BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



Gl 



LONDON'S BIRDS. 



Two noteworthy incidents are reported by 

 a North London correspondent who has a 

 keen eye for birds. One is that during the 

 winter a large flock of Teal, said to number 

 about 500, spent several weeks on a large 

 reservoir, which is at all times a popular 

 resort of wild birds. A better provision of 

 islands, and of reedy cover, wouldundoubtedly 

 attract many more birds to other reservoirs 

 and ponds. The second is the nesting of a 

 pair of Woodpigeons last summer in so 

 absolutely business a region as Seven Sisters 

 Road. In the forecourt of Messrs. Gale and 

 Hunter's premises there is a fine plane tree 

 which the firm have declined to disfigure 

 in the customary fashion by topping and 

 lopping, and it is in this tree that the doves 

 made their home. A good many trees of 

 sorts are planted in London, but unfortunately 

 in many parks and streets they are so 

 pruned and lopped that no birds can build 

 in them. 



WINTER GUESTS. 



Members of the R.S.P.B. and many other 

 friends of birds have had imperative work 

 during much severe weather this winter in 

 providing food for " frozen-out labourers." 

 While economic students are studying the 

 natural food of birds, it would be interesting 

 to know what " provided " food succeeds 

 the best with various species of birds according 

 to the experience of those who supply it in 

 different parts of Britain. There appears 

 to be some evidence that even in stress of 

 weather avian tastes differ. One difficulty 

 met with is the pertinacity of the House- 

 Sparrows in clearing the board. As to this 

 Miss Flora Russell writes : — ■ 



" I was lately told of a means of keeping sparrows 

 off the food table. Some upright sticks, six to eight 

 inches high, should be fixed in the middle of the 

 table and several black threads stretched from the 

 top of them to all sides of the table. The food 

 should be put under the threads. Tits, Great, Cole, 

 Blue and Marsh. Hedge-Sparrows. Nuthatches, 

 Robins, and occasionally Thrushes and Blackbirds 

 slip in and out between the threads and feed without 



fear. But although the threads have been up for 

 a couple of months, ami numerous sparrows watch 

 for crumbs under the table, I have not yet seen one 

 venture under the threads. " 



EARLY BREAKFASTS. 



Miss E. C. M. Boodle writes : — 



" We throw out great platefuls of crumbs, bits 

 of meat, etc., twice a day. And every night for 

 some years I have put out along my bedroom 

 window sill a long thick hank of breadcrumbs, 

 ready for early breakfast at sunrise. First arrive 

 Jackdaws, then Starlings and Sparrows. When 

 the sun rises about 4 o'clock and one happens to be 

 awake, it gives a comfortable feeling of company 

 and fellowship to be able to count on the arrivals 

 on one's window sill." 



A CAGED KESTREL. 



While lecturing recently before the Rugby 

 School Natural History Society, the Rev. 

 J. E. Kelsall pleaded for the release of a 

 captive Kestrel confined in the School aviary. 

 The bird had been caged about five years, 

 but was still very wild. It formerly had a 

 mate, but this bird escaped some eighteen 

 months ago, and the lonely prisoner left 

 behind was never happy, nor ever reconciled 

 to captivity. Accordingly the present 

 president of the Natural History Society 

 consulted Mr. Kelsall, whose plea in the course 

 of his lecture was applauded by his hearers. 

 The bird was therefore set free — "driven 

 out would be the better expression," writes 

 the president, Mr. Henderson, " for it was 

 terribly frightened, and did not realise our 

 good intentions in the least." After a long 

 rest it flew northward, and about fifteen 

 minutes later a large bird was descried high 

 up in the air. It is, of course, impossible 

 to know further of its history ; but the Rugby 

 Society must be congratulated on having 

 done their best for the welfare of the un- 

 happy Hawk, irrespective of a natural desire 

 to see so fine a bird in their aviary. 



The Societe d' Acclimatisation de France 

 has awarded its gold medal to Mr. W. Percival 

 Westell in recognition of the services which 

 his books have rendered to the study of 

 natural history. 



