NATURAL HISTORY NOTES FROM WHITBY, 



February 1898 to November 1900. 



THOMAS STEPHENSON, 



Whitby. 



MAMMALIA. 



1898 April 23. — Lutra lutra. Otter. One was seen in the river 

 Esk, near Sleights Bridge. — Whitby Gazette, 29th April 

 1898. 



May. — Lutra lutra. Otter. A trio is reported to have been 

 observed, by a rural postman, sporting in the dam at 

 Ruswarp late on Wednesday evening. —Whitby Gazette, 

 6th May 1898. 



Aug. 29. — Phocaena phocaena. Porpoise. One was brought 

 into Whitby by Messrs. Kelly & Richardson ; it had got in 

 the herring-nets. 



1899 July 31. — Phocaena phocaena. Porpoise. One was caught 

 in the nets and brought into Whitby. 



Aug. 12. — Pipistrellus noctula. Noctule Bat. I saw four 

 flying about near the Coastguard Battery. 



1900 March 12. — Talpa europaea. Mole. A light grey-coloured 

 one, with yellow head and rump, was captured at Bedale, 

 Yorkshire, and brought to me by Mr. Oxley Grabham ; it 

 has been preserved and placed in the Whitby Museum. 



July. — Lutra lutra. Otter. On Friday last week, a very 

 fine specimen, measuring 3 feet 10 inches in length, 

 was found on ' the banks of Ruswarp Dam, near Carr 

 Cottage, having apparently been shot. — W T hitby Gazette, 

 6th July 1900. 



July 12 and 13. — Pipistrellus noctula. Noctule Bat. Two 



were seen from the West Pier near the look-out. 

 July 24.— Phocaena phocaena. Porpoise. One was caught in 

 the nets by Henry Freeman and brought into Whitby. 



AVES. 



1898 May. — Crex crex. Landrail or Corncrake. This was 

 heard near Love Lane on Sunday, at Esk Valley on the 

 same day, and at Lealholm on Tuesday. Whitby Gazette, 

 6th May 1898. 



July.— Larus ridibundus. Black-headed Gull. Saw several. 



1901 January 2. 



