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The Natuealist. 



goodly lump of comb and cells snugly placed under the hair lining. 

 Built in a mass of dead leaves, which covered the ground in a wood, was 

 a wood wren's nest, and in such an exposed situation, that when the 

 bird left, the eggs were plainly visible from some few yards distance. 

 There was no grass or anything green growing anywhere near the nest, 

 which is the more remarkable because, as a rule, the nests of this species 

 are so carefully concealed. A dead twig or two projected above the 

 surface of the leaves round the site, but they aflorded not the slightest 

 shelter. — Tom Carter, Burton House, Masham. 



Natural History Notes for the Barnsley and South Yorkshire 

 District. — For the quarter ended Dec. 31st. — October 1, the arctic tern 

 occurred in a pool between Wakefield and Barnsley ; 7th, the grey wag- 

 tail in Calder vale, near Horbury (it visits us in winter, and very rarely 

 stays to breed in our lowland tracts of South Yorkshire)-; 23rd, redwings 

 and fieldfares, first notice of arrivals — scarce about here. Woodcocks 

 obtained in great numbers, from 8th about Wombwell, 9th at Sunny Bank, 

 and a few in the Stainborough woods. A flight of eight was reported 

 Sept. 5th ; Nov. 10, a green sandpiper at Walton Lake side, reported by 

 Mr. Hailstone's keeper ; 18th, the great-crested grebe killed in a pool 

 between Wakefield and Barnsley. The latest date of house martins is 

 Nov. 18th, at Clifi" Wood, Barnsley ; of swallows, Dec. 13th, noted by 

 Mr. Wrigglesworth at Lupsitt. I don't remember such late dates as 

 these in the South Yorkshire district. Our resident songsters have sung 

 merrily through the Christmas and New-year season — all the thrush 

 family, the song thrush, storm cock, and blackbird, also occasionally the 

 starling and skylark. Kingfishers are found about streams, canals, and 

 pools in county and town. A rare winter visitor, the siskin, has occurred 

 in flocks close to our doors, in the railway excavation below Victoria 

 Bridge, along with bulfinches, great and blue tits, yellow and reed 

 buntings. Hooded crows about Ackworth, Mexbro', and Wath. A dog- 

 otter was killed near Bolton-in-Dearne Dec. 16th, one at the same place 

 eighteen months ago ; it is the fifth captured in the Dearne valley within 

 about two years. One fortunately escaped. The common bat (Vesper- 

 tilis pipistrellus) was flying about on Christmas eve as on summer evenings 

 at Wentworth Castle.— T. Lister, Jan. 19th, 1884. 



Lasiocampa ilicifolia. — The addition of a nice pair of this insect to my 

 cabinet a few days ago reminded me that the species still wants 

 re-discovering in our county. It used to occur regularly on the moors 

 near Sheffield and Ripon, but has not been taken there, nor elsewhere in 

 Britain for some j^ears. There is very little doubt it still exists in the 

 county, and it should be diligently searched for among bilberry in its old 

 haunts, as well as on the moors about Grassington and other parts of 

 Wharfedale, Blubberhouses, Bingley, on the borders of the county near 

 Greenfield and Mossley, and other likely places. It certainly ought to be 

 turned up this year. Who will do it ? — G. T. Porritt. 



