88 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vm. 



In Lancashire the decrease is only noted locally — 

 possibly only in the lower districts. In some parts the 

 species is still abundant, as it certainlj^ is in the York- 

 shire dales across the Pennines ; even here fluctuations 

 are noted. In the vale of York the species is said to 

 have become comparatively scarce in recent years, 

 but it is certainly not at all rare. In the south of the 

 county a decrease has evidently taken place, but in 

 the East Riding. Land-Rails are stiU fairly plentiful 

 on the Wolds and common about Scarborough and 

 Pickering (at Scarborough the evidence is conflicting). 

 Near Northallerton very few breed as compared with 

 former years. 



In Westmorland a decrease is noted in the last ten 

 years, but in most parts of Cumberland, except on 

 the east, the bird appears to be abundant and no change 

 is recorded in its numbers. 



In Durham, according to the Victoria History (1905), 

 the numbers have much diminished lately. The six 

 observers in Northumberland all record it as a 

 common species, which shows no decrease : in one 

 locaUty an increase is noted. 



The observations from Scotland and Ireland are 

 few, and no certain conclusion can be drawn from them. 

 Nevertheless it would seem that in Scotland some 

 decrease is taking place in parts of the lowlands, at 

 any rate in Midlothian and one or two other places, 

 but elsewhere no great change is remarked. In all 

 the northern and western districts, wherever any 

 suitable ground occurs for their nesting, Land-Rails 

 are apparently very abundant, possibly even increasing. 

 This appUes to the islands even more than to the 

 mainland. 



In Ireland one or two cases of decrease are noted in 

 the extreme south-east and east, but the few records 

 from other parts show that it is an abundant species in 

 many parts, whilst in the north and west Land-Rails 

 are said to swarm, and if possible to be increasing. 



