nOTES 



WOOD-PIGEON ENQUIRY. 



As it is desirable to get as accurate an idea as possible of the 

 distribution of the Wood-Pigeon diphtheria, it is hoped that 

 every reader of British Birds will send in a schedule stating 

 whether pigeons have been plentiful or not in his district, 

 and whether there has been any disease or not, as well as some 

 indication as to the abundance of food supply or the reverse. 

 It is also hoped that those who have already sent in schedules 

 will forward any further particulars they may have noted 

 as to the occurrence or disappearance of the Wood-Pigeons 

 in their district. 



C. B. TiCEHURST. 



[In answer to a question in the House of Commons a few 

 days ago with regard to the Wood- Pigeon disease, the Board 

 of Agriculture referred to the British Birds enquiry on the 

 subject and stated that the " results of the enquiry would be 

 carefully watched." — Eds.] 



THE PRESERVATION OF RARE BRITISH 

 BREEDING BIRDS. 



The Watchers' Fund of the Royal Society for the Protection 

 of Birds is in need of contributions. It is deplorable that 

 much of the damage caused to our rarer breeding birds is 

 done by, or on behalf of, those who are professedly lovers 

 of our favourite science. Surely it is obviously an unscientific 

 act to interfere in any way with a species that is so rare in a 

 particular region that human interference would be likely 

 to affect its geographical distribution. Unfortunately there 

 is abundance of evidence to prove that many " ornithologists " 

 are so bitten with the craze for British-taken specimens that 

 they cannot or will not understand this. Ornithologists 

 must, therefore, provide and pay for " watchers " to defeat 

 these destructive ignoramuses. The R.S.P.B.'s Watchers' 

 Fund seems to be well administered, and we appeal to our 

 readers to send contributions to the secretary at 3, Hanover 

 Square, London, W. 



It would be doing a double service to ornithology if the 

 Society would in addition to having certain areas watched 

 give us statistics as to the exact effect of this kind of 



