Bird Notes and News 



121 



Affiliated : — British Columbia Ornithologists' 

 Union ; Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, and District 

 Wild Birds Protection Association. 



The Watchers' Committee reported 

 especially with regard to the important 

 work at Dungeness ; the preservation of 

 the Kites ; and the conditions of bird hfe 

 on Lundy Island, where the persistent 

 egg-taking (though illegal) had led to 

 a lamentable decrease in the birds ; 

 and other places, where depredations 

 are attributable to collectors and also, 

 it is believed, to the use of the illegal 

 pole-trap. The status of certain species of 

 rare birds was considered, and arrange- 

 ments were made for special precautions 

 in respect of these. 



The Publicity Committee reported that 

 at its meeting on December 5th it was 

 recommended, among other things, that 

 a petition be sent to the Incorporated 

 Association of Retail Dealers, with regard 

 to the sale of songbirds in poulterers' 

 departments of afiiUated stores ; also 

 that letters of protest be sent to the 

 officials, members, and exhibitors associ- 

 ated with the Dover Cage-Bird Society 

 respecting the caging of wild birds, and 

 that such protests be repeated whenever 

 opportunity demands. 



The Education Committee reported that 

 with a view to bringing the subject of 

 birds and their protection to the notice of 

 boys in Summer Camps, Mr. Robert 

 Hadden was engaged during the month 

 of August to visit Boys' Camps in Kent 

 and Sussex, and give them talks about 

 birds and distribute among them suitable 

 leaflets. Permission was obtained from 

 the Headquarters of the Boys' Brigade, 

 the Church Lads' Brigade, the Boy Scouts' 

 Association, and the Seaside Camps for 

 London Working Boys. Mr. Hadden 

 was cordially welcomed wherever he 

 went, and every facility was given to him 

 by those in charge of the Camps to 

 get into touch with the boys. It was 

 agreed that the work should be continued 

 next summer on a more extended scale. 

 The results of the Competition for Bird 

 and Tree County Challenge Shields were 

 announced, the decision in regard to the 



Inter-County Shield not having been yet 

 arrived at. A letter received from H.M. 

 Chief Inspector of Schools in regard to 

 the evil effects of certain forms of " Nature 

 Study " was received, and hearty agree- 

 ment was expressed with its tenor and 

 its suggestions. It was reported that 

 39 Lectures, illustrated with the Society's 

 slides, had been given. 



Wild Birds Protection Bill. — A report 

 was read of the Conference held at the 

 Society's Offices on October 5th to 

 consider the Wild Birds Protection Bill 

 as passed by the House of Lords on 

 July 30 th, and the various amendments 

 which had been proposed. Sir Montagu 

 Sharpe presided, and Viscount Grey of 

 Fallodon was present, together with 

 Mr. E. W. E. Holderness, Secretary to 

 the Home Office Advisory Committee. 

 Lord Grey expressed his confident belief 

 that if dropped as a Government measure 

 this year it would be introduced under 

 the Government aegis next year ; but 

 both Lord Grey and IVIr. Holderness 

 said that strong opposition was being put 

 forward from certain quarters, especially 

 the numerous bird-caging clubs and 

 associations. The amendments to the 

 Bill desired by the Council of the Society 

 were then considered seriatim, and 

 as they had not yet been before the 

 Home Office Advisory Committee, Lord 

 Grey, as Chairman of that Committee, 

 gave them very careful consideration. 

 Some of the more important he fully 

 supported and intimated that they would 

 in all probability be incorporated in the 

 Bill before it went to the Commons. 

 (In view of subsequent events the position 

 of the Bill is, of course, entirely altered.) 



The dates for Council Meetings in 

 1924 were agreed upon, and various 

 other matters considered. 



CORNISH MEMORIAL TO 

 Me. HUDSON 



Although there was a time when 

 Cornish folk resented some of the com- 

 ments on them in The Land's End, they 

 appreciated the honour done their county 

 by the residence among them of its 



