Cylchgronau Cymru

REFERENCES » YOUNG, D. P. (1952). Studies in the British Epipactis III and IV. Watsonia, 2,253-276. 2 SMITH, G. E. (1852). Epipactis phyllanthes. Gardeners* Chronicle, 1852, 660. 3 McCLINTOCK, D. and FITTER, R. S. R. (1956). The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers. London Collins. « CLAPHAM, A. R., TUTIN, T. G. and WARBURG, E. F. (1959). Excursion Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press. » SUMMERHAYES, V. S. (1951). Wild Orchids of Britain. London Collins. CLAPHAM, A. R., TUTIN, T. G. and WARBURG, E. F. (1952). Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press. THOMAS, C. (1950). The Kenfig Epipactis. Watsonia, 1, 283-288. s YOUNG, D. P. (1949). Studies in the British Epipactis I. Watsonia, 1, 102-108. 50 YEARS AGO-AN ORNITHOLOGICAL COMPARISON W. S. PEACH The interesting article by A. J. Harthan (1958, Nature in Wales 4, No. 2, p. 578) inevitably caused me to reflect on my experience as an extremely callow bird-watcher while I was an undergraduate in U.C.W. from 1904 to 1907. The two profound differences between bird-watching in 1905 and 1955 are Firstly, the general attitude of both scientists and the general public. The scientists shot on sight, and by far the greater majority completely neglected Gilbert White's wise dictum that the true naturalist should recognise a bird in the bush as well as in the hand. The general public was indifferent or worse boating parties regularly on the Thames to shoot gulls for example. R. S. R. Fitter cites, as an example, that some 50 years ago a cabman with a flick of his whip killed a yellowhammer in a London suburb, an action which now would produce violent reaction on the part of almost anyone who saw it. Then, secondly, as Mr. Harthan remarks, There was practically no one interested in birds." Bird books and bird societies were rare. I only recall the R.S.P.B. and the Selborne Society, both metropolitan and with few or no local branches. I regret that Mr. Harthan's comment, My notes-disgracefully scrappy by modern standards. my only idea at that time was to tick birds off on a list", is most painfully true in my case. Consequently, in the comparison which here follows, I have had to rely on a tick, and on memory, sometimes vivid, and some-