FIELD NOTES. 
MAMMALS. 
large Porpoise at York.—A Porpoise was shot in the 
River Ouse at Low Acaster on February 4th, 1915, by a keelman 
as he was bringing his vessel up to York. It was five feet long, 
had a girth of three feet, and weighed 122 lbs. I understand 
the carcase was taken to Bishopthorpe for the purpose of 
tanning the skin and boiling out the oil—SypNery H. SmirTH, 
York. 
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BIRDS. 
The Misdeeds of a Kingfisher.—A friend of mine recently 
constructed a rock garden, almost in the centre of Harrogate. 
An ornamental pool was well stocked with gold fish, many of 
them smallish in size. Although the pond is situated quite a 
mile and a half, as the crow flies, from the nearest stream 
frequented by Kingfishers, and to reach it, it would be necessary 
for a bird to pass. over many houses, yet in some mysterious 
manner a Kingfisher has discovered the little ‘gold mine’ and 
by frequent visits, has so far accounted for over a hundred of its 
inhabitants.—R. FORTUNE. 
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FUNGI. 
Phoma acicola (Lév.) Sacc., in Yorkshire.—In June of 
last year Mr. Samuel Margerison forwarded to the Natural 
History Mueum a consignment of diseased Scots Pine. On 
some of the dead and dying leaves were present a number of 
pycnidia, which on examination proved to be Phoma acicola 
(Lev.) Sacc. This fungus appears to have been only once 
previously recorded for this country: in that case it occurred 
on leaves of Scots Pine at Marston Green, Warwickshire 
(W. B. Grove, Journ. Bot. L., 1912, p. 50). The fungus was 
found by Mr. Margerison on wind-sown pines in Sawley High 
Moor Plantations, 7 miles west of Ripon. Another fungus, 
Hormiscium pithyophilum (Wallr.) Sacc., which seems to be 
unrecorded for Yorkshire, was also present on some of the 
leaves forwarded. Phoma herbarum is reported to have oc- 
curred on rasp-canes at Grantley, last year.—J. RAMSBOTTOM. 
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MOLLUSCA. 
Marine Shells from the Ancient Beach at North Somer- 
cotes, Lincs.—Underlying the village and warren of North 
Somercotes on the Lincolnshire Coast is an ancient shingle 
beach. On the area known as ‘the Warren’ this beach is 
,overlaid with blown sand, in some places to a height of 20 feet 
to 30 feet. In the village excavations were made for the 
purpose of obtaining the shingle, which is about 4 feet in 
‘4915 April 1. 
