214 
Letters , Announcements, fyc. 
1885 £30 in aid of the expenses incidental to the enquiry. 
Six reports have already been issued by the Committee, and 
a seventh is now in course of preparation. 
About 200 stations on the coasts of Great Britain and 
Ireland, and the outlying islands, as well as several foreign 
stations, are annually supplied with letters of instruction 
and printed schedules for registering the occurrence of 
birds. 
The work of distributing these circulars, the constant 
correspondence with the observers, the tabulation and re¬ 
cording of each separate entry and subsequent writing of 
the report entail a great amount of labour, and from the 
increasing interest taken in the enquiry, as indicated by the 
number of well-filled schedules sent in, there is every 
prospect of the work being much heavier in the future. 
It is highly desirable that the observers should be supplied 
with some means of forwarding the wings and feet of any 
birds killed against the lanterns of the lighthouses and light¬ 
ships, as well as small specimens entire. Unless this is 
systematically done, no really accurate results of the species 
on migration can be arrived at. 
Unfortunately, the funds at the disposal of the Committee 
are totally inadequate to meet the annually increasing and 
heavy demands made upon it, and in the last year the ex¬ 
penditure amounted to £74 13s. 1C )d., the receipts (including 
the Grant made by the British Association) to £36 10s. 0 d., 
leaving a balance of £38 3s. 10 d. to be made good by the 
members of the Committee. 
On these grounds, therefore. Donations or Annual Sub¬ 
scriptions are earnestly invited from those taking an interest 
in the subject. Should you be inclined to contribute to the 
funds of the Committee, I shall be glad if you will fill up and 
return to me the enclosed form, or otherwise intimate your 
intention to me at your earliest convenience. 
I am, dear Sir, 
Faithfully yours, 
John Cordeaux, 
Secretary to the Committee. 
