250 CURIOUS INCIDENT RELATING TO A BLACKBIRD'S NEST. 



Falco tinnunculus. Steangall. A ubiquitous resident, breeding 



chiefly in the scars and crags. 

 Ardea cinerea. Hemshew. No longer breeds in the dale. 

 Anas boschas. Breeds occasionally in rushy spots near the dale 



heads. 

 Querquedula crecca. Breeds more commonly than the last, in 



similar places. 

 Columba palumbus. Cushat. Valley resident, common in 



summer. 

 Columba cenas. Not known as yet. 

 Columba livia (? or feral Domestic Pigeon). Breeds here and 



there in the crags. 

 Tetrao tetrix. Only where introduced. 

 Lagopus scoticus. Moor Game. Fell resident. 

 Crex pratensis. Deaker Hen. Summer visitant, common in the 



valley. 

 Charadrius pluvialis. Chiefly a summer resident ; breeds on 



the moors. 

 Charadrius morinellus. Formerly bred ; now only occasionally 



seen (and shot) during migration. 

 Vanellus cristatus. Tewfit. Nearly ubiquitous, but chiefly 



resident in summer. 

 Scolopax rusticola. Occasionally seen on the moors, and may, 



possibly, occasionally breed in the woods. 

 Scolopax gallinago. A few pairs breed in the bogs. 

 Scolopax gallinula. Winter visitant. 

 Tringa alpina. Many pairs breed on the fell tops, but none 



remain through the winter. 

 Totanus hypoleucos. A common summer resident. 

 Numenius arquata. Breeds on the fell tops, commonly, but 



does not remain through the winter. 



NOTE— BIRDS. 



Curious Incident relating to a Blackbird's Nest.— A lot of laurels were 

 brought from some distance to be planted in a gentleman's garden at Harrogate. 

 They were laid down for some time, of course with the roots covered over. 

 During this time a Blackbird {Titrdus meruld) built its nest among them. This 

 was discovered when the laurels were wanted for planting out. The nest, however, 

 was taken care of, and placed securely in the laurel it was originally built in, and, 

 surprising to relate, the bird took possession of the nest in its new position, and 

 continued the incubating of the eggs with what would no doubt have terminated 

 in a happy result but for a stupid workman who one day threw a clod at the bird 

 as she was sat on the nest; which so frightened her that she deserted the eggs. — 



R. Fortune, Harrogate, June i6th, 1890. 



Naturalist, 



