116 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



quite extinct, for we have had a pair coming to the drawing-room 

 window-sill for nuts for some weeks recently (February, 1911). The 

 only cause for their decrease that I can think of is the great increase 

 in Starlings, which came to a head a few years ago, and has, I am 

 glad to say, abated a little lately. — 0. V. Aplin (Bloxham, Oxon). 



Decrease of Corn-Crake and Wryneck. — Mr. Steele Elliott is, I 

 believe, quite right as regards the decrease in the numbers of the 

 Corn-Crake. I can corroborate his statement, so far as this county 

 is concerned, that thirty years ago a pair at least of Corn-Crakes 

 were to be found nesting in almost every large meadow. Last 

 summer I thought I heard the familiar " crake, crake " rather more 

 frequently than in 1909, and the delay in the hay-harvest about here, 

 owing to wet weather, I hope may have saved some nests. I put 

 down the serious diminution of the species principally to two causes : 

 ■ — (1) the destruction of the birds and their nests by mowing- 

 machines, and (2) Corn-Crakes being killed by flying against tele- 

 graph- and telephone-wires. The destruction of bird-life from the 

 second cause I have mentioned is sadly increasing, owing to the 

 increase in the number of these wires. On many, if not most, rail- 

 ways these wires are now erected on both sides of the lines, and 

 often, being at different heights, form a network of wires eight to 

 ten feet deep, which it is impossible for wild birds to avoid on foggy 

 nights. Platelayers find dozens of birds killed from this cause on 

 their morning patrol of the railways. The time has now come, in 

 my opinion, when the Corn-Crake and its eggs should be absolutely 

 protected for, say, a term of five years at least, in the hope of saving 

 this useful bird from its threatened extermination. Only on Saturday 

 last (Feb. 17th) a postman not far from here put up a Partridge, 

 which, swerving from its direct flight, came in contact with telegraph- 

 wires, and fell dead. 



I cannot speak as to the present status of the Wryneck gene- 

 rally, but it is now an extremely rare bird in this county. The 

 last occurrence of the species that I have heard of in North 

 Staffordshire was one picked up at Ellastone on Sept. 26th, 1909, 

 injured through flying against wires. As this is a purely insecti- 

 vorous species, it should also, I think, be absolutely protected, 

 as well as its nest and eggs. In our new Staffordshire Wild Birds 

 Protection Order, which extends protection to all our rarer and 

 most useful birds, is included a close-season for the Woodcock after 

 Feb. 1st, and it makes it illegal to take Plover's eggs after April 7th 

 in any year. — John E. B. Masefield (Eosehill, Cheadle, Stafford- 

 shire). 



