Review



169



given to them. It is quite possible that if a sufficient number of

members interest themselves in the scheme, and the money is forth¬

coming, which we think will be the case, that either Captain Scott

Hopkins, or some Pheasant fancier who is well equipped with the

knowledge of handling and the care of freshly caught specimens, may

travel to Shanghai and Calcutta, there arrange for the purchase of

well-conditioned birds, and finally travel home with them. By this

means we shall be assured of the birds receiving every attention on

the voyage.


The present system of shipping them is inadequate, and the poor

creatures come over under most insanitary conditions. If this scheme

materializes then we shall consider that for this one achievement the

formation of the O.P.S. will have been fully justified. We see no

reason why we should hide our light under a bushel, we have already

accomplished much. We are well aware of the fact that many pheasant

and other bird fanciers looked askance at us when we first formed

this Society. We w~ere in fact told that such a scheme was doomed

to failure as we could not possibly expect sufficient support from the

comparatively few pheasant fanciers in existence.


It is quite true that we have not received support from many

fanciers who we did hope would give us their active and financial

assistance. We have been ignored by some who could have helped

us greatly, nevertheless, I can now definitely state that we are over

the principal obstacles and are now heading for the straight !



REVIEW


HOW TO KNOW BRITISH BIRDS


The lack of knowledge of our most common British birds is very

great, the ordinary man in the street often confessing that, although

very fond of birds, he can never tell one from another. At the same

time there is no doubt that many more people nowadays than formerly,

and especially young people, take a keen interest in birds and wish

to be able to distinguish the various kinds that they may meet during

their visits to the country. Doubtless present-day facilities for transport



