58 



The Naturalist. 



that a fine young bird was obtained on the Island of Heligoland, 

 which is in the same degree of north latitude as our coast line. 

 Probably the Heligolander and the Yorkshireman were near relations, 

 or at any rate travelling companions from the far North-east. 

 Leeds, October 17th. 



NOTES OF LOCAL PAPERS READ AT BRITISH 

 ASSOCIATION AT YORK, IN 1881. 



SECTION D.— BIOLOGY. 



( Concluded. ) 



A FOSSIL FROM HALIFAX COAL MEASURES. 



Mr. Thomas Hick, B.A., B.Sc, and Mr. William Cash, F.G.S., 

 contributed a paper on a stem obtained by Mr. William Binns from 

 the lower coal measures of Halifax, Yorkshire. After minutely 

 describing the fossil, the authors expressed an opinion that the 

 resemblance between the fossil and the stem of Myriophyllum, and 

 especially the structure of its cortex, were sufficient to warrant the 

 supposition of an affinity, more or less close, between them. They 

 proposed to designate their specimen Myriophylloides Williamsoni, in 

 honour of Professor Williamson, F.R.S. 



A brief discussion took place, in which some part was taken by 

 Mr. Bennett, Professor McNab, Mr. Cash, and others. 



THE BIRDS OF BARNSLEY AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE. 

 Mr. Thomas Lister (Barnsley) read a paper describing the birds of 

 the Barnsley district and South Yorkshire. The district of his obser- 

 vation was chiefly between the Calder on the north, and the Don on 

 the west and south, with the Dearne, its tributary, flowing through 

 the middle region by Barnsley, the central point of observation. The 

 country extends in a series of well-wooded undulations from the 

 magnesian limestone on the east at about 300 feet of elevation to the 

 millstone grit, from 1,000 to 1,700 feet, which it attains at Black Tor, 

 north of Sheffield. The birds may be said to be characteristic of the 

 varied districts, from the sub-alpine regions west of the Pennine range, 

 or great back-bone of England, where moorland birds predominate, 

 the woodlands and cultivated grounds in the centre frequented by ou^ 

 resident birds and migratory warblers, to the lower tracts beyond the 

 magnesian limestone in the south-east of the Riding, where birds of 

 the marsh and tidal rivers mingle with the inland birds. The late Dr. 

 Furrar might well speak of the neighbourhood of Barnsley as very 



