6 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vii. 



relate their experiences. Unless people have something 

 startling or unique to record, many hesitate to write 

 a letter on an ordinary subject to a zoological journal ; 

 and if they did so on such a subject as the present one 

 in sufficient numbers to make their contributions of real 

 value, space could hardly be found for them and the 

 work of collating would be colossal. It seems therefore 

 that a united and carefully organized inquiry is the only 

 method likely to meet with success, and that this should 

 take the form of a schedule containing a number of 

 specific questions to which answers can be given as 

 briefly as possible, and that will at the same time bring 

 out the important facts. WitTi this intention such a 

 schedule has been prepared and is issued with this num- 

 ber, and we would ask our readers to answer the questions 

 to the best of their abihty and to obtain answers as 

 well, on separate copies of the schedule (which will be 

 supplied on application), from as many people as they 

 can in neighbouring or distant locaHties who they think 

 would be able to supply any information bearing on the 

 question. In the case of such a species as the Land-Rail, 

 an inquiry of this character is not of interest to ornith- 

 ologists alone but should appeal to the larger class of 

 sportsmen in general, and is one which they, though 

 they may not all be possessed of expert ornithological 

 knowledge, would be perfectly weU able to advance by 

 recording their answers to the questions asked. 



Above all things it is necessary to note that informa- 

 tion with regard to birds on passage in spring and autumn, 

 or the numbers shot in the latter season, is not what 

 is required, but the inquiry is entirely Umited to the 

 presence or absence, past or present — and the relative 

 numbers and changes in numbers — of breeding birds in 

 each district. 



