308 BllITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



(G. r. Clarke), but the Rev. J. G. Cornish from the same district 

 does not send any return. An increase is also reported 

 from Salisbury (Wilts.), but another observer in the same 

 town has not seen the birds at all. In two districts, Lydiard 

 Millicent (Wilts.) and Withnell (Lanes.), the increase does 

 not amount to much, " none in 1911, one pair in 1912." 

 Normal numbers are reported from three districts in 

 Staffordshire. 



Decreases are not confined to any particular district, 

 e.g. Haileybury (Herts.), " only one seen this year " (F. W. 

 Headley) ; Exeter (Devon.), " only one seen in two years " 

 (M. Vaughan) ; Kingham (Oxon.), " far below the average " 

 (W. Warde Fowler) ; Pensford (Somerset), " scarce 1911, 

 none 1912 " (H. L. Popham) ; Chelmsford (Essex), " once 

 common, none seen now " (L. Gray) ; Otterburn (Northumber- 

 land), "five pairs 1911, two 1912" (Miss A. Pease); 

 Wharfedale and Goathland (Yorks.). " a decreasing species " 

 (H. B. Booth and J. D. Patterson) ; Cambridge, " ten pairs 

 1911, six pairs 1912 " (H. G. Alexander). 



Nightingale [Luscinia m. megarhynchus). 

 Increase 12. Decrease 22. Normal numbers 27. No returns 52. 



The Nightingale seems to have been present in average, 

 or perhaps in more than average, numbers in 1912. 



In a few cases slight increases have been reported, viz : 

 Lydiard Millicent (Wilts.), "three pairs 1911, eleven pairs 

 1912 " (D. P. Harrison) (this is all the more striking as there 

 are no returns from the rest of Wiltshire) ; Abergavenny 

 (Monmouth), "three pairs 1911, six pairs 1912" (S. W. 

 White). An increase is also reported from Coventry 

 (Warwick), Maidenhead (Berks.), Norwich (Norfolk), Midhurst 

 (Sussex), and Wye Valley, though not a very marked one. 

 In a well-knoAvn haunt like Epping Forest this species seems 

 to be holding its OAvn. At Beaulieu (Hants.), though 1912 

 was only an average year, the bird was common. It is pei'haps 

 worthy of mention that in a favourite county like Hertfordshire 

 a decided decrease is announced by all foiu- observers, with 

 the additional remark from Rickmansworth that it is 

 decreasing every year (W. Bickerton). Sometimes, no doubt, 

 the decrease is local only and is due perhaps to some change 

 in local conditions, e.g. a decrease is reported at Limpsfield 

 (Surrej-), but an increase at Banstead not so very far off, 

 while from some localities a steady decrease is announced, 

 e.g. Horsham (Sussex), " rarer every year, only one pair 

 within three miles of Horsham " (J. G. Millais), L"'^ckfield 



