300 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



\\ hicli have been under observation, readers will be able 

 to decide for themselves by referring to the report, 

 but it may be more convenient first to give brief 

 summaries of the results arrived at : — 

 Red-backed Shrike. — ^Positive evidence seems to prove 



that this species is decreasing, while negative evidence 



must also be taken into consideration. 

 Spotted Flycatcher. — On the whole holding its own 



and well represented almost everywhere. 

 Ghiffchaff. — Common but not so well distributed as 



the Willow-Warbler. 

 Willow-Warbler. — Common almost everywhere and 



in many districts increasing. In some cases, where 



a decrease is reported, it seems to be local. 

 Whitethroat.— Holding its own well in most counties, 



but not very common in the eastern counties. 

 Lesser Whitethroat. — ^Always scarce in the north, 



apparently so in the east, and plentiful in but few 



localities. The numbers seem to vary a good deal 



from year to year. 

 Whinchat. — Very local and a marked decrease almost 



everywhere. 

 Redstart. — Seems to be decreasing in many places, 



and the decrease has been going on for some time. 

 Nightingale. — ^Maintaining its ground and no more. 



In some favourite localities its numbers are reported 



as steadily on the decrease. 

 House-Martin. — ^Marked and general decrease. 

 Swallow. — ^Marked and general decrease. 

 Wryneck. — Very local. Nearly extinct in some districts. 



DETAILED REPORTS ON EACH SPECIES. 



Red-backed Shrike {Lanius c. collurio). 



Increase 20. Decrease 22. Normal numbers 28. No returns 52. 



So far as can be gatliered from answers received to query 3, 

 this species appears to have been scarcelj^ up to its average 

 numbers in 1912, 



