Mosses and Hepatics.-Mr. M. B. Slater, F. L.S., writes that he has only once searched for mosses at Hayburn Wyke, in October, 1886, when he met with the following:-MoSSES-Hypnum cupressiforme, Brachythecium velutinum, Rhynchostegium confertum, Ulota bruchii, Dicranum majus, Brachyodus trichodes; HEPATICS-Scapania umbrosa, S. purpurascens, Cephalozia lammersiana, C. bicuspidata, Naidia hyalina, Frullania dilatata, Kantia trichomanis, Diplophyllum albicans. The rare moss Campylostelium saxicola grows in shady places on sandstone near Hackness, and also occurs on the coast further north, and should be looked for on the shady sandstone by the stream side at Hayburn Wyke.

The best ground at this season to look for Mosses and Hepatics will be in the wood near the mouth of the stream, on the trees and rocks, and also by the stream side, in the shady places up the beck towards Staintondale.

Lichens, Fungi and Algæ.-Mr. George E. Massee, F.R.M.S., says that the following are all the things, other than those of general occurrence, which have been localised from Hayburn Wyke and its immediate vicinity: ALGE-Dermocarpa prasina, D. lieblinic, Chlorochytrium immersum, Monostroma grevillii, Cladophora hutchinsia, C. rupestris, Dictyosiphon hippuroides, Stictyosiphon tortilis, Laminaria saccharina forma phyllitis, Euthora cristata, Spermothamnion turneri, Antithamnion plumula, Melobesia laminaria. FUNGI-Agaricus (Pilosace) algeriensis, found under bushes in the ravine, the only known European habitat; superficially resembling the common mushroom, but without a ring; Agaricus (Stropharia) albocyaneus and Boletus æstivalis also occur.

VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY.-Mr. Chas. D. Head supplies the following: Mammalia. Two species of Bats only have been recorded, the Noctule and Pipistrelle; the Weasel and Stoat are common, especially in the fir woods above Cloughton; five Polecats were recently seen on the moors above Staintondale, only one being killed at the time the chances of this species still occurring in the district are good. The Badger has been recorded for Hayburn Wyke; the whole district from Cloughton to Beast Cliff is overrun with Foxes, but so difficult of investigation is the latter locality that although so many as five have been heard barking in different parts of the undercliff not one could be seen. The Porpoise has several times been picked up on the beach, and a Whale (believed to be the Rorqual) was seen so recently as 1888. The Hedgehog, Mole, Shrew, Water Shrew, Brown Rat, Domestic Mouse, Long-tailed Field Mouse, Water Vole, and Field Vole have all been recorded for the district. A sharp look out should be kept for the Dormouse

and Bank Vole, as both these species are likely to occur.

Birds.-Only about 87 species have been recorded for the district at present, but among these several will be found of interest. In the steep cliffs just beyond Cloughton Wyke the Herring Gull breeds pretty numerously, and an odd pair of Kestrels generally rear their young, whilst all along the lower parts of the cliff the House Martins' nests will be seen. The Herring Gull and Cormorant both breed at the Peak, and a nest of the Rock Pipit was taken there in 1890. Rumours are afloat of the Raven still frequenting these cliffs, but unfortunately no reliable evidence is at hand at present. The Magpie and Carrion Crow are exceptionally common in nearly all the wooded parts of this district. A curious fact with regard to the nesting of the latter bird has been noticed in Hayburn Wyke and Beast Cliff, where they frequently place their nest in a small tree not more than fifteen or twenty feet from the ground. The Jay has almost disappeared from the district. The Dipper, Grey and Pied Wagtails, breed along the Becks. The Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Redstart, Wheatear, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Marsh Tit, and Long-tailed Tit are all fairly common, the Wood Warbler and Tree Creeper scarce. The Stonechat, Ring Ouzel, Twite, Curlew, and Golden Plover, although unrecorded at present, will probably be found to nest on the Cloughton Moors. The Merlin, Sparrow Hawk, Long-eared, Short-eared, and Tawny Owls and Heron have all been recorded in the district. In addition to these, Mr. W. Gyngell records the Rock Dove, Stock Dove, and Ring Plover. He remarks that a look out should be kept for the Great Spotted Woodpecker, Turtle Dove (see Naturalist' for July), Pied Flycatcher,

Reptiles and Amphibians.-Mr. Head continues: If the day be fine and sunny the Viper, Blindworm, and Common Lizard are pretty sure to be seen on the Moors and the Viper also in Beast Cliff. It has been reported that the Grass Snake has been seen in Beast Cliff, but this requires authenticating. The Frog, Toad, and Smooth Newt are the only amphibians on record at present. Crested Newt should be looked for in the ponds at Beast Cliff.

ENTOMOLOGY.-Mr. James H. Rowntree writes :

The

Lepidoptera.-On Cloughton Moor the following species of Lepidoptera used to occur in abundance: Argynnis aglaia, A. selene, Melanthia albicillata. In the neighbourhood of Hayburn Wyke, particularly on the sea cliffs to the south, the undermentioned may be met with either in the larval or perfect state: Thanaos tages, Hesperia sylvanus, Macroglossa stellatarum, several species of Hepialus, Zygana lonicera, Z. filipendule, Euthemonia russula, Chelonia plantaginis, Strenia clathrata, Eubolia mensuraria, E. bipunctaria, Notodonta dictæa, N. ziczac, Calocampa exoleta, Heliothis marginata (larvæ on Ononis arvensis), Toxocampa pastinum, and Euclida glyphica. The late Mr. Thomas Wilkinson records the following Tine as occurring on Cloughton Moor on cliffs: Cemiostoma lotella, Trifurcula immundella, and Pterophorus lithodactylus.

Coleoptera.-Rev. W, C. Hey says the most interesting species is Cossonus tardii, in dead holly-wood. Characteristic marine species, e.g., Cercyon littoralis, Cafius xantholoma, on the shore. The mossy bogs on the moor near have been carefully searched and yielded many rarities.

CONCHOLOGY.-Mr. J. A. Hargreaves remarks that search should be made for Pupa ringens, P. marginata, Vertigo antivertigo, V. edentula, V. pusilla, Helix aculeata, H. lamellata and H.ericetorum, Zonites purus var. margaritacea, Z fulvus, and Z. radiatulus, Bulimus obscurus, Clausilia laminata, Helix fusca, H. concinna and H. pulchella, all of which have been recently found in the neighbouring districts.

Mr. W. Nelson, Crossgates, Leeds, is now one of the Secretaries, in succession to Mr. John Emmet, F. L.S., who has resigned in consequence of not very robust health.

MICRO-ZOOLOGY AND MICRO-BOTANY.-No attention whatever seems to have been given to these subjects. The two ponds on the undercliff marked on the map, several ponds on Cloughton Moor, and Ringing Keld Pond near Cloughton Station, will no doubt repay investigation.

MARINE ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY.-The most convenient parts of the coast for investigation are the Wykes of Hayburn and Cloughton, both of which should yield good results. The tide is favourable, low water about 2 p.m.

AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS will find this a picturesque district, and those accompanying the geologists will do well to take some of the sections exposed along the line of route. "Dark Rooms' for changing plates are provided at the Blacksmiths' Arms.' Cloughton (Mrs. Robinson); and at Hayburn Wyke Hotel. Charge to members showing cards, 6d.

LISTS OF THE FAUNA AND FLORA of the district, which comprises the drainage area of Staintondale and Hayburn Becks and the coast line from Peak to Hundale Point, as shown on the Map, are in preparation by members of the Scarborough Naturalists' Society, and therefore it is advisable that all reliable information, fragmentary or otherwise, be supplied at the Sectional Meetings. PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS.—

5-30 p.m.-Meat Tea, 2/- each 6-30 p.m.-Sectional Meetings 7-0 p.m.-General Meeting

All at the Hayburn Wyke Hotel.

7-28 p.m.-Train leaves for Scarborough.

The next Meeting will be on Bank-Holiday Monday, August 3rd,

at Sledmere.

President:

PROF. A. H. GREEN, M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S., Oxford.
bon. Secretaries:

WM. DENISON ROEBUCK, F.L.S., Sunny Bank, Leeds.
REV. E. P. KNUBLEY, M.A., Staveley Rectory, Leeds.
EDGAR R. WAITE, F.L.S., Philosophical Hall, Leeds.

THE NINETY-THIRD MEETING

WILL BE HELD AT

WETWANG,

FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF

YORK DALE and SLEDMERE

ON

Bank-Holiday MONDAY, Aug. 3, 1891.

RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS.-Return tickets at pleasure party fares issued at all Yorkshire stations on the G. N., H. & B., L. & Y., L. & N.W., M.S. & L., Mid., and N. E. Railways, for WETWANG or SLEDMERE, to Members and Associates producing signed card of Membership. Those wishing to spend the week-end may book on Saturday.

Members and Associates starting from stations which have not through booking arrangements, should book to the most convenient junction, and re-book to their destination; the reduction of fare will be granted for both portions of the journey. PERMISSION is kindly granted by Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart., and Y. Lloyd Greame, Esq.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION.-Members intending to stay over the week-end will find accommodation at the inns at Wetwang or Sledmere.

ROUTES.-Members will proceed from Fimber Station at 11-20 a.m., and will work up York Dale, through Badger Wood, and back to Wetwang, under the guidance of the Rev. E. Maule Cole, M. A., F.G.S. Those arriving at Fimber by earlier trains should occupy the time by investigating the woods at Bessingdale End as far as the chalk pit.

BOOKS and MAPS.-The whole field of Excursion is included in Sheet 64 (94 N. W.) One-inch Ordnance Map (also published geologically coloured), and in Sheets 143 and 160 of the Six-inch Map. The Memoir of the Geological Survey is entitled: "The Geology of the Country around Driffield,' by J. R. Dakyns, M.A., and C. Fox-Strangways, F.G.S. Dr. H. F. Parsons' 'Moss Flora of the East Kiding', 1878 (Trans. Y.N.U., parts ii. and iv., pp. 51--61), and Dr. Spruce's 'List of Hepatice of the East Riding,' 1879 (Id., part iv., pp. 62-63) should be consulted.

THE DISTRICT.-The district to be examined consists of the drainage basin of York Dale, between Fimber Station and Sledmere, which presents as charming a picture of wold scenery as heart can desire. Beautiful woods of Larch, Spruce, and Beech, clothe the sides of the dales, intermixed at the base with Lilacs, Laburnums, and other flowering trees. In the early spring the ground is carpeted with Primroses, Woodsorrel, Sweet Violets, and Lilies of the Valley, whilst later on the Wild Strawberry appears in profusion. Stepping out of the train at Fimber Station we are landed at once on classic ground (at least it would have been classic if any of the old Britons had written about it) for one of their entrenchments runs right under the station, whilst the hill opposite, Towthorpe Hill, has extensive

fortifications, which radiate in all directions. Doubtless many a struggle took place on this spot, till the Romans drove two roads right through the British earthworks-one from Malton to Beverley, the other from York to Bridlington-and subdued the country. Half-a-mile to the right, on the site of the railway, between Fimber and Wetwang, is a Romano-British Cemetery, discovered by Mr. J. R. Mortimer, in 1873.

EXPLANATION.-The Map is divided into square miles by horizontal and perpendicular lines. The arrows show the line of route.

GEOLOGY.-The Rev. E. Maule Cole, M.A., F.G.S., writes:-The subsoil is wholly chalk, but whilst the chalk-pits on the left hand side going up York Dale belong to the Middle Chalk and contain flint, those on the right hand side consist of Upper Chalk without flint. From this point the Upper Chalk extends in an easterly direction to Flamborough Head, and southwards to the village of Wetwang, the northern slopes of which are on the Upper Chalk, the southern on the Middle. The Upper Chalk is fairly fossiliferous here, especially in the matter of sponges, but the Middle Chalk is comparatively barren. A geological feature of interest is the accumulation of chalk debris, locally called 'grut,' on many of the dale sides expo-ed to the north and east, which, whatever may be the theory of its deposition, is certainly indicative of an arctic condition of climate. In one of the dales to be traversed the work of a local glacier can very fairly be traced.

BOTANY.-Mr. M. B. Slater, F. L.S., states that the botanical ramble is entirely through a chalk district, and there is no record of its Flora. The Rev. E. M. Cole met with Saxifraga granulata last year at Towthorpe; this plant will now be past its flowering time. The following are a few of the rarer and

other plants that have been gathered in various other parts of the Wold Chalk districts, some of which may possibly be met with on this occasion. Flowering Plants: Malva moschata, Geranium columbinum, Ononis spinosa, Anthyllis vulneraria, Astragalus Hypoglottis, Spirea filipendula, Poterium Sanguisorba (abundant), Conium maculatum, Daucus Carota, Scabiosa arvensis, Reseda luteola, R. lutea, Cnicus lanceolatus, C. palustris, C. eriophorus, Centaurea Scabiosa, Cichorium Intybus, Campanula glomerata, Lycopsis arvensis, Echium vulgare, Hyoscyamus niger, Orchis pyramidalis, Ophrys apifera. Grasses: Bromus erectus, Brachypodium pinnatum, Phleum pratense, Festuca ovina, etc. Ferns: In the woods, Lastrea dilatata the most plentiful fern of the district, Lastrea filix-mas, L. spinulosa, and Athyrium filix-fœmina may possibly also be seen.

There are fine plantations of Larch and other Firs on the hill sides of York Dale, some few hard-wooded trees mixed with them, mostly Beech, which grows with luxuriance on the Chalk. At the outer boundaries of these plantations, as one walks up the Dale, may be seen some fine examples of our indigenous trees and shrubs, planted for ornament, and probably selected at the time for their suitability for the district. Amongst them are: Euonymus europeus (Spindle tree), Rhamnus catharticus (Buckthorn), Pyrus Aria (White Beam tree), P. Aucuparia (Mountain Ash), Cornus sanguinea (Dogwood), Viburnum Opulus (Gueldres Rose), V. I antana (Wayfaring tree), and Berberis vulgaris (Barberry).

The Rev. E. Maule Cole, M.A., F.G.S., writes: One of the best hunting grounds for flowers is on the railway between Fimber and Wetwang. Here the Ox-eye presents almost the appearance of a wreath of snow. Near the far signalpost, half-a-mile from Wetwang Station, is a colony of lilac-coloured gentian. eyebright, milkwort, field convolvulus, bird's foot and purple trefoil, harebell, cinquefoil, speedwells, hawkweeds, &c., occur in profusion. The blue geranium, is not uncommon; there is also a wax-like pink centaury; likewise a colony of saxifrage on the top of one of the branching dales near Towthorpe, hitherto unrecorded, and green hellebore, wild strawberries, raspberries, and backberries abound in the words, gorse on the wastes, and dog-roses in the hedges.

Experienced botanists may expect a rich harvest in this locality, though experienced farmers can well spare the brassics' which will persist in coming to the fore notwithstanding all the efforts of the school-children. Whenever the

ground is ploughed a little deeper than usual, the resinous seeds of this plant burst into fresh life, and cause no end of expense and labour to keep them within bounds. One farmer hit upon the happy expedient of letting well alone (?) and sent the seeds to Hull to be ground into oilcake!

Mosses and Hepatics.-The following species have been gathered by Mr M. B. Slater, F.L.S., in the district :-Mosses: Barbula lævipila, Barbula papillosa, Ulota bruchii, Orthotrichum lyellii, O. pulchellum, Cryphaa_heteromalla, Leucodon scuiroides, Thuidium recognitum, Plagiothecium undulatum, P. sylvaticum. Hepatics: Lophocolea heterophylla, Philidium ciliare var. pulchrum, Frullania dilatata, Radula complanata. On trees in the woods and hedge-rows, and in shady places in old chalk quarries are the best places to search for mosses and hepatics at this season. Many of the larger Pleurocarpous mosses, which grow on shady rocks and banks, do not fruit at this season and are best collected in the autumn, say October, and during mild weather through the winter months.

The lists of East Riding Mosses and Hepatics by Dr. Parsons and Spruce in the Union Transactions, parts 2 and 4, should be consulted.

Lichens, Fungi and Algæ have not been worked.

VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY. -The Rev. E. Maule Cole, M.A., F.G.S., supplies the following:

Mammalia. Large and Small Bat, Field Shrew, Short-tailed Field Mouse, Common Rat, Water Rat, Weasel, Stoat, Squirrel, Hedgehog, Mole. Hare, Rabbit, Fox, Badger, and Fomard.

Birds. As no list of birds of the district has yet been given I venture to record in full those which have come under my own observation, though doubtless many varieties of small birds have escaped my notice. The order of names follows the Latin index in Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary :-Sparrow Hawk, Hedge Chanter, Wood Lark, Sky Lark, Meadow Pipit, Barn Owl, Wild Duck, Wren, Goose, Heron, Night Jar, Goldfinch, Creeper, Hen Harrier (1868), Ring Dove, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Kook, Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Swift, Yellow Hammer, Bunting, Snowfleck (1875), Peregrine Falcon (1888),