Yorkshire Naturalists at Botoland. 301 



of July, when the later species will be making their appear- 

 ance.' 



A complete list of the plants noted on this excursion was 

 prepared, and has been forwarded to the Secretaries of the 

 Botanical Section for preservation. 



Mr. H. B. Booth, who had charge of the Vertebrate Section, 

 writes : — ' A total of seventy-two species was noted, viz., twelve 

 mammals, fifty-six birds, one reptile, one amphibian and two 

 fishes. The district was chiefly interesting on account of the 

 variable distribution of the ordinary common species, some 

 being abundant, others comparatively scarce, and other species 

 which might have been expected, could not be detected. For 

 instance, it seemed hardly like being in Yorkshire, to be where 

 the Rook, Jackdaw, Hedge-Sparrow, Yellow-Hammer, etc., 

 were rarities, or almost unknown. 



The following mammals were noted : — Mole, Common Shrew 

 Stoat, Fox, Rabbit (abundant), Hare, Water-Vole, Field Vole 

 (common*). Long-tailed Field Mouse, Common Rat, Squirrel 

 and Hedgehog — the last two apparently being uncommon. 



A feature of the district was the abundance of the common 

 rat far away from human habitations and out-buildings. We 

 found them almost everywhere — along the riverside, the moun- 

 tain-side (Whitendale) , and in the keepers' traps in the woods 

 and fields. 



Miss M. N. Peel had given a very good forecast of the 

 avi-fauna of the district in the programme for the excursion. 

 No great rarity was noted. As so little has been previously 

 reported from this district, and as the chief interest lies in the 

 somewhat unusual distribution, the species in the following 

 list are given in their comparative abundance or scarcity, f 



* The rejected ' pellets ' of owls were numerous in the woods. All those 

 examined contained the bones and fur of small mammals, and apparently 

 of the same species — one ' pellet ' also containing the elytra of a Dor 

 Beetle. All the nine skulls that I took home for examination were those 

 of the Common Field Vole (Microtus agrestis). This destructive little 

 animal must be very numerous in the district — we noticed its runs in several 

 places. It is well that owls are protected, as I do not know any place in 

 the West Riding where a plague of Voles would be more likely to occur. — 

 H.B.B. 



I It will be understood that the quantative terms applied to the different 

 species do not imply that they were present in equal numbers. For 

 instance the Lapwing and Grey Wagtail both come under the term ' Com- 

 mon.' That is as we should consider each of them ' common ' in the 

 West Riding. 



1909 Aug. I. 



