104 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



with papers consisting entirely of original notes, 

 industriously and sympathetically collected, if not 

 always quite accurate. As the writers are all young, 

 they should take front rank another year. With 

 Mancetter may be mentioned Elborrow, remarkable 

 for extreme neatness of style and penmanship and 

 an intelligent appreciation of natural life and beaut3 r 

 that is far from common even where careful study 

 is conspicuous. Special commendation must also 

 be given to Bearley for pleasant and spontaneous 

 work ; to the Filloughby Girls for patient observa- 

 tion ; to the Murray Boys, and the Stratford-on- 

 Avon Girls. Coughton, too, which furnishes the 

 youngest team in the county, sends genuine and 

 promising papers, but needs, like the remaining 

 schools named, to amplify information already 

 gained by further study. 



" AN EVENING WITH THE BIRDS." 



Among winter entertainments for town, village, 

 or parish, friends of the birds may well take the 

 opportunity to introduce songs, plays, and recita- 

 tions about bird life. It is not difficult to have 

 " An Evening with the Birds " by means of a 

 lecture or address, relieved or followed by songs and 

 part songs, all illustrated with lantern slides ; or, in 

 the case of children, a short play or operetta, such 

 as the " Bird and Tree Pageant " or " The Skylark's 

 Release " (both by Mrs. Suckling), with songs and 

 suitable recitations. Through Mrs. Suckling's help 

 the list of Lantern Songs lent by the R.S.P.B. is 

 being greatly extended and made to include songs 

 and part songs for both adults and children ; read- 

 ings and recitations are also being added. The 

 School, the Literary Society, or the Church Social 

 are often in need of fresh ideas for winter evenings, 

 and a word for the birds, sung or spoken in this 

 way, may do the work of an appeal and in a more 

 popular way. The Society will at any time be glad 

 to hear of attractive songs of bird life, for lantern 

 illustration. The new list of those supplied and re- 

 commended will be ready very shortly. Lists of 

 slides and lectures can also be had. 



PUBLIC SCHOOL ESSAY COMPETITION. 



A Silver Medal Essay Competition for Public 

 Schools has been arranged for 1910, by the Royal 

 Society for the Protection of Birds, the subject 

 being either (a) personal observation of selected 

 birds, with drawings or photographs, or (b) Bird 

 Protection legislation, illustrated by its application 

 in the case of a selected scheduled bird. Particulars 

 may be had from the Secretary of the Society. 



DEATH OF Dr. BOWDLER SHARPE. 

 Bird Protection has lost one of its staunchest 

 friends, and the Society one of its earliest and most 

 valued sympathisers by the death, on Christmas 

 Day, of Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British 

 Museum (Natural History). Dr. Sharpe had been 

 in ill-health for some time, and one of his last 

 efforts in the cause was to support the Importation 

 of Plumage Bill by his evidence before the House- 

 of Lords Committee. 



BIRD PROTECTION ORDERS. 



The following County Council Orders have 

 been issued since September 20th, 1909 : — 



Monmouthshire. October 1st. E F. 

 Adds to list of birds protected all the year. 



Wicklow. October 1st. Roscommon. 

 December 15th. E. Protect certain eggs 

 for five years. 



Extension of Close-time for Woodcock has- 

 been obtained by East Suffolk (February 1st 

 to August 13th) ; Montgomery (February 1st 

 to August 12th) ; Donegal (to September 1st) ; 

 Armagh, Kildare, Meath, Watei'ford, West- 

 meath (to October 1st). 



NEW LEAFLETS. 



No. 63. Bird Study for Schoolboys. By 

 Harry Cox. 3d. per dozen ; Is. 9d. per 100. 



No. 64. Remember the Birds (A Plea for 

 Bird-food in Winter). By Mrs. Fuller Maitland. 

 3d. per dozen; Is. 9d. per 100. 



NESTING-BOXES FOR BIRDS. 



Nesting-Boxes of various patterns, and of both 

 English and German make, are supplied by the- 

 Society. 



The German Boxes are those recommended by 

 the Freiherr von Berlepsch. 



The English Boxes are patterns recommended 

 by Mr. Masefield and Mr. Meade Waldo. 



These Boxes are suitable for Tits, Nuthatch, 

 Wryneck, Redstart, Robin, Flycatcher, Wagtail,. 

 Starling, Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Swift, etc., at 

 prices from Is. 6d. 



Illustrated price-lists can be had from the- 

 Society's Office, where specimen Boxes can be seen. 



A new leaflet (No. 228), issued by the Board of 

 Agriculture, asks the co-operation of the public in 

 discouraging the use of cruel traps and snares. 



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, 

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



