32 Field Notes. 



Secretaries (Dr. T. W. Woodhead, M.Sc, and Mr. W. E. L. Wattam) was 

 received with regret, and they were instructed to place on record the 

 hearty appreciation of the members of the Union for their services during 

 the past nine years. No nominations having been received for the vacant 

 Secretariate a small sub-committee was appointed to deal with the matter. 

 The remainder of the officials were re-elected. 



There was an excellent attendance at the evening meeting. After the 

 election of nineteen new members, Prof. J. E. Marr, Sc.D., F.R.S., Camb., 

 delivered his Presidential Address, ' Rigid North West Yorkshire,' from the 

 Chair. This Address will appear in T/?e Naturalist. The motion of thanks 

 to Prof. Marr for his address, and for his services during the year, was 

 moved by Prof. Kendall, seconded by Dr. A. Gilligan, B.Sc, and heartily 

 carried. Thanks were also accorded to the inviting Societies for making 

 the local arrangements. 



At the close of this meeting the members proceeded to the Cartwright 

 Hall, and were there received by the Lord Mayor, Lieut. -Col. A. Gadie, 

 and the Mayoress. Afterwards a pleasant and instructive time was 

 spent in admiring the works of art, and varied natural historv exhibits. — 

 W.E.L.W. 



-: o 



Migration of Tree Creepers at Scarborough. — On 



November 23rd, a considerable migration of Tree Creepers 

 appeared in the early morning at Scarborough, the Ramsdale 

 Valley in the centre of the town, and surrounding gardens, 

 being full of them. Six were counted running up the trunk 

 of the same tree. All had passed on by afternoon of the 

 same day. — W. J. Clarke, F.Z.S., Scarborough. 



Unusual Birds at Selby. — The Yorkshire Evening News of 

 November 3rd reported the shooting of a Greenshank at Selby. 

 Inquiries through Mr. Musham revealed the fact that this 

 bird was a Knot, a fairly common winter visitor. Mr. Musham 

 also reports that a Red-throated Diver flew into a yard in 

 Armoury Road, Selby, during the evening of November 9th, 

 and killed itself. Mr. B. Hanley shot a solitary Snipe at 

 Bubwith on November ist. — R. Fortune. 



Effect of Oil on Marine Life. — Owing to the great increase 

 in the number of motor-propelled vessels, both large and 

 small, considerable quantities of oil find their way into the 

 sea, and in the near future are likely to have a very destructive 

 effect upon the flora and fauna of the littoral zone. The 

 heavy lubricating oil sinks and becomes incorporated with 

 the sand and shingle of the shore, while the lighter petrol 

 floats on the surface. A number of sea birds — Black-headed 

 Gulls, one Herring Gull, Razorbills and Guillemots — have been 

 picked up along the coast, dead or dying, their plumage being 

 .so saturated with oil that they are unable to fly or dive. 

 Sedentary forms of rock pool organisms are dying, and the 

 inshore fisheries are suffering in consequence, codling, coalfish 

 and others haunting the inshore rocks being very scarce this 

 year.— W. J. Clarke, F.Z.S., Scarborough. 



Natucalict 



