Northern Nc7vs. 



upper part of the loop springs. In this axe, however, as in the 

 next example, the loop has been broken away. The opening 

 for the shaft is roughty square, and inside the axe is a ridge 

 running along on the two sides, corresponding with the ridges 

 on the outside. At the sides of the axe the lines showing the 

 joints of the mould are clearly visible. The weight is seven 

 ounces. 



The second specimen (fig. i6), is of the massive palstave 

 type, not unlike fig. 13 (p. 138). In this case the specimen 

 appears to have been imperfectly cast, and there are a number 

 of cavities in the bronze in the upper portion, and in the vicinity 

 of the loop the metal appears to be very impure. In fact, it 

 is probable that the loop has never been cast at all in this 

 instance. The ' business ' end of the axe is rather clumsy, and 

 the cutting edge has not been hammered out. On one side 

 the line formed by the junction of the two halves of the mould 

 is shown, but on the other it has been filed away. The length 

 of this axe is 4 J inches, it is almost an inch wide, and the cutting 

 edge is slightly longer than an inch. The depressions for the 

 split shaft are an inch and a half in length from the top of the 

 axe, and about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The weight 

 of this specimen is 8i ounces. 



In connection with these two axes it seems pretty obvious 

 that they are part of a founder's hoard, and represent imperfect 

 axes which were probably again intended for the melting-pot, 

 and not for use. Their somewhat irregular shape, the flaws on 

 one of the examples, and the fact that their cutting edges 

 have not been hammered out, tend to confirm this opinion. 



The East Riding County Council has made a grant of l\o to the East 

 Riding Nature Study Association — an Association of teachers. 



In the ' Irish Naturalist ' for April, Dr. R. F. Scharff gives particulars 

 of an unsuccessful attempt he has made to readily determine the sex in 

 woodcock. 



Mr. E. W. Wade writes an interesting paper on ' The breeding habits 

 of the Common Bittern ' : a result of his observations in Holland, in 

 ' British Birds ' for April. In the same issue Messrs. Witherby and 

 Ticehurst refer to the spread of the Little Owl from the chief centres of 

 introduction. 



The gold medal of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Great 

 Britain) and twenty guineas are offered for the best Essay or Treatise on 

 ' Comparative Legislation for the Protection of Birds.' Essays, which 

 may be written in either English, French, or German, should consist of 

 not fewer than 10,000 nor more than 25,000 words. Further particulars 

 can be obtained from the Secretary of the Society, 3 Hanover Square, 

 London, W. 



Naturalist, 



