Bird Notes and News 



71 



many other interesting but commoner 

 varieties. 



The hard weather of the beginning of 

 February was very productive of uncommon 

 "visitors, especially among the Ducks. The 

 large stretch of marsh-land to the east of 

 the town, flooded in January, froze well 

 when the frost came. I remember seeing a 

 flock of seven Redwing on the 30th of 

 January, very weak but in good plumage. 

 On the ice and in the little unfrozen pools, 

 Tufted Duck were the first to make their 

 appearance, but Mallard did not seem to be 

 about until later ; a flock of twelve Scoter 

 came the first day of the ice, but soon went 

 out to the sea. Later, Pochard and Wigeon 

 appeared in large numbers, many of which 

 fell victims to the gun of the fowler. A 

 large flock of the latter were seen in the bay 



and numbered one hundred and fifty-two. 

 On February 7th, T saw either a Barnacle or 

 Brent Goose, the former I think, feeding with 

 Sheldrake and Tufted Duck, and heard a 

 report of nine Grey-Lag Geese seen earty in 

 the morning. The previous day there was 

 a flock of some thirty-five Smew out in the 

 bay ; these remained some time, keeping 

 company with Pochard, Wigeon and Tufted 

 Duck. A Pintail Drake, hanging up in a 

 poulterer's shop, proved, on inquiry to have 

 been shot locally. Among other interesting 

 species that have occurred here within the 

 past few weeks have been one or two Red- 

 Throated Divers, some Great Crested Grebes 

 in full spring plumage, one or two Greater 

 Black Backed Gulls, a flock of Curlew, 

 Shoveler, Teal, Brambling, Redshank, 

 Ringed and Golden Plover. 



Bird-and-Tree Competition. 



All Schools which have not yet entered 

 Teams for this year's Competition should 

 do so at once. In addition to the competi- 

 tions in counties where Challenge Shields 

 are offered, there is an Open Class for all- 

 comers, in which prizes are given. This 

 year the subject has been introduced to the 

 Elementary Schools of West Sussex by the 

 Secretary of the Education Committee ; and 

 if suflicient Schools enter this year the 

 Council of the R.S.P.B. mil take into con- 

 sideration the provision of a Sussex Shield. 



Among the many Bird and Tree Festivals 

 held since Christmas must be mentioned 

 that at Buttermere School, mnner of the 

 Cumberland Shield, where the proceedings 

 were conducted by the Rev. J. Irwin, songs 

 and recitations were well given by the 

 children, an apple-tree was planted by INIr. 

 Philip Gatty, and scholars and teacher were 

 entertained to tea. At the Western Boys' 

 School, Southampton, a capital programme 

 was gone through, including selections from 

 the attractive " Bird and Tree Pageant," 

 compiled by IMrs. Suckling. The prizes 

 were presented by Professor Cock, of the 

 Hartley University, who gave an appropriate 

 and encouraging address. At Coleshill, on 

 February 27th, a delightful account of the 

 birds and trees of AustraHa was given by the 

 Rev. W. S. Thomas, who related interesting 

 experiences of his own, while residing in the 

 Colony. Songs were sung by the School 



choir, and a rambler-rose hedge planted. 



At Barton Stacey the Hampshire Shield 

 was presented on March 1. The Rev. A. C. 

 Franklin presided and a playlet, " The Law 

 of Love," was charmingly enacted by the 

 children. 



Although not strictly in connexion with 

 Bird and Tree work it ma}'^ be noted that 

 two admirable performances of the Rev. G. 

 Edward Yoimg's musical play, " The Revolt 

 of the Birds," were given recently by the 

 young people of the Luton Wesleyan Church, 

 and a sum of £90 realised for the Blinded 

 Soldiers. 



A pleasant and entertaining paper on 

 " Bird and Tree Cadets," appears in the 

 April Number of The Children's Friend 

 (Messrs. Partridge & Co.). 



School Gardens and Bieds, 



A special appeal with regard to school 

 gardens has been made by the IMinister of 

 Agriculture. In order to support this efi'ort, 

 the Society ofler a Special Prize or prizes 

 for the Essay or Essays giving the best 

 account of the Birds of the Garden (home 

 or school) in relation to insects, saying what 

 food the birds (or any one bird) found there 

 and what they took to their nestlings. This 

 account can either form part of an Essay 

 on any one of the birds concerned ; or if a 

 bird is chosen that does not come to the 

 garden, then this subject can form a short 



