118 



Bird Notes and News 



Watchers Committee. 



Reports were received from Mr. Meade- 

 Waldo and Mr. Ogilvie-Grant on their 

 visit to the Orkneys and Shetlands, from 

 Dr. Drewitt and Mr. P. D. Wilhams 

 on their visits to Cornwall ; and from 

 twenty Watchers at various stations in 

 England, Wales, and Scotland. It was 

 agreed that a summary of these reports 

 be prepared for private circulation. It 

 was stated that negotiations were in 

 progress for the acquiring by the Society 

 of a Scottish headland, which is interest- 

 ing and important on account of certain 

 birds breeding there, and on which it 

 is essential that a Watcher should be 

 maintained. 



General Business. 



The methods to be adopted in support 

 of the Government's Importation of 

 Plumage (Prohibition) Bill were discussed, 

 and various proposals were agreed to. It 

 was decided to form a special ParHa- 

 mentary Plumage Committee of the 

 Council, with power to co-opt additional 

 members. 



A resolution was unanimously adopted 

 that the heartiest congratulations of the 

 Council be accorded Dr. Hornaday and 

 the New York Zoological Society and 

 the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies, on the passing of the clause in 

 the United States Tariff Bill prohibiting 

 the importation, sale or possession of 

 wild birds' plumage throughout the 

 States. Further discussion took place 

 with regard to the destruction of Swallows 

 in southern Europe, and it was agreed 

 that the Bird Protection Societies of 

 France and Italy be asked to give the 

 matter their serious consideration. It 

 would appear from commmiications re- 

 ceived that in France the destruction 

 is forbidden by law, but that in 



some districts at least the law is not 

 observed. The appointment of a Depart- 

 mental Committee to consider the Bird 

 Protection Laws had been notified to 

 the Society by the Home Office, with a 

 request that the Society should nominate 

 a representative, and Mr. Meade-Waldo 

 agreed to serve. Dates and hours for 

 the Council meetings in 1914 were fixed, 

 and letters on bird-shops and other subjects 

 were considered. 



Next meeting of the Council, January 

 23rd. 



BIRD-PROTECTION AT LIGHT- 

 HOUSES. 



The apparatus installed at the Caskets 

 Lighthouse and at St. Catherine's, on 

 the plan of that at the Terschelhng 

 Light, with the object of affording 

 protection to migrating birds, has been 

 taken down for the winter and will be 

 re-erected in early spring. Although no 

 great amount of evidence was looked for 

 as the result of the autumn migrations, 

 there is yet sufficient to give good ground 

 for hope that such apparatus will do 

 much to lessen the vast destruction of 

 bird-hfe which now takes place at the 

 hghthouses. The Head Keeper at the 

 Caskets reports : 



" During the last few days of August 

 large flights of birds were passing the 

 Station, and during the night a large number 

 of small birds settled on the perches. . . . 

 On most nights in October a few birds 

 settled, and on the night of October 25th 

 the perches were completely covered with 

 Starlings." 



From St. Catherine's the Engineer-in- 

 charge writes : 



" It is the general opinion of myself and 

 assistants that the perches are undoubtedly 

 of value in saving the lives of a considerable 

 number of birds. They do not appear to 

 save bu'ds who fly fast and direct to the 

 light, as they strilce the glass and are 

 instantly killed, but many birds flutter 



