84 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vm. 



Kingsbridge some twenty years ago ; the Victoria 

 History (1906) describes it as rare in the south, but 

 frequently breeding in the north. 



In aU parts of Dorset the Land-Rail is regarded 

 as a vanishing or vanished species {Phenological Report 

 of Dorset N.H. and Antiquarian Field Club, 1914), 

 and the several reports from separate districts fully 

 bear this out. It appears never to have been common 

 within recent times, but there were a few twenty years 

 ago, whereas now hardly one remains. It is frequently 

 noted (and shot) on the autumn migration, as in many 

 other districts where few breed. 



In the south of Somerset very few remain, but in 

 the Mendips there seem to be rather more, and they 

 are holding their own at the present time ; thirty or 

 forty years ago, however, they were far more abundant. 

 In south Gloucester they are again very scarce, but 

 in the north, chiefly in the river flats, a few still breed 

 — as many as three or six to the square mile in some 

 parts ; but here also there used to be more. It is 

 noted that the numbers fluctuate from year to year, 

 although the general tendency is a decrease ; this 

 seems to apply in many parts of the country, but, 

 comparing the fluctuations in different districts, I 

 cannot see that any one year is shown to be specially 

 favourable or unfavourable to the species : the 

 fluctuations are merely local. 



Every observer in WiLTSHmE notes a decrease in the 

 last ten years, but a very few Land-Rails, or at least an 

 occasional single pair, stiU remain in most parts. In 

 Hampshire the numbers are even smaller ; in the New 

 Forest region a few are still found annually, without 

 any apparent diminution, but elsewhere both to west 

 and east the decrease has reached vanishing point : 

 it seems to have begun at least twenty years ago. A 

 few are still noted in the north of the county, and in 

 the uplands of Berkshire, but in most parts of the 

 latter county none breed at the present day ; in the 



