44 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



were fined 2s. 6d. and costs for possession of two 

 young Kestrels. They were found bicycling with 

 the birds in their pockets, and said they picked 

 them up. There was a Kestrel's nest not far away. 

 — At Falkirk, on August 7th, Alex. Anderson, 

 miner, was charged with possession of a Teal. 

 It was urged that Anderson was taking the bird 

 to be stuffed for his brother, who had found it shot 

 on the moor, and was therefore only a messenger, 

 but the Sheriff held that he undoubtedly had it 

 in his control and possession, and fined him 2s. Cd. 

 — The first case under the Barrow Bird Protection 

 Order was heard on June 25th, when John Taylor 

 was fined for possession of four young Thrushes. — 

 As Boston, on July 16th, James Partridge was fined 

 for possession of a Barn Owl. He said he took four 

 Owls from a tree ; two escaped, one died, and this 

 one he meant to have stuffed. The Chairman said 

 Owls were very valuable birds, and it was a loss 

 to -the country to have them taken, but as he did 

 not seem to have done it for amusement or decora- 

 tion the Bench would fine him only Is. 



The Pole Trap. — At the Braunton (Devonshire) 

 Bench, on July 8th, John Symons, head keeper 

 on the Fremington Estate, was charged with per- 

 mitting a pole trap. An inspector of the R.S.P.C.A. 

 proved finding the trap, with a Blackbird caught 

 by the legs, and in a bush near an Owl, which had 

 apparently been caught in the same trap. Symons 

 said the trap had been there for years, but denied 

 having set it, and suggested that the Blackbird 

 had been put in the trap for spite. Fined Is. and 

 costs. — A similar case, occurring at Meare, Somerset, 

 was heard on June 29th, when Fred Sweet, keeper, 

 was charged with placing a pole trap in a wood 

 known as Honeygar Covert, and Stephen Laver, 

 farmer, with permitting it. A Nightjar (a 

 scheduled bird) was found caught by the legs, and 

 a Hawk, an Owl, and a Blackbird lay at the foot 

 of the trap. Laver said he did it like the rest of 

 the gentlemen about, and could find plenty of traps 

 set in the same way. Sweet was fined 5s. and 6s. 

 costs, Laver 20s. and 6s. costs, the trap to be 

 forfeited. 



The Fete of the) Nests. — To make a pendant to 

 the Fete of the Trees, Mile. Perles and M. Hoolants, 

 directors of the Communal School of the Rue du 

 Canal, had the charming idea to organize the Fete 

 of the Nests. It is known that the Department 

 of the Waters and Forests is anxious to multiply 

 and preserve certain birds, such as the Starling and 

 the Tits, which are active and powerful destroyers 

 of insects. To that end, little habitations had 

 been suspended to the trees. Then, to interest 

 the children, often destroyers of nests, a fete was 

 organized. During the year, the scholars of the 

 higher classes have made artificial nests, after 

 patterns given by the Department. This was 

 entirely successful. The forest-keepers sounded 

 joyful fanfares, to which the children responded 

 with shouts and cries, and they listened attentively 

 to very interesting addresses given by M. C. Van 

 de Caveije and M. Anselme Delogne, wardens of 

 Waters and Forests. The idea of Mile. Perles and M. 

 Hoolants is very happy, and deserves to be warmly 

 encouraged. — ■ L'Independance Beige (Brussels), 

 August 8th, 1908. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Catalogos da Fauna Brazileira, editados 

 pelo Museu Paulista S. Paulo, Brazil. Vol. 1. As 

 Aves do Brazil, pelo Prof. Dr. Hermann von 

 Ihering, director do Museu Paulista, e Rudolpho 

 von Ihering, custos do Museu Paulista. With an 

 introduction, systematic and general indices, and 

 maps showing the zoogeographical zones of Brazil 

 and the distribution of pampas and forests in South 

 America. 



Notas Preliminares, editadas pela redaccao 

 da"Revista do Museu Paulista." Vol. 1, No. 1. 

 Intended as a speedy means of communicating 

 notes and observations pending the issue of the 

 principal publication. 



Jahresbericht fur das zweite Jahr ihres 

 Bestehens (Schweizerische Naturschutzkommission. 

 1907-8). 



How to Attract and Protect Wild Blrds. — 

 Translated from the German of Martin Hiesemann. 

 Describing the methods pursued by the Freiherr 

 von Berlepsch. (London: Witherby & Co., 1908.) 



Journal of the Board of Agriculture. — 

 Published Monthly. 



CHRISTMAS CARD. 



The Society's Christmas Card for the coming 

 season has been specially painted by Mr. Robert 

 Morley, and will be ready early in November. 

 It is entitled 



"IN THE BELFRY," 



and reproduced in colour. 



Price: — One card, 3d., by post, 3£d. ; one dozen 

 cards, 2s. 6d., by post, 2s. 7d. With (or without) 

 Calendar for 1909. 



Copies can still be had of 



"THE ARAB OF THE AIR," 



from the picture by Mr. G. E. Lodge. With (or 

 without) Calendar for 1909. One card, 2d. ; one 

 dozen. Is. 6d. . by post, Is. 7d. 



A few Assorted Packets (four varieties) 2s. each. 



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 Witherby & Co., 326, High Holborn, W.C.. and 

 published by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 

 3, Hanover Square, London, W. 



