40 



Bird Notes and News 



and the co-operation of more Teachers is urgently 

 needed to foster the right spirit. 



" My chief wish," continues the Society's corre- 

 spondent, "is to lead the children away from the 

 odious Prussianism of their attitude. Organised 

 nest hunts are conducted by pretty nearly all 

 country children, and torn nests and dead birds 

 strew the footpaths." He urges a strengthening 

 of the law and better publication of its provisions. 

 But the Teacher can do infinitely more than laws, 

 though the village police ought to have the know- 

 ledge (which few seem to possess, and fewer to act 

 upon) that the stoning and catapulting of birds 

 and nestlings is a punishable ofTence, which should 

 be winked at no more than is thieving or gambling. 



With the Teacher, the country poHce, and the 

 Bird-and-Tree Scheme in friendly co-operation, the 

 stigma that rests upon the British child might 

 speedily be removed. 



THE L.C.C. SCHOOLS. 



At the monthly meeting of the Represen- 

 tative Manp.gers of London County Council 

 Elementary Schools, held at the County 

 Hall, Spring Gardens, London, on March 

 24th, 1919, Mr. Charles Candler moved the 

 following resolution : 



" That the Representative Managers strongly 

 deprecate the employment of school children as 

 agents for the destruction, on alleged economic 

 grounds, of wild birds and their eggs, believing 

 that such employment degrades the children and 

 injures the moral of the schools." 



Mr. Candler dealt with the question from 

 an edvicational standpoint only and did 

 not touch upon the economic aspect. The 

 matter appeared to be new to many of the 

 members gnd excited a good deal of interest. 

 The Chairman, IVIr. A. P. Graves, said Mr. 

 Candler had made a powerful appeal, and 

 he hoped the motion would be carried 

 unanimously. This was done, and it was 

 ordered that copies of the resolution should 

 be sent to the L.C.C. and the Board of 

 Agriculture, 



It is to be hoped that other School 

 Managers will follow this example. 



PEACE AND WAR. 



The Head Teacher of a Lancashire School, 

 who has safely returned from service in 

 France, writes : 



" While I have been abroad I have often thought 

 of the happy days spent with the children in their 

 Bird-and-Tree studies, and am more convinced than 

 ever how wonderful and fascinating such studies can 

 be. On the misty morning of March 21st, 1918, when 

 the Germans laimched their great offensive on the 

 Western Front, I was in advance of our heavybatteries 

 in that desolate waste in the neighbourhood of the 



famous old Hindenburg line, south-east of Arras. I 

 was forced to take cover in an old sunken road, as I 

 was encircled by the enemy's bursting shel]=, some 

 of which were gas shells. While waiting for the 

 bombardment to quieten down, I was greatly 

 surprised and interested to see a Skylark alight 

 in the road two or three yards away from me, and 

 calmly commence its morning dust-bath, just as 

 I had watched these little friends of ours ' bathe ' 

 in the peaceful country lanes of England. 



" What covild have brought this sweet bird, the 

 delight of our meadows, into such desolation on a 

 morning like this ? Amidst the incessant deafening 

 crashes was it really unconscious of danger ? Did 

 it think itself safe from harm so long as man 

 existed there ? Or was it one of Nature's great 

 lessons to man, then striving with frenzied fury to 

 gain the mastery, to teach him where true happi- 

 ness and contentment lie ? . . . 



" I have seen some of the horrors of war, and niuch 

 destruction of the beautiful in nature. I wish the 

 Society every success in its work, and pray that in 

 the great scheme of Reconstruction and Improve- 

 ment our nation will endeavour to preser\'e all that 

 is lovelj^ in the world, and so bring man nearer to 

 the God who made it." 



BRITISH HOMES for BRITISH BIRDS 



The Royal Society for the Protection 



of Birds continues to supply 



NESTING-BOXES and FOOD-BOXES 



with everj^ "Berlepsch" improvement, 



strong and durable. 



TREE-HOLE BOXES 

 WALDEN BOXES 



Much needed (or all hole-building species owing 

 to the cutting down of Trees and Woodlands. 

 Hole-building Birds are Insect-eating Birds. 



Swinging Food-Bex ; Seed Hopper ; Window- 

 tray for Food. 



ALL BRITISH MADE . 

 Write for revised price list. 



Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 



23, QUEEN ANNES GATE, S.W.I. 



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