Yorkshire Naturalists at Kirkby Stephen. 231 
Reports on work accomplished were given by representatives 
of the various sections. Thanks were accorded to the Divisional 
Secretary, Mr. W. Robinson, and to Mrs. Thompson for per- 
mission to visit the Brockram Quarries. 
VERTEBRATE ZooLoGcy.—Mr. A. Haigh-Lumby writes :— 
The chief difficulty of the Vertebrate Section was the wide 
area for investigation and the great distance separating the 
most promising portions from each other, and from the centre. 
The following notes refer chiefly to the Westmorland portion 
of the Kirkby Stephen area. In all sixty-one species of birds 
were noted. It is evident the larger predatory species are 
holding a precarious existence, as, in addition to the nests 
being persistently robbed by several collectors, the birds are 
frequently shot by too zealous keepers. It was all the more 
pleasurable, therefore, to see both the Raven and the Peregrine 
Falcon in a feral state, the former mobbed by a Curlew and 
a Lapwing. Neither the Buzzard nor Merlin, nor even the 
Sparrow Hawk nor Kestrel were seen. 
The Curlew is extremely abundant both on the hills and 
the low-lying rough pastures, and the unmusical call of the 
Corncrake was heard on all sides. 
Among the lesser birds the Corn Bunting is fairly common, 
and in the few bits of old-timbered woodlands the Redstart 
and the Tree Pipit are in unusual numbers. 
Equally interesting were the absentees, as the district 
seems eminently suitable to many birds which are common 
at no great distance away. 
Among these were the Sedge Warbler, Moorhen, and Linnet, 
and one can only assume that the Magpie, now a strong 
suburban species, has, with the Kestrel, suffered its usual 
fate in a ‘ keepers’’ country. 
Of the mammals the Squirrel, Fox, Hare, Rabbit, and 
Pipistrelle Bat only were seen. A Fox, a five-week old cub, 
was in the possession of a lady whose cat had suckled it. 
The three-spined Stickleback was taken near Sunbiggan. 
ConcHoLocy.—Mr. Thomas Castle writes :—The first day’s 
work was devoted to noting the character and prevalence of 
the mollusca on the ‘Brockram’ series of rocks in the 
direction of Brough. Many species usually associated with a 
Limestone district were conspicuous by their absence, notably 
the larger Helices, aspersa not being once seen ; H. nemoralis, 
hortensis, and arbustorum were met with very sparingly. The 
dominant shell met with was Helix rufescens, but the variety 
nigrescens more than doubled the type variety in numbers. 
Clausilia dubia was likewise common, although not a single speci- 
men of Clausilia rugosa was met with. Hyalinia was sparsely 
represented—a coal measure area, by comparison, would yield 
1913 June tf. 
