I9I7- Foster — The Winter of 1916-17 and Bird-life. 119 



November till April, but this season till the middle of 

 January a flock of even 10 birds was not seen. From that 

 time onwards there appeared to be an increase but it never 

 attained anything near the normal numbers. Redwings 

 were much more numerous than Fieldfares though these also 

 were somewhat less numerous than usual. 



In respect to the five species which the winter has ex- 

 terminated in Mr. Moffat's neighbourhood I give their 

 status and apparent present position here. 



Stonechat \ — In this district there are only a few pairs 

 which appear to confine themselves to strictly limited areas 

 except in winter when they sometimes wander further 

 afield. Frequent visits to their haunts this year have not 

 revealed the presence of a single bird — in fact, with the 

 exception of one female seen in an unlikely locality in 

 November, I have not seen this bird since last August. 



Golden-crested Wren : — This bird has always been 

 regarded as numerous here, but during the past winter and 

 since it seems practically to have disappeared. 



Long- TAILED Titmouse : — This species is resident here 

 in small numbers, but since December I have failed to detect 

 its presence. 



Grey Wagtail : — A few pairs reside in the district 

 generally keeping to the banks of some of our streams and 

 ponds. The status of this species here is apparentty un- 

 changed. 



Meadow-Pipit : — This species (universally known here 

 as " Moss-cheeper ") is common all through the district 

 and its numbers apparently show no change. I have not 

 noticed the brighter plumaged birds come to the district 

 in spring, and consider the number of individuals to remain 

 fairly constant the year round (allowing for the substantial 

 increase of young birds during the summer). Its song was 

 first heard this year on ist x\pril. 



There is no noticeable change in the number of any of 

 our other birds, and the dates of arrival of our regular 

 S])ring migrants arc, with the exception of two, about the 

 normal. The Chiffchaff usually arrives here about the 

 beginning of April, but this year it was not observed till 



