342 The Natural Hisioiy of Spurn. 



At the sectional meeting the rocks collected were carefully 

 compared with the specimens from Denmark, and while a large 

 number of them bore a close general resemblance to Scandi- 

 navian types, there seemed little room for doubt that three of 

 the Kilnsea specimens were absolutely identical with three 

 sent over by Mr. Milthers, viz., the Bredvard porphyry, the 

 Gronklitt porphyrite from Delaine, and the Kinnediabase from 

 Sweden. 



At Kilnsea it is not surprising that coast erosion is the topic 

 of universal thought and conversation. In the wall of the 

 Blue Bell Inn there is a tablet stating that the house was built 

 in 1847, and was then 534 yards from the sea. The distance is- 

 now reduced to 272 yards. A similar tablet in an adjacent 

 barn confirms the above. The distance of the old ruin at Out 

 Newton (Dimlington) from the cliff edge was also measured,, 

 and found to be 29 feet 3 inches. In 1882 the distance was- 

 120 yards. 



Ornithology. — Mr. E. W. Wade writes : — July 9th was a 

 specially unfavourable day for observing birds, a strong N.W. 

 wind and absence of sun making them particularly shy, and 

 difficult to approach. The time of year, just at the end of the 

 breeding season, and before the commencement of migration, is 

 also perhaps the worst of the whole year for the ornithologist. 

 An extremely high tide the same morning had, likewise, flooded 

 out all but the highest breeding ground. The Ringed Plover 

 was observed with young, nesting, hatched, and with eggs. 

 As this bird commences to lay in April, and finishes in July, it 

 is probable that some, at least, of the birds rear three broods. 

 The Lesser Tern was still rearing its young at Kilnsea Beacon, 

 where the inroads of the sea have made a conveniently sheltered 

 beach for the birds, and also at the extreme point of the 

 peninsula. Two pair of Oyster Catchers were breeding, one- 

 having hatched out young, the other still sitting upon a solitary 

 egg. The Shelduck are reported by the watcher to have 

 reared five broods, a satisfactory increase. All the protected 

 birds appear to be doing well. The Brown Linnet, Titlark and 

 Skylark were in song. One Tern (Common or Arctic), was- 

 observed, and a few Gulls, Black-headed, Herring, Lesser 

 Black-backed, and Great Black-backed. 



CoLEOPTERA. — Mr. E. G. Bayford reports that although the 

 weather was unfavourable for collecting, and consequently the 

 number of species seen much below what should have been in 



Naturalist, 



