279 
SCHOOL NATURAL HISTORY AT YORK. 
York School Natural History, Literary, and Polytechnic Society. Fifty- 
seventh and Fifty-eighth Annual Reports: January 1891, and January 1892. 
The large York Friends’ School has always been to the front in 
the matter of endeavouring to excite and cultivate the love of natural 
history pursuits in the minds of its pupils. The Society named 
above consists wholly, in its membership, of boys and masters 
actually in the school, with some non-resident former scholars and a 
few honorary nominations. Wisely, however, the scope of the 
Society extends beyond natural history proper, and embraces 
sections devoted to meteorology, astronomy, art, photography, 
machine construction, and a very vigorous one whose special feature 
is the reading and criticism of original essays. There is also a 
debating society among the elder scholars, and the results of two of 
the debates may be cited here :—‘ That museums and art galleries 
should be open on Sundays,’ ayes 20, noes 6; and ‘That fie 
sports (shooting, hunting, and geet are desirable as a mode o 
recreation,’ noes 19, against a 
Our concern is, of course, ae with the work done in the 
various departments of natural history. We note with pleasure that 
the reports are critical, not wholly laudatory, as is too often the case, 
and that the attention of the boys to the need for thoughtful and 
were copies only, being therefore more of mere adornment than 
evidence of observation.’ Further on it is observed :—‘ Of all the 
diaries it may be said that there is too much random and 
disconnected observation and too little ee of one entry 
with another, and that bare records of “ finds” are in too large a 
proportion to defai/s.’ Much of Field-Club sat would benefit by 
similar reminders, and the study of an excellent short paper of 
Suggestions given in the January 1891 report. 
Five collections of birds’ eggs were made in 1890, but none in 
1891: in both years many ornithological records found place in 
various note-books. It is stated that seven kinds of birds nested on 
the school premises (Bootham, York) in 1890; eight in 18g1. 
Among these were Blue Tits, Tree Sparrows, Missel Thrushes, and 
(their fifteenth year, 1891) Wood Pigeons. It is noticed that ‘on 
May-day (1891) was found, at Hob Moor, a “literary” Cole Tit’s 
nest, the outside of which was all covered with bits of newspaper.’ 
Sept. 18y2 : 
