"Spectator". Competitions

RULES AND CONDITIONS "

Entries must be typed or very clearly written on one side of the paper only. The name and address, or pseudonym, of the competitor must be on each entry and not on a separate sheet. When a word limit is set words must be counted and the number given. No entries can be returned. Prizes may be divided at the discretion of the judge, or withheld if no entry reaches the required standard. The judge reserves the right to print or quote from any entry. The judge's decision is final, and no correspondence can be entered into on the subject of the award. Entries must be addressed to :-The Editor, the Speckdor, 90 Gower Street,

London, W.C. 1, and be marked on the envelope Competition No. (—).

Competition No. 43 (SET BY "CARD.") A PRIZE of £2 2s. is offered for the best list of five social customs or institutions which in the opinion of com- petitors should be discontinued. Reasons need not be given.

Entries must be received not later than Monday, February 8th, 1932. The result of this competition will appear in our issue of February 20th, 1932.

Competition No. 44 (SET BY " Ducu.") A PRIZE of £2 2s. is offered for a new and original Song for Saint Valentine's Day. Songs may be serious, sentimental, amusing or satirical, but must not exceed 25 lines of English verse.

Entries must be received not later than Monday, February 15 th, 1932. The result of this competition will appear in our issue of February 27th, 1932.

The result of Competition No. 42 will appear in our next issue.

Limerick Competition No. 14

A PRIZE of II is. is offered each week for a new and original English Limerick verse on some subject dealt with in the current number of the Spectator. The fourteenth of these competitions closes on Monday, 'February 15th, 1932. Entries should be marked on the envelope "Limerick No. 14."

The result of the twelth of these competitions will be announced in our next issue.

[It is requested that to facilitate the work of the judges, entries should, when possible, be submitted on postcards.]

Report of Competition No. 41

(REPORT AND AWARD BY " DUGLI.")

A PRIZE oft2 2s. was offered for a new and true story of a bird ur birds, told in not more than 150 words.

A curious feature of this competition has been the number of entries from Switzerland. There must be something in mountain air that raises the intelligence of birds!

There have been anecdotes of "all little birds that are," though, perhaps naturally, sparrows figured in the greatest number ; of eagles, bul-buls, purple-rumped sunbirds, a chaparell and a number of parrots. Mrs. Kirkland Vesey's amusing " Scandal of Pigeon Life " is a story of London birds ; the Rev. G. P. Crawford tells a touching little story of a robin ; Mrs. Spenser's story is an interesting example of team work on the part of swallows ; M. Sachs tells of the intelligence of" the common hen."

Among the possible prizewinners " James " and " Jemima " were neck and neck, and from sheer inability to choose between them, the judge has been forced to divide the prize. A prize of SI Is. is, therefore, awarded to each of the following : Mrs. Hume-Rothery, Mendip House, Headington Hill, Oxford, and J. L. Cather, Upmeads, Bexhill Old Town, Sussex.

The following, in addition to those already mentioned, are highly commended : Edythe Hinkley, L. H. Eardley Wilmot, M. M. Benvie and Fred C. Gibbons.

TNN WINNING BIRD STORIES. Tun TRUE STORY or JEKIMA.

Jemima is our Runner Duck. She has lived in our garden for nearly thirteen years and she is nearly fifteen years old.

Every year she increases in intelligence and cheerfulness and she

still lays good eggs for part of the year. She is indefatigable in

killing slugs and once slaughtered a rat.

The damage she does is negligible.

She overwhelms the family dog with affection and lays her head upon his shoulder when he is taking a quiet nap in the sunshine.

Some time ago a visitor, looking at her, remarked to me, "What is the good of keeping an old duck like that ? She cannot keep on laying much longer ; she had better be made into soup." Jemime, listened, looked up at the speaker, and gently murmuring " Quack, quack," waddled briskly away, and laid a large egg on the front door mat. Mns. Humn.RornEwr,

JAMES.

With a score of other guillemots and gulls, he had been caught in waste steamer oil and, when found, was being battered in the surf on a Sussex beach. At first, he used his somewhat formidable beak against his rescuers ; but be soon quieted down and, having been cleaned with petrol and soap and water* bait settled down as a member of the family. The cat, though vexed by his draughty habit of wingdapping when pleased, allows him to take fish from her plate. He sleeps for choice in the hollow of the dog's neck, comes when called, and likes to be nursed and petted. HO turns from a bath with disgust : one has been enough. He shows no desire to escape, and when he has had enough of the garden will wait outside the door to be let in. And he hates the rain. Evidently, a retired mariner, J. L. CATKER.

Result of Limerick Competition No. II THE MORI popular subjects this week were Signs in the Heavens, Eros, The B.B.C. and Novels, and the Judge Alight- ing from a 'bus. The entries of F. G. Wilson' G. H. Orpen, Litt. D., IL R. Worley, D. McNeill, W. Hodgson -Burnet and J. Berry are commended, and the prize is awarded to Dorothy Sillar, 88 Hamilton Terrace, N.W. 8.

• THE WINNING ENTRY. ISIEWS OF THE WEEK SHINS IN THE HEAVENS.

Said Pussy to Savage, "you vandal ! Unless you take care you will land all Young lovers at night In a fix, with your light.

It's not only coarse ; it's a scandal !

Doitzmar Sumer..

Highly Cottattended

EROS (letter to Editor, page 83).

DoesNyvyan Adams suppose We shall ever call " Eeross " " Erese " ?

If he does, does he mean us No more to say Veenus " When "Vennus " is right as he knows W. Honosow Bmutwr.

Tag B.B.C. AND NOVELS.

After Nicolson's talk on Ulysses Aunt Mary said " Reginad, this is A book to be read ! '

- But I bought her instead

Mr. Thingummy's Cocktails and Kisses.

D. MoNzu.r...

Tax SrEcrerores NOTEBOOK.

No criminal entfies the judges, - Whose wages the nation begrudges, For the prisoner rides In a coach with black sides

While the judge takes a 'bus or else trudges.

J. Beans.

SHINS IN THE HEAVENS (Spectator, page 67).

There was an old fellow called Lear Who couldn't see Cassiopeia ; But they said "You're a mug ! Why, it's there—by the ' Bug ' Of Buggins' Ubiquitous Beer I" M.

The Brynmawr Appeal List Total acknowledged in the Spectator of January 30th was

£1,637 14s. 8d.

s. d.

s. d.

J. A. de C. Hamilton 10 0 0

Miss Bartlett .. 1 0 0

M. F. 7 0 0 Mrs. Bell 1 0 0

5 0 0 Mrs. Souper, 10s. 6d.; I. D. P., Miss O'Bryen.Taylor 5 0 0

E. F. T., Anonymous, Los.;

Mrs. Charles Duff .. 3 3 0 "Family," The Rev. W. H.

Mrs. W. Davies .. 3 3 0 Wright, 5s.; Anonymous, " Rivulus " .. 2 2 0 2s. 6d.

F.H.C.,M.C.8t C. j. 1 10 0 £48 3 0 " Dominey " " Logandene "

J. W. & P. E. Beldam

1 1 I 10 1

1

0 0

0

Total at time of Mrs. Bulloch .. 1 0 0 going to press £1,683 11 9