Yorkshire Naturalists at Malton. 235 
gorge. The angle of the sloping beds is a steep one and suggests 
that they were not laid down by a stream entering the lake 
here, especially as no high land is near at hand. 
I am indebted to Mr. C. C. Laverack for the photograph 
of this section which is here reproduced. 
VERTEBRATE SECTION.—Mr. H. B. Booth writes :— 
The chief feature of the excursion for this section was the 
inspection of Mr. W. H. St. Quintin’s renowned aviaries, which 
being chiefly used for avicultural experiments and knowledge, 
are usually kept as quiet as possible at this time of the year. 
Those members who attended had the opportunity of seeing 
the large area containing paddocks of choice Cranes, Ducks, 
Geese, Tregopans, Black and White Storks, Pheasants, etc. 
There were also the Great Bustards, which until well within 
one hundred years ago, inhabited the Yorkshire Wolds in a 
feral state; Secretary Birds from Africa—aberrant-birds 
of prey—who in their anatomy appear to be following on the 
line of the Cranes and Flamingoes; and the celebrated (in 
captivity) pair of nesting Ravens. The sight that appealed 
most was one of a pair of Bitterns, which, owing to the scarcity 
of reed cover, could be plainly seen with its body, neck and 
beak at the perpendicular, and in such a position that it was 
at once a picture and a pattern of protective environment. 
In this same covering, of dead reeds, was another Bittern, 
but no member of the party could discover it—a further proof 
of the complete resemblance of this bird to its environment. 
An item of great interest was the small flock of Soay (the name 
of a ‘stack’ off the island of St. Kilda,) sheep. This flock, 
through having been bred in captivity, has somewhat increased 
in size, and now rather resemble Shetland sheep. They should 
be objects of national interest, as I believe they represent the 
most primitive form of British sheep extant, and to-day they 
also represent the nearest source from whence the many 
celebrated breeds of British sheep have been evolved. I am 
speaking chiefly from a ‘ wool’ point of view. It is all-im- 
portant that this breed should be kept intact and pure. I am 
informed that Black-faced’ Scotch rams have been put upon 
the stack of Soay, to improve the breed. Certainly these rams 
will increase the size of the sheep, and also the quantity—but 
not the quality—of the wool. Some of our West-Riding 
towns should try to preserve these Soay sheep. In the first 
place, they would be of educational value to show the nearest 
origin of our celebrated woolled sheep, and secondly, they may 
yet at some future time, be of great value to ‘cross-in’ to 
improve the stamina of our ‘ in-bred’ flocks. 
In wild birds, the greatest rarity seen was a female Pintail 
Duck that had settled on the upper lake at Scampston, on 
April 2zoth. Unfortunately, Mr. St. Quintin had not any 
1916 July 1. 

