Bird Notes and News 



65 



beam, Cedar, and Sycamore. Certificates 

 are awarded for much admirable work from 

 Bournemouth (St. Peter's Girls), Botley, 

 Christchurch (St. Joseph's R.C.), Headley 

 (Holme School), Ridge, and Southampton 

 (Boys' Western). H.c, Hinton Ampner, 

 Wickham ; c, Hayling, Southampton (Foun- 

 dry Lane Boys') and Swanmore. Hampshire 

 shows excellent variety of subjects, com- 

 position is remarkably good, and the personal 

 note pleasantly conspicuous. 



Lancashire. — Challenge Shield : New- 

 burgh C.E. School (Second year). Work, 

 already mentioned, done without notes and 

 very well illustrated. The Excellent standard 

 is reached by Withnell (United Methodist), 

 Atherton (C.E.), and Preston (St. Stephen's) ; 

 and good work comes also from Heskin 

 (Pemberton's), Barton Newsham (R.C.), 

 and Parbold Douglas ; and by Brathay 

 District C.E., Bolton-le-Sands, Brow Edge, 

 Mawdesley (R.C.), and Scarisbrick Township. 

 Thoroughness, intelligence, and grip are the 

 outstanding merits of Lancashire's Essays. 



Norfolk. — Challenge Shield : Beecham- 

 well C.E. School. These capital Essays take 

 the Inter-County Shield also. Close behind 

 come Wereham and Great Dunham (Girls) ; 

 and Certificates go also to Loddon (Girls), 

 Mertom and Bristom, Postwick, East Ruston, 

 Tittleshall, and Wickmere. The number of 

 competing Schools is down this year, but 

 the work improves. It is markedly first- 

 hand work, that on Birds devoted too 

 narrowly to the breeding-time. 



Northamptonshire. — Challenge Shield : 

 Harlestone C.E. School. Very genuine and 

 careful essays on Wagtail, House-Martin, 

 and Linnet, Holly, Hornbeam, and Horse- 

 Chestnut ; 2, Badby ; 3, Cold Higham. 

 Certificates to Clopton, Croughton, Culworth 

 (D'Anvers School), Middleton Cheney, 

 WeUingborough (All Saints', Girls), Welton. 

 Almost all the matter in the Northants papers 

 is entirely original, from first-hand notes, 

 but form and composition are lacking. 



Somerset. — Challenge Shield: Frome 

 Girls' Council School. Bright, pleasant, and 

 observant papers on Swallow, Lapwing, and 

 Wren, White Poplar, Sycamore, and Larch, 

 with artistic drawings. Close behind come 

 North Perrott and Chillington ; h.c, Cheding- 

 ton, Horton, Milverton Girls, Wambrook, 

 and Winsham ; c, Norton Fitz warren, 

 Lamyatt. Teams are younger than in most 



counties, the average age in Chedington being 

 under 10, but the papers show the freshness 

 of treatment and pretty graceful writing 

 characteristic of the county. 



Warwick. — Challenge Shield : Leicester 

 Road Council School, Bedworth. Evidencing 

 a real love of Birds and Trees, these personal 

 and sympathetic papers are charming to 

 read, and the admirable drawings are among 

 the best sent in from any county ; the Birds 

 are Chaffinch, Thrush, and Blue Tit ; Trees, 

 Larch, Acacia, and Beech. Mancetter C.E., 

 DosthiU, and Minworth win Certificates ; 

 h.c, Ansley, Solihull Girls, Stratford-on- 

 Avon Girls, Temple Grafton ; c, Great Alne, 

 Binton. There is notable individuality and 

 sincerity about Warwickshire work, and it 

 maintains its high standard well this year. 



Open Class.— First, tie, Hinton Waldrist 

 (Berks) and Totley (Derbyshire). Berkshire's 

 young Team keeps its lead in the Class and 

 writes pleasant essays on attractive subjects. 

 The Totley papers are a curious olla podrida, 

 frank and intelligent. Certificates. Felixstowe 

 Ferry (Suffolk), Slindon (Sussex) ; h.c, 

 Bouverie-Pusey School, Chamey (Berks), 

 Holt C.E. (Wiltshire), Norton Brad way 

 (Derbyshire). 



An unusually large number of Festivals have 

 been held during the dark days of December. 

 The presentation of the Coimt}^ and Inter- 

 County Festivals at Beechamwell on Dec. 

 loth, was made also the occasion of a farewell 

 gathering in honour of IVIrs. Clarke, the Head 

 Teacher of the School, to whose work high 

 testimony was borne, and who was Mistress 

 of Stoke Ferry when that school took the 

 Shield in 1913-14. The Bedworth Picture 

 Palace was the scene of a strong muster of 

 children and their friends, five or six hundred 

 in number, when the Warwickshire Shield 

 was presented on Nov. 29th. Princes Risboro' 

 had a thoroughly successful celebration on 

 Dec. 8th, in honour of the Bucks Shield ; the 

 children gave entertainments afternoon and 

 evening, including a capital performance of 

 " The Enchanted Wood," and realised £3^ 

 for patriotic funds. The Somerset Shield 

 was presented at Frome on Dec. 5th by 

 Mrs. A. E. LawTcnce, Captain Batten-Pooll, 

 V.C, having unfortunately^ to rejoin a day 

 or two previously. 



