36o 



A YORKSHIRE PEREGRINE. 



E. W. WADE, M.B.O.l". 

 Hull. 



(plate XL.) 



Ox Mav 30th the photographs of a young Peregrine Falcon 

 (reproduced in this month's journal) were taken on the Bempton 

 Cliffs. This year the birds have come back to the ' Falcon's 

 nest.' last tenanted in 1879. this being the third time that the}^ 

 have shifted their quarters since their return to the cliffs. 

 Probablv'the restlessness displayed by the birds in their choice 

 of a breeding-site is caused by the inevitable disturbance pro- 

 duced by the cliff-climbing, and the crowd of sight-seers, 

 ' hornv-theologists.' and others, who alwa^'S ask for the Falcons; 

 but as this is a disadvantage in one way, it is an advantage in 

 another, inasmuch as it acts as a protection to the birds, the 

 object of the climbers being to attract visitors, and so obtain a 

 better market for their eggs. It must be recognised by now 

 that the men on whose ground the Falcons breed, have an 

 increased number of visitors, and in course of time the Falcon's 

 nest should come to be regarded as a valuable asset. 



This return to an old haunt after the lapse of twenty years 

 is a curious illustration of the persistence shown by many of 

 the Raptores in clinging to breeding-sites formerly tenanted 

 by the same species, even though the actual pair in possession 

 cannot be supposed ever to have had any memories associated 

 with the place, and argues some special advantage possessed 

 b\' it. In this present case the eyrie is a broad, grassy ledge, 

 weU overhung, but unfortunately visible from the cliff top to 

 the E.S.E., whence the solitary young one could be easily made 

 out by the naked eye. \Mien the photograph was taken, the 

 bird was nearly twice as bulk}' as a Rock-dove, the mature 

 plumage showing black through the white nestling down, and 

 gi\ing it a mottled appearance. It Vv'as old enough to scramble 

 'along the ledge, and almost elude the camera. A fortnight 

 later it had flown. A few bones and feathers marked the site 

 where the nest had been scratched out, but otherwise, the con- 

 tents of the hollow had dried to dust, and become in- 

 distinguishable. 



]Mr. W, Egglestone favours us with a copy of an interesting paper on 

 -' The OccurreAce and Commercial Uses of Fluorspar,' reprinted from the 



' Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers.' From his paper 

 it is evident that ^he mineral is more widely distributed than is generally 



supposed. 



Naiuralist. 



