250 Yorkshire Naturalists at Tanfleld. 



appeared to be suffering from a scarcity of summer visitors, 

 the Swallow tribe were not nearly as abundant as usual, but 

 the Swifts appeared to be present in normal numbers. The 

 Willow Warblers were exceptionally scarce, the rarer Wood 

 Warblers being more plentiful. There appears to be a great 

 shortage of Willow Warblers in the county, one wood near, 

 Harrogate, which usually swarms with these birds, has not a 

 single pair this year, and only about half the usual quantity 

 of Wood Warblers. It almost appears as if the earlier arrivals 

 had met with some disaster, which the Wood Warblers, arriving 

 later, had escaped. 



Most of the birds seen during the day were nesting. Along 

 the banks of the stream the Kingfisher, Dipper, Sandpiper 

 and Grey Wagtail were seen, and a Mallard Duck was observed, 

 leading her brood across the river. A pair of Pied Wagtails 

 was seen about every farmstead, and several pairs of Yellow 

 Wagtails in the fields. Only one pair of Whinchats was 

 observed, but this species has been scarce for some years now. 

 Four species of Tits were noticed, the absentee being the Long- 

 tailed Tit. They were presumably all of the British races, and 

 the Marsh Tits may have been Willow Tits. 



One Woodpecker (the green) was seen, and the Great 

 Spotted was heard, as was the note of the Nuthatch. This bird 

 is an interesting resident, and probably here reaches the northern 

 limit of its range. 



Cuckoos were not plentiful, nor were Spotted Flycatchers, 

 usually a very abundant species. The Pied Flycatcher was 

 observed on the opposite bank of the river, which was in partial 

 flood, making it impossible to wade across to look for the nest. 

 Both the Garden and Black-cap Warblers were seen and heard, 

 but they were not abundant, and the sibulous note of the Gold 

 Crest was heard continually in the woods. 



Birds of Prey noted were the Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel, 

 Long-eared and Tawny Owls, the latter being most unmerci- 

 fully mobbed by some Missle and Song Thrushes and Black- 

 birds. 



One nest, evidently deserted, was found, which had every 

 appearance of being a Goldfinch's, but, as no birds were about, 

 one could not be quite sure. The Hawfinch is present in the 

 district, but was not observed during the day. 



Five species of mammals, one reptile, two amphibians and 

 four fishes were noted, none of them calling for special mention. 

 The list of fishes might have been longer, but for the fact of 

 the river being somewhat high and discoloured. 



Neuroptera and Trichoptera.- — Mr. G. T. Porritt spent 

 several hours working on the sides of the river Ure, but, owing 

 to the strong wind, scarcely anything could be done, and the 

 Only species noted were Chrysopa tenella, Perla maxima, 



Naturalist, 



