List of Birds Examined. 



"The annual loss sustained by us must be upwards of 100 

 from these destructive birds . " (A. 411/11). 



" From December to the end of April these birds occasion a con- 

 siderable amount of damage to our fruit-trees, and during the 

 remainder of the year are active in distributing the seeds of various 

 weeds. They should certainly be destroyed. ' ' (A. 429 / 1 1) . 



" Our plums (Greengage and Black Diamonds) have suffered 

 terribly from these birds. In some cases the whole of the fruit- 

 buds have been destroyed. We are sending ten birds shot to-day 

 for examination." (A. 512/10). 



Post-mortem Records. 



I have made post-mortem examinations of three hundred and 

 eight specimens, received from Worcestershire, Warwickshire, 

 Staffordshire and Hereford, in addition to one hundred and 

 seventy-six examined in the months of April and May in 190 7 , 

 1908, 1909 and 1910, making a total of four hundred and eighty- 

 four. 



By far the larger number of fruit-growers, interviewed or 

 written to, in the above-mentioned counties, agree that during the 

 past six or seven years there has been a great increase in the 

 number of these birds, and they would welcome any measures for 

 aiding in considerably reducing their numbers. 



