234 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xv. 



3. A difficult point to get evidence on, owing to our 

 :geographical position, is as to whether our winter -migrants 

 return to the same place year after year. But it is an 

 extremely interesting point, and essentially one to be dis- 

 covered by ringing. Mr. S. Prentiss Baldwin has already 

 proved by trapping and ringing in the case of several 

 migratory species in the U.S.A. that individuals do return 

 to the same winter-quarters. Unfortunately there are few 

 species in this country to experiment on, but Siskins are 

 fairly easily caught where they appear as winter-visitors 

 and the trapping and ringing of Ducks in certain places 

 could perhaps be increased. 



4. The return of summer -migrants to the same nesting- 

 place we have proved in several cases but more facts are 

 wanted, especially regarding both birds of a pair. 



5. Another very interesting point which ringing and 

 trapping could throw much more light upon, is the dispersal 

 of individuals in relation to their birthplace. We have 

 already had a few interesting recoveries bearing on this 

 important point, but much more evidence is required. 

 Ringers should make every endeavour to ascertain where 

 the young birds they have ringed subsequently breed. Some 

 birds, such as Swallows and Starlings, can be caught at their 

 nests, others are constantly caught in fruit -nets, and where 

 there are fruit-nets a point should be made not only to ring 

 ■every nestling in the vicinity, but to make sure that every 

 bird caught in subsequent years should be examined for 

 a ring ; other birds, such as Robins, especially, can be trapped. 



6. Winter trapping of such birds as the Starling has 

 already provided interesting results, for instance, in showing 

 where some of these birds come from, but much more might 

 be done in this direction, especially by persistent effort for 

 a number of years in the same locality, and as far away from 

 houses as possible. In connection with the trapping of 

 small birds, I hope to be able to issue this year a No. i ring 

 more easy to manipulate and with the number outside. 



7. Finally, I should like very strongly to recommend a 

 special enquiry in case any of my readers could undertake 

 it. That is, to ring a large number of the young and parent 

 birds of some large colony each year for a number of years. 

 In order to ascertain the facts required, it would be necessary 

 to catch and ring a good proportion of the old birds as well 

 as the young, and to do this on a fairly large scale. I think 

 this might be done in the Gannet, Puffin or Manx Shearwater, 

 The breeding colony should be divided into sections, and the 



