Short Notes and Queries. 



109 



Stonechat in Yorkshire. — In the Naturalist for January I find that 

 the editors give Huddersfield, Halifax, and hillsides about Diggle, as 

 localities where the stonechat breeds. This is a mistake. The wheatear 

 {Sylvia cenanthe) breeds in these localities, in stone heaps and old walls, 

 which they evidently have mistaken for it. The stonechat {Sylvia 

 ruhicola) is only an accidental visitor here, and they are generally young 

 birds. It frequents uncultivated places, the sides of cliffs, and sand 

 hills by the sea. I have found it in Sherwood Forest and South Wales, 

 plentifully breeding in grass and low herbage at the bottom of furze or 

 other bushes. On May 21st, 1877, I saw a pair of stonechats on the moor 

 at the top of Shipley Glen. — Jambs Varley, Almondbury Bank, Hud- 

 dersfield, Jan. 15th. — [Mr. Varley is right. It was the wheatear we had 

 in our mind when writing the note, and did not find out the mistake 

 until too late. We are very sorry indeed the error has occurred. — 

 G. T. P.] 



Kite at Bingley. — On the 7th September last a kite {Falco milvus) 

 paid a flying visit to this neighbourhood. I was walking with a friend on 

 the brow of the hill when it came wheeling past us. Its flight, which is 

 an exquisite piece of " wingmanship," is effected in large sweeping 

 circles, with outstretched and apparently motionless wings. I must 

 confess, however, its light-coloured (in fact it seemed white) head some- 

 what puzzled me, but as its mode of flight is so distinctive I could not be 

 mistaken. This once far-from-uncommon species in our island, has 

 become, in these " degenerate " days, to be considered a great rarity, — 

 E. P. P. BuTTERFiELD, Wilsdeu, 14th January. 



" The Midland Naturalist." — We hail with pleasure the appearance 

 of the first number of this journal as the medium of communication 

 amongst the Naturalists of the Midland Counties, and the journal of the 

 proceedings of those Societies. Formed after the plan of our own Union, 

 we wish it every success, and hope that the members of the various 

 societies in the Midland Counties will subscribe to it in large numbers. 

 There are some useful papers in the first number, and from the well- 

 known abilities of many members of the societies of the Midland Union, 

 we look forward to its monthly appearance with interest and expected 

 information. — Eds. Nat. 



§lj^porfs of ^otuim. 



Barnsley Naturalists' Society. — Monthly meeting, Jan. 7th, the 

 .president, Mr. T. Lister, in the chair. — A box of insects, taken near 

 Hastings in late autumn by Mr. W. J. Cope and his sons, was exhibited, . 

 containing 45 fine specimens of Colias Edusa. Plentiful as they have 

 been in Yorkshire, they were in richer abundance in Sussex. A few 



