subjects by nine essayists. 

 The papers sent are distinctly good ; they 

 are written in a clear straightforward way, 

 and the comments show observation and 

 quick intelligence. Dosthill, a new com- 

 petitor, furnishes two Teams, both of which 

 must have worked zealously to achieve so 

 great a measure of success, especially when 

 it is remembered that this is a colliery 

 district, where, as one of the essayists 

 writes, Trees are poisoned by smoke. Papers 

 on the Robin and Oak, by a boy of twelve, 

 show the keen observation of a bom nature- 

 student, and all the work is of a most 

 promising character. The Haselor Team 

 have kept careful observation diaries, which 

 are prettily illustrated ; the Judges would 

 have liked to find in the references to frost 

 and snow some indication of the birds 

 being fed. Entries from note-books also 

 form a part of the Minworth papers, and are 

 prefaced by a neat and concise general 

 description. The work at Stratford -on -Avon 

 is slight, and the rules are again not kept, 

 but there is improvement on previous 

 years, the Tree papers are nicely written 

 and the writer on the Blackbird shows good 

 knowledge of its beautiful song. Harbury 

 is another school of promise ; considerable 

 appreciation is indicated in the Tree papers. 



OPEN CLASS. 



With a good beginning aheady made, 

 there should be a fairly full competition 

 from Derbyshire and Suffolk next year. 

 The latter county ought to be inspired by 

 the example of its neighbour, Ncrfolk. 

 Two Schools which competed last year 

 very naturally head this class in 1912 ; 

 Hinton Waldrist is, moreover, a young 

 team, and two very good essays come from 

 competitors of ten summers ; so that this 

 Berkshire Team seems likely to maintain 

 its lead and perhaps to win a resuscitated 

 Berkshire Shield some day. The drawings 

 from nature are good. The Totley (Derby) 

 children write with much care, evidently 

 resolved to do their school credit, and 

 succeeding. Next come Felixstowe Ferry, 

 with bright intelligent papers that have a 

 very genuine ring about them ; and Homes- 

 field (Derby), Avith less outdoor observation, 

 but essays that are neat and well-expressed. 

 Some score of essayists indicate that a 

 capital beginning has been made at Heage 

 Central School (Derby) ; the papers are 

 simple and short, but have very nice 

 touches. Two essays on Yellow Hammer 

 and Hawthorn are conspicuous in the 

 Nedging and Naughton (Suffolk) Team, as 

 showing bright original observation, and 

 further work from this young student and 

 her fellows wiU be looked for with interest 

 next year. In all these Schools the teaching 

 is clearly such as to guarantee progress 

 on the right lines. 



In connexion with the Competition in 

 Norfolk prizes were given by Mr. Lee Warner 

 for imitations of bird-notes. The first prize 

 was gained by a Bracon Ash boy, who 

 essayed to reproduce the notes of twenty-one 



species, and in all a list of thirty -eight birds 

 was handed in. As bird -music is so greatly 

 neglected the example might be followed 

 elsewhere. 



