302 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



1911 and 1912 this bird was scarce in the immediate vicinity 

 of Exeter, but more plentiful at some distance from the city ; 

 but marked decreases are announced from Banstead (Surrey), 

 " a great decrease " (Miss Acland) ; Pensford (Somerset), 

 "none seen, usually a few" (H. Ii. Popham) ; Ashburne 

 (Derby.), " much below the average " (F. C. R. Jourdain) ; 

 Woodford (Essex), " very marked, none seen till August " 

 (C. L. CoUenette) ; but it should be remembered that at 

 Epping, which is not very far off, the numbers are said to 

 have been normal. 



It should be noted that a decrease is often qualified by 

 the epithet " slight," and " normal numbers " often means 

 considerable numbers. 



This species appears to be rather rare in Suffolk and 

 Norfolk, but well distributed in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and 

 Northumberland. 



Chiffchaff {Pkylloscopus c. collyhita). 

 Increase 26. Decrease 23. Normal numbers 38. No returns 28. 



So far as can be judged from the returns the Chiffchaff was 

 present in average numbers in 1912, and though it is more 

 local and not so well distributed as the Willow- Warbler, 

 this species seems to be holding its own well. 



Decided increases have been reported from Tun bridge 

 Wells (Kent), " thirteen pairs over average " (H. G. 

 Alexander) ; Rickmans\vorth (Herts.) ; Maidenhead (Berks.) ; 

 Cambridge, " twelve more pairs than usual " (H. G. 

 Alexander) ; Oswestry (Salop), " six times as many " ( J, H. 

 Owen) ; Walton (near Stone, Staffs.), " decided increase " 

 (P. C. Dutton); Sutton Coldfield (Warwick.), "decided 

 increase " (Miss Carter); Lydiard Millicent (Wilts.), "large 

 increase" (D. P. Harrison); Scarborough (Yorks.). "an 

 increase," one of the few localities in the north where the 

 bird seems at all common (E. A. Wallis). 



In some cases the decrease seems only local, and an increase 

 in an adjacent locality can be set against it, e.g. a decrease 

 at Shrewsbury is made up by a large increase at Oswestry, 

 and the same remark may be applied to other localities. 

 No reports have been received from Norfolk and the species 

 seems scarce in Suffolk, where " normal " implies scarce. 



Decided decreases are reported from Felsted (Essex), New 

 Forest (Hants.), " has been decreasing for years " (R. E. 

 Coles), and also from Copdock, Ipswich (Suffolk), while 

 the species naturally groMS scarcer the further north 

 one goes. 



