CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS OF BIRDS 123 



apparently holding their own very well, in general. There 

 may be a slight decrease in the aggregate, owing to the 

 evident diminution of many species in and near cities, 

 with no corresponding increase in the country. There 

 appears to be no general and noticeable reduction in the 

 rural sections except where the birds are subjected to an 

 unusual amount of persecution. On the whole, the bal- 

 ance of life among the smaller birds seems to be fairly 

 maintained. 



Information received from other states along the 

 Atlantic seaboard seems to indicate, that, as here, shore 

 birds and game birds are decreasing, while the insectiv- 

 orous birds are, with some exceptions, holding their own. 



Comparing the conclusions of Messrs. Hornaday 

 and Forbush with reference to the song-birds, we 

 may note, first, that Mr. Hornaday's figures repre- 

 sent the decrease for all birds, game-birds included, 

 while Mr. Forbush is speaking here of song-birds 

 only; and furthermore, it is probable that some of 

 those who answered Mr. Hornaday's questions had 

 the game-birds specially in mind. So far as there 

 is any discrepancy between these reports, doubt- 

 less Mr. Forbush's report is more nearly correct. 

 His report was based on the observations of two 

 hundred people from many parts of the State, 

 while Mr. Hornaday's report, as far as Massachu- 

 setts is concerned, was based on the observations 

 of only eleven people, more than half of whom 

 lived in or near cities. 



" Bird-Lore's " Christmas census. The readers 

 of " Bird-Lore " have been making a Christmas 



