56 Booth : Lovg-tailed Titmouse in the West Riding. 



presumed to have bred,, but no signs of a nest could be dis- 

 covered. So far as I am able to ascertain, these two reports 

 are the only occurrences in the breeding season during at least 

 the last fifteen years, notwithstanding the fact that a few years 

 before the bird had nested annually in these districts. Neither 

 has it favoured us much more with its presence during the 

 autumn and winter. From the time of its ceasing to breed 

 with us, its visits in the colder seasons have gradually become 

 less frequent ; until, at present, the Long-tailed Titmouse has 

 almost ceased to visit us, and can be looked upon as a very 

 uncommon bird in upper Airedale and in upper Wharfedale at 

 any time of the year. It is difficult to assign any reason for 

 this local change of habits and haunts, because in the neighbour- 

 ing districts these birds are constant and not really uncommon. 

 In the south of the Riding (south of Wakefield), they bref.d 

 annually. In the north of the Riding they occur, and in April 

 1906, I was extremely surprised to see them so common near 

 Sedbergh, where we found three of their nests in less than two 

 hundred yards of one hedgerow. Mr. Fortune tells me that 

 they still nest yearly in the Harrogate district, but he thinks 

 in slightly decreasing numbers. I am informed that they are 

 not uncommon to the east of Leeds. 



The reasons for such important, though local changes in 

 the habits and distribution of a species during recent years, 

 is worthy of investigation. My object in recording these facts 

 is that this species may be kept under more careful observation 

 all over the West Riding, or better still, all over the county ; 

 the notes compared, and the results analysed. It is only 

 by such general and systematic observations that the true 

 local status of any species can be obtained. I am confident that 

 if Yorkshire ornithologists will make special notes of their 

 observations of the different species, and compare them ; 

 that the distribution of the vertebrate fauna of our county will 

 be worked out much more thoroughly than that of any other 

 county. 



P.S. — Since the above paper was read, Mr. Thomas Roose, 

 of Bolton Abbey, informs me that the last nest to be found 

 ' was in May 1895, in a hazel bush, nine feet from the ground, 

 and not far from the old wooden bridge .in Bolton Woods.' 

 Thus a single nest has occurred a little more recently than is 

 stated in the above notes. Mr. Roose also puts the following 

 significant question, which can scarcely be taken as the sole 



Naturalist, 



