144 



YORKSHIRE ZOOLOGY. 



The Half-yearly Meeting t-f the Vertebrate Seetioa of the Yorkshire 

 Naturalists' Union was held in the Library of the Leeds Philosophical 

 Society on February 19th, and was preceeded by Meetings of the Wild 

 Bird and Egg Protection Committee, at which Mr. W. H. St. Ouintin, 

 J. P., presided; and the Yorkshire Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles 

 and Fishes Committee, at which Mr. C. F. Proctor presided. 



On taking the chair at the Sectional Meeting, Mr. Smith paid an 

 eloquent tribute to the work of the late President of the Union, Dr. H. 

 Corbett, and moved that a letter expressing the sympathy of those present 

 be forwarded to the breaved family. 



Remains of Birds and Eggs from the Peat Deposits of Holdemess were 

 exhibited by Mr. Mason. These led to an interesting discussion, and Mr. 

 Wade thought they might be remains of the Crane. A hope was expressed 

 that they would be sent to the Natural History Museum at South Ken- 

 sington for identification. 



Mr. Booth read a paper on ' The Present Status of the Black Headed 

 Gull as a Breeding Species in Yorkshire.' The lecturer had collected 

 together much valuable information, and called upon members to assist 

 him to make his lists complete. Surprise was expressed at the number 

 of Gulleries in the West Riding. 



Prof. Garstang gave an illustrated paper on ' Fish Scales and their 

 Transformation.' The lecturer showed photographs of fossil fishes of 

 the Devonian period. In these fishes rhomboidal scales covered the body 

 and also the fins and tails. In the earliest existing fishes, such as 

 Polypterus, it was clearly shown how the scales have been modified to 

 form the fin rays. The scales are in their structure very similar to teeth. 

 In modern fishes, though the leading fin ray is of bony structure, the 

 other rays shew a complex composite structure which the theory that 

 they were composed of modified scales made clear. The plates of the 

 head had, the lecturer said, also been evolved from scales. The structure 

 of the fin rays does not seem to be quite analogous in the case of the 

 cartiligenous fishes. The Salmon was rather an ancient fish, as is proved 

 by the cartilege in its head and by its air-bladder opening into the mouth. 



Mr. Parkin gave an illustrated paper on ' The Twite,' and dealt with 

 its habits as observed in the West Riding. He drew attention to the 

 confusion that existed with regard to its Latin name. In captivity it 

 is one of the tamest of birds and is exculsively vegetarian in its food. 

 The cock bird has a habit of singing in the immediate vicinity of the nest, 

 thus giving away the site ; one or two hackle feathers are nearly always 

 built into the nest. In winter it visits the lowlands when its larger 

 tail and larger size distinguish it from the Linnet. It is very erratic in 

 its breeding distribution, but has nested for many years in the locality 

 described. 



Mr. Fowler gave an illustrated paper entitled ' Bird Notes," and 

 showed photographs of various birds. The most noteworthy were some 

 excellent photographs of a Long Eared Owl at the nest. This nest was 

 on the ground, and the imusual site made the photograph doubly interest- 

 ing. He also showed photographs of the Dunlin, Redshank, Jay, etc. 



Mr. Chislett gave a beautifully illustrated paper on ' The Cormorant,' 

 and showed photographs of nests at Great Orme's Head and also in an 

 island in a Scottish Loch. On this island over 400 eggs were counted. 

 Some remarkable photographs were shewn of birds displaying on and 

 near their nests. This led to an interesting discussion as to which 

 sex displayed. The lecturer had absolute evidence that the female 

 displayed, and as Mr. Fortune had been satisfied from what he had seen 

 that the males displayed, it seemed evident that both sexes do so. Mr. 

 Fortune also drew attention to the systematic way in which the CiuUs 

 raid the Cormorant's eggs, and Mr. Booth contended that this only 

 hiiijpencd when the eggs were quite fresh. — Wilkred Taylor. 



Naturalist 



