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Bird Notes and News 



is a particularly nimble- witted and promising 

 young Team with an average age of little 

 over ten. Mogerhanger sends the genuine 

 and admirable work now looked for from 

 this school, former holder of the Bedfordshire 

 Shield ; one writer watched a young Cuckoo 

 turn out his foster-brothers from the nest — 

 an experience shared, oddly enough, by two 

 competitors in other counties. Honourable 

 mention must be given to excellent work 

 from Portland Easton (Dorset), whose first 

 attempt is a noteworthy one ; and also to 

 Holt (Wilts) and Slindon (Sussex), with 

 pleasant and first-hand but not sufficiently 

 exact observation ; to Diptford (Devon), 

 who have rapidly improved and developed ; 

 to Bouverie Pusey School, Charney (Berks), 

 whose Team write nicely on Trees ; and to 

 Felixstowe Ferry (Suffolk), a plucky little 

 remnant of a Team which more than any 

 other has been affected by the war, and 

 whose remaining members write with un- 

 affected freshness and genuineness. 



IN THE COURTS. 



The Brighton Birdcatcher. — At 

 Brighton, on October 28th, Shelah Harvey 

 was fined 37/- for having 34 Linnets and 

 three Goldfinches in his possession. He 

 smuggled them into the borough after they 

 had been caught by men in the county (where 

 unfortunately Linnets are not protected). 



" An Honest Living." — John Gray, an 

 old professional hand, was summoned at 

 Frome on September 22nd for having Gold- 

 finches in his possession, and for cruelty to 

 two Goldfinches used as decoys. He was 

 out birdcatching, and the police testified to 

 the exhausted state of the decoys, one of 

 which had since died. Defendant had been 

 before the Bench in June for cruelty to decoy 

 Linnets ; their breasts were quite raw, 

 blood-stained feathers were under the net, 

 and they must, said Supt. Gillbanks, have 

 been in agony. Gray said he always got 

 " an honest living " birdcatching, and never 

 before knew it was against the law to brace 



birds. On that occasion the Chairman 

 (Major Tucker) said he could not find words 

 to express his feelings with regard to this 

 cruelty, and only defendant's age saved him 

 from being sent to prison instead of getting 

 off with a fine of 30/- ; if he ever came up 

 again he would go to prison whatever his 

 age. Accordingly on his re-appearance in 

 September, he was sent to gaol for 21 days, 

 and all his birdcatching apparatus was 

 confiscated. 



More Cruelty to Decoys. — At Bristol 

 on October 6th, Frederick Hopes was fined 

 25/- and costs for catching Linnets and for 

 cruelty to decoy birds, his nets to be 

 confiscated. 



Food-Stands & Nesting-Boxes 



Revised Catalogue now ready of the R.S.P.B. 



Nesting-boxes and Food-Stands for Wild Birds. 



ALL BRITISH MADE. 



Tree-hole Boxes (all the " Berlepsch " improvements) ; 



Walden Boxes ; Swinging Food-box ; Seed-hopper ; 



" Lunch Counter" ; " Shelter" ; " Bird-House " ; 



" Svalen " and " Ward " Bird-Tables. 



Greeting Card, 1915-16. 



A Message of Greeting and High Courage 

 for Soldier Friends at Home and Abroad, 

 and for all bearing in their thoughts the 

 Men who are fighting for King, Country 

 and Freedom. 



" SWIFT AND KEEN " 



Specially designed and painted by 

 Mr. O. MURRAY DIXON and reproduced in colour 



Words by permission of Lord Desborough, and of 

 " The Times," from Verses written on the Field of 

 Battle by Captain the Hon. JULIAN GRENFELL, 

 D.S.O. (Royal Dragoons), who was subsequently 

 killed in action. 



One Card, 3d. ; by post, 3£d., 

 One dozen Cards, 2/6 ; by post, 2/8. 



Bird Notes and News (issued quarterly) will 

 be sent post free to any address for Is. per annum, 

 payable in advance ; single numbers, 3d. 



To Members of the Society subscribing 5s. and 

 upwards per annum it is forwarded gratis and post 

 free. 



Printed by Withekby & Co., 326, High Holborn, W.C., and 

 published by the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird* 

 23, Queen Anne's Gate, S,W. 



