62 THE ORNITHOLOGY OF DERBYSHIRE. 



been colonized. As far as I can ascertain, regular breeding 

 coimmenced in Derbyshire about 1886 or 1888, and though 

 the birds have been too closely shot down to allow of any 

 great increase in their numbers, there is a tendency to start 

 fresh colonies. A few years' protection of this most useful 

 and ornamental bird would result in its establishing itself all 

 over the county. 



A regretable feature in reviewing the bird life of Derbyshire 

 is the gradual diminution or disappearance of our old- 

 established heronries, and the great increase in the number 

 of Rooks. The latter, when allowed to increase unchecked, 

 are particularly destructive to the eggs of game birds, and 

 the attention of the gamekeeper might well be diverted from 

 the destruction of such birds as the Owls and Kestrel to keeping 

 down the number of Rooks within reasonable limits. On. the 

 other hand, the Heron, although a fish-eater, is equally fond 

 of rats, frogs, etc., and at the .same time is such an ornament 

 to any scenery that it seems a pity that the few we have left 

 cannot be left undisturbed. 



In conclusion, I would express a hope that members of the 

 Society would contribute to a more exact knowledge of our 

 local birds by furnishing exact particulars of any rare bird 

 at the time of its observation or capture. For several years 

 past I have been accumulating material for a vertebrate Fauna 

 of the County, but there still remains much work to be done. 

 In cases where a bird has been killed it is desirable to ascer- 

 tain the sex, if possible, by dis.section, and to make accurate 

 notes on the spot of the place, time, and circumstances under 

 which it was ob.tained. I need hardly say that any such 

 assistance will be acknowledged by me. With regard to the 

 mammals, a fine field is open for research. The Bats of 

 the county have never been thoroughly investigated ; the 

 Polecat is disappearing ; and the smaller rodents are but little 

 known. Our Society has done little in past years to deserve 

 the title of a " Natural History " Society ; but, perhaps, now 

 that attention has been called to the fact, Derbyshire will 

 not prove to be behind the sister counties in possessing keen 

 and reliable observers. 



