1 6 Gibbs : Yorkshire Naturalists' Union at Masham. 



As Birk Gill, the locality chosen for the day's work, was 

 several miles distant, carriages were requisitioned for the scene 

 of action ; in these the general body of naturalists, including 

 zoologists, phanerogamic botanists, and geologists, were taken 

 as far as Gollinglith Foot, while the two mycologists present 

 considered it more profitable to spend the day in the woods 

 nearer home, and were dropped at the Saw Mill, near Healey, 

 for the purpose of exploring the Hall Wood. 



Birk Gill is a narrow glen, the steep banks of which are 

 clothed with deciduous wood of luxuriant growth, and with 

 an undergrowth of equally luxuriant fern ; on the left of the 

 stream rise banks of shale and millstone grit cliffs, not of 

 great height, but Clothed with abundance of foliage and under- 

 wood. About two miles up the glen there is a fine fall of 

 some twenty feet, the stream here making a bend to the left ;. 

 above the fall the woods continue for some distance, but there 

 are no more cliffs. 



The following reports show the work done by the different 

 sections : — 



Mr. Kenneth McLean (secretary), writes as to the Verte- 

 brata : — He stated that the representatives of the Vertebrate 

 Section are somewhat at a disadvantage when on these 

 excursions. The objects of their pursuit, unlike the geological 

 and botanical specimens, are movable ; some of them very 

 movable. Consequently the greater number of people and the 

 greater noise, the less chance there is of observing bird and 

 animal life-; quiet going and quiet waiting are absolutely 

 necessary to see, hear, and study these to advantage. 



This excursion, however, from an ornithological point of 

 view especially, was on the whole a very satisfactory one, 

 although nothing very rare was seen. Yet the great variety 

 of birds, and the great numbers of certain kinds-, made the 

 day full of interest. 



Large numbers of Willow-Wrens, Whitethroats, and Sedge- 

 Warblers flitted amongst the alders by the stream, and were 

 joined by Cole Tits, Blue Tits, Wrens, Chaffinches, and many 

 other common but interesting birds. All these were feeding 

 upon insects of different kinds which were swarming near the 

 water. Perhaps the summer visitors were being entertained 

 by the residents at a sort of farewell picnic prior to their 

 passing over to their winter homes. The Missel-Thrush on the 

 grassy slopes were more numerous than he had seen them for 



Naturalist, 



