Yorkshiye Naturalists' Union : Annual Report, 1917. 2i7 



Robins, and other insectivorous birds, and all kinds of eggs 

 have been taken, including those of Whitethroats and Hedge 

 Accentor, with the idea of diminishing the numbers of the 

 House Sparrow. 



Mr. St. Quintin writes that there is little doubt that nidre 

 than one pair of Quails nested in the East Riding last summt-r. 

 His bird-keeper, A. Mood3^ who joined the County Police for 

 the summer and autumn, during his night patrols, heard the 

 bird, which he knows well, on several occasions. A note 

 written on July i8th, stated that ' about a week ago,' he heard 

 Quails in three different places between 12 p.m. and i a.m., 

 and he knew of another place when he had news of a bird 

 calling more than once. A male bird would hardly have 

 remained here so late as the beginning of July if he had not a 

 mate incubating, or with young following her. 



North Riding. — Mr. W. J. Clarke writes : — In the early 

 months of 1917 the thrush family suffered severely. Redwings, 

 Fieldfares and Song-thrushes dying in great quantities. Many 

 gulls were also starved to death, while the frozen victims 

 included such hardy species as the Mallard and the Kestrel. 



The result has been a distinct scarcity, during the remainder 

 of the year, of small resident birds. 



Despite the severe weather, a Robin's nest contained hve 

 eggs on January 24th ; two of the eggs, which were taken out 

 and blown, proved to be perfectly fresh, but the remainder 

 did not hatch. 



Migratory birds arrived in. much their usual numbers, 

 Landrails and Whitethroats being more numerous than for 

 several years past. 



The Hawfinch also has been more in evidence this year 

 than is generally the case. 



A pair of Stone Curlews nested in a field of growing corn, 

 miles away from their usual Yorkshire haunts. 



A considerable migration of House Martins took place on 

 September ist, when many hundreds of these birds made their 

 appearance in the evening. All were gone next morning. 



York District. — Mr. W. Hewett writes : — Two Cormorants 

 were captured in Buttercrambe Wood, near Stamford Bridge, 

 York, on January 9th, 1917, and were kept alive for a few days. 

 The weather was very cold at the time, with snow. The 

 severe frosts in the spring caused great mortality among 

 Song-thrushes and they were scarce all the summer. The 

 spring migrants were unusually late. 



Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles and Fishes. — Mr. J. F. 

 Musham writes : — At Selby, on March 2bth last, I caught a 

 long-tailed field-mouse in the front sitting-room of my residence. 

 Before capture, she had devoured a pound of dates off the table, 

 and hidden the stones in a heap under the sofa. 



Jl9'8Jan. 1. 



