22 



The Naturalist. 



station towards Gilsland, we came to a hydropatliic establisLment, 



and a little further down is a house, round which the road bends at 



right angles before we reach the bridge over the Irthing. The front 



of this building has been altered, but the back remains its original 



character. This is Mump's Heard, or Beggars' Hotel, which used 



to be kept by a treacherous old landlady called Mag Mumpp." 



Mag is buried in the neighbouring Churchyard of Upper Denton, 



her tombstone bearing the following inscription: — "Mumps Hall. 



Here lies the body of Margaret Carricky, wife of Tho. Carrick, who 



departed this life 4th of December, 1717, in the 100th year of her 



age." Near her toombstone is that of her daughter, who kept the 



house after her, on which we read, " Here lieth the body of Margarit 



Teasdale, o' Mumps Hall, who died May 5th, 1777, aged 98 years. 



What I was once some may relate, 

 What I am now is each one's fate ; 

 What I shall be none can explain 

 Till he that called calls again." 



(To he Continued.) 



Deformity of a Wigeon. — Dec. 21st, 1866. — Skinned a wigeon. The 

 right tibia was shorter than the left. Birds, like men, are subject to 

 deformities. It appeared, on a critical examination, that this bone was 

 not shortened by a wound. — J. H. Gurney, Jun., Northrepps, Norwich. 



The " Summer Plumage " of Ducks. — The summer plumage " is 

 an ornithological term that is often misapplied, especially in the case of 

 ducks. Nearly all the males of this family attain their brightest plumage 

 by Christmas, or a little after, and shed it for the more sombre dress of 

 the female when she lays her eggs. It is, therefore, erroneous to speak 

 of the handsome and distinctive garb of the merganser or the pintail as a 

 " summer plumage. " — J. H. Gurney, Jujst., Northrepps, Norwich. 



DATES OF SPRING MIGRANTS ABOUT BARNSLEY AND THE 



SOUTH YORKSHIRE DISTRICT. 



First noted Average date 



1876. of 10 years. 



Saxicola mnanthe (wheat-ear) . . . March 31 March 29. 



Sylvia riifa (chiff-chaff) April 1 April 2. 



Curculus canorus (cuckoo) ) g 



Exceptional case, j " " 

 Do. * do. — Another date ) -^^ 

 nearer average ... ... ... 1 " 



Hirundo riparia {ssind msirtin) ... 8 9. 



Hir undo rustica (swallow) ... ... ,, 9 10. 



MotociWa campestm (Ray's wagtail)... „ 9 13. 



Anthus arhoreus (tree pipit) 9 „ 15. 



