(1) The number of is singular, and A number of is plural (2) The numbers of (WRONG), s/d be the number of +可数复数名词 The amount / quantity + 不可数名词 (3) However, numbers is possible in a few contexts, numbers … more (wrong) / numbers … greater (right) E.g. the rare M beaked griffin is not extinct; its NUMBERS are now suspected to be much GREATER than before.