VOL. XV.] ^BKITISH BIRDS' MARKING SCHEME. 233 



the scheme shall go on along its old lines, and I am personally 

 greatly in favour of this, and am quite in agreement with the 

 various reasons advanced by correspondents. At the same 

 time, Dr. Thomson's proposition that certain picked species 

 should be ringed in very large numbers over a wide area, is 

 undoubtedly a sound one, as has been realised by correspon- 

 dents, and if this could be done in a really systematic way it 

 would yield results which cannot be obtained by our present 

 methods. If a group of ringers would undertake to do this 

 voluntarily, or if someone would provide the necessary funds 

 for travelling, accommodation, etc., for those who had the 

 time but not the means to assist, I am sure that Dr. Thomson 

 would help in elaborating a definite plan of action. I hope 

 that there may be readers who will come forward with 

 proposals and offers to assist in carrying out such a plan. 

 But should this be the case there is no reason why it should 

 interfere with our present scheme, which involves more or 

 less " promiscuous " ringing. The results already achieved 

 have proved the value of ringing under the present scheme, 

 and as records gradually accumulate those results become 

 more and more valuable. 



Several correspondents have expressed a wish to have 

 pointed out in what direction they should concentrate their 

 work should opportunity allow, and I have set out below 

 a few considerations to this end. 



1. To assist in tracing the routes and winter-quarters of 

 strict summer-migrants it is necessary to ring large numbers 

 of certain species, and if possible the old birds as well as young 

 ones. The only species under this head that we have been 

 really successful over has been the Lesser Black-backed Gull 

 {see Vol. XIII., pp. 311-12), but this is not to say that we do 

 not require more of this bird ringed. The Swallow, although 

 showing a small percentage of recoveries, has yielded most 

 interesting results, and the ringing of much larger numbers 

 would undoubtedly " pay." Curiously enough, the Terns 

 have not yielded the results we should expect under this head. 



2. A great many interesting facts have already been 

 revealed by ringing partial migrants sudi as Starlings, 

 Lapwings, Song -Thrushes, Woodcock and Snipe, to mention 

 only the chief ones. The ideal method for such birds would 

 be that suggested by Dr. Thomson, but much may be learnt 

 by ringing " promiscuously " as many as possible. Under 

 this head I might mention the Wood-Pigeon, Redshank, 

 and Curlew as probably good subjects, besides those 

 mentioned. 



