66 



Bird Notes and News 



advance on that of last year, not only in 

 personal observation and accuracy, but 

 also in intelligent interest and sympathy. 

 The range of species of Birds observed is 

 rather narrow, as though the children did 

 not go very far from their own doors for 

 examples. The Victoria Council School, 

 Wellingborough, however, has a capital 

 list, and the work here manifests extremely 

 close, zealous, and accurate watching ; alert- 

 ness of mind as well as quickness of eye, 

 distinguishes the papers on Flycatcher, 

 Moorhen, and Willow-Wren. The Tree- 

 papers are equally admirable, and are 

 delightfully illustrated. Cold Higham School 

 deservedly takes the Second Prize with 

 original work worthy of the highest 

 commendation for the thoroughness, ac- 

 curacy, and reasoning power displayed by 

 the Team, no member of which is yet in the 

 'teens. The Third place is taken by Badby's 

 first-hand observations and hard work, 

 though too much use of note-books mars the 

 form of the papers. Pj^tehley (Endowed) 

 sends exceptionally good Tree-papers, but 

 books instead of observation have prompted 

 those on Birds. The Weedon Girls and 

 Braunston gain a first-class by the excel- 

 lence of individual Essays added to a 

 general high level. In both cases the Wren, 

 a favourite bird in Northants, inspires 

 the best Bird-papers ; Alder and Beech 

 those on Trees. The Wren again appears 

 in the pleasant papers from Mears Ashby. 

 The Long Buckby Boys write in a good 

 straightforward style, and have used their 

 keen eyes ; and Irthlingborough's observa- 

 tion is genuine, though it does not yet go 

 very far. Desborough and Wootton like- 

 wise gain the " Excellent " standard. 

 Following these schools come Roth well, 

 Great Creaton, Great Addington, Welton, 



Middleton Cheney, Croughton, Culworth r 

 Rockingham (the youngest Team competing), 

 Byfield, and Chacombe, with special but 

 varying points of excellence ; and after 

 these over a dozen other promising Teams. 



SOMERSET. 

 Challenge Shield. — Exfoed. 



For several years Exford School has been 

 steadily doing competent work, and this year 

 it passes some exceptionally strong com- 

 petitors and deservedly wins the highest 

 place. The final determining factor was 

 the choice of subjects needing some enthu- 

 siasm to find and watch ; an extremely good 

 essay on the Heron, with others almost 

 equally good on Redstart and Goldfinch, all 

 displaying first-hand knowledge intelligently 

 acquired and used. The Trees are most 

 painstaking in their detail, and the drawings 

 good. It is not easy to relegate Frome Boys 

 C.E. School to a second place, so excellent 

 is their work, and so close their observation, 

 while their drawings are as usual really 

 clever and artistic. The Frome Council 

 Girls are also strong in artistic illustrations, 

 and freshness and originality, with genuine 

 appreciation of nature, make their papers 

 pleasant reading. Genuine and sympathetic 

 in friendly study of Birds and Trees, the 

 Chillington essays have a charm of their 

 own. North Perrott confirms the good 

 impression made last year, sending among 

 others a capital essay on the Cole-Tit. The 

 Wembdon Team are specially strong on 

 Birds ; their writing is bright and interest- 

 ing. Birds again seem to have appealed 

 most to Winsham, whose essays include a 

 long and animated account of the Chaffinch 

 by a boy who surely has in him the making 

 of an excellent field-naturalist. The Tree 

 essays from Fivehead and Swell School 



