Bird Notes and News 



33 



George Robbins (London, S.W.) ; Dr. 

 Graham Renshaw (Manchester) ; Mrs. 

 R. H. S. Scott (Bournemouth) ; H. Macadam 

 Smith (Hastings); W. H. Smith (Whit- 

 church, Salop) ; J. Allen Tregelles (Hoddes- 

 don) ; Miss Amy Tyrell (Sidmouth) ; 

 Charles E. Venning (Heamoor) ; Mrs. 

 Winnington (London, W.) ; Mrs. Henry 

 Wyllys (Great Yarmouth). 



The Publication Committee 



Reported the issue of a further edition 

 of Plumage Bill Campaign Leaflets 1, 2, 

 and 3, the card, " Some Victims of the 

 Plume-Trade," and other literature. A 

 large number of copies of the card had 

 been supplied also to the Bird Protec- 

 tion Societies of France, Holland, and 

 Denmark. 



Watchers Committee. 



In addition to the appointment and 

 supervision of the Society's Watchers, 

 this Committee reported on work at the 

 Lighthouses, the evidence given by- 

 Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Lemon before the 

 Departmental Committee on the Bird 

 Protection Acts, and a large amount of 

 correspondence dealing with measures 

 necessary for the preservation of rare 

 birds in various districts. 



General Business. 



Mr. J. R. B. Masefield, of Cheadle, 

 Staffordshire, was elected a member of 

 the Council in the room of Mr. Conrad 

 Russell, resigned. The Viscountess Gal- 

 way and Lord Newton were elected Vice- 

 Presidents. The Committees for the year 

 were appointed. Considerable discussion 

 took place with reference to the progress 

 of the Plumage Bill, the proceedings in 

 Committee, and future action ; and the 

 donations to date to the Special Fund 

 opened to meet the heavy expenses 

 entailed, were reported. 



BIRD PROTECTION IN 

 GREATER BRITAIN. 



A most interesting account of the Bird 

 Protection movement in and around 

 Ottawa is given by Dr. Gordon Hewitt, 

 Dominion Ornithologist, in the Ottawa 

 Naturalist, March, 1914. The city, like 

 many English localities, " is gaining in 

 population and taxes at the expense of 

 natural beauty " ; but two areas unequalled 

 by natural beauty for the purpose, are to 

 be made sanctuaries if only sufficient sup- 

 port is given to the scheme in hand. 

 Seeing that warm sympathy and interest 

 are accorded by the Duke of Connaught, as 

 Governor-General, Mr. Borden, and Sir 

 Wilfred Laurier, success should be assured. 

 One area is a fine natural park, a piece of 

 woodland and forest rescued from lumber- 

 man and builder, on the shores of the 

 Ottawa River. The other consists of the 

 grounds and botanical garden of the 

 Government Experimental Farm, where an 

 abundance of trees and shrubs of all kinds, 

 especially those bearing wild fruit, will 

 make it a happy bird-home, and where the 

 Dominion horticulturist has zealously 

 interested himself in bird-protection. Over 

 four hundred nesting-boxes are to be pro- 

 vided by the Ottawa Improvement Com- 

 mission. Apart from aesthetic motives, Dr. 

 Gordon Hewitt comments: — 



" The practical value of the encourage- 

 ment of birds in both these places 

 is of inestimable importance, as they 

 constitute the most efficient protective 

 agencies of the trees that can be secured, 

 and the cost of their assistance — the cost of 

 the nesting-boxes, etc. — regarded in the 

 light of an insurance premium against 

 insect depredations, is at the lowest rate 

 imaginable." 



