4o6 Oil the Fringe of the Cleveland Hills. 



the following were noted : — Stonechat (in Scarth Nick), Jay, 

 Greater Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, Sparrow Hawk, 

 Kestrel. Merlin, Stockdove (only one seen), and Little Grebe 

 (on a pond near to Mount Grace Priory). Blackbirds and 

 Yellow-hammers deserve special notice, because they were so 

 particularly abundant. The song of the Yellow-hammer was 

 persistent on ever}^ side, and was the only bird-song heard 

 during the three scorching days. 



The country contained very few water-courses or ponds, 

 which no doubt limited the number of species of birds, but not 

 of individuals. Such common species as the Sand Martin, 

 Swift. Sedge Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Waterhen and most of 

 the Warblers (with the exception of the Whitethroat) were very 

 local, and not at all common ; whilst the Corn Bunting, Red- 

 start, Whinchat, Grey and Yellow Wagtails were not observed 

 at all. Tree Creepers were fairly abundant in the woods. 

 Lapwings had gathered into small flocks — one of the first signs 

 of the waning of summer. The Common Lizard was seen on 

 ' Black Hambleton.' 



The Frog and the Toad were the only amphibians noted. 

 Mr. W. Denison Roebuck drew attention to the remarkable 

 variation in the colour of these creatures (more particularly 

 in the Toads), in the grounds of Mount Grace Priory. That 

 this could not be entirely due to environment was demon- 

 strated by three Toads of very varying colouration being 

 noted under the same stone.* It is desirable that some local 

 member should make further investigations. 



The trout was the only fish seen. 



Three game-keepers' ' museums ' were examined and 

 inventories taken. No i contained the remains of 56 Stoats 

 and Weasels, 10 Jackdaws, 3 Crows, and 26 Cats' tails ! No. 2 

 consisted of 18 Stoats, 8 Weasels, 5 Magpies, 8 Jays, i Crow, 

 I Rook, 2 Sparrow-hawks, and 2 Cats' tails. No. 3 (in the 

 neighbourhood of Nether Silton) contained a single Tawny 

 Owl and 3 Cats' tails. W^e were pleased to hear that generally, 

 no species of Owl was persecuted in the district. It is par- 

 ticularly interesting to note that both Hawks and Owls are 

 absent from No. i, and especially were we pleased to hear that 



* A toad that I took home was of a uniform ferruginous or russet hue. 

 This I kept for 17 days, and for the most part in a dark place, after which 

 time it escaped. Its colour did not change, excepting that perhaps it be- 

 came an almost imperceptible shade darker. — H. B. B. 



Naturalist, 



