Blackcap and Garden Warblers are summer visitors, also Yellow and Pied 
Wagtails, Sedge and Reed Warblers nest on the common. 
Mammals. — Foxes are encouraged in this area and their staple food 
— rabbits are quite numerous. Hares are also in evidence, particularly 
on the surrounding more cultivated lands. A feature of the common is 
the herd of fallow deer, originally from Escrick Park. They are very shy 
owing to being repeatedly hunted because of the local depredations on the 
farms. 
Otters frequent the River Derwent near by. The Water Vole is numerous 
and owing to the marshy nature of the land preventing burrowing, they 
construct pretty ball-like nests from the pith of ‘ peeled ’ sedges. 
Long-Tailed Field Mice, Short-Tailed Vole and Common Shrew are 
resident species. Grey Squirrels have multiplied enormously, and the 
Red Squirrel become very rare. Stoats and Weasels are regularly trapped 
by the keepers, Brown Rats are always numerous, and some years ago a 
family of pure albino variety of this species were trapped and sent to me, 
and specimens are in the York Museum. 
Reptiles. — Viper and Grass Snakes used to be fairly common, but of 
late years they have almost disappeared, perhaps as the result of successive 
periods of wet. The Blind or Slow Worm also occurs and although the 
date of the excursion is somewhat early, the Common Lizard might be seen. 
Amphibia. — The usual species are fairly common. 
ENTOMOLOGY.— Dr. W. J. Fordham, F.E.S., writes:— 
Coleoptera. — The Tiger Beetle ( Cicindela campestris) is common and 
search should be made for its parasite Methoca ichneumonoides which occurs 
at Allerthorpe. Blethisa multipunctata occurs under felted algae in dried 
up ponds. Numerous good Water Beetles occur including Dytiscus 
circumcinctus , Rhantus grapii, Hydroporus lepidus, striola, tristis, umbrosus, 
piceus, obscurens, nigrita, and melanarius , Agabus unguicularis and paludosus, 
Copelatus agilis and Ilybius guttiger. 
Heather roots and sedge refuse produce Bembidion clarki, Gymnusa 
brevicollis, Atheta islandica, Agonum gracile, Conosoma pedicularium and 
Gabrius stipes. Dung has given the rare Philonthus atratus and fungi 
Gyrophaena bihamata, and Tetratoma fungorum . Other interesting Beetles 
are Aromia moschata on sallow, Endomychus coccineus under bark of birch 
stumps, Rhynchites harwoodi on birch and Aleochara cuniculorum in rabbit 
burrows . 
Diptera. — The outstanding Diptera of the common are Spaniotoma 
angusta, Prionoccra turcica, Oxycera trilincata, Thcrioplectes distinguendus , 
Lasiopogon cinctus, Verrallia aucta, Paragus tibialis, Ischyrosyrphus glaucius, 
Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Echinomyia grossa, Loxoccra fulviventris , Urellia 
stellata and Phora fasciata. 
Hymenoptera. — Among the Aculeata may be mentioned Psen bicolor, 
Physosceles clavipcs, Leptothorax acervorum, Sphecodes pellucidus and 
fcrruginatus , Halictus rufitarsis and Notozus panzcri. Sawflies include 
Pamphilius vafer, Cimbcx femorata, Lophyrus pini. Ento-decta pumilus, 
Empria excisa and Dolerus madidus, nigratus and pratensis. 
Ichneumons are Ichneumon gradarius, Phaeogenes bcllicornis , Pimpla 
arctica, Rhyssa persuasoria, Promethus sulcator, Polyblastus variitarsis and 
Meloboris rufiventris. 
Hemiptera. — Among the noteworthy bugs of the common are Asopus 
punctatus, Picromcrus bidens, Zicrona coerulea, Acanthosoma inter stinctum, 
Gastrodes ferrugineus, Ceratocombus coleoptratus, Phytocoris pini and 
C amp tozygum pinas tri . 
Neuroptera ( sensus lato) . — The Caddis Flies Phryganea minor and 
Limnophilus flavicornis, bipunctatus, stigma, vittatus and luridus occur, 
Raphidia xanthostigma, Chrysopa phyllochroma and Nothochrysa capitata 
are found, and among the Dragonflies Sympetrum scoticum, Libellula 
4- maculata and Lestes sponsa have been taken. 
MOLLUSCA. — Mr. H. Sowden writes : — The following species should be 
found in suitable situations in the district, Vitrea cellaria, V. alliaria, 
V. nitidula, V. crystalina, Zonitoidus nitidus, Hygromia hispida, Vallonia 
(vii) [P.T.O. 
