130 Protection of Wild Life in Yorkshire. 
former President of the Union, the haymakers at Blubber- 
houses rebelled at being so often served with Black Game pie. 
They have little chance of doing so at the present day. It is 
pleasing to know that a brood were hatched off this year not 
far from the old haunt mentioned.* 
The Stone Curlew, inhabiting the same district as did the 
Great Bustard, still holds on in greatly diminished numbers. 
Probably not more than half-a-dozen pairs now nest in the 
county. Our Birds’ Protection Committee is doing its best to 
preserve them, but I am afraid that owing to the enclosure 
of their ancient breeding haunts, there is very little chance of 
their numbers increasing. The Rock Dove, formerly so plentiful 
in the Yorkshire cliffs, is now much depleted in numbers, indeed, 
I very much doubt if there is a really genuine pure pair to be 
found. Dove cote pigeons frequent these cliffs in numbers, 
and have so interbred with the genuine wild species, that it 
is more than likely that all the existing examples are more or 
less tainted with the cross. Rock Doves are at times reported 
nesting inland, but they invariably prove to be Stock Doves. 
A bird which has unaccountably lessened in numbers very 
considerably in the Harrogate district is the Tree Sparrow, 
the gentleman of the Sparrow tribe. Many of its ancient 
haunts are now deserted, and J have only been able to discover 
one new and small colony. [ do not know if this decrease is 
general. There is, I may say, a flourishing colony of these 
birds in the Bempton Cliffs. Another finch, the Twite, always 
a very local bird in Yorkshire, has in most of its old breeding 
haunts, diminished in numbers ; probably the cause of their 
decrease is the depredations of the bird catchers amongst 
the flocks when they frequent the lowlands during the winter 
months. 
We have several species that were decreasing or had de- 
creased almost to vanishing point, but which have, apparently, 
taken a new lease of life, and are now steadily regaining their 
lost ground. The most notable are Goldfinches which through 
the actions of bird catchers mainly, helped perhaps to a small 
extent by many waste areas being brought under cultivation, 
had practically ceased to breed in the county. They are now 
found nesting in various parts in annually increasing numbers. 
The fact that they are now protected all the year round to a 
great extent accounts for this pleasing fact. Kingfishers for 
the same reason are regaining their lost ground. There is 
still, despite the Protection Acts, a lot of illegal destruction 
going on almost daily, their bright plumage being a great 
temptation to vandals who desire to have their dead bodies 

*It was reported to me during the meeting that a Grey-hen had been 
obtained recently near Keighley. 
Naturalist, 
