84 



BIBD NOTES AND NEWS. 



Birds are full of highly commendable general 

 observation, but neglect a close enough study of 

 the one species. The Harbury team liave had a 

 good lead from their teacher, but have also 

 observed, and show a rare and very pleasant 

 ai)preciation of beauty. Their papers are full of 

 promise. Praiseworthy papers come also from 

 Coughton, Stratford-on-Avon, Minworth, and 

 Haselor, but more attentive observation is needed. 



OPEN CLASS. 

 A number of schools which entered in this class 

 apparently dropped the study, or wore too self- 

 distrustful to send up their papers. The two schools 

 which receive the highest marks are Totley (Derby- 

 shire), and Hinton Waldrist (Berkshire). Closely 

 kept and accurate diaries, and good sketches, give 

 value to the Berkshire essays, the Trees in par- 

 ticular being well cliosen and well described ; but 

 there is nothing of the habits and general character 

 oi the birds selected. The Totley essays are fresh, 

 original, and childlike, and therefore pleasant to 

 read, though the matter is slight. A third award 

 is made to Preston C.E. School (Herts), wliose neat 

 and comjjact little jiapors are set forth in good, clear 

 handwriting. 



IN THE COURTS. 



Cruelty to Bikds. — At Arkloir (Ireland) on 

 June 17th, three boy.-s were charged with possession 

 of a Starling in the close time, and with maliciously 

 destroying portions of a ventilator at St. Saviours 

 Church, Arklow. The boys were at a " wake " 

 near the church, and got into the chvirch-grounds 

 to rob nests. They tied the old V)irds with a cord 

 and pelted them to death with stones. The Chair- 

 man (CJajjtain Pery), R.N., commented severely 

 on the disgraceful fact of the boys being allowed to 

 attend a wake, and on their cruelty. Two of the 

 lads were sent to a reformatory for five years. 

 At i.S7. Austell (Cornwall), on .July (ith, four boys of 

 St. Mewan were found guilt.v of stoning and ill- 

 treating a young Rook. The schoohnaster said he 

 had occasion to punish another l)oy for cruelty to a 

 Robin, and other similar cases had coiTie to light. 

 Ordered to pay the costs. £1 Is. fid. among them, 

 and reprimanded. 



The Biro Snop.^At Belfast, on July 28th, 

 William Montgomery was fined 2s. fid. and 12s. fid. 

 costs, for possession of a young Cuckoo. The bird 

 was exhibited in the window of defendant's shop, 

 and sold : for the defence it was urged that neither 

 the youth nor his mother, who carried on the 

 business, knew what bird it was. 



Trapping Birds. — At Skipton, on July 2!)th, 

 Frank Fishburn was fined for setting a trap with a 

 decoy Linnet, and with shooting at scheduled birds 

 with a catapult. Defendant was in his own garden, 

 but the West Riding list of scheduled birds is a long 



Possession of Wild -Birds. — Three summonses 

 for possession of newly-taken birds in close time 

 were heard at Stowmarket on August 3rd. Two 

 were cases similar in character, of newly-caught 

 birds in cages. Spencer Race said his Thrush 

 and Blackbird were caught in the backyard by 

 his wife ; and Robert Manning said the Thrush in 

 his possession was given to his son by his master, 

 and freed when he got the summons. The case 

 of Harold Peart, a boy, was of a different nature ; 

 he stoned the nest of a House-^Martin on private 

 property, pocketed the bu'd wlien it fell, and 

 afterwards threw it away. Tlie INIartin is a 

 scheduled bird in the county. All three cases, how- 

 ever, were dealt with in the same way, by an order 

 to pay the costs, 4s. each : the chairman of the 

 Bench observed that the boy had been " rather 

 cruel " and must learn to " use a little judgment." 

 Peart was also complained of as a continual annoy- 

 ance to the owner of the garden in which he had 

 trespassed, and was cautioned. 



NEW LEAFLET. 



"A Thrush that Never Lived" 



BY \V. n. HUDSON. 



Willi Illustration in Colottr by H. Gronvold. 

 Price Sixpence per doz. 



Ready in October. 



GOLD IE" 



THE SOCIETY'S GREETING CARD 

 for 1911-12. 



Reproduced in Colour from a 

 Painting by Miss Maud Scrivener, 



WITH CALENDAR FOR igiZ. 



Price. 3d.; One Dozen, 2/6. 



Copies may also be had of "CHRISTMAS 

 CAROLLERS," from the Painting by Bellini. 



Price, 2d.: One Dozen, 1/8. 



Jill who are interested in Bird Protection should read 



"FEATHERS AND FACTS." 



A Reply to the F'eather -Trade, and Review of Facts 



with relerence to the Persecuiion ol Birds for 



their Plumage. — Price 6d. 



Published by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 9.3 

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Bird Notes and Nevs^s (issued quarterly) will 

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To Members of the Society subscribing os. and 

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