{ 272) 
THE “BRITISH BIRDS” MARKING SCHEME.* 
PROGRESS FOR 1917. 
BY 
LIEUT. H. F. WITHERBY, R.N.V.R. 
THE ringing accomplished in 1917 shows only a slight decrease 
on the year before, a result which, under the circumstances, 
must be regarded as eminently satisfactory. The following — 
are the grand totals of the birds ringed :-— 
NuMBER oF Birps RINGED. 
In 1908 2 Le ee 
, LO 2, - 2S) ee 
i AOI: Oe eS eee 
wo LQIBs 7 2ae~ | bee 
», 91S Ja 0 2 eee 
5 ABR ee ee ee 
MURS se yt 7,767 
. OIG 8G. 
ey se cel ea 
Total, fae 81,647 

We are glad to welcome a comparatively new recruit at the 
head of the list of birds ringed, Mr. H. W. Holder having 
ringed the fine total of one thousand and sixty. There follow 
some well-known and ardent supporters in Mr. A. Mayall 
with nine hundred and seventy-four, Dr. H. J. Moon with 
seven hundred and thirty-six and Mr. J. R. B. Masefield with 
five hundred and twenty. Mr. J. Bartholomew has nearly 
reached the five hundred, Mr. F. E. Blagg is well over four 
hundred, while Messrs. H. W. Robinson, J. G. Maynard and 
S. K. Barnes have all ringed over three hundred each. Mr. 
T. Smith, whose first experience of ringing was in 1917, has 
made an excellent start with over two hundred, while five 
others have ringed over one hundred each. 
Being away from home and very much occupied I hope 
I shall be forgiven for omitting to give this year details of 
the more interesting recoveries. The proportion of recoveries 
has risen slightly, and it is rather remarkable that the per- 
centage did not rise considerably in those birds such as 
Starling and Song-Thrush which suffered so severely in the 
winter of 1916-17. 
* For previous Reports see Vol. III., pp. 179-182, for 1909; 
Vol. IV., pp. 204-207, for 1910; Vol. V., pp. 158-162, for 19115 
Vol. VI., pp. 177-183, for 1912; Vol. VII., pp. 190-195, for 19S 
Vol. VIII., pp. 161-168, for 1914; Vol. IX., pp. 222-229, for 1915; 
Vol. X., pp. 150-156, for 1916. 

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