Bird Notes and News 



121 



be perpetuated by his monumental works on 

 " The Birds of Europe " and " Eggs of the 

 Birds of Europe," had been a member of the 

 Council of the R.S.P.B. since 1899, and was 

 formerly a constant attendant at its meetings 

 and a valuable adviser in its work. For 

 some years failing health had unhappily 

 prevented him from taking an active part, 

 and his death occurred, suddenly from heart 

 failure, at Cannes, on Nov. 28th. Mr. Dresser 

 edited the Educational leaflets published by 

 the Society, and he took special interest in 

 the anti-plumage campaign, his extensive 

 travels and indisputable knowledge enabling 

 him constantly to expose the lies of the 

 trade. A portrait of Mr. Dresser appeared 

 in Bird Notes and News, Summer Number, 

 1910. 



In the death of the Rev. Arthur L. Hussey, 

 which occurred at Fern Bank, Uckfield, on 

 September 12th, the Society has lost one of 

 its oldest and most sympathetic and generous 

 friends and supporters. He was among its 

 first adherents, the second donation to its 

 funds coming from him (the first being from 

 Professor Newton) in 1891, and since that 

 time he has never failed to encourage and 

 help forward its efforts. He was one of the 

 earliest elected Fellows, and was a member 

 of the first Council elected on the Incorpora- 

 tion of the Society by Royal Charter in 1904. 

 Being, however, unable to attend the meet- 

 ings, he resigned, and was then elected a 

 Vice-President. Mr. Hussey was 83 years 

 of age. 



BIRD PROTECTION AT THE 

 LIGHTHOUSES. 



The Reports from Trinity House with 

 regard to the bird-rests and perches erected 

 by the Society at certain of the Lighthouses 

 continue to be entirety satisfactory and leave 



little room for doubt as to the success of 

 the scheme in saving migrating birds from 

 destruction. 



The Keeper-in-Charge of St. Catherine's 

 Lighthouse, I W., writes, November 30, 1915 : 



" The bird perches were fixed in position 

 for the Spring Migration on March 22nd, and 

 taken down on the 3rd June. They were 

 again fixed for the Autumn Migration on the 

 28th August, and dismantled on the 15th 

 inst. From close observation made during 

 the time the perches were in position there 

 is not the slightest doubt that they are of 

 great value in saving the lives of birds during 

 migration, as it is now a very rare occurrence 

 to pick up any dead birds." 



The Principal Keeper of the Caskets Light- 

 house writes, November 2nd : 



' k A great number of birds have used the 

 perches during the month of October, especi- 

 ally on the night of the 16th, when they 

 were absolutely covered throughout the 

 night." 



To this the Keeper-in-Charge adds, 

 November 30th : 



" The perches have been made good use of 

 by the smaller birds, and saved numbers 

 from killing themselves by flying around the 

 light and striking the glazing ; now they 

 settle on the perches. On the nights from 

 4th to 12th of this month large flocks of birds 

 have been migrating ; all made good use 

 of the perches." 



From the Spurn Lighthouse come records 

 of the perches having been used this autumn 

 by, among other species, Larks, Wheatears, 

 Blackbirds, Starlings, Chaffinches, Norwegian 

 Crows, and a Merlin. 



From the South Bishop Lighthouse the 

 Keeper reports : 



" During the month of October there were 

 many birds seen on the perches of various 

 types, Mistle-Thrushes, Blackbirds, and 

 Fieldfares being the largest birds noted, 

 except a few Landrails which had struck the 

 lantern glass. There were also many smaller 

 birds, such as the Flycatchers. The birds 

 appeared to frequent the perches during the 

 nights when the wind was from the east or 

 south-east with haze." 



