60 



Bird Notes and News 



1914, and therefore the autumnal migra- 

 tion formed their first test. Reports 

 dated October 16th and November 20th 

 show that here also the apparatus has 

 been of value to the migrants. On the 

 nights of September 30th, and October 

 15th, 17th, 18th and 19th, in particular, 

 between the hours of 10.30 and sunrise, 

 it was noted that large numbers of 

 birds rested on their way on the 

 ranges of perches provided. The 

 species observed included Flycatchers, 

 Linnets, Skylarks, Wheatears, Blackbirds, 

 Thrushes, and Starlings. 



The fourth Lighthouse fitted with the 

 rests is that at Spurn Point, but no 

 reports thence have been received this 

 autumn on account of the altered con- 

 ditions on the East Coast necessitated 

 by the War. 



"BIRD OF GOOD OMEN." 



The artistic beauty and special ap- 

 propriateness of the Society's Greeting 

 Card for 1914-15 have given it a large 

 sale. The artist, Mr. O. Murray Dixon, 

 well known as a rising bird-painter, 

 generously gave the Society the right of 

 reproduction, and the original picture 

 has been on exhibition at 140, New 

 Bond Street, through the kindness of 

 Messrs. W. E. Hill and Son. Enquiries 

 as to its purchase should be addressed 

 to the R.S.P.B., 23, Queen Anne's 

 Gate, S.W. 



PUBLIC SCHOOL ESSAY 

 COMPETITION. 



Two subjects were given for Essays 

 from the Public Schools this year. The 

 first, for which the Society's Silver and 

 Bronze Medals are awarded, was : — 



Our Summer Migrants : including ob- 

 servations on the Pood and Song of twelve 

 selected species, and a comparison with 

 members of the same or allied families which 



remain in Great Britain throughout the 

 year ; suggesting if possible some reason for 

 the existence of this difference of habit. 



The second, for which a Prize or 



Prizes will be offered annually by a 



member of the Council of the Society, 

 was : — 



The British Owls : the Necessity for their 

 better Protection, and the means to be 

 adopted for the Preservation of useful and 

 rare Birds of Prey. 



The successful competitors are as 

 follows : — 



Medal Competition. — Senior 

 Division. 



Silver Medal : C. C. Baring (Hailey- 

 bury). 



Second Prize : Tie, G. V. Webster 

 (Eton), C. P. Staples (Christ's Hospital). 



Certificate and Book Prize : C. W. 

 Somerville (Manchester Grammar School). 



Junior Division. 



Bronze Medal : E. Searight (Chelten- 

 ham). 



Second Prize : Berkeley Seeker (King's 

 School, Worcester). 



Certificates and Book Prizes : J. R. 

 Hassell (Denstone), L. S. Pitman (Bristol 

 Cathedral School). 



" The Owl " Prizes. 



(1) C. P. Blacker (Eton), (2) C. P. 

 Staples (Christ's Hospital). 



Highly Commended : S. F. Davenport 

 (King's School, Worcester), G. E. Caraco 

 (Strand School, London). 



The Essay by C. C. Baring, which 

 gains the Silver Medal, has given much 

 pleasure to the Judges and gains their 

 high commendation. The species with 

 which he deals form a long and compre- 

 hensive list, including Stone-Curlew, Wry- 

 neck, Nightjar, Nightingale, Redstart, 

 ten of the Warblers, and Red-backed 

 Shrike. His notes on these, entirely 



