86 



Bird Notes and News 



A Pigeon Story. 



Above the well-known initials " A 1\-B.," 

 a charming story of a pair of Blue Rock 

 Pigeons is told in the Hants and Sussex News 

 (May 2nd, 1917). Blue Rocks, the wild 

 ancestors of our domestic pigeons, are rare 

 to-day in Britain save in a few sea-coast 

 caves, and can rarely be domiciled in the 

 dove-cote ; but these two came of a semi- 

 domesticated stock, and nested last March 

 near the roof of an old barn. In the bitter 

 weather of March it seemed hardly likely 

 that their nesting labours would come to 

 anything, and though both birds sat for a 

 time, presently both were seen off the nest 

 together and it was supposed they had 

 given up a bad job ; they were fed as usual, 

 but on Palm Sunday disappeared and have 

 not been seen again. But two da3's later, 

 while the snow lay thick on the ground, a 

 Blue Rock Pigeon suddenly appeared near 

 the aviary — a young bird, perfect in feather- 

 ing, but with the yellow down still uj^on 

 his head ; while a second youngster had 



contrived to squeeze his -way inside the 

 aviary, where some Modena Pigeons were 

 cooing. 



In spite of frost and snow, the 

 young had been reared. The old birds — 

 which need at least a double allowance of 

 food while they are engaged in providing 

 " pigeon's milk " for their babies, had had 

 but the usual allowance rations — war-time 

 rations too — because no one knew of their 

 family cares ; yet the}'- had fed their young 

 devotedly from their own crops, starving 

 themselves in so doing, '' and it was not 

 until that day came when their full-grown 

 young, being able to fly, were judged able 

 to fend for themselves, that they at last 

 took wing for some more hospitable home 

 where at least they could get enough to eat." 

 The two rations, they may have reflected 

 (though Mr. Trevor-Battye does not attri- 

 bute such reasoning to them), would suffice 

 for the children, if father and mother be 

 took themselves elsewhere. 



Bird and Tree Essay Competition. 



The Essays for the various Challenge Shield 

 Competitions in Elementary Schools should, 

 where convenient, be written before the 

 School breaks up for the summer holiday. 

 Where the ^^Titing of them is postponed 

 until after the holiday, the Secretary of 

 the Society asks for notice of the postpone- 

 ment. The papers and forms will be sent 

 out by July 20th, but notice should be 

 given if they are desired early in the month. 



Teams are reminded that a special Prize 

 or Prizes will be given to the Cadets giving 

 the best account of a Bird or Birds of the 

 Garden (home or school) in relation to 

 insects, saying what food the bird or birds 

 found there and what was fed to the 

 nestlings. If preferred this can be sent 

 as a short separate paper, not necessarily 

 referring to the Bird selected for the Essay. 



Schools entered well this spring in spite 

 of the difficulties of the time, and a number 

 of new Teams will, it is hoped, send in work. 

 In some cases the Teacher has been called 

 up for service since the last competition, 

 with the result, unfortunately in several 



instances, that the School falls out this 

 year. This is so with Newburgh C.E. 

 School, holder for two years of the Lancashire 

 Challenge Shield. Mr. Henry Halton, head- 

 master, is now serving his country, and 

 the Team feel they cannot do their school 

 credit without his guidance. Many Teams 

 lose leading members when summer claims 

 the work of older boys and girls in the 

 fields. Will Teachers and the Cadets them- 

 selves remember that children who have 

 attended school for an}'- part of the school 

 year are eligible to wTite essays for the 

 Competition ? 



Empire Day was a great day for Bird- 

 and-Tree Festivals, and numerous celebra- 

 tions were held on other days of I>lay. 

 In almost every case a programme of 

 approjmate songs and recitations vs'as well 

 given by the children, and the prizes were 

 presented by a member of some resident 

 county family interested in the well-being 

 of the school and m the happiness of the 

 sciiOlars. yehcols which have not yet 

 clanned their essays and medals rhould 

 write to the Secretary of the R.S.P.B. 



