141 
YORKSHIRE ZOOLOGISTS. 
A MEETING of the Vertebrate Zoology Section of the Yorkshire 
Naturalists’ Union was held in the Leeds Institute on February 
roth, 1916; Mr. W. H. Parkin in the chair. 
The chairman reported a Hoopoe having been obtained near 
Thirsk on October 15th, 1915; also a White Fieldfare. The 
last Hoopoe reported in Yorkshire was by Mr. W. H. St. 
Quintin, who gave details. 
Mr. J. Wilkinson announced the arrangements with the 
Watchers proposed by the Wild Birds’ and Eggs’ Protection 
Acts’ Committee for this year. 
Mr. H. B. Booth exhibited a fully developed Trout Ova 
taken from an 8-inch fish in the Wharfe on July 4th, roro, 
lent by the Ilkley Angling Club. As Trout are winter-spawning 
the question as to whether the above was a premature or a 
retarded case, led to a considerable discussion. Mr. Booth 
also remarked on the greater percentage of Ptarmigan now to 
be found in game shops. Formerly very few Ptarmigan were 
to be found among the hosts of Willow Grouse offered for sale, 
but since the war began fewer Willow Grouse and more Ptar- 
migan appeared to be the case, so far as local game shops are 
concerned. 
Mr. St. Quintin suggested some explanation might be found 
in the continued slaughter of all the Raptores in Norway, and 
the possible increased shooting of the Ptarmigan as a sporting 
bird, in contra-distinction to the Willow Grouse which are 
usually snared. Mr. S. H. Smith remarked on the increased 
cost of food in Germany and its probable effect on the scarcity 
of Hazel Grouse. Mr. St. Quintin reported Redwings in 
greater numbers in East Yorkshire this winter, which does not 
agree with the observations made in the West Riding. 
Mr. W. H. St. Quintin enquired if a plague of Short-tailed 
Field Voles had been noticed in other parts of the county ; in 
the neighbourhood of Malton, he had had an extensive plan- 
tation of Scots Fir and Corsican Pines half ruined by their 
depredations. Peculiarly enough they had entirely disappeared 
apparently simultaneously, in a few weeks’ time, evidently 
by death, as no increase had been noticeable in the immediate 
surroundings, whether this was by disease he could not say, 
and no extraordinary increase of the native Owls had been 
noted. 
Mr. E. W. Wade stated the Barn Owl had been very numer- 
ous in Holderness ; quite a large number, shot by the farmers 
with their usual sagacity, had come into the hands of the local 
bird-stuffers. 
The chairman exhibited material taken from Kingfishers’ 
nesting-holes in Airedale and Wharfedale, with data from 
1916 April 1. 

