58 



Bird Notes and News 



Notes 



The Royal Parks Bird Sanctuaries Com- 

 mittee, appointed by Lord Crawford, has 

 issued a first report which will give 

 pleasure and satisfaction to the nature- 

 loving Londoner. They recommend the 

 formation of such sanctuaries in Hyde 

 Park and Kensington Gardens (where the 

 arrangements have already been to a 

 considerable extent carried out), St. 

 James's Park (the present water-fowl 

 island), Regent's Park (the island in the 

 lake), Richmond Park (the Isabella and 

 other plantations, with special encourage- 

 ment for the Great Crested Grebe on the 

 Pen Ponds), Greenwich Park (two areas 

 in the Wilderness) ; and it will be learned 

 with particular pleasure that by the 

 King's consent similar sanctuaries are 

 contemplated in Buckingham Palace 

 Gardens. The many species of birds 

 nesting in and visiting Hyde Park have 

 been already referred to in Bird Notes 

 AND News, and the list of trees and 

 shrubs recommended will be useful to 

 other Park Authorities. The report is 

 issued from H.M. Stationery Office ; 

 price 7d. 



Liverpool has succeeded in obtaining 

 the first Order issued in England protect- 

 ing all wild birds throughout the year. 

 This was brought about for the express 

 purpose of stopping birdcatching in the 

 suburbs in the open season ; and hearty 

 congratulations must be offered to the 

 Secretary of the Liverpool Branch of the 

 R.S.P.C.A., and to the local Hon. Secre- 

 tary of the R.S.P.B., who worked in 

 energetic accord for this object ; also to 

 the City, which furnishes so excellent a 

 lead. Dundee obtained a similar measure 

 some years ago. This protection, while 

 putting a stop to the predatory bird- 

 catcher, does not interfere with the rights 

 of landowners and tenants in regard to 

 non-scheduled birds, and is, therefore, so 

 eminently reasonable that it tempts to 

 the use of the old tag, si 8W omnes. 

 Also, why not aic omnes ? 



Meanwhile we have Magistrates like 

 Mr. Francis, at Westminster, and Lord 

 Deer hurst, at Pershore, expressing that 

 loathing for the catcher's trade, which is 

 fairly general among English people ; and 

 we have caged birds, nets, bird-lime, and 

 the like freely advertised (except in cases 

 where a protest from the Society brings 

 about an occasional withdrawal, and in 

 this connection the thanks of bird-lovers 

 may be offered to that popular journal 

 The Fruit Grower). Also we have con- 

 tinual protests against the sale in big 

 stores of song-birds as food, and the 

 appearance of skylarks on the menu of 

 the too -well-fed ; with advertisements 

 such as this : — 



To Lark Catchers. — Unlimited number Blackbirds, 

 Larks, Fieldfares .... wanted throughout season. 

 " . . . . Smithfield Market." 



It is high time that some specific 

 definition should be attached to the words 

 " naturalist " and " ornithologist," so 

 that the general public may know what 

 the terms indicate and what are the aims 

 and policy pursued by such persons, and 

 by societies composed of such persons ; 

 in fact, not ostensibly. There might 

 then be means for judging how far the 

 existence of some of these individuals 

 and some of these societies is inimical 

 and dangerous to the preservation of the 

 rarer forms of life. Instances have con- 

 tinued to come to light since the protest 

 made by Earl Buxton at the Society's 

 last annual meeting ; and the latest is 

 perhaps the most shameless. A society 

 of '" field naturalists " (there is no oc- 

 casion to advertise it) has recently sent 

 out a circular asking for specimens for 

 the local museum of some of the very 

 rarest of British birds — birds which are 

 in many cases protected by law, birds 

 which would be protected in every 

 possible way by any bird-student with 

 one atom of decent feeling or with one 

 spark in his soul of that spirit and per- 

 ception which alone qualify the true 



