XVlll INTRODUCTION. 



species is becoming less plentiful. Frequently it points to the 

 conclusion, that a species has slightly changed its quarters. 

 Thus, Mr. W. Hodgson, A.L.S., considers that, during his 

 thirty years' close study of the lakes' fauna, the Eing Ouzel has 

 decreased greatly in the Ulleswater district ; but we know as 

 a fact that it has become more numerous on the Cumbrian 

 portion of the Pennine range, the breeding birds having some- 

 what shifted their nesting quarters to the north-east. Again, 

 while we learn from Mr. F. S. Mitchell (B. of Lancashire, 

 p. 51), that the Pied Flycatcher is more scarce than formerly 

 in Lancashire, we point, in reply, to its extension of breeding 

 ground in Cumberland, as shewing that this species is working 

 its way steadily northward. 

 Census. The present essay includes a total of 250 species, or 



84 residents, 81 periodical visitants, and 85 irregular and 

 accidental visitants. 



The strength of Cumberland lies in its breeding species. 

 Cumberland, a county of 1,515 sqiiare miles, possesses 116 

 breeding species ; Lancashire, 1,887 square miles, 114 ; 

 Yorkshire, 6,150 square miles, as worked out by Mr. W. E. 

 Clarke, 120. Not only are Cumberland and Lancashire 

 destitute of many of the rare forms which have been detected 

 on the Yorkshire coast, such as the two species of Bluethroat 

 Warbler ; but even the scarce stragglers, which have occurred 

 in all three counties, have occurred far more sparingly in the 

 two western counties; thus, the S^joonbill has occurred nine 

 times in Yorkshire, but only twice in Lancashire and twice in 

 Cumberland ; the Scops Owl has occurred nine times in 

 Yorkshire (1881), but only once in Cumberland and once 

 in Lancashire. But this phenomenon is naturally accounted 

 for by the connection between the east coast of England and 

 the continent. 



Among the rarer Paliearctic forms obtained in Cumberland 



