YORKSHIRE— VERTEBRATE FAUNA. xxxvii 



In addition to the fifty-eight, Richard's Pipit has been 

 reported to occur, but upon evidence \vhich cannot be admitted, 

 from the lack of details necessary to substantiate its claim, 

 although the species is one quite likely to occur. 



In addition to the Sixty-five Accidental Visitants in- 

 cluded in the table at p. xxxiv, there are ten — the Purple ^lartin, 

 Great Black Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Little Owl, Acadian 

 Owl, Harlequin Duck, Passenger Pigeon (escape), Virginian Colin 

 (introduction into Britain), Sooty Tern, and Laughing Gull — 

 whose claims to a place in the Yorkshire fauna must be 

 regarded as inadequate, though it is quite possible that further 

 investigation may show some of them to have been genuine 

 occurrences. 



Four species which have occurred in Yorkshire — the Mottled 

 Owl, Lesser Kestrel, Cuneate-tailed Gull, and Bulwer's Petrel — 

 have not been known to visit any other British locality, and the 

 one last named has not even occurred elsewhere in Europe. 



As to the occurrence of the Mottled Owl, there is no reason 

 to doubt its validity, for Dr. Hobson thoroughly sifted the 

 evidence at the time. 



Regarding the Lesser Kestrel — another species whose occur- 

 rence has been challenged — the writers are perfectly convinced, 

 from their personal acquaintance with the gentleman who obtained 

 it, that it was a genuine one. Mr. Harrison shot the bird solely on 

 account of its diminutive size, and after he had observed it about 

 his residence for some days. It has been suggested that Graham, 

 of York, to whom the specimen was taken for presen-ation, sub- 

 stituted for it a foreign skin ; but Mr. Harrison, whose attention 

 was particularly impressed by the bird, and who is, moreover, a 

 good ornithologist, could' hardly have been imposed upon in such 

 a manner. The geographical range of the species would not 

 preclude its visiting Britain, and it has been known to occur at 

 Heligoland, immediately opposite the Yorkshire coast. The time 

 of year has also been urged as an argument against the validity 

 of the occurrence, but it may be pointed out that the Hobby — 

 usually regarded as a summer visitant — has on several occasions 

 been taken in Yorkshire in mid-winter. 



