48 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



knows that it has a song. Yet there is not a song 

 in the bird-world easier to know than the Chaffinch's. 

 The judges are glad to see that several schools pay 

 particular attention to this neglected part of the 

 subject. One or two — Greystoke, for example — 

 make valiant efforts to reproduce call-notes in 

 musical notation ; and in other instances the young 

 writers have tried hard to listen and to describe 

 in some way or other what they hear, even though 

 occasionally reduced to confess that they " couldn't 

 make much of it." The Special Prize offered for 

 the best description of a bird's song is won by 

 Herbert Neville, of Buckland School, who is only 

 ten years old, but who shows good knowledge of the 

 characteristic phrases of the Nightingale's melody, 

 and also its alarm-note. 



The most popular birds this year are the Thrush, 

 Blackbird, and Robin, but no fewer than 59 species 

 are included. Last year there were 45. In the 

 number of Trees observed there is also a marked 

 increase, from 46 to 54, although the Oak and 

 Horse Chestnut maintain the lead. Among the 

 birds are the Whitethroats, Blackcap, Flycatcher, 

 Wheatear, Stonechat, Sandpiper, Snipe, Heron, 

 and Reed Warbler ; and among trees the alder, 

 hornbeam, stone pine, euonymus, and catalpa find 

 a place. Cumberland again shows the greatest 

 variety of subjects proportionately to the number 

 of essays. 



Not a few of the essays, and those not only in 

 the winning sets, are charming papers, showing 

 enthusiasm, keen observation, patient study, a 

 wonderful facility in composition, and an astonish- 

 ing amount of information. 



BEDFORDSHIRE. 



Challenge Shield : Clophill School. Certifi 

 cates of Excellence : Muggerhanger ; Potton. 

 Highly Commended : Keysoe Council; Northill C.E. 

 Commended : Eaton Socon ; Woburn Boys. 



The improvement in the essays from this county, 

 especially in personal observation, continues 

 markedly from year to year. Clophill School takes 

 first place with papers displaying much intelligence, 

 genuine observation, and a pleasant feeling for 

 nature ; but Potton, a newcomer, runs it hard 

 owing to the delightful freshness and grace of the 

 papers. Muggerhanger (or Morhanger) again 

 shows careful note-taking, and does especially well 

 in descriptions of trees. Northill, though out- 

 stripped in the race for the shield, is again con- 

 spicuous for the painstaking study and even merit 

 that carried off the trophy last year. Keysoe 

 makes a distinct advance, showing considerable 

 outdoor study as well as neat and intelligent com- 

 pilation of facts. The Eaton Socon papers are 



terse and to the point, though without much 

 originality ; while those from the Woburn Boys' 

 School are full of character and originality, but 

 very unequal. The average age of Bedfordshire 

 competitors is younger than in some other counties, 

 but the quality of the essays does not necessarily 

 suffer on this account. Nature Study is mucli 

 better understood in the county than was the case 

 three or four years ago. 



BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



Challenge Shield : Stony Stratford National 

 School. Certificates of Excellence : Ellesborough 

 Council School ; Princes Risborough C.E. School. 

 Highly Commended : Quainton National School ; 

 Cheddington. Commended : Coleshill ; Chetwode ; 

 Cuddington. 



The number of competing schools here does not 

 increase as was hoped and expected in a county 

 so rich in birds and trees, but the two new en- 

 trants, Cuddington and Chetwode, have promising 

 material in their teams. The lack of stronger 

 competition, numerically, is especially regrettable 

 this year, as it prevents the judges from giving a 

 Second Prize, although two schools are so nearly 

 equal in merit that the award of the shield was hard 

 to decide. Stony Stratford National School wins 

 by a narrow margin, with essays that show close, 

 accurate and painstaking observation, and tree 

 papers particularly good. The chief charm of the 

 essays from Ellesborough is the bright enthusiasm 

 which gives picturesqueness to a careful presen- 

 tation of carefully gleaned facts ; and the Bird 

 essays display an intimacy with birdlife that is 

 wonderfully pleasing. Princes Risborough is also 

 well in the running for the shield ; its work is all 

 well done, and the tree papers, more interesting 

 than those on birds, are marked by botanica 

 knowledge and appreciation. Quainton and Coles- 

 hill have likewise made a distinct advance. 

 Quainton's familiarity with the economic utility 

 of birds is a strong point, and Coleshill must be 

 especially commended for careful note-taking- 

 Cheddington has gone back a little from its pro- 

 mising position last year, owing to its disproportion- 

 ate amount of general matter which cumbers the 

 nicely-written essays. Hambleden, which came 

 very near the top in 1907, does not compete. 



CUMBERLAND. 



Challenge Shield : Greystoke Council School 

 Certificates of Excellence : Kirkoswald ; Morland 

 and Newby. Highly Commended : St. John's 

 Keswick (two teams). Commended : Cargo (two 

 teams). 



