66 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Ellison, of Steeton, which he found some years ago near Keighley, 

 are the only records I know of the breeding of the Storiechat in 

 Upper Airedale. Further north-west, Mr. Peake, in his list of 

 Settle birds, knows but one instance of its nesting in that district 

 (1896) ; whilst for the Sedbergh district, the extreme north-west, 

 Mr. Richardson states that there is no satisfactory record ; and 

 it is marked as of doubtful occurrence for Langsthothdale (mid- 

 west). Messrs. Clarke and Roebuck omit it from the list of birds 

 for Washburndale, but it is included in their list for Nidderdale as 

 rare, but unfortunately not stated whether it breeds, and Mr, 

 Lucas omits it altogether from his list of birds of this dale. Mr. 

 Thomasson informs me, quoting from Mr. Backhouse's ' Guide to 

 Upper Teesdale,' that it does not occur in Upper Teesdale; but, 

 curious to say, it breeds, and not uncommonly, in Weardale, the 

 next valley to the north. Mr. Jas. Carter includes it amongst 

 the rarer birds of Leyburn (North Riding), but nothing is said 

 of its breeding; and Mr. Chapman has known of but one nest in 

 Wensleydale. Mr. Tinkler has not observed it in Swaledale, 

 although "he has kept a sharp look-out for it." Mr. Goodchild, 

 however, remarks, relative to its distribution in Swaledale, that 

 the " Whinchat is commonest in summer? Stonechat less 

 common." It is reported to breed near Richmond, but is not 

 said with what frequency, but is omitted from the list of Aysgarih 

 birds. In Ryedale (north-east) it is said to be rarely observed. 

 I did not notice it in the neiglibourhood of Whitby in the spring 

 of 1 898, but it is quite probable it might have been overlooked, as 

 I havC' seen it during the breeding season at Fiamborough Head. 

 In the list of Fiamborough birds, revised by the late Mr. Cordeaux, 

 it is stated to be " resident, but very local." Mr. S. L. Mosley, 

 of Huddersfield, writes me that it " used to be fairly common at 

 Fiamborough Head"; but INIr. Oxley Grabham, who resides in 

 the north-east district, remarks, in the 'Yorkshire Weekly Post,' 

 Oct. 10th, 1900, that it is "very local and sparsely distributed" 

 in Yorkshire ; so, if it were once fairly common at Flam- 

 borough Head, it would appear to be dying out there. The 

 Stonechat is mentioned in the list of birds given by the Rev. 

 E. M. Cole, M.A., for the vale of York, in the excursion circular 

 of the Yorkshire Nat. Union ; but, again, nothing is said whether 

 as a breeding species or on migration. Mr. Boyes, of Beverley, 



