THE MIGRATION OF WOODCOCK. 



161 



The experiment was commenced in the year 1910, and has 

 been continued every year since then. The number of marked 

 birds that ha ve been recovered varies considerably in different 

 years, this being mainly due to there being practically no shooting 

 during certain seasons. 



For the first three years the birds were marked by having a 

 single ring placed on one leg ; this ring was made of aluminium 

 and stamped with the lettering "A.C. 10" in the year 1910, 

 while in 1911 and 1912 the lettering was "W.A. Sligo, 1911," 

 and " W.A. Sligo, 12 " respectively. 



After the year 1912 two rings were used, one ring being placed 

 on each lei; - . The reason for this was that it was ascertained 

 that the postal authorities would not deliver letters which were 

 addressed witli initials only, a fact that may account for the 

 scarcity of information from outside sources received in the 

 earlier years of the experiment. 



The lettering on these rings was " W. Ashley" on the one ring, 

 and on the other '• Sligo 13 "-14 "-15 "-16," according as the year 

 was 1913, 1914, 1915, or 1916. 



The following table o-ives the number of birds marked and the 

 lettering on the rings for each year : — 



Table I. 



Date. 



No. of birds 

 marked. 



Lettering on rings. 



1910. 



33 



One ring, " A.C. 10." 



1911. 



48 



One ring, " W.A. Sligo,. 1911." 



1912. 



50 



One ring, " W.A. Sligo, 12." 



1913. 



50 



Two rings, " W. Ashley" & "Sligo 13." 



1914. 



50 



Two rings, " W. Ashley" & " Sligo 14." 



1915. 



50 



Two rings, " W. Ashley " & " Sligo 15." 



1916. 



50 



Two rings, " W. Ashley " & " Sligo 16." 



This gives a total of 331 birtls marked in seven years. All 

 these birds with the exception of seven were hatched in the large 

 pine-wood described above. The seven exceptions, consisting of 

 two in 1910, two in 1911, and three in 1912, were young birds 

 taken from nests in some of the outlying coverts. 



The total number of marked birds that have been recovered 

 is 55, that is 16*6 per cent. 



The following table gives (i.) the number of birds recovered 

 year by year ; (ii.) the locality in wriich they were found ; 

 (iii.) the date the bird was marked ; (iv.) the date the bird was 

 recovered ; (v.) the method of recovery. ■ 



In respect to the various names of places on the estate, 

 Classiebawn includes the large pine wood and its immediate 



