Yorkshire Naturalists at York. 377 



jays through a dense plantation at the time the harrier (?) was noticed. 

 The lapwing or green plover appeared to be very numerous, and plenty 

 were observed here as well as at Tillmire and Askham Bog. 



Mammalia. — Rabbits are the great feature on Tillmire ; the ground 

 for hundreds of square yards is honeycombed by their burrows, and as 

 evening draws on the 'bunnies' pop out of the ground in every direction 

 until the whole area is covered with the gambolling animals ; a few 

 black ones are conspicuous amongst the crowd of brown fur and white 

 cotton tails. This great colony has occupied the spot for many years, 

 and appears to hold undisputed sway. At Skipwith, Mr. Booth nearly 

 trod upon a fine dog fox which loped coolly away, followed by a hearty 

 'tally ho' from those of the party privileged by the view. A very small 

 shrew in a rather decomposed condition was found, and may have been 

 the lesser shrew. Traces of squirrels were found in all the pine woods, 

 and rabbits were abundant, and a few hares were seen. 



Reptilia and Amphibia. — A dead viper, killed on Skipwith Common, 

 was seen hung in a cleft stick near the village inn, and a few common 

 frogs were noticed on the Common. Some very young specimens of the 

 great newt were discovered underneath grass roots at the edge of a pond 

 on the Tillmire. 



MoLLUSCA (Greevz Fysher). — None of these was observed on the 

 excursion to Heslington and Tillmire, but at Askham Bog the following 

 were obtained : — 



Limncea stagnalis, a number of large specimens. It is worthy of note 

 that an unusual occurrence previously said to have been observed was 

 confirmed on this occasion, as 3 of these Hermaphrodite Snails were 

 mutually connected. 



Planorbis corneus was found in good numbers and fine large examples. 

 addition the following were noted — P. contortus, Segmentina nitidia (one 

 living), P. spii'orbis, S. pittris, var. cristata, P. umbilicatus. 



On the Tadcaster Road several beautiful Helix nemoralis of various 

 banded forms were observed- — H. hortciisis, vars. lilacina and incamata, 

 H. cantiana (plentiful), H. rufescens (plentiful). 



Mr. Sowden showed a most populous colony of H. arbustoriim, 

 hundreds of specimens being observed in a space of 4 or 5 square yards, 

 together with H. hortensis, H . aspersa and H. rufescens. 



On Monday, at Skipwith, the Conchologists turned to the river 

 Derwent at a distance of 2 or 3 miles near Thorganby. Fi-om the river 

 itself B. tentaculata, N. fliiviatilus (dead), P. amnicum, S. corneum and 

 L. peregra were taken ; and from a Pond near the river P. corneus, P. 

 umbilicatus, P. spirorbis, P. contortus, var. cristata, SphcBvium corneum, 

 Pisidium sp. (numerous), L. peregra, Physa hypnorum, P. fontinalis, 

 S. lacustre. On a dry swamp near the road P. obtusale was obtained, 

 and on the road side H. nemoralis, vars. undulata, rubella, libellula, also 

 H . cantiana. 



Lepidoptera (A. Smith). — Many of the ponds were dried up, and 

 members interested in this group had the opportunity of observing 

 closely the stems of Typha for the borings of the Bulrush Wainscot, 

 Nonagria typlics, many pupae were found which started to emerge the 

 following day. 



A specimen of Hepialus humuli was picked up at rest ; the moth 

 was a male and quite fresh looking, the species was plentiful early in 

 June; this is quite a late record. 



Several Cidaria pyraliata were disturbed from the undergrowth, this 

 being a common species at the Bogs. Ortholitha limitata was common 

 on all the grassy patches. 



A specimen of Geonietra papilionaria was found at rest. 



One larva of Mamestra pisi was picked up almost full fed, this being 



1921 Nov. 1 



