COUNCIL FOR 1879 . 
13 
the Hospitiiim into tlie Ethnological room in the Museum. 
During the past seven years the collections have increased hy 
one-third, or even more. It is not probable that the extraordi¬ 
nary opportunities which the Society has recently enjoyed will 
occur again for a considerable period, still it is to be hoped that 
in future years nothing illustrative of ancient York will be 
allowed to pass away to other Museums from the city in which 
it is foimd, if it can be acquired on reasonable terms. The 
Curator may mention a special deficiency in the cabinet of 
coins in examples of the work of the ancient York mint. 
The Curator of British Ornithology has to record the early 
arrival of several large Hawks and other birds, owing, no doubt, 
to the excessive cold which set in at the beginning of the winter, 
amongst them the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrbms) ^ a 
beautiful male, shot near the toll bar on Bootham Stray, 
November 10, 1879, in pursuit of Lap-wings, by Mr. William 
Overton, by whom it has been presented to the Pudston 
collection; weight, 1 lb. 13 J oz. ; length, 15 J inches; width, 
37J inches ; also a female of the same species, trapped Novem¬ 
ber 8, at Londesbro’. The Honey Buzzard (Falco apivorus)^ 
trapped also at Londesbro’, September 20, 1879; length, 23 
inches, 51 inches across the wings; weight, 3 lbs. 2 oz. 
The Pomerine Skua (Lestris Pomarinus), shot at Nun 
Monkton, October 19,1879. 
The Cormorant (Peleccmm Carho)^ shot on the lake at Kirby 
Hall, August 23, 1879. 
The female Smew (3Iergus Albellus), uncommon except in 
hard winters, shot at Grrimston, near Tadcaster, November 10, 
1879. 
The Sanderling, in singular plumage, shot at Nun Monkton 
in December, 1879. 
The Black Woodpecker (Picas JJaiiins), male, very rare in 
the British Isles, sent fresh in the fiesh from the neighbourhood 
of Hull on November 12th to Mr. Pelph, Feasegate ; weight, 
10 oz. ; 29 inches across the wings, length, 17| inches; kindly 
presented to the Eudston Collection by Mrs. Eelph. 
