172. Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union: Vertebrate Section. 
co-operation of the authorities of the Trinity House, whose 
Engineer had given his personal help and interest, had been 
responsible for the erection of three other stations in addition 
to the above, i.e., at St. Catherine’s, I.-of-W., the Caskets off 
Alderney, and South Bishop off Pembrokeshire; and had 
further work in view. 
Mr. H. B. Booth then gave a very interesting and detailed 
paper, ‘ The Bats of Upper Airedale and Upper Wharfedale,’ 
dealing with their distribution and status in part of the district 
under investigation by the Bradford Natural History and 
Microscopical Society. 
The President (Mr. E. W. Wade) gave a lantern lecture 
entitled, ‘ Birds of St. Kilda,’ dealing very fully with the 
topography and natural history of this well known bird resort. 
The lecturer had paid particular attention to the St. Kilda 
Wren, and in contradiction to Howard Saunder’s assumption 
in 1889 that ‘ the few pairs had probably been extirpated,’ it 
was gratifying to note its comparative ubiquity in 1914. The 
price of 20s. for a clutch of eggs in 1889 had, no doubt, resulted 
in a serious reduction in the numbers of this Wren, but after 
the demands of the wealthy but indiscreet collectors had been 
met, the price fell to such a figure as to offer no inducement to 
the natives to continue the supply. 
The Tree Sparrow, Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Starling, Eider 
Duck, Oyster Catcher, Guillemot, Razor-bill and. Kittiwake 
were all noted as being very common, but even these species 
were insignificant when compared with the countless thousands 
of the Gannet, the Puffin and the Fulmar Petrel. In spite of 
the enormous numbers taken every year for food, these three 
birds dominate the Islands and have apparently driven off 
the Gulls. 
The paper was enhanced by the exhibition of skins of the 
Wren, the Fulmar, Leach’s Petrel, the St. Kilda Vole, etc. 
Mr. Booth drew attention to the similarity of the native 
Wren to that resident in the Scillies, which shewed variations 
in size and colour, on much the same scale. 
In the absence of Mr. G. A. Booth, his paper ‘ Notes on 
the Ruff and Reeve,’ was read by Mr. Fortune, accompanied 
by the exhibition of many beautiful lantern slides of the 
birds taken in their Dutch habitat. 
The antics of the male birds at breeding time, which are so 
marked and problematical, were fully described, and the many 
beautiful variations of plumage were well depicted by the 
photographs, as well as the actions and demeanour of the 
Reeve when approaching and occupying the nest. 
The concluding paper was by Professor W. Garstang on ‘ The 
Development of Flat Fishes.” At former meetings we have had 
evidence of Professor Garstang’s work on the Fisheries Com- 
Naturalist, 
