132 Northern Neivs. 



W'e have pleasure in drawing- attention to the notice recently issued by 

 the Clei-k of the East Riding' County Council in reference to the protection 

 of birds and their eg'gfs. The readers of this journal have every reason to 

 be thankful for the interest taken by the Council in local bird life. The 

 following- is an extract from the circular: — 



' The time during- which the killing- or taking- of Wild Birds is 

 proiiibited by the Act of 1880 shall be extended, so far as concerns the 

 Administrative County of the East Riding- of Yorkshire, so as to be 

 between tJie last day of February and the first day of September in 

 each year. 



' During- the period between the 31st day of Aug-ust in any }ear and 

 the 1st day of March following- the killing- or taking- oi Wild Birds on 

 Sundays is prohibited on the foreshore within the East Riding of York- 

 shire, including- the estuarv of the Humber. and on the tidal portion of 

 the River Hulf. 



'The taking or destroying- of Wild Birds' Eg-gs is prohibited for 

 a period of five years from the date of this Order (13th February 1903): — 



'(i) On the Promontory of Spurn, including Kilnsea Warren south 

 of the line taken b)" the road leading- from the villag-e o'i Kilnsea towards 

 the site of the Old Y^illag-e of Kilnsea. 



' (2) On Hornsea Mere and the lands immediateh- adjoining-, the 

 boundary of which area commences at a point on the Hornsea and 

 Seaton Road 7 chains east of Mill Lane, and proceeds in a south- 

 easterly direction along" the road past the north-east side of ' Great 

 Wassand ' for a distance of about 51 chains, thence along- a footpatli 

 on the south side of the Mere to Lelly Lane, thence north-eastei-ly for 

 I ^ chains along the north side of Lelly Lane, thence in a north-westerly 

 direction along; the boundary fence dividing" property belong"ing- to Mr. 

 William Bethell and Mr. Constable to the Mere, thence along: the edge 

 of the water of the Mere to and along" a stream passing- the west front 

 of Ventnor House, to the Hornsea and Seaton Road, and then along 

 the south side oi'i the said road to the above-mentioned point 7 chains 

 east of Mill Lane.' 



It is pleasing to notice that the Leeds Naturalists' Club shows signs of 

 exceptional activity just now. 



Mr. Edward Bailey, of Mansfield, has presented an extensive and 

 valuable collection of Xal\iral Histor}' specimens to his native town as 

 a nucleus of a museum. 



The Back Bequest has been granted by the Royal Geographical Society 

 to Dr. Wm. G. Smith, of the Yorkshire College, Leeds, ior his papers and 

 maps on 'The Geog-raphical Distribution of Vegetation in Yorkshire.' 



The schools in East Yorkshire are interesting themselves in the ' Bird 

 and Tree Day Competition ' instituted b\- the Society for the Protection of 

 Birds. The handsome silver challenge shield given by the society is at 

 present held by the -St. Mary's Bo}-s' School, Hull. 



The Eastern Morning A'eivs records that a female Otter, weighing" 

 12 lbs., was caught near Driffield in February. A dog Otter was captured 

 in the same stream the previous season. The same paper records the 

 appearance of a Seal at Bridlington early in March, and the capturing o{ 

 a Badg;er at Driffield about the same time. In the YorksJiiie Weeity Post 

 Mr. W. Morris records a Cormorant near Sedbergh on 7th March, and 

 Mr. Duckworth records a Bewick's Swan on the S'olway Marshes on 28th 

 Februar)' 1903. 



The Rev. W. J. Wingate, of St. Stephen'.s \'icarag-e, Bishop Auckland, 

 has issued an appeal for the names and .addresses of Durha?n residents 

 interested in Natural History, for the purpose of forming a Union of 

 I^urham Naturalists on the lines of the 'V'orkshire Union. We trust that 

 those interested in the subject will fi">rward their names to Mr. Wingate. 



Naturalist, 



