In Memoriam : J. W. Carter. 103 



but on a foggy morning, or when the ground haze is not 

 sufficient to make them invisible from below, they fly round 

 the district close to the Humber, i.e., at the very commence- 

 ment of the morning journey, sometimes for as much as three 

 hours, apparently quite unable to decide what direction to 

 take. This happened several times last December, after the 

 same route had been followed every day for three months. 

 Mr. F. Boyes can remember one occasion when, on their 

 return journey, they even descended in the streets of Beverley 

 on a foggy night, apparently quite lost, tired of flying round 

 in the fog, and attracted by the lights. 



Arguing from lesser things to greater, how do these birds, 

 distinguished by their strong powers of flight, as well as in- 

 telligence, find their way from Spitzbergen to our shores 

 except by sight, if a fog or even a ground haze is sufficient to 

 put them off a flight of only 10 miles over familiar ground? 



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Waxwings in Yorkshire. — Reports from three corres- 

 pondents in widely distant areas — one from each of our three 

 Ridings — have reached me recently of the occurrence of Wax- 

 wings in their neighbourhoods. It appears as though we were 

 going to have a ' Wax wing year,' and members of the York- 

 shire Naturalists' Union and the readers of The Naturalist 

 should keep a sharp look-out for these beautiful Arctic visitors, 

 and record observations. These birds feed particularly on 

 winter berries. — H. B. Booih, Ben Rhydding, February 22nd, 

 1921. 



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3n riDenioiiain. 



J. W. CARTER. 



By the lamented death of John William Carter, at the age 

 of 68, which took place at Bradford on December 15th last, 

 the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union lost one of its oldest mem- 

 bers, and the Bradford Natural History Society the last of 

 its founders. He was present at the Annual Meeting of the 

 Union at Bradford on December 4th. He was then apparently 

 as genial as ever, though it was obvious that he was suffering, 

 and it was known to a few that an operation was imminent. 

 On the following Tuesday he underwent an operation, the 

 shock of which eventually proved fatal. 



Mr. Carter was born at Bradley, near Huddersfield, and at 

 an early age showed a strong inclination for the study of 

 Natural History, and he became associated with a circle of 

 competent field naturalists for which, even in those days, 

 Huddersfield was reputed. 



About 1874 the Carters removed to Bradford, and in 1875 



1921 Mar. 1 



