36 = Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union: Annual Report, 1914. 
The discovery of a regulary nesting place of the Short-eared 
Owlin the West Riding is worthy of note,though it is not advisable 
to specify the particular locality !_ Four pairs nested this year. 
East Ripinc Report.—Mr. E. W. Wade writes :—The 
Common Mouse and Short Tailed Field Vole have appeared in 
unusual numbers on the Wolds and in Holderness, and the 
corresponding increase in the numbers of breeding Barn Owls has 
been remarkable. The birds in many cases were sitting by mid 
April and had hatched young on Ist. May. The writer saw or 
heard of 11 pairs breeding where ordinarily the number would be 
three or four. and old haunts untenanted for years, were again 
occupied. The Brown Owl was more fertile than usual, but the 
Long-eared only normal. 
Migrants on the average were a few days earlier than in 1913. 
All (species except waders, and such warblers as require an abund- 
ance of moisture, e.g., the Sedge Warbler), have responded to the 
stimulating effect of abundant sunshine and have done well. 
Several clutches of six amongst the Rooks and Carrion Crows were 
observed, and Jackdaws had full clutches by 21st April—at least 
a week earlier than usual. Two clutches of Willow-Warblers of 
eight eggs each were observed on 10th May. The Hedge Accentor 
was laying in March and the Greenfinch before the end of April, 
whilst a Brown Linnet was seen as late as 8th August with three 
eggs. 
The Swallows and House Martins at last appear to be recovering 
lost ground and have done better than for many years. 
The Starling has not yet recovered from the effect of last 
year’s epidemic of gapes. 
The Corncrake has been more conspicuous by its absence 
than ever, and the writer has knowledge of but six pairs in the 
district from Howden to Bempton. 
The Whinchat lingers on in slightly greater numbers than 
last year. 
Partridges have at last had a splendid season, following an 
almost continuous run of misfortune for seven years. Wild 
Pheasants also have done well. 
The Stone Curlew in the protected area maintains its numbers, 
but further increase appears unlikely because outside this area 
the eggs get destroyed in the process of tilling the soil. The 
watching at Spurn has been more efficient than for some years 
past; the system of marking the eggs has been adopted with 
good results. The increase in the numbers of Ringed Plover is 
again satisfactory. (see The Naturalist for November). 
The system of keeping the Mere at Hornsea absolutely undis- 
turbed, as adopted when J. Taylor was appointed watcher, is at last 
bearing its fruit. A notable increase in the numbers of breeding 
Pochards and Tufted Ducks has taken place. At least one pair 
Naturalist, 
