12 
YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS* UNION. 
keeper's time is too fully occupied on land to look much after the 
water birds. Mr. Riley Fortune reported the breeding of the 
Tufted Duck at Whitsuntide, and the other birds remain pretty 
much at their usual level. A pair of Teal bred at the Mere — an 
unusual occurrence — and a Shoveller successfully hatched young" 
in a meadow at some distance from the water. The Reed-Warblers 
were fully up to the average numbers, and laid full clutches. 
The Brown Owl has unfortunately contracted a habit of eating 
young Pheasants, and has suffered the extreme penalty in one 
instance. 
Bempton. — As already reported, the Falcons have bred again, 
and reared one young one. The warm weather had a marked 
effect upon the sea-birds. Guillemots and Razor-bills being several 
days earlier than usual in commencing to lay. A few Guillemot's 
€ggs were seen on 6th May, and some were hard-sat on 30th. 
Owing to the absence of rain, climbing was carried on without 
a break through May and June, the birds being early in both 
first and second scale or fling. J. Hodgson commenced on i8th 
May, and had only two really slack days, viz., during first week 
in June, till 13th of the month. From 20th to about 27th June 
was a slack time, and the third scale commenced just as 
the season was closing. W. Wilkinson's old ground Was about 
a week later. Speaking generally, the output of eggs was earlier, 
more concentrated, and over sooner than last year. 
In Wheeldale on 3rd May, the writer, in company with the 
keeper, watched a cock Stonechat for about an hour. Apparently 
the bird had a sitting mate near, but did not go to the nest. 
North Riding.— Mr. T. H. Nelson writes : — On New Year's 
Day a male Black Redstart was discovered in a greenhouse near 
Redcar, which it had entered during the night. At first it fed 
on aphides, and soon became very tame. Afterwards I several 
times watched it feeding on meal-worms, and for nearly four 
months it had the range of the greenhouse, roosting at night in 
an acacia plant ; unfortunately, it died on 20th April. On 
January 8th, a second year's Glaucous Gull was shot. April 
27th, several flocks of Whimbrels were resting on the sands, on 
their northward migration ; a full clutch of Redshanks' eggs 
was found at the Teesmouth. April 30th, a Black Tern appeared 
on the marshes, and continued to frequent the small ponds tfiere 
till towards the end of May ; I several times saw it hawking for 
insects, when it repeatedly flew wdthin a few yards of where I was 
standing. A pair of Pochards also, was noted during May, on 
the same marsh, where the birds probably nested. On the 3rd 
May I saw several Swifts, and on the 5th there were large numbers. 
