30 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



boys of the school, assembled at the Town Hall 

 on November 27th, to celebrate the reception of 

 the Hampshire Challenge Shield by Sandown 

 Higher Grade School (Principal : Mr. Tregear, 

 B.A.). Mr. T. A. Wright, Chairman of the former 

 School Board, presided. The Shield was presented 

 by Mr. F. E. Lemon, and the team prizes by Mrs. 

 Lemon. Nine trees were subsequently planted by 

 the boys in the roadway in front of the school. 



Bitterne Park (Southampton), which carried 

 off the second prize for Hampshire, had a very 

 successful day on February 17th. Alderman 

 Dunsford, Chairman of the Education Committee, 

 presided over the meeting. The Mayor of South- 

 ampton made a sympathetic and encouraging 

 speech and presented the prizes, which included 

 three special ones given by Mrs. Suckling. Mr. 

 R. M. Fowler, H.M. Inspector of Schools, urged 

 the study of nature without the collecting and 

 destroying of birds and their eggs ; and hearty 

 congratulations were passed to Mr. Cleary, the 

 head-master. Two ailanthus trees were planted in 

 the school yard. 



Buckland (Faringdon). — A very bright and 

 happy party of young people, with scarcely less 

 enthusiastic elders, joined in the meeting, tea, and 

 games on January 2nd to celebrate the winning of 

 the Berkshire Shield. Sir William Anson, Bart., 

 M.P., who was away from home, gave two special 

 prizes, and the awards were distributed by Miss 

 Anson. All denominations united to honour the 

 occasion, the Vicar, Rev. W. Bulmer, presiding 

 over the meeting, and the Shield being unveiled by 

 the Rev. Father Arthur. A handsome scarlet 

 chestnut tree, given by the Vicar, was planted. 

 (Head-master, Mr. A. Fletcher.) 



Warcop. — Westmorland's Festival on December 

 3rd was in no way behind those in the south, and 

 had an unique feature in the shape of a procession 

 through the village of the crowned and white-robed 

 Queen of the Festival, in a pony carriage, with 

 pages and attendants, banner-bearer, herald, and 

 the school children in drill order. Canon Rawnsley 

 was to have given away the prizes, but was pre- 

 vented by illness ; his address, however, was read 

 by the Rev. W. R. Burney, and is reprinted in full 

 in the Society's Annual Report for 1903. The 

 Rev. Seymour Shaw gave the prizes, and tea and 

 concert followed, a little testimonial being presented 

 to Mr. Jackson, head-master. The trees planted 

 were two copper beeches, two scarlet thorns, two 

 weigelia, two plums, and an apple. 



Awbridge(Romsey).— Festival Day, November 



19th, 1903. Prizes given by the Society and by 

 Mrs. Suckling were presented in the course of a 

 pleasant entertainment, and an appropriate talk 

 about local birds, with lantern illustrations, was 

 given by the Rev. J. E. Kelsall. 



Beetham (Milnthorpe).- Festival Day, Feb- 

 ruary 10th. Tree-planting and entertainment, 

 including a lantern lecture by Mr. J. W. Pattynson, 

 head-master. Additional prizes were given by Mr. 

 and Mrs. Frith-Hudson. The school has, through 

 Mr. Pattynson, been affiliated with the Society, so 

 as to maintain interest in the work, and have the 

 use of the lantern slides. 



Skidby (Yorkshire). — Festival Day, December 

 3rd, associated with the annual prize-giving and 

 entertainment. Prizes presented by the Vicar, 

 Rev. Sydney Porter. 



Touchen End (Berks). — Though not success- 

 ful for a second time in winning the Shield, had a 

 good gathering on February 9th, when the prizes 

 given by the Society were distributed ; and a 

 lecture on " Man's Helpers " was given by the 

 Rev. H. J. F. Tringham, curate-in-charge. 



Ventnor. — Festival Day, February 13th, when 

 a tea and largely-attended meeting were held in 

 the Albert Street schools. The Vicar, Rev. G. P. 

 Bassett Kerry, presided, and the prizes were 

 presented by Mrs. Morgan Richards, of Steephill 

 Castle. A tulip tree, given by Mr. T. Gibbs, is the 

 memorial of Ventnor's first Arbor Day. 



Celebrations have also been held at Heversham, 

 Privett, and elsewhere. 



THE NORTH AFRICAN OSTRICH. 



Mr. Graham Renshaw, M.B., who last summer 

 (1903) visited an Algerian ostrich farm, sends us 

 the following : — 



"Although there still exists among naturalists con- 

 siderable doubt as regards the number of species of ostrich 

 inhabiting Africa, according to the most recent view four 

 distinct forms may be recognized, namely, the Northern 

 ostrich {Struthis camelns), the Southern ostrich (S. 

 Australis), the Somali ostrich (S. molybdophanes), and 

 the Eastern ostrich {S. massaiais). The two latter species 

 are but little known, although they have both been ex- 

 hibited in the London Zoological Gardens. 



" The Southern ostrich is of special interest to the 

 members of the Society for the Protection of Birds, as it 

 furnishes the beautiful plumes so largely used in millinery. 

 Formerly much persecuted for its feathers, the numbers 

 of the wild birds have materially increased since the semi- 

 domestication of these birds was commenced at the Cape. 

 As is now well-known, large ostrich farms have been 

 established in South Africa, the birds being systematically 

 reared for the sake of their feathers, which are obtained 

 by clipping them at regular intervals, without sacrificing 

 the life of the ostrich. 



