ZOOLOGY 31 



The adjoining woods of Sandburn are famous fox coverts, and both 

 otters and badgers occur. The red squirrel, once common, has given way 

 to the grey. 



In the thickly wooded region of Castle Howard and Kirkham are to be 

 found all the common species of birds and mammals. The lesser spotted 

 woodpecker nests near the Castle, and every year a few pairs of pied 

 flycatchers are observed. The large lake is a famous bird haunt. Usually 

 there are three pairs of great crested grebe nesting there, and about six 

 pairs of reed warblers. Mallard and tufted duck, coots, moorhens, and 

 little grebes nest abundantly. Turtle doves are summer visitors to all 

 these woods, and at Kirkham Abbey is a famous colony of badgers, which 

 has an ancient history. Otters are also often seen in the vicinity of the 

 pretty falls in the river Derwent at Kirkham Abbey. Sandpipers, 

 dippers and kingfishers occur at this point, but they are considerably 

 more numerous a little higher up the river and along the course of the 

 river Rye. 



Aldby Park and Buttercrambe Woods have very extensive bird 

 populations, and in 193 1 a pair of nuthatches reared their brood successfully 

 at Aldby Park. They thus set up a new record. Turtle doves are very 

 numerous here during the summer months. 



The landrail has decreased most markedly during recent years in the 

 whole of the York district. Since its tendency to decrease was first noticed 

 it has been the subject of special observation, and only six were noted in 

 1930, and four in 1931. A few years ago this bird was very abundant on 

 Clifton Ings, and could be heard constantly during a summer evening 

 walk along the river bank for two or three miles. Now it is very 

 unusual to hear one. 



Before the war there was a large heronry at Stillingfleet, and as many 

 as fifty-six nests were counted at one time in the heron wood. This 

 wood, however, was cut down and the herons displaced, with the result 

 that very small parties are scattered over that area, the largest being in the 

 Shireoaic Wood at Healaugh, a region of 400 acres. Here from six to ten 

 nests are protected annually by Sir Edward Brooksbank. 



Fresh- WATER Fauna. 



In the extremely flat district within ten miles of York the sluggish 

 rivers are inhabited by ' coarse ' fish. These are plentiful, and all species 

 on the British list have been taken with the exception of the spinous loach. 

 The sturgeon occasionally ascends the Ouse as far as Naburn Lock, but 

 has not been recorded lately. On the other hand, the burbot eel has 

 appeared in the river Derwent this year, two having been caught during 

 May, at Elvington. The burbot was once common in our rivers, but has 

 become exceedingly scarce. Lampreys ascend the main stream and its 

 tributaries, and have been reported recently in the Isle Beck at Thirkleby, 

 and in the Skirpenbeck, near Stamford Bridge. The flounder is also 

 plentiful in suitable waters ; specimens of both the flounder and the 

 lamprey were taken from the York Waterworks settling beds during 

 netting operations, the flounder in 1929, the lamprey in 193 1. 



The streams from the lower slopes of the Moors and Pennines in the 



