Interesting Comparisons -by a Local Authority That most of the birds to be found in Shanghai may be duplieated in England was one of the interesting facts brought out by Mr. E. S. Wilkinson in his lecture on February 28 before members of the American Women's Club on the subject "Shanghai Birds."
Mr. Wilkinson, who recently Published a most instructive book entitled "The Birds of Shanghai," pointed out that although practically the same species of birds were to be found in Shanghai and England that in many cases slight differences could be noted due to the differences in food and climatic conditions. The speaker went on to say that a similarity in bird species could be found throughout the continents of Europe and Asin with the excoption of the tropics. Birds on the North American continent, he went on to say, differ widely from those found in Burope and Asia because of the wide expanse of ocean separating the continents, The speaker illustrated his lecture ith some thirty stuffed specimens of the most common bird species to be found in Shanghai and its environs.
Feeling that his listeners. might have some curiosity as to how he had collected his data on Shanghai bird life. Mr. Wilkinson explained that most of his studies had been made in his own garden.
By making a systematic habit of providing free board and lodging for birds, he pointed out that a wide variety of feathered visitors might be attracted to one's garden.
Turning from generalities to individual species, Mr. Wilkinsos displayed a specimen of the common garden variety of magpie, This bird, he pointed out, is greatly admired by the Chinese in spite of the fact that it destructive to crops.
One of the most interesting specimens of bird life in Shanghai described by the speaker was the red-backed shrike which is similar in appearance and habits to the butcher bird of England.—The Luteher bird derived its name from habit of hanging meat in the vicinity of its nest. Mr. Wilkinson said that he had noted the red back-shrike hanging picces of broad and other bits of food on bushes or tree twigs much in the traditional manner of the butcher bird. The shrike, ho went on to point out, is one of the more wicked birds tobe found in Shanghai since it preys on other birds, The shrike is an accomplished singer although fond of uttering loud raucous cries from the topmost limbs of a tall tree, The speaker exhibited a specimen of the ordinary blackbird so called because of its colour although the bird is in reality a member of the thrush family of which there are, tome thirty or forty species in China. The blackbird, however, ly the only member of the thrush family that makes its home in Shanghai the year round.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.