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ON THE INCEEASE OF THE STARLING AND 

 THE HAWFINCH. 



By H. E. Howard, F.Z.S. 



That an increased population must very considerably affect 

 the life-history of many of the birds of this country is a fact 

 which, I think, is apparent to all who take an interest in the 

 avifauna of Great Britain. To determine what changes are in 

 progress at the present moment is, however, no easy matter ; 

 but still, I think, there are some which can be readily fathomed. 



As amongst all animals, so amongst birds, the survival of the 

 fittest plays the most important part in the formation of their 

 history ; that is to say, certain species will increase, others will 

 decrease ; partly because their habits are not adapted to the 

 changes brought about by civilization, partly as a direct result of 

 the growth of some stronger and opposing species. There is 

 too great a tendency at the present time to seize upon the fact of 

 the decrease of a certain species, and to exaggerate it into a 

 proof that the birds of this country are in a bad way ; and, as a 

 rule, the cause is directly attributed to human agency. This 

 tendency — due to what I might term a too superficial observation, 

 combined with the fact that it is far more difficult to determine 

 an increase than a decrease in a certain species — is, to my mind, 

 a great pity, as it is calculated to diminish that scientific observa- 

 tion which, carried on at all seasons of the year, can alone give 

 an insight into those problems of ornithology which the naturalist 

 is constantly called upon to investigate. 



The real changes that are in progress are therefore apt to be 

 overlooked, and their effect on the history of certain birds of this 

 country does not appear to be fully appreciated. 



In this article I propose to deal with two species that are in- 

 creasing, with results that, from my own observations, appear 

 likely to accrue. The first of these is the Starling, a bird which 

 probably possesses an energetic force to a greater degree than any 



