2^6 
Yorkshire Naturalists at Thornton Dale. 
plantations round the old disused ironworks near Levisham railway 
station, where there were many pairs. House Martins were nesting in 
small numbers on the cliff face in the same dale. Woodcocks in their 
vesper flight at about q-30 p.m. came right up to the end of the village ; 
uttering their peculiar cry, viz., two short notes and a grunt. Mrs. 
Fysher, found a Yellow Hammer’s nest containing three eggs of that 
bird, and also three eggs of the Willow Warbler. The nest and surround- 
ings did not show any sign of having been tampered with. As the 
Yellow Hammer was incubating, it would be interesting to know what 
will become of the young Willow Warblers. 
There was plenty of evidence of the presence of Foxes and Badgers. 
Of Reptiles, the Viper and the Viviparous Lizard were fairly common, 
and of Amphibians, the Great Crested — and the Smooth — Newts appeared 
to be equally common in some horse-ponds. 
Trout were seen in the stream in the village. 
This section had the exceptional advantage of the guidance and 
leadership of Mr. Jim Green, the head gamekeeper, to whom they were 
greatly obliged and indebted. 
Mollusca (Greevz Fysher) . — As the weather during this Excursion was 
warm and bright the terrestrial mollusca visible were not numerous, but 
the following species were collected, and vouched for by John W. Taylor, 
M.Sc. : — Helix nemoralis, Hygromia striolata, Xerophila virgata, X . cape- 
rata, Ena obscura, Claus . bidentata, Limax flavus, L . flavus v . virescens , 
Limnea peregra , L. truncatula, Bythinia leachii, B . tentaculata, Planorbis 
albus, P . fontanus, Sphaerium lacustre, Pisidium cinereum, P . pulchellum, 
P. annicum, P. subtruncatum . 
Helix aspersa was also observed. 
The aquatic species were principally collected from a small stream 
flowing from one of the limestone springs near Ellerburn. This little 
watercourse was in some parts quite full of Chara, on some of which Mr. 
Wattam found a small mollusc. This was so encouraging that little 
time was lost in getting to the place, but at first examination of a quantity 
of Chara gave no result. By dredging with an ordinary scoop, however, 
the species enumerated were obtained. 
Sphaerium lacustre is much more sparingly distributed than Sphaerium 
corneum. 
From this little stream a plentiful supply of Limnea truncatula was 
obtained, the animals evidently living constantly under water. Not 
long ago a colony of this species was observed in a dry quarry at Linton 
Spring, near Leeds, and some of the specimens which were observed in 
confinement appeared very reluctant to remain below the surface of 
water in the vessel where they were confined. This mollusc is especially 
interesting to physiologists because it is the host of one of the alternate 
generations of the liver fluke in sheep, and the observations reported 
above might also suggest some light upon the transmission of acquired 
characteristics. "No masses of spawn have yet been observed in the 
habitat of the colony living in a dry quarry, but if such should ever be 
obtained, and if the animals hatched from them should shew any re- 
luctance to aquatic life, this observaton could not fail to be of weight in 
the discussion. 
Sectional Reports were rendered^ at the general meeting, held at 
Headquarters on Monday, June 5th, the President being in the Chair. 
Cordial votes of thanks were carried to the landowners who had so kindly 
thrown open their estates to the Union, and also to Mr. J . A. K. Meldrum, 
Mr. A. I. Burnley and Mr. J. Green, whose guidance and local knowledge 
had done so much, to facilitate the work of the meeting. Six new members 
were elected. 
Naturalist 
