26 NOVEMBER 1937, Page 17

County Pride It is a good sign that the counties

are becoming more county., conscious ; and in the right way. Even those whose cardinal danger is to become a London dormitory are developing a proper county pride. In this class Hertfordshire has a county society that has suddenly become prosperous, after a long period of what seemed a rather vain struggle. Such societies are often the authority that works for the Council for the Preservation of Rural England ; and that Council has certainly a right to some of the credit for the revival. But such societies (of which Sussex with its beautiful Sussex County Magazine remains the model) range more widely than the C.P.R.E.; and are concerned with their local natural history and antiquities. Their influence on the County Councils is great, as shown within the last week or two by the regional planning advocated in Cornwall and Devon. In natural history Norfolk with its Naturalists' Trust takes the lead ; and it is pleasant to see that other counties are concerning themselves with bird, insect and plant sanctuaries.