92 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vin. 



someone in a few years' time to determine the true 

 cause of the decrease of the Land-Rail. 



In conclusion, I must thank everyone who has made 

 this paper possible. I have purposely refrained from 

 mentioning a single name, for if I had mentioned one 

 I should have had to mention all who have sent 

 information, and forty more whose writings I have 

 consulted. In case I have made any errors, I hope 

 they will be corrected by those who may have 

 been unintentionally misrepresented, or whose facts 

 and opinions have been overlooked ; the explanation 

 for such errors is that the actual compilation of this 

 paper has had to be done with regrettable haste. 



