Strange behaviors with link: command for one site!

It shows x results on the first page, but then it goes down..

[Chico_Loco]

I have one site which shows 517 backlinks for a link:www.site.com query on the first page of results. As I proceed to page 2 (results 11-20) the number of reported links goes down to 515. It continues this behaviour for each progressive page. By page 30, the reported backlinks are down to 457.

I've never seen this behavious before. Normally the reported backlinks remain the same till the very last page.

Does anybody know what is causing this odd behavious, and is it something to be concerned about? I can provide the url in question via. Sticky Mail to anyone that wants to check it out!

[ThomasB]

I wouldn't call it strange. From my experience the number on the first page is just a guess of the number of results.

[Chico_Loco]

I disagree.

Normally the number remains exactly the same no matter which results page your on. This is the only site I can ffind for which it has this behavious for a link: command.

I've tried god know how many sites in my time, but I've never seen the "of about x" changing as you progress up the pages for a link: query.

[elmarpanzenberger]

I even noticed that.
Even doing a "site:xyz" search on one of my sites the pages change on quite every refresh.
Seems to have something to do with the DC's not being allined by now.

[Chico_Loco]

I'm not talking about site: searches. Site searches have always produced relatively fluid results. The link: is usually a lot more solid and normally only changes from update-to-update, but my question is not even in regards to the order of the results returned!

My question is in reference to why the number of reported links changes depending on the page I'm on. Normally these numbers are only updated each month. So can I take it that google has 517 links to me (of which all meet the PR4 minimum of course), or does it only have 457 as reported on page 30 of the serps when using the link: query for my site?

[skippy]

it is not just the link: command. I have seen this on regular searches.

[Chico_Loco]

OMG .. That's it - I'm going to tear my hair out.....

I KNOW it happens with other searches. My point is that it isn't the norm with link: searches.

People with over 200 posts only please reply! LOL

[edit]just noticed now that I've misspelled "behaviour" in each instance about. More sleep required![/edit]

[skippy]

A thousand pardons

[abates]

Maybe they are deleting your back links as you look! ;)