Protection of Wild Life in Yorkshire. 93 
through our extensive forests, whilst the Roe was at one 
period extremely abundant. They have all long since ceased 
to exist in a wild state. Red and Fallow Deer are still to be 
found in a semi-domesticated state in many parks, some of 
the herds being particularly fine ones. It seems a great pity 
that a purely woodland species like the Roe could not be 
introduced once more into its old haunts, as apart from the 
sentimental consideration, they would provide a valuable 
food supply. Herds of the old Wild White Cattle were kept at 
Gisburn and Burton Constable, but in both cases continual 
inter-breeding caused them to die out. 
Species which have ceased to exist in the county within 
‘living memory ’ are the Wild Cat, the last known specimen of 
which was killed about 1840 in the Hanbleton Hills. and about 
the same time the Common Seal, which formerly bred in 
considerable numbers at the Tees mouth, ceased, chiefly owing 
to the rapid growth of Middlesbrough, to inhabit that locality. 
They are frequently seen on our coast at the present day, and 
at times enter the Humber and penetrate up the Ouse as far 
as Naburn Lock. The Marten which at the date of the pub- 
lication of Clarke and Roebuck’s Handbook, was stated to be 
extremely scarce, and restricted to one or two _ localities, 
probably ceased to exist about 70 years ago, although one was 
caught in a trap at Scugdale, Swainby, in 1900, one was caught 
near Hebden Bridge in May, 1912, and the remains of perhaps 
another were found in Littondale some time previously. 
These were probably escapes, or wanderers from the Lake Dis- 
trict, where they still exist in small numbers. A lady friend of 
mine obtained two young ones there this year. Clarke and 
Roebuck state also that the Polecat is irregularly distributed, 
extremely rare and fast becoming extinct. Asa matter of fact 
it was extinct then and probably disappeared about the same 
time as the Marten. I have had individuals reported to me at 
various times, but they have invariably proved to be Polecat- 
ferrets. These three last species are extremely destructive, 
and in the nature of things it is impossible for them to exist 
in a cultivated county like ours. 
The last to disappear is one which has only of recent years 
been recognised as a member of the county’s fauna. Its 
recognition has also unfortunatley proved its doom. I allude 
to the Lesser Horse-shoe Bat. A colony of these Bats was 
found established in a small cave called Ned Hole, near Eave- 
stone Lake, close to the high road leading from Ripley to 
Pately Bridge. A close examination of the cave during the 
Union’s visit to Grantley this year, did not reveal any speci- 
mens or even signs of any. Their disappearance is stated to 
have been brought about through the action of the boys at 
Grantley taking a number of specimens from the cave and 
.1916 Mar. 1. 
