94 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, Hon. Sec. of the 

 Australasian Ornithologists' Union, sends the 

 Royal Society for the Protection of Birds a 

 photograph taken by himself of an Egret's 

 nest, showing plainly that no feathers are 

 used, and that the structure consists entirely, 

 like the nests of other members of the Heron 

 family, of rough sticks and twigs. Mr. 

 Mattingley, in Australia ; Mr. Frank Chap- 



man and Mr. T. Gilbert Pearson, of the 

 National Association of Audubon Societies of 

 the United States ; and Mr. H. E. Dresser, 

 who has examined hundreds of Egrets' nests 

 in Europe and America, agree with every 

 other known ornithological authority in 

 stating that the Egret uses no feathers, most 

 certainly none of the so-called " Osprey " 

 feathers, in the making or lining of its nest. 



UST 



" The Story of the Egret." 



UcT 



The seven photographs from life depicting 

 " The Story of the Egret," which formed 

 the special supplement to the Autumn 

 Number of Bird Notes and News, have 

 been reproduced, as was then announced, in 

 the large size of the originals sent to the 

 Society by Mr. Mattingley. Five sets of 

 these were almost immediately placed on 

 view in different towns, through the interest 

 and help of members and friends of the 

 Society, with the generous co-operation of 

 the proprietors of shops in leading thorough- 

 fares who have lent windows for the exhibi- 

 tion. The firms who have thus assisted are, 

 to the present date : — 



Barrow-in-Furness, Messrs. Ferguson & Rayner, 

 Tailors and Outfitters ; Bath and Bournemouth, 

 Messrs. E. Price & Sons' Music Establishments ; 

 Bristol, Mr. Desprez, Jeweller ; Cheltenham, Mr. 

 H. C. Hill, Saxony House ; Darlington, the School 

 Furnishing Company ; Oxford, Messrs. James 

 Russell & Co., Music Sellers ; Henley-on-Thames, 

 Messrs. Dunlop & Son, Corn Factors ; Malvern, Mr. 

 Davis ; Reading, Messrs. Bracher & Sydenham, 

 Jewellers ; Redhill, Messrs. H. P. Robinson & Son, 

 Photographers and Art Dealers ; Worthing, Messrs. 

 R. Hubbard & Son, Linen Drapers and Milliners. 



During the Christmas season it is not 

 expected that shop windows can be placed 

 at the disposal of the Society for this purpose • 

 but with the New Year the campaign will be 

 vigorously pursued, and it is hoped that all 

 Hon. Local Secretaries, and others who are 

 able to arrange for the display of the pictures 

 for a few days, will communicate with the 

 Society, so that arrangements may be made 



for the transference of the photographs from 

 place to place as conveniently as possible. 

 The size of the mounted pictures is 17 in. by 

 22 in. They are sent by rail in specially 

 made cases which involve no trouble in 

 packing. Wherever shown they attract con- 

 siderable crowds, and the local newspapers 

 have been good enough to draw attention in 

 their columns to the exhibition and to 

 publish further information on the matter. 



In addition to these enlargements and the 

 issue of the Bird Notes and News Supplement 

 as a separate leaflet (at 3d. and Is. according 

 to the edition), cards and sheets for display 

 and for hanging in museums, schools, and 

 elsewhere have been prepared by request. 

 They show six of the photographs, together 

 with the " white badge of cruelty," and with 

 selected words in reference to the subject by 

 Professor Newton, Sir William Thomson, 

 Professor Ray Lankester, Mr. W. P. Pycraft, 

 Mr. Gilbert Pearson. These effective sheets 

 might well be exhibited in many windows, 

 and other places w T here the size of the large 

 pictures makes their display impossible. 



They are supplied at 4d. each, on paper, post 

 free ; or mounted on stout cardboard ready 

 for hanging, at Is., carriage or post free. 



The aim of the Society in publishing these 

 photographs is not only to bring home the 

 truth of the matter to those whom words 

 may not have convinced, but also to stimu- 

 late public opinion to an active support of 



