Bird Notes and News 



125 



sound original observation, and alike in 

 being admirably illustrated. The final de- 

 cision is in favour of Newburgh, on the 

 strength of the great amount of thorough 

 and accurate first-hand study to which the 

 Bird essays bear witness. The Tree papers, 

 wonderfully painstaking, are overloaded 

 with detail and measurements, and to that 

 extent inferior to those from Atherton. 

 Atherton also scores by writing without 

 use of notes. The Newburgh subjects are 

 Wren, Swallow, and Pheasant, Rowan, 

 Oak, and Hazel ; while in Reed-Bunting 

 and Willow- Warbler the Atherton boys 

 touch a newer note. The teachers at both 

 schools must have inspired their boys with 

 real enthusiasm to produce papers so far 

 above the average in the amount and 

 exactness of their information. The " ex- 

 cellent " award is well earned by St Paul's 

 School, Adlington, whose Team have done 

 a capital amount of outdoor work and display 

 only too much effort in their careful and well- 

 written compositions ; and by Withnell 

 (United Methodist), especially successful in 

 admirable and well-illustrated Tree papers, 

 which reveal practical acquaintance with 

 forestry and uses of woods. Immediately 

 following come Cartmel Fell, whose essays, 

 if slight, are distinguished by a lively 

 and delightful open-airiness, Pemberton's 

 School, Heskin, marking distinct improve- 

 ment on work previously entered in the 

 Open Class, both in the matter and the 

 manner of their neatly and nicely-written 

 papers ; St. Stephen's, Preston, one of the 

 most promising of the recruits, with in- 

 telligent and careful work that will speedily 

 bring the Team further. Hearty com- 

 mendation must also be given to Brow 

 Edge, Mawdesley R.C., Parbold Douglas 

 and Scarisbrick (Township School). Lanca- 



shire bids fair to be one of the leading 

 counties in the Competition. 



NORFOLK. 



Challenge Shield. — Great Dunham 

 Girls' School. 



Second Prize. — Beechamwell. 



Third Prize. — Melton Constable am> 

 Briston. 



Norfolk took time by the forelock this 

 year. Essays were all written before the 

 holidays and were promptly examined locaih' 

 and forwarded to the Society, and a central 

 meeting for the presentation of the Shield 

 and other awards was held at Norwich on 

 September 25th. The Essays of the winning 

 Team gain their place by their charming 

 freshness, originality, and close observation, 

 which makes them very pleasant reading. 

 Those from Beechamwell are lively and in- 

 telligent, but in zeal and sympathy they are 

 behind the winners ; one boy, now only nine, 

 has the " grit " and enthusiasm that should 

 spell success in more ways than one. Melton 

 Constable, remarkable for thoroughness and 

 neatness ; Little Dunham, a young Team 

 doing really delightful work for such young 

 hands ; and Tittleshall, with pleasant obser 

 vation and an unusual gift of imagination 

 and appreciation, are almost equal in merit. 

 Hindolvestone has admirable notes on the 

 feeding of nestlings, the Bullfinch heading 

 the list with eleven visits to the nest in five 

 minutes. Sprowston and St. Faith's are also 

 in the " Excellent " class. Following these 

 come Bergh Apton, where one young writer 

 chronicles that cats run to shelter from rain 

 under yew-trees ; East Ruston, boyish and 

 practical ; Ketteringham ; Long Stratton ; 

 Mundford ; Swanton Morley, and Wickmere ; 

 while nine other Teams are commended. 

 The number of Teams has fallen off somewhat 

 this year, for fairly obvious reasons, but the 



