voL.xiii.] ^BRITISH BIRDS' MARKING SCHEME. 97 



Vaughan and Masefield, Captain Boyd and Mr. and Miss 

 Blyth, who have all well over two hundred each, are also 

 well-known " ringers," while the totals of those who follow, 

 though smaller, are none the less very welcome. 



The recoveries reported during the year of birds ringed 

 were not very satisfactory, and I have little doubt that this 

 was chiefly due to want of publicity. Now that newspapers 

 can afford a little space for such subjects, I hope that those 

 who are keen on the scheme will do their utmost to make 

 its objects known locally. The more widely the scheme is 

 known the more recoveries will be reported, and, of course, 

 upon this the success of the scheme largely depends. In 

 this connection I quote below some suggestions which Dr. 

 H. J. Moon has kindly sent me : — - 



1. Frequent letters to local papers from ringers giving 

 details of the scheme and asking for information of recovered 

 birds (the number on the ring and the date and place recovered 

 to be sent to the Editor, 326, High Holbom). 



2. When applying for leave to go over estates, see the 

 owners personally, and interest them in the scheme. 



3. Interview farmers, keepers, gardeners, labourers and 

 groundmen on golf links. Ask them to show you nests and 

 then ring the birds in their presence. If any are recovered 

 notify the one who showed you the nest. In time you will 

 find a " village naturalist " to train into a valuable assistant. 



4. Take every opportunity of giving short talks at local 

 schools, and enlist the boys in your service and get them to 

 help find nests. Thus serving the double purpose of ringing 

 large numbers of birds and checking egg-taking. 



I do not propose in this report to give any details of 

 recoveries, but I am preparing a series of tabulated records, 

 which I hope to publish very shortly. 



The percentage of recoveries now stands at 2.9, this being 

 calculated on the 81,647 birds ringed from 1909 to 1917, of which 

 2,403 have been reported up to date. As in former reports, I 

 have given below the detailed percentages of recoveries 

 in certain species, and must express my regret that a few 

 errors were made in these figures in the last report. 



