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BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



man saying they were determined to stop such 

 brutal conduct. 



Surrey. — A Mitcham brickmaker, summoned 

 at Croydon for catching linnets and cruelty to 

 decoys, was fined 23s. — At Kingston County Bench, 

 on October 4th and nth, six men were charged 

 with taking linnets on Arbrook Common, and with 

 having wild birds in their possession. In one case 

 the police seized five chaffinches, nine linnets, 

 eleven redpolls, nets, and twenty-seven trap cages. 

 All were fined 10s. each, and their tackle con- 

 fiscated, one being mulcted an extra 5s. for giving 

 a false address. 



Yorkshire. — At Leeds, on September 19th, a 

 boy of 1 1 was fined 2s. 6d. and costs for taking 

 linnets at Adel, where a great deal of bird-catching 

 goes on. The boy acknowledged having caught 

 ninety birds. 



Essex. — Five men were charged at Stratford, 

 on October nth, with using nets for bird-catching, 

 and with possession of newly-caught birds. Three 

 were let off with fines of 5s. and costs, nets to be 

 confiscated, and birds liberated. In the other 

 case two men went into a field with twelve decoy 

 birds in cages and four attached to a " pulley 

 spring." The birds were harnessed to a peg by 

 string, which was worked from a distance by 

 means of a pulley, and were in a dying state 

 when found by the police. The men said people 

 were allowed to catch birds in other parts of the 

 country, and did not know but what they might 

 in Essex. Fined 10s. and costs, traps confiscated. 



Similar bird-catching cases are reported from 

 various other Courts. 



CHRISTMAS CARD. 



NOW READY. 



5 "Mid the Golden Gorse," the Society's Christmas 

 Card for 1905-6. Specially painted for the Society by 

 Mr. Archibald Thorburn. Reproduced in colour. 

 With or without Calendar for 1906. 



Copies of last year's card, " The Song of the 



Season," with illustrations in black and white from 

 pictures by Mr. MacWhirter, R.A., may also be had. 



Price of either card, 2d. each ; is. 6d. per dozen. 

 Specimen card is presented with this number of Bird 

 Notes and News. 



Next Issue. — The next Number of Bird Notes 

 and News will be ready on April 1st, 1906. 



Reading Cases for Bird Notes and News can-be 

 obtained from the office at a cost of is., including 

 postage. They will be found very useful to keep the 

 numbers together, and also for use in Public Libraries. 



Bird Notes and News will be sent post free to any 

 address for is. per annum, payable in advance. 



To Members of the Society subscribing 5s. and 

 upwards per annum it will be forwarded gratis and 

 post free. 



TO OUR READERS. 



With this issue of Bird Notes and News is 

 published a Supplement containing a Report of 

 the Conference of Workers held in London on 

 October 10th, 1905. The number and variety of 

 the subjects touched upon, of suggestions made, 

 and of avenues of work pointed out at that Con- 

 ference, and the necessity for further effort so 

 strongly dwelt upon, indicate to some extent the 

 multitude of the calls and demands that con- 

 tinuously reach the Royal Society for the Protection 

 of Birds. 



The need for work, and the will and the ability to 

 do it, are notlacking. TheSocietyhasable guidance, 

 and has facilities and machinery for carrying out 

 many important schemes for the better preservation 

 of Wild Birds. The funds only are wanting. But 

 unfortunately that want cripples effort to a deplor- 

 able extent. Will not those who are interested in 

 bird-life, and who wish to see our country not only 

 maintain its position as the land of birds and song, 

 but to see it also the home of many rare and 

 beautiful species now on the verge of extermina- 

 tion, will not they help the work by providing 

 additional funds and by enlisting the co-operation 

 of new adherents ? 



Watchers must be employed if rare species are 

 to be protected through the breeding season ; but 

 they cannot be employed without payment of wages. 



Publications of various kinds are necessary. 

 They mean additional printers' bills and heavy 

 postages. 



Legal, Parliamentary, International, 

 Educational and Propagandist work involve 

 outlay of many kinds. 



Bird and Tree Day Competitions, which 

 have proved successful beyond expectation in 

 arousing interest among children and teachers, can 

 be conducted at present in only six counties and in 

 elementary schools only. Even so they constitute 

 a very serious item in the Society's expenditure. 

 County residents and public bodies might well 

 assist in this national education without necessarily 

 linking themselves with every department of the 

 Society's work. 



Nomination forms for Fellows and Members will 

 be gladly provided, and reports and literature for- 

 warded. Fellows subscribe one guinea per annum, 

 Members five shillings, Associates from one shilling. 

 Special donations may be placed to the Watchers' 

 Fund or the Bird and Tree Competitions where 

 desired. Cheques and postal orders should be 

 sent to the Hon. Secretary, "Royal Society for tlx 

 Protection of Birds, 3, Hanover Square, London, W 



