en Pee Une UB sOrNe BeOS Lele fol N fi 
which nest in holes, hollow limbs of trees and old fenceposts. Stuffed 
replicas of owls, a long-time enemy of starlings, no longer frighten them; 
often they will alight on the replica. 
fA ft fi 
EFFORTS ARE BEING made to end oil pollution of the seas. Great Britain, 
Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Mexico have ratified a treaty, supported 
by the International Committee for Bird Protection, which will give 
greater protection to oceanic birds. Last December over 5,000 birds were 
destroyed in the Baltic Sea by a heavy oily mass that was carried by 
surface drifts. 
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OVER-EAGER BIRD WATCHERS in Britain had to be restrained recently to pro- 
tect a rare bird. The situation arose when two pairs of bee-eaters (Merops 
apiaster) began to nest near a town in Sussex, England. This exotic- 
looking bird, with a yellow throat and bright green and blue wings and 
tail, is usually confined to the south of Europe. It has never bred in 
England before. When news of its nesting site got around England, 
hundreds of bird watchers visited the area. The Royal Society for the Pro- 
tection of Birds heard about the problem and police were rushed to the 
site to aid the Society’s representative. The bird-watchers were restrained 
and the fledglings were successfully raised. 
eS ff rE 
A FACT FOR A geography student: It was not chance that made Christo- 
pher Columbus change his course and head his ships toward the west- 
southwest, instead of due west as he had intended. On October 7, 1492, the 
sailors noticed great numbers of migratory birds flying from the north 
towards the southwest. The Admiral then veered his ships in the same 
direction. 
i ft ic 
CONSERVATIONISTS WILL BE interested to know that Mr. Wesley D’Ewart, 
nominated to the post of Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and serving 
in that capacity under a recess appointment, has resigned his post. 
D’Ewart’s nomination failed to receive clearance by the Senate Interior 
Committee. A few days after his resignation, he was appointed to a post 
in the Agriculture Department where he will be concerned with drought 
problems. The post does not need Senate confirmation. 
fl is) ft 
BIRD LOVERS ALL OVER the nation will be happy to note that once again the 
Bricker-Dirksen Amendment failed to pass the Senate. The National Wild- 
life Federation has declared that passage of this bill would seriously en- 
danger enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty and similar laws. A 
