T/o Birds and Peace. 



X r>ar1);irv Dove (Dwarf Turtledove). 

 X Llar))aiy Dove (Necklace Dove). 

 X " Java Dove " (Turtledove). 



To be continued. 



-<-¥^^ 



Birds and Peace. 



By p. Gosse, M.D., R.A.M.C, i:tc. 



It will be very interesting' to see what result, if any. the 

 altered conditions in rural England during" the last few years 

 have led to in the comparative increase and decrease of many 

 of our migrant birds, more especially those that arrive in this 

 country in the spring-time to nest with us. 



An interesting attempt was made in the illustrated 

 magazine British Birds in the years 1913 and 1914 to find out if 

 certain migratory birds were increasing or decreasing in various 

 ]>arts of England, and although the first attempt was far from 

 concltisive owing to the instifificient amount of material, the 

 reports sent in seemed to show a general tendency to a falling 

 off in numbers of some of the species inquired about. 



For example the evidence for 1914 showed that the five 

 following species were on the whole decreasing : viz : the land- 

 rail, red-backed shrike, whinchat, red-start and wryneck. 



Others appeared to be holding their own, as the spotted 

 flycatcher, chiff-chaiY. willow-warbler, white-throat, nightingale, 

 and swallow, M-hile ihe only species that showed any actual 

 increase was the house-martin; but it must be remembered that 

 this was in comparison with the previous year w'hich was a 

 particularly bad one for house-martins. 



Two resident species, the hawfinch and the red-poll, 

 showed signs of a welcome increase. 



In the district in the South West of Hampshire, which is 

 well-known to the writer and where he spent a few days in the 

 early part of May, there was a most conspicuous increase of two 

 species, the lesser white-throat, a bird that was before the war 

 rather scarce there, and the goldfinch. 



