8 Stephenson : Natural History Notes from Whitby. 



1900 Nov. 10. — Plectrophanes nivalis. Snow Bunting. A fine 

 male was seen this day near Kettleness by Mr. J. H. 

 Wilson, Baxtergate. 



REPTIL1A. 



1900 Sept. 5. — Vipera berus. Viper or Adder. Whilst cross- 

 ing the road near Newbegin one was run over by Mr. F. 

 Agrar on his bicycle and killed. It was a beautifully-marked 

 specimen, and measured 1 foot inches in length. 



FISHES. 



1898 March 26. — Zeus faber. John Doree. A small specimen 

 was washed up on the sands during a N.E. gale. 



June 16. — C/upea sprattus. Sprat. A very large shoal was 

 noticed in the harbour this day swimming near the Coffee 

 House end. A fisherman (Pounder Robinson) threw a net 

 over the pier side and succeeded in hauling ashore a large 

 kitful. 



July. — Nerophis ophidion. Straight-nosed Pipe-fish. One 



was taken in Whitby Harbour. This species is the 1 Snake 

 Pipe-fish ' of Couch. 



Aug. — Alopecias vulpes. Shark. On Wednesday after- 

 noon, when a waterman was walking round the rocks in 

 the vicinity of the s.s. Glentilt, he found a large Shark 

 evidently left by the tide. It was nearly dead when found, 

 and bleeding very much. It measures 14 feet 6^ inches in 

 length, and 5 feet round, its tail measures 7 feet, and the 

 two fore fins 2 feet each. The monster is now on view on 

 the sands at Kettleness, and a charge of 3d. is being made 

 to repay the men for their trouble in taking it round the 

 rocks to a convenient place for visitors. — Whitby Gazette, 

 26th August 1898. From a photograph by Watson, of 

 Lyth, I conclude that it was a Fox Shark or Thrasher 

 (Alopecias vulpes). 



Sept. 18. — Lophius piscatorius. Angler. One was captured 

 in Whitby Harbour ; on being opened its stomach was 

 found to contain from 15 to 20 flat fish. 



Sept. 20. — Lamna cornubica. Porbeagle or Beaumaris 

 Shark. A Staithes fisherman, named William Cole, had 

 an unusual and exciting experience this morning when out 

 with his coble, the 'Anchor of Hope.' When about six 

 miles off Whitby he was taking in his nets, but was sur- 

 prised and perplexed to find that a Shark had become 

 entangled in the meshes. For some time the uncanny 



Naturalist, 



