76 
Field Notes. 
were flying about Bingley Wood all the summer of 1916, but 
no nest was found. Goldcrests are not only common, but 
abundant in Bingley Wood, this autumn, more so than I have 
ever seen them in previous years, but breeds there very rarely. 
In October, I saw a large flock of Fieldfares feeding on the 
berries of the white beam tree near Cullingworth, and also 
two Crossbills on the seeds of the berries. — E. P. Butterfield. 
MAMMALS . 
Ermine Stoat near Hull. — I procured a pure white 
Ermine Stoat on Saturday, December 24th, 1921, in Keyingham 
Marsh, with not the slightest sign of creaminess nor any other 
speck of colour but the tail tip. We must surely look for 
some other reason than climatic severity for the phenomena 
of change in our indigenous Stoats, as this occurs in the most 
open season on record. — C has. F. Procter. 
Erythristic Badgers. — I have to thank Miss Frances 
Pitt for the following additional record, which is of special 
interest because the fact that in this specimen also the eyes 
were pink, shows that erythrism is very near to albinism, 
both being produced by the elimination of the colour factor. 
Miss Pitt writes : — f In the spring of 1895 a female Badger, 
"sandy " in colour, was dug out in the Crunnals Dingle, 
Deuxhill, Bridgnorth. My father had her for some time. 
She had pink eyes/ — H. E. Forrest. 
Otters destructive to Birds. — Referring to the note on 
p. 400 of The Naturalist for 1921 about Great Crested Grebes 
rearing so few young ; Otters are at times destructive to 
birds frequenting water inland. As these mammals not un- 
commonly do such deeds during the night, the authors of the 
mischief are liable to be overlooked. Otters will produce 
young at any time of the year, while the nesting times of the 
birds are limited, so a little judicious thinning -out of Otters 
(should they frequent the neighbourhood of Fairburn) might 
result in more Grebes being reared next year. — Frederick D. 
Welch. 
The waters frequented by the Great Crested Grebe are 
usually well stocked with Pike. This fish is far more respon- 
sible than the Otter for the destruction among the young of 
the Grebe and other water -fowl. In comparison with Pike, 
the damage done by Otters in this way is negligible. — R. F. 
FISHES. 
Big Ure Trout. — A local angler live-baiting for pike at 
Hewick Bridge, near Ripon, on January 7th, hooked a large 
trout which, after a struggle, he succeeded in landing. Un- 
fortunately, the fish had swallowed the bait (a six inch roach), 
and hooks, the extraction of which so injured him that he 
died. The weight some hours after death was exactly 5jlbs. — 
R. Fortune. 
Naturalist 
