II7 
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY IN YORKSHIRE. 
At the last meeting of the Vertebrate Section of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ 
Union, held at Leeds, Mr. J. W. Taylor presided in the afternoon, and Mr. 
Oxley Grabham, in the evening. Reports on the work in the three Ridings. 
were given by Messrs: Fortune, Wade and Nelson, respectively. 
Mr. Wade’s report referred to the scarcity of certain migrants in the 
Spring of 1912, owing to adverse climatic conditions ; expressing the opinion 
that these birds had stayed in the South of England for breeding. Mr. 
Booth stated that his observations led him to believe that unfayourable 
weather at the destination had no influence on the scarcity or abundance 
of these migrants—good weather on the route from their winter quarters. 
was the great factor in determining their numbers in their usual breeding 
haunts. 
Mr. H. B. Booth was elected President of the Section for 1913; Mr. 
Riley Fortune, President of the Mammals, etc., Committee; and, with 
slight changes, the officers of the Birds’ Protection Committee were re- 
elected. Particulars of these will duly appear on the Union’s member- 
ship cards. 
Mr. S. H. Smith exhibited a specimen of a 191 Great Northern Diver 
in Winter plumage, which was shot at East Cottingworth on November 
15th, 1912. Mr. G. H. Parkin exhibited a Fluke (in spirit) taken from a 
Stickleback, and a Little Auk in the flesh, killed in Leeds recently, and an 
abnormal young Meadow Pipit, which bore strong resemblance to a light- 
coloured canary. The wings were of a beautiful lemon yellow, the re- 
mainder of the plumage being a much lighter shade. The other nestlings 
were of the normal type. Mr. Mitchell exhibited a concretion taken 
from a 12-year-old horse at Beeston. The stone weighed 6 Ibs. 10 ozs,. 
and had been cut into various sections in order to show the construction 
in detail. 
Mr. M. Robinson explained that these ‘ bowel’ stones were well known 
to ‘Vets.’, and invariably had their origin in a small piece of meta! or other 
hard substance, around which lime. salts formed in concentric rings. 
Their presence could not be diagnosed until they had developed to such 
a size as to induce restlessness in the horse. 
Dr. Heatherley shewed several castings of the Peregrine Falcon, and 
one of the White tailed Eagle, collected by Mr. Selous, one of the former 
having been teased out in water to ascertain the contents, which proved to. 
be almost entirely of feathers and down. Mr. George Mitchell, of Upwood, 
a practical Falconer, said the feathers were used to clear the crop of mucus, 
which, if not removed, caused the birds to be lazy. The consistency of the 
castings was carefully noted, as this is a sure indication of the health ; 
if somewhat hard, the health was good, while those of a soft nature denoted 
unsound condition. Mr. Mitchell also exhibited hoods, bells and jesses 
used in Falconry, and described the method of fixing them. The hoods 
are'made in North Brabant, where the handicraft has been practised by 
certain families for many generations. Here also systematic trapping of 
Falcons was carried on during migration, by the means of bow-nets and 
pigeons, and with the aid of shrikes which act as pointers, and the methods 
employed were lucidly explained. The best bells are those of Indian 
manufacture, being very light in construction and possessing a good tone. 
Mr. Grabham described his experiences with Mr. St. Quintin’ s Hawks 
and Falcons, particularly the flying of Goshawks at rats, which” were 
bolted by ferrets. Mr, Mitchell ‘explained that the name ‘ Tiercel’ had 
reference to the comparative sizes of the two sexes, the male bird being a 
third less in size than the female. 
Dr. Heatherley, with the help of a long series of slides taken during 
three years’ observations, gave an instructive account of ‘ The Home Life 
of the Peregrine Falcon,’ and he also shewed several interesting slides 
of the Grey Seal, taken by Mr. King, 
1913 Feb, 1 
