VOL. vin.] LAND-RAIL INQUIRY REPORT. 87 



Except locally, in the Malverns, and at Tamworth 

 and Hampton-in-Arden, a steady decrease has been 

 noted throughout Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and 

 Worcestershire. From a district in north Worcester- 

 shire the actual number of pairs observed each year 

 is given, showing a steady decrease from seven pairs 

 in 1906 to one in 1913 ; to the present time a few pairs 

 remain in all parts of these three counties. There 

 appear to be more in the Severn and Avon valleys 

 than in most districts. 



In Herefordshire no decrease has been noted in 

 the last few years, except near Hereford, where there 

 were fewer in 1908 and subsequently. In Monmouth 

 a gradual decrease is noted, but the species is still 

 not rare. 



The few records from south Wales are as follows : 

 none in south-west Glamorgan for ten years ; none 

 but an occasional pair in east Brecon for twenty 

 years but more in the 'eighties ; in east Radnor an 

 increase has been noted lately, but the numbers are 

 subject to variation ; in Carmarthen the Land-Rail 

 is evidently not rare, though somewhat diminished 

 in numbers recently, and the same is the case in south 

 Cardigan. 



In Merioneth it is decreasing locally, but fairly 

 common in some districts ; in Denbigh and Flint 

 the numbers appear to be fairly well maintained, 

 whilst in Anglesey, the Lleyn district of Carnarvon, 

 and on Bardsey Island, the Land-Rail is still evidently 

 a really abundant species. 



Returning to England, we find that four observers 

 in Shropshire all speak of a decrease in the last twenty 

 years, but a few pairs stiU breed regularly in all parts. 

 In Cheshire the numbers are fairly weU maintained in 

 the Mere district, bvit some decrease seems to have 

 occurred in the last ten years in other parts of that 

 county. 



