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INCREASE AND DECREASE IN SUMMER 



RESIDENTS. 



EDITORIAL NOTE. 



For a considerable time past tliere has been a general 

 impression that some of our summer migrants have been 

 decreasing in numbers, and that in some districts certain 

 species which were common a few years ago are becoming 

 less common every j^ear. It will be remembered that 

 in our issue for August, 1912 {supra, p. 87) it was 

 proposed to hold an inquiry into this question with 

 a view to gaining some exact knowledge from a wide area 

 regarding these reported fluctuations — knowledge which 

 is absolutely necessary before causes for such fluctua- 

 tions can be ascertained. 



A schedule was sent out containing the names of 

 twelve selected species and observers were asked to state 

 the result of their observations on three points ; 



1. Was there an increase in 1912 over 1911 ? 



2. Was there a decrease in 1912 from 1911 ? 



3. Were numbers in 1912 above or below the 



average ? 



They were further asked to state whether the con- 

 clusion at M-hich they arrived Avas based on the actual 

 number of birds counted in a definite area, or whether 

 it was the result of a general impression. 



One hundred and sixteen observers in England and 

 Wales responded to the invitation, but it should be noted 

 that of these only twelve based their replies on the 

 number of birds actually counted, tliirty-two on their 

 general impression, while in the rest of the replies 

 received this query Avas ignored, from which it is clear 

 that the answers received differ in value. 



It is manifest that most of our readers were unprepared 

 for such questions, and were consequently unable to fill 

 in the schedules, but the comparatively few schedules 

 sent in have provided some valuable material which 

 has been worked out most carefully by Mr. M. Vaughan, 



