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THE 


NATURALIST: 


NATURAL  HISTORY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND 


Curator  of  the  Municipal  Museums,  Hull  ; 

Hon.  Member  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union;  the  Spalding  Gentlemen’s 
Society  ; the  Doncaster  Scientific  Society  ; the  Selby  Scientific  Society  ; 
the  Worthing  Archaeological  Society  ; the  Leeds  Naturalists’ 

Club  and  Scientific  Association  ; 

AND 


THOMAS  WILLIAM  WOODHEAD,  Ph.d.,  m.Sc.,  F.L.S. 


A 


fo 


MONTHLY  JOURNAL  OF 


EDITED  BY 


T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.S.A.  (Scot.)  , M.B.O.U., 


Lecturer  in  Biology,  Technical  College,  Huddersfield 


with  the  assistance  as  referees  in  special  departments  of 


GEORGE  T.  PORRITT,  F.L.S.,  F.E.S. 


JOHN  W.  TAYLOR  M.Sc. 


RILEY  FORTUNE,  F.Z.S. 


1924. 


LONDON 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  5,  Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C,4. 
And  at  Hull  and  York. 


PRINTED  AT  A.  BROWN  AND  SONS,  LTD., 
SAVILE  STREET  AND  GEORGE  STREET,  HULL. 


Plate 


PLATES. 


To  face  page 

I . — British  Earthworms  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  i 

II. — Helix  aspersa  and  Wall  Pennywort  ...  ...  ...  33 

III. — Skull  of  Eoanthropus  dawsoni,  and  cast  of  brain  cavity...  51 

IV.  — Sheld  Ducks  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  65 

V.  — Dotterel  (Eudromias  morinellus)  ...  ...  ...  ...  97 

VI.  — Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  Yorks.  ...  ...  ...  ...  72 

VII. — Typical  Deep-sea  and  Shallow-water  Deposits  ...  ...  104 

VIII. — Timber  Sections  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  168 

IX. — Kentish  Plovers  and  their  Nesting  Place  ...  ...  129 

X. — Pennine  Peat  Organisms  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  145 

XI. — The  Cradles  of  two  Hawthorn  SawfLy  Grubs  ...  ...  161 

XII. — A Street  in  York  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  193 

XIII.  — Serial  Sections  across  root  of  Sterile  Seedling  of  Calluna  201 

XIV.  — Bee  Orchis  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  225 


JAN.,  1924. 


No.  804 

No.  578  of  current  Series 


A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 

EDITED  BY 

T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.S.A.Scot., 

The  Museums,  Hull : 

AND 

T.  W.  WOODHEAD,  Ph.D.,  M.Sc.,  F.L.S., 

Technical  College,  Huddersfield, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES  IN  SPECIAL  DEPARTMENTS  OF 

G.  T.  PORRITT,  F.L.S.,  F.E.S. 

JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc.  RILEY  FORTUNE,  F.Z.S. 


Contents  : 


Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated): — British  Earthworms  and  How  to 
Identify  Them  ; Physiology  for  Girls  ; Skeleton  25,000  Years  Old  ; 
Mouth  Seven  Inches  Across  ; Relics  Found  ; Museums  Association — 
Conference  of  Delegates  ; Mites  ; ‘ Research  ’ ; Birds  of  Prey  ; 

Dr.  J.  E.  Stead;  10,000,000  Years  Ago;  A Mother;  Liverpool 
Geologists  ; Exit  Discovery  ; A Shelley  Ode  ... 

Tisoa  siphonalis  Marcel  de  Serres,  a Supposed  Liassic  Annelid 
(illustrated) — fF.  A.  Bather,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  ... 

Pennine  Peat — Chris . A . Cheetham  ... 

Field  Notes  : — Leach’s  Petrel  and  Little  Auk  at  Halifax  ; Coprinus 
radians  Fr.  in  Yorkshire  ; Birds  and  Plants  near  Sowerby  Bridge  ; 
Winter  Purslane  (Claytonia  perfoliata)  ; Omphalia  pseudoandrosacea, 
etc.,  in  Yorkshire  ; Vitrea  hicida.  etc.,  at  Market  Rasen... 

Vertebrate  Zoology  in  Yorkshire — E.  Wilfred  Taylor  ... 

Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Entomological  Section — B'.Morley. 
Correspondence: — Fox  Hunting  ...  ...  ...  ...  ... 

Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union’s  Report  for  1923 
Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...15- 

News  from  the  Magazines  ...  ...  ...  .. 

Northern  News  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ... 

Illustrations  .V. 

Plate  I. 


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The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  I. 


Illustration  from  ' British  Earthworms 
by  Hilderic  Friend  (1/6  net  Epworth  Press). 


Longworm  (A.  longa).  Blue  Worm  (O.  cyaneum). 

Earthworm  (L.  terrestris).  Green  Worm  (A.  chlorotica). 

Gtlt-tai  i,  (D.  subrubicunda).  Brandling  (E.  foetida). 


THE  NATURALIST 

FOR  1924. 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

BRITISH  EARTHWORMS  AND  HOW  TO  IDENTIFY  THEM.* 

As  contributors  to  this  Journal  are  aware,  few  people 
have  done  more  to  advance  the  study  of  the  English  earthworm 
than  has  our  one-time  frequent  contributor,  Hilderic  Friend. 
The  present  handbook  is  a valuable  contribution  to  the  subject, 
and,  by  the  aid  of  numerous  illustrations,  should  appeal  to 
all  interested  in  this  subject.  We  are  kindly  permitted  to 
reproduce  the  frontispiece  of  the  volume  as  Plate  I.,  which 
speaks  for  itself.  The  price  is  very  reasonable. 

PHYSIOLOGY  FOR  GIRLS,  j 

In  this  handy,  well  printed  and  well  illustrated  volume, 
one  of  our  contributors  has  written  a text -book  which  will 
at  once  take  its  place  among  the  institutions  for  which  it 
has  been  written.  As  Headmistress  of  one  of  the  largest 
girls’  schools  in  the  country.  Miss  Johnstone  has  practical 
knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  the  scholars,  and  in  this  way 
no  words  are  wasted,  but  at  the  same  time  everything  necessary 
for  a knowledge  of  the  subject  seems  to  have  been  included. 
The  book  has  not  been  written  with  the  object  of  enabling 
scholars  to  pass  examinations,  but  is  in  such  a style  that  it 
will  easily  be  read  and  understood.  The  fifteen  chapters 
refer  to  the  Skeleton  ; Muscles  and  Tendons  ; Position  of  In- 
ternal Organs  ; The  Cells  of  the  Body  and  how  they  are 
Maintained  ; How  the  Blood  is  Fed  : Food,  Digestion  of  Food, 
Absorption  ; The  Liver  ; Respiration  : How  the  Blood  is  Fed 
from  Air  ; Excretion  : Removal  of  Waste  by  the  Skin  and 
Kidneys  ; Regulation  of  the  Temperature  of  the  Human  Body  ; 
The  Nervous  System  ; The  Senses,  etc. 

SKELETON  25,000  YEARS  OLD? 

The  above  is  the  heading  of  an  article  in  a recent  issue  of 
The  Daily  Telegraph  ; but  we  ought  to  add  that  it  is  from 
their  New  York  correspondent,  and  New  York  is  in  America  ! — 
the  report  tells  us  that  : — ‘ All  theories  of  the  geographical 
origin  and  early  wanderings  of  the  human  race  will  be  upset 
if  the  conclusions  of  Dr.  J.  P.  Harrington  are  true,  that  he 
has  discovered  at  Santa  Barbara,  California,  the  skeleton  of 


* By  Hilderic  Friend.  London  : Epworth  Press.  64  pp.  1/6  net. 
t By  Mary  A.  Johnstone.  London  ; Blackie  & Son.  vii.  -f-  269  pp. 
3/-  net. 

1924  Jan.  1 

A 


2 


Notes  and  Comments . 

man  at  least  25,000  years  old.  This. skeleton  and  a separate 
skull  have  been  unearthed  during  the  excavation  of  what  is 
known  to  the  scientific  world  as  the  Burton  Mound,  fronting 
on  the  Santa  Barbara  ocean  beach. 

MOUTH  SEVEN  INCHES  ACROSS. 

‘ The  skulls  show  [so  it  is  said]  that  the  men  who  walked 
this  [American]  continent  at  that  period — something  which 
never  had  been  even  suspected — possessed  mouths  larger 
than  those  of  any  known  human  being  of  ancient  or  modern 
times.  One  mouth  was  widely  opened,  as  though  the  man  had 
died  in  great  agony  or  fear.  It  measured  between  the  jaws 
nearly  seven  inches.  [Probably  he  was  only  just  talking  ! ]. 

RELICS  FOUND. 

‘ The  average  thickness  of  both  skulls  is  three-quarters  of 
an  inch,  which  corresponds  closely  with  that  of  the  Nean- 
derthal Man,  and,  like  the  latter,  the  skulls  have  a pronounced 
supra-orbital  ridge,  without  depression  between  the  eyes. 
The  structure  of  the  jaws  is  regarded  as  another  proof  of  the 
antiquity  of  the  skulls,  being  almost  identical  with  that 
of  the  Heidelberg  Man — long,  crushing  jawbones  and  bovine  [!] 
teeth.  One  theory  is  that  the  first  men  to  tread  this  con- 
tinent crossed  from  Siberia  on  island  to  island  in  the  Aleutian 
group.  Another  theory  is  that  they  came  in  canoes  from  the 
Pacific  islands.  Encrusted  in  the  rock  with  the  skulls  were 
found  instruments  resembling  pestles,  crude  fish  hooks,  and 
other  relics/ 

MUSEUMS  ASSOCIATION— CONFERENCE  OF  DELEGATES. 

In  connection  with  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Museums 
Association,  to  be  held  at  Wembley,  July  21st  to  25th,  the 
Corresponding  Societies'  Committee  of  the  British  Association 
is  arranging  for  a Conference  of  Delegates  to  be  held  at  Wemb- 
ley during  the  week,  and  Professor  J.  L.  Myres,  M.A.,  F.S.iV., 
one  of  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  British  Association,  has 
kindly  accepted  the  Presidency  of  the  Conference,  and  will 
deliver  an  address  which  will  doubtless  be  equally  interesting 
to  the  members  of  the  Museums  Association  and  of  the  Con- 
ference of  Delegates.  As  the  members  of  the  British  Associa- 
tion visiting  Canada  will  be  leaving  towards  the  end  of  that 
week,  the  President  has  expressed  a hope  that  the  Conference 
of  Delegates  may  be  held  on  Tuesday,  the  22nd  July. 

MITES. 

As  Economic  Series  No.  13,  the  British  Museum  (Natural 
History)  has  issued  ‘ Mites  Injurious  to  Domestic  Animals 
(with  an  appendix  on  the  acarine  disease  of  Hive  Bees),  by 
Stanley  Hirst  (107  pp.,  3s.).  It  is  illustrated  by  nearly  100 
remarkably  clear  sketches  dealing  with  the  parasites  of 


Naturalist 


'Notes  and  Comments . 


3 


■various  mammals  and  birds  which  are  put  to  the  service  of 
man,  ;and.  gives  methods  of  exterminating  them.  There  is 
^also  a chapter  on  mounting  mites  for  examination  under  the 
microscope,  and  :a  list  of  the  principal  books  dealing  with  the 
subject.. 

f RESEARCH.’ 

The  following  iis  a report  of  a recent  meeting  of  what  is 
described  as  the  ‘ Hull  Psychical  Research  Society  ’ : — 
“ Psychometric  delineations  were  given  by  a lady  medium 
who  met  with  success  in  reading  past  and  present  conditions 
in  the  lives  of  those  who  submitted  articles  for  reading,  and 
also  in  giving  descriptions  of  persons  passed  on.  A peculiar 
characteristic  of  the  lady’s  readings  was  the  giving  of  warnings 
respecting  accidents  which  were  likely  to  occur  to  various 
members.  One  was  especially  striking  in  virtue  of  a some- 
what minute  description  being  given  of  the  building  in  which 
it  would  occur,  one  of  the  departments  of  a well-known  local 
firm.  The  members  look  forward  with  interest  to  the  dates 
which  were  given  in  connection  with  the  events,  awaiting 
further  evidence  for  the  possession  of  the  faculty  of  prevision. 
At  the  next  meeting  an  address  will  be  given  on  “ The  Occult 
Significance  of  Genesis.” 

BIRDS  OF  PREY. 

Major  S.  S.  Flower,  of  the  Zoological  Service,  Cairo,  has 
favoured  us  with  Publication  No.  37,  which  is  devoted  to  a 
List  of  Birds  of  Prey,  1898-1923,  with  notes  on  their  longevity. 
In  this  he  states  — ‘ As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  in  studying 
animals  in  nature  and  in  captivity,  the  Birds  of  Prey  exceed 
in  intelligence  and  individuality  all  other  Orders  of  Birds 
•except  the  Passeres.  The  intellectuality  of  many  Hawks, 
Falcons,  Eagles  and  Vultures  appears  to  be  only  equalled  or 
exceeded  in  the  animal  kingdom  by  certain  Mammals  of  the 
Orders  Primates,  Carnivora,  and  Rodentia,  by  some  of  the 
groups  of  Passerine  Birds,  and  possibly  by  some  Crocodilians. 
The  Owls  appear  to  be  more  reflex  animals,  and  agree  with 
the  Mammals  of  the  Orders  Insectivora,  Chiroptera,  Ungulata, 
etc.,  and  with  the  majority  of  Birds,  Reptiles,  Batrachians, 
Fishes,  and  Invertebrates,  in  that  their  actions,  independent 
of  intelligent  or  individual  will,  are  carried  out  in  involuntary 
response  to  nerve-stimulation.  Some  kinds  of  Birds  of  Prey, 
such  as  the  sensitive  nervous  Harriers,  are  unsuited  for  ex- 
hibition in  a public  garden  ; others,  for  instance  the  Bateleur 
Eagles  and  some  of  the  large  Vultures,  not  only  thrive  for 
long  years  in  captivity,  but  seem  absolutely  to  revel  in  being 
looked  at  by  human  beings  and  behave  like  popular  comedians 
before  an  appreciative  audience.  Whereas  Monkeys,  Bears,. 
Parrots,  or  Goats  may  “ show  off  ” in  order  to  be  rewarded 
by  gifts  of  food,  Birds  of  Prey  make  friends  with  mankind 


1924  Jan.  1 


4 


Notes  and  Comments. 


without  expecting  or  receiving  anything  in  return  but  notice*, 
admiration,  and  loud  amusement  (probably  the  highest  form, 
of  admiration  to  the  bird’s  mind).’ 

DR.  J.  E.  STEAD. 

The  October  Bulletin  of  the  Cleveland  Scientific  and l 


Technical  Institution  contains  the  accompanying  portrait  of 
‘ our  Founder  and  first  President,  John  Edward  Stead,  D.Sc. 
(Manchester),  D.Sc.  (Leeds),  D.Met.  (Sheffield),  F.R.S., 
F.I.C.,  and  F.C.S.,  Past  President  Iron  and  Steel  Institution, 
and  of  the  Cleveland  Institution  of  Engineers,  and  a Bessemer 
Medallist.  By  his  death  this  Institution  has  lost  its  greatest 
friend  and  guide,  whilst  science  has  equally  lost  one  of  its 
greatest  votaries.’  The  Institution  kindly  permits  us  to* 
reproduce  the  portrait  herewith. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


5 


10,000,000  YEARS  AGO. 

Under  the  above  extraordinary  heading  The  Times  recently 
had  a lengthy  report  from  its  Peking  Correspondent,  though 
what  possible  evidence  there  is  for  giving  such  an  absurd 
heading,  even  assuming  the  discovery  is  authentic,  it  is 
difficult  to  understand.  The  report  states  that  ‘ ten  million 
years  ago  or  thereabouts,  the  beast  known  as  dinosaur  was 
laying  eggs  in  Mongolia.  I have  seen  a dozen  of  the  eggs  in 
a fossilized  condition,  have  handled  them,  weighed  and 
measured  them,  and  pored  over  the  markings  on  the  shells, 
•as  clear  as  those  on  the  daily  output  of  a well-regulated 
domestic  hen.  One  of  the  eggs  is  broken  across  the  middle, 
;and,  looking  at  it  section-wise,  there  is  plainly  to  be  seen 
the  pure  white  embryo  skeleton  of  an  unborn  dinosaur  em- 
bedded in  the  reddish  rocky  substance  into  which  the  egg 
has  been  transposed  by  the  process  of  nature.  These  as- 
tonishing things  are  between  four  and  eight  inches  long,  all 
of  the  double-ended  shape  which  reptiles  effect,  some  flattened 
by  pressure,  one  apparently  quite  perfect  in  contpur,  about 
three  times  its  own  diameter  in  length.’ 

A MOTHER  ? 

‘ Five  were  found  together  in  one  place  and  nine  in  another, 
presumably  as  they  were  laid  by  the  parent  on  the  sand,  to 
be  hatched  by  the  warmth  of  the  sun.  Moreover,  hard  by 
the  five,  with  its  posterior  end  within  two  feet  of  the  nest, 
was  found  the  complete  skeleton  of  a dinosaur,  in  a position 
suggesting  that  it  might  have  just  deposited  the  eggs  before 
there  happened  the  sandstorm  which  covered  beast  and  eggs, 
to  preserve  them  so  wonderfully  for  discovery  long  ages  after. 
This  extraordinary  find,  the  very  first  of  its  kind  in  the  history 
of  science,  proves  what  scientists  never  knew  for  certain  before 
— that  the  primeval  reptile  reproduced  by  the  same  oviparous 
process  as  its  descendants  of  the  present  time.’ 

LIVERPOOL  GEOLOGISTS. 

Under  the  editorship  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Travis,  The  Proceedings 
of  the  Liverpool  Geological  Society  for  the  Sixty-fourth  Session 
have  recently  been  issued.  Besides  the  record  of  the  Society’s 
meetings  it  contains  the  following  ‘ Note  on  the  Glacial 
Geology  of  the  Alwen  Valley  above  Pont-yr-Alwen,’  by  H.  J. 
F.  Gourley  ; ‘ The  Petrology  of  the  Permian  Sandstones  of  the 
Parbold  District,’  by  Mabel  Workman  ; ‘ The  Cronkley  Mica 
Lamprophyres,’  by  D.  Williams  ; ‘ The  Lower  Ludlow  Rocks 
of  the  Northern  Part  of  the  Clwydian  Range,  North  Wales/ 
by  F.  H.  Edmunds  ; ‘ Note  on  a large  Boulder  of  Carboniferous 
Limestone  from  the  Gladstone  Dock  Excavations’,  by  W.  A. 
Makinson  ; and  ‘ Note  on  a Well-boring  at  Seacombe  (Wal- 
lasey),’ by  T.  A.  Jones.  Professor  P.  G.  H.  Boswell’s 


1924  Jan.  1 


6 


Field  Notes. 


Presidential  Address  deals  with  ' Some  Aspects  of  the  Petrology 
of  Sedimentary  Rocks/  and  is  accompanied  by  a bibliography 
containing  twenty-three  pages  of  titles  of  monographs  bearing 
upon  the  subject. 

EXIT  ‘DISCOVERY/ 

We  are  sorry  to  find  that  our  ideas  with  regard  to  the 
probable  life  of  Discovery  expressed  in  March  20th,  1920,  have 
proved  to  be  true,  and  we  learn  that  with  the  December  issue, 
this  much -advertised  publication  ceases  to  be,  having  had  its 
(very)  little  day.  It  has  died  with  the  same  blare  of  trumpets- 
which  characterised  its  birth,  and  its  own  obituary  notice  of 
its  own  record  of  its  great  achievements,  as  given  in  its  funeral 
issue,  are  quite  characteristic.  Notwithstanding  the  efforts 
of  its  editor,  scientific  adviser,  trustees,  and  the  whole  army 
of  societies  from  the  National  Union  of  Teachers  to  the  British 
Psychological  Society,  the  plain  fact  presumably  is  that  the 
circulation  of  Discovery  did  not  warrant  its  continuance. 
The  index  to  the  volume  occupies  one  page. 

A SHELLEY  ODE. 

We  learn  from  the  daily  press  that  ‘ How  the  Shellfish 
sheds  its  Shell  ’ is  the  title  of  an  article  by  Professor  Arthur 
Thomson.  The  rhythm  of  the  thing  seems  to  have  got  on  the 
brain  of  the  office  poet,  who  writes  : — 

Would  you  learn  the  secret  spell, 

How  the  selfish,  elfish  shellfish 
Sheds  the  shelter  of  his  shell 
As  a hermit  sheds  his  cell  ? 

Is  the  elfish  shellfish  selfish 
Since  he  sheddeth  not  his  smell 
With  the  shedding  of  the  shell 
That  the  shellfish  sellers  sell? 

: o : 

Leach’s  Petrel  and  Little  Auk  at  Halifax. — During" 
the  great  gale  at  the  close  of  October,  1923,  two  storm -blown 
birds  were  picked  up  alive,  but  exhausted,  and  died  later, 
in  the  Halifax  district.  The  first  was  a Leach's  Fork-tailed 
Petrel  at  Rippenden  Road,  Soyland,  and  the  second  a Little 
Auk  at  Wainstalls. — Walter  Greaves. 

Coprinus  radians  Fr.  in  Yorkshire. — In  The  Naturalist 
for  March,  1923,  p.  91,  I reported  the  occurrence  of  P ferula 
multifida  Fr.  in  a remarkable  habitat.  I sent  a specimen  to 
Mr.  A.  D.  Cotton  at  Kew,  who  informs  me  that  it  is  an  ab- 
normal growth  of  the  mycelium  of  Coprimes  radians  Fr., 
named  by  the  old  authors  Ozonium  auricoma. — A.  Clarke, 
Huddersfield. 


Naturalist 


7 


TISOA  SIPHON ALIS  MARCEL  DE  SERRES* 
A SUPPOSED  LIASSIC  ANNELID. 


F.  A.  BATHER,  D.SC.,  F.R.S. 


{Published  by  permission  of  the  Trustees  of  the  British  Museum.) 

Visiting  my  friend  Prof.  L.  Cuenot  at  Nancy  in  October., 
I noticed  in  his  collection  some  specimens  labelled  ‘ Tisoa 
siphonalis  Marcel  de  Serres,  Charmouthien,  St.  Jerome  ' [near 
Marseilles].  Of  these  he  kindly  gave  me  one  for  the  Geological 
Department  of  the  British  Museum,  where  it  is  now  registered 
as  A2555. 

Believing,  perhaps  wrongly,  that  British  geologists  share 
my  previous  ignorance  of  this  curious  form,  and  wishing  to 
find  out  whether  it  does  not  occur  in  this  country,  where  as 
yet  it  is  unrecognised,  as  well  as  with  the  view  of  eliciting 
further  suggestions  as  to  its  nature,  I venture  this  brief  note. 

The  previous  published  references  to  Tisoa  are  the 
following  : — 

D’Hombres-Firmas  (Baron)  April,  1839,  Description  d’une 
formation  problematique  observee  aux  environs  d’Alais. 
Bibl.  Univ.  Geneve,  XX.,  pp.  412-413. 

Serres,  Marcel  de,  1840,  Description  de  quelaues  mollusques 
fossiles  nouveaux  des  terrains  infra-jurassiques  et  de 
la  craie  compacte  inferieure  du  midi  de  la  France. 
Ann.  Sci.  Nat.  (Zool.),  ser.  2,  XIV.,  pp.  5-25,  pis.  i.,  ii. 

Rouville,  P.  de,  1853,  Description  geologique  des  environs 
de  Montpellier  (These  : Montpellier),  [p.  20]. 

Reynes,  P.,  1868,  Essai  de  Geologie  et  de  Paleontologie 
Aveyronnaises.  8vo.,  no  pp.,  7 pis.,  (Paris),  [pp. 

65. 67]. 

Dumortier,  E.,  1869,  Etudes  paleontologiques  sur  les 
Depots  Jurassiques  du  Bassin  du  Rhone,  pt.  3,  Lias- 
Moyen  (Paris),  [pp.  173-184,  pis.  xxiv.-xxvi.]. 

Friren,  A.,  1876,  Melanges  Paleontologiques  I.  Bull. 
Soc.  Hist.  nat.  Metz,  ser.  2,  XIV.,  pp.  1-22,  pis.  i.,  ii., 
[p.  20,  pi.  ii.,  ff.  6-9]. 

Friren,  A.,  1887,  Melanges  Paleontologiques,  II.  Bull. 
Soc.  Hist.  nat.  Metz,  ser.  2,  XVII,  pp.  49-80  [p.  79]. 

The  short  note  by  D’Hombres-Firmas  is  good  and  sensible 
so  far  as  it  goes.  The  paper  by  Marcel  de  Serres  owes  what 
value  it  possesses  to  its  illustrations,  and  to  the  fact  that  a 
name  was  there  first  given  to  these  objects.  The  misprint 
Tysoa  occurs  on  p.  384  of  the  volume  quoted.  Rouville 
merely  gives  some  localities.  Reynes,  who  spells  the  name 
Tissoa,  probably  had  not  the  true  Tisoa  before  him.  Dumor- 


1924  Jan.  1 


8 Tisoa  siphonalis  : a supposed  Liassic  Annelid. 

tier's  account  is  the  only  one  worth  considering,  and  his  inter- 
pretation is  probably  on  the  right  lines.  The  Abbe  Friren 
discusses  a point  of  geographical  distribution. 

Tisoa  is  found  throughout  certain  marls  or  calcareous 
shales,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Middle  Lias,  which  attain  a 
thickness  of  65  to  80  metres,  and  contain  fossils  identified  by 
Dumortier  as  Belemnites  clavatus,  Ammonites  margaritatus, 
and  Avicula  sexcostata. 

In  the  departments  of  Gard,  l’Herault,  and  Bouches-du- 
Rhone,  where  it  was  first  known  and  studied,  Tisoa  occurs  in 
the  form  of  cylindroid,  conical,  or  torpedo-shaped  nodules, 
formed  about  an  axis  composed  of  two  tubes,  which  are  vertical 
to  the  bedding-plane.  The  greatest  diameter  of  these  nodules 
varies  from  2*5  cm.  to  16  cm.,  being  usually  4 to  5 cm. 
The  length  is  usually  12  to  15  cm.,  but  may  reach  50  cm. 
Similar  concretions  are  recorded  from  the  departments  of 
Ain,  Basses-Alps,  Jura,  and  la  Moselle. 

The  tubes  that  penetrate  the  nodules  are  usually  filled 
with  calcite,  which  renders  them  conspicuous  ; they  are 
approximately  circular  in  cross-section,  with  a diameter  of 
6 to  8 mm.;  they  lie  6 to  7 mm.  apart,  and  about  equidistant 
from  the  long  axis  of  the  cylindroid.  According  to  M.  de 
Serres  they  come  to  the  surface  at  the  broader  end  of  the 
cylindroid  ; what  may  happen  to  them  at  the  other  end  is 
not  stated.  Each  tube  (or  its  calcite  infilling)  is  surrounded 
by  a thin  layer  of  darker  colour,  which  in  some  cases,  at  any 
rate,  is  due  to  an  oxide  of  iron.  Specimens  with  only  one 
tube,  or  with  additional  irregular  tubes,  are  rare,  and  have 
not  been  regarded  as  of  much  importance.  Our  specimen, 
which  is  a nodule  ground  down  at  both  ends,  shows  at  one  end 
a dark  line  enclosing  the  two  tubes  in  an  area  of  irregularly 
elliptical  outline.  A similar  dark  line  forming  a somewhat 
hour-glass-shaped  figure  is  shown  enclosing  the  tubes  in 
Dumortier’s  plate  xxvi.,  fig.  2 (our  fig.  3). 

The  meaning  of  this  line  seems  to  be  explained  by  speci- 
mens, apparently  of  the  same  species,  found  at  the  same 
horizon  in  the  Mont-d’Or  lyonnais.  Dumortier  (p.  173) 

describes  these  as  - composed  of  a compressed  ellipsoidal 
sheath,  broadly  rounded  at  the  ends  of  the  section,  slightly 
depressed  at  the  middle  of  its  breadth  ; with  a long  axis 
from  12  to  22  mm.,  a short  axis  from  4 to  12  mm.  ; the  ex- 
terior irregularly  striated  lengthwise,  and,  in  some  speci- 
mens, with  slight  swellings  at  intervals  ; the  section  shows 
two  circular  tubes.’  * The  wall  of  these  tubes  is  not  1 mm. 
thick.'  ‘ The  sheath  seems  to  be  covered  by  a pellicle  -25 
mm.  thick,  traces  of  which  are  seen  with  difficulty'  (figs.  1 
and  2). 

The  difficulty  of  interpreting  this  fossil  was  increased 


Naturalist 


Tisoa  siphonalis  : a supposed  Liassic  Annelid.  9 

far  the  earlier  observers  by  the  incompleteness  of  their  speci- 
mens. ‘ Tachez  done  d’en  decouvrir  les  bouts/  said  Hauy 
a century  ago.  One  end  at  least  seems  to  be  furnished  by 
the  specimen  figured  on  pi.  xxv.,  fig.  15  of  Dumortier.  This 
is  part  of  a sheath  with  a regularly  rounded  base  ; Dumortier 
compares  it  to  a greatly  compressed  Belemnites  irregularis. 
The  specimen  suggests  forcibly  that  at  its  rounded  [ ? lower] 
end  the  two  tubes  met,  so  as  to  form  an  elongate  U (fig*.  2). 
Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  explain  these  curious 


TISOA  SIPHONALIS. 


Dravyings  of  natural  size,  copied  from  Dumortier,  1869. 

Figs.  1 and  2. — After  Dumortier,  pi.  xxiv.,  ff.  16,  15.  Cross-section 
and  side-view  of  a specimen  from  Saint  Fortunat,  with  no  surrounding 
concretion . 

Fig.  3. — After  Dumortier,  pi.  xxvi.,  f.  2.  Cross -fracture  of  a con- 
cretion from  Vais,  showing  the  outline  of  the  sheath  enclosing  the  two 
tubes. 

fossils.  M.  de  Serres,  who  regarded  the  concretion  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  supposed  animal,  claimed  that  it  was  some 
kind  of  siphonate  mollusc.  Even  Terquem,  in  a letter 
published  by  Dumortier,  regarded  the  tubes  as  the  siphons 
of  a lamellibranch.  One  objection  to  this  hypothesis  is  the 
almost  complete  absence  of  lamellibranch  shells  in  associa- 
tion with  Tisoa. 


1924  Jan.  1 


i:o  Tisoa  siphonalis  : a supposed  Liassic  Annelid. 

The  absence  of  carbonaceous  matter  suggests  that  the 
organism  was  of  animal  rather  than  of  plant  nature,,  and 
the  evidence  of  the  associated  fossils  shows  that  the  animal, 
was  marine,  and  lived  in  mud-flats,  which  may  well  have  been 
exposed  at  low  tide. 

The  most  probable  suggestion  hitherto  made  is  that  of 
Dumortier,  namely  that  the  tubes  are  the  two  limbs  of  a U- 
shaped  worm-burrow.  Such  burrows  are  known  from  Cambrian 
times  down  to  the  lob-worm  ( Arenicola)  of  the  present  day. 
They  appear,  however,  to  be  simple  burrows,  and  devoid  of 
any  structure  that  could  be  compared  with  the  sheath  of 
Tisoa.  The  same  objection  appears  to  hold  against  the 
attribution  of  Tisoa  to  one  of  the  so-called  Gephyrea.  Both 
Priapulus  and  Echiurus  make  U-shaped  burrows  in  sand 
or  sandy  mud,  and  that  of  Echiurus,  at  any  rate,  is  strengthened 
by  a lining  of  mucus.  But  these  creatures  do  not  fashion 
bricks  or  tiles  or  terre  pisee,  as  do  some  Terebelloids,  for  they 
have  not  the  appropriate  organs. 

Tisoa,  on  the  other  hand,  as  it  seems  to  me,  did  not  merely 
burrow  in  the  mud,  but  built  up  a distinct  tube-wall  about  2 
mm.  thick  by  pressing  the  surrounding  mud,  and  impregnating 
it  with  body  slime.  On  the  death  of  the  worm,  this  fairly 
solid  tube  remained,  enclosing  the  decaying  body,  and  forming 
a natural  centre  for  concretion. 

Many  tubicolous  polychaetes  build  tubes  in  this  way  out 
of  the  adjoining  sediment,  but  these  tubes  are  usually  straight 
or  slightly  curved,  and  none  of  them,  so  far  as  I can  find,  is 
U-shaped. 

Even  if  we  concede  that  one  of  the  U-shaped  burrows, 
whether  of  polychaete  or  gephyrean,  could  be  sufficiently 
stiffened  with  mucus  to  form  a fossil  like  Tisoa,  and  that 
it  could  contain  enough  organic  matter  to  serve  as  a good 
concretionary  nucleus,  still  we  are  unable  to  find  among 
recent  forms  a burrow  or  tube  in  which  the  limbs  are  relatively 
so  close  together.  This  is,  naturally,  not  a fatal  objection  to 
the  hypothesis,  even  though  it  may  seek  some  explanation. 
It  may  be  remembered  that  some  of  the  straight  tubes  allow 
room  for  the  animal  to  double  on  itself  in  them,  so  that  there 
is  no  essential  difference  physiologically  between  a horizontal 
tube  with  an  upturned  opening  at  each  end,  a wide  U-tube, 
and  a straight  vertical  tube.  The  difference  lies  in  the  greater 
or  less  space  and  the  varying  amount  of  external  matter  (sand, 
etc.),  between  the  head  and  tail  ends  of  the  curved  body. 
Tisoa,  thus  regarded,  is  quite  a natural  passage-form  between 
the  normal  U-shaped  and  the  single  tube. 

Any  criticisms  of  this  interpretation  and  any  further 
suggestions  would  be  welcome.  Also  I should  be  glad  to 
receive  specimens  of  Tisoa  found  in  the  British  Isles. 


Naturalist 


ir 


PENNINE  PEAT. 

CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


As  the  main  part  of  the  work  done  in  connection  with  the 
Union's  Peat  investigation  has  been  devoted  to  the  hill  peat* 
it  may  be  useful  to  state  the  difference  between  it  and  the 
so-called  fen  peat.  This  is  a question  of  the  type  of  growth 
of  the  plants,  the  decay  of  which  formed  the  peat. 

Fen  peat  is  produced  under  water  ; a lake  gradually  filling 
by  the  decay  of  water  plants  like  Pondweeds,  Bog-bean* 
Marsh  Cinquefoil,  Reeds,  Rushes  and  Sedges  will  show  the 
usual  sequence.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  depth  of  this 
peat  is  determined  by  the  depth  of  the  water,'  i.e.,  it  has  a 
definite  limit  of  thickness,  except  when  conditions  are  favour- 
able to  the  production  of  hill  type  peat  afterwards.  Fen  peat 
is  usually  found  in  the  low-lying  land  areas  where  the  water 
conditions  were  favourable. 

The  hill  peat  is  very  different,  and  here  there  have  been 
many  misstatements.  It  is  probably  true  that  most  people 
who  have  given  the  matter  any  thought,  or  have  read  published 
statements,  will  say  that  Bog  Moss  (Sphagnum  sps.)  is  the 
Peat-forming  agent.  Braithwaite,  in  his  Sphagnaceae,  p.  ii*. 
says  : — ‘ With  regard  to  the  function  of  these  plants  in  the 
formation  of  peat  I cannot  do  better  than  quote  Prof. 
Schimper ’s  words.  He  says  : — “ Unless  there  were  peat  mosses*, 
many  a bare  mountain  ridge,  many  a high  valley  of  the 
temperate  zone,  and  large  tracts  of  the  northern  plains,  would 
present  an  uniform  watery  flat,  instead  of  a covering  of 

flowering  plants  or  shady  woods As  soon  as  plant 

detritus  formed  in  this  manner  has  elevated  itself  above  the 
surface  water  it  is  familiar  to  us  by  the  name  of  peat."  * 

Bog  moss  does  produce  peat,  but  it  cannot  do  much  better 
than  the  plants  making  fen  peat,  although  it  can  grow  slightly 
above  the  water  level  ; it  is  a very  small  constituent  of  the 
Pennine  peat.  A worse  mistake  is  that  of  thinking  that  the 
plants  growing  on  dry  peat,  such  as  the  Heather  type,  are 
concerned ' with  peat  production,  whereas  the  usual  case  is 
that  they  are  found  where  the  peat  is  retrogressive.  Our 
Pennine  peat  has  a very  simple  history,  and  is  mainly  due  to 
one  plant,  the  single-headed  Cotton-grass,  Eriophorum  vagina- 
tum.  Lewis  and  Moss,  in  £ Types  of  British  Vegetation/ 
p.  267,  state  : ‘ Sphagnum  peat  is  rare  in  the  upland  Pennine 
moors,  and  this  fact,  together  with  the  very  local  occurrence 
cf  the  association  at  the  present  day  is  interesting,  seeing 
that  the  Sphagnum  moor  is  generally  considered  the  starting- 
point  and  type  of  the  moor  (“  Hoch  moor  ")  series  ’ ; and  on 
p.  268  : ‘ The  peat  on  which  the  Cotton-grass  moors  are 


1924  Jan  1 


12 


Cheetham  : Pennine  Peat. 


developed  consists  almost  wholly  of  the  leaf  bases  and  leaf- 
sheaths  of  Eriophorum  vaginatum  (Cotton-grass)/ 

The  only  other  similar  type  of  plant  growth  in  Britain  is 
the  csespitose  Scirpus  which  is  not  much  in  evidence  in 
Yorkshire,  but  may  enter  as  a factor  further  north.  It  is  an 
object  lesson  to  dig  out  a sod  of  cotton-grass  and  examine  the 
old  leaf  bases  with  the  new  roots  near  the  surface  amongst  the 
older  leaf  bases  ; these  can  be  traced  downwards,  and  if  a 
section  of  the  peat  is  available  they  can  be  followed  until  all 
trace  of  structure  is  lost  in  amorphous  peat  ; even  here  micro- 
scopic examination  will  show  that  this,  structureless  peat 
is  derived  from  the  same  plant.  This  tufted  growth  producing 
peat  is  known  in  other  parts  of  the  world  with  different  genera 
of  plants.  Darwin,  in  ‘ A Naturalist’s  Voyage  round  the 
World,’  Chap.  XIII.,  says  : — ‘ Here,  within  the  Chonos 
Archipelago  ....  every  patch  of  level  ground  is  covered 
with  two  species  of  plants  (Astelia  pumila  and  Donatia  magell- 
anica)  which,  by  their  joint  decay  compose  a thick  bed  of 

elastic  peat Fresh  leaves  are  always  succeeding  one 

to  the  other  round  the  central  tap  root  ; the  lower  ones  soon 
decay,  and  in  tracing  a root  downwards  in  the  peat,  the 
leaves,  yet  holding  their  place,  can  be  observed  passing  through 
any  stage  of  decomposition,  till  the  whole  becomes  blended 
in  one  confused  mass.’ 

One  necessary  condition  for  the  development  of  hill  peat  is 
a fairly  constant  supply  of  moisture,  a rainfall  of  at  least  35 
inches  per  annum  is  essential  for  cotton-grass,  given  this  there 
seems  no  limit  to  the  thickness  which  may  accumulate  ; 
wherever  Cotton-grass  is  growing  there  peat  is  accumulating, 
the  whole  area  covered  with  it  is  gradually  rising.  Here  we 
see  something  very  different  from  the  fen  peat  in- filling  lakes, 
.something  that  is  not  limited  by  the  depth  of  water,  but 
which  can  continue  producing  peat  unlimited  in  thickness. 
A feature  often  noted  in  examining  sections  of  hill  peat  is  the 
presence  of  a layer  or  layers  of  birch,  usually  only  the  bark  ; 
this  indicates  either  a drier  period  or  an  alteration  of  drain- 
age, leaving  the  surface  in  a drier  condition.  The  preservation 
of  the  birch  is  very  noticeable,  and  will  be  referred  to  later. 

A report  is  in  preparation  dealing  with  the  organisms 
found  in  the  peats  which  have  been  examined  microscopically 
during  the  last  few  years,  but  the  two  main  points  noted  in 
the  course  of  the  work  have  been  the  frequent  occurrence  of 
seeds  of  rushes  at  the  base  of  the  peat,  and  the  constant 
presence  of  Cotton-grass  throughout  the  thickness.  This 
seems  to  point  to  a commencement  with  a swampy  rush 
growth  turning  into  a level  area  of  Cotton-grass  growing  up 
in  mass,  and  the  whole  surface  rising  together.  A question 
may  be  asked  as  to  the  trees  sometimes  found  at  the  base  of 


Naturalist 


Cheetham  : Pennine  Peat. 


IS 


the  peat  ; in  these  cases  it  is  probably  similar  to  those  which 
have  been  noted  many  times  in  recent  years  ; Geikie  in  his 
‘ Text  Book  of  Geology/  mentions  an  ancient  pine  forest  in 
Rossshire  all  dead  in  1657,  and  fifteen  years  later  a spongy 
bog  into  which  a man  could  sink  to  his  armpits,  and  this 
was  used  for  fuel  at  the  end  of  the  century.  Dr.  Walker 
mentions  a similar  change  at  Drumlarig  after  the  wood  was 
overset  in  1756.  Lyell,  in  ‘ Principles  of  Geology/  says 
‘ Many  bogs  of  North  Europe  occupy  the  places  of  immense1 
forests,  which  have  many  of  them  disappeared  within  historical 

era Thus  in  Mar  Forest  (Aberdeenshire)  large  trunks 

of  Scots  fir  which  had  fallen  were  soon  immersed  in  peat.’ 
The  destruction  of  woodland  at  the  base  of  the  hills  by  the 
introduction  of  agriculture  and  iron  smelting,  or  by  military 
measures,  as  by  the  Romans  in  this  country,  by  Edward  I.  in 
Wales,  or  Henry  IT  in  Ireland,  or  by  Act  of  Parliament  for  the 
suppression  of*  out  laws  and  wolves  ; all  these  would  destroy 
the  shelter  belt,  and  winds  would  complete  the  destruction  on 
the  hill  tops,  blockage  of  drainage  developing  into  swamp, 
and  finally  a Cotton-grass  area  would  result.  Such  a forest 
base  is  not  essential  nor  usual.  Geikie,  in  his  ‘ Great  Ice 
Age/  p.  319,  says  : It  is  a mistake,  however,  to  suppose 

that  peat -moss  always  overlies  a prostrate  forest.  There  are 
cases  where  no  trace  of  wood  can  be  detected.  Peat  of  this 
description  is  not  uncommon  on  the  upland  district  of  South 
Scotland,  where  it  frequently  clothes  the  tops  and  slopes  of 
considerable  hills  to  a depth  of  from  6 to  12  or  even  16  feet.  . . . 
Again,  in  the  mosses  of  the  higher  hill  tops,  where  trees  do 
occur,  they  are  of  small  size — mere  brushwood/ 

An  impermeable  base  is  necessary  to  give  the  swamp 
condition  to  start  the  growth  of  the’ Cotton-grass,  and  where 
the  surface  is  of  a sandy  nature  this  has  been  produced  by  the 
formation  of  a layer  of  what  is  termed  ‘ Pan/  a red  metallic- 
like  mass  varying  in  thickness,  the  average  seen  during  this- 
investigation  being  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch.  The  usual' 
sequence  from  the  peat  base  is  3 to  6 inches  of  bleached  sand, 
stained  somewhat  purple,  burning  off  to  white  ; then  a dark 
red  metallic  pan,  and  below  this  the  unaltered  yellow  sand, 
remaining  yellow  when  burnt  off.  Many  theories  have  been' 
put  forward  to  account  for  this  (see  Warming,  ‘ (Ecology  of 
Plant  Growth/  p.  62,  Morison  and  Souther’s  Journal  of 
Agricultural  Science,  January,  1914),  but  these  seem  all 
founded  on  a wrong  basis  by  assuming  the  peat  to  be  present 
in  place  first  and  to  take  a part  in  ‘ pan  ’ forming  ; one  of  the 
most  noticeable  features  seen  on  examining  sections  is  the 
mass  of  roots  in  the  bleached  layer  above  the  ‘ pan/  and  the 
definite  way  these  cease  at  the  surface  of  the  * pan/  it  being 
perfectly  obvious  that  the  ‘ pan  ’ was  there,  in  place,  before: 


1924  Jan.  1 


14 


Cheetham  : Pennine  Peat. 


the  plants  which  produced  these  roots  grew,  forming  the 
swamp  and  starting  the  peat  formation. 

At  present  the  question  of  ‘ pan  ’ formation  is  very  un- 
satisfactorily answered,  and  field  work  should  precede  labora- 
tory research  and  statements. 

It  is  perhaps  out  of  the  scope  of  this  paper  to  introduce 
the  relation  of  peat  to  coal,  but  as  it  is  now  an  accepted  fact 
that  peat  was  a stage  in  coal  formation,  may  we  not  look  to 
peat  to  help  us  to  visualize  how  the  coal-peat  masses  accumu- 
lated. Here  again  there  have  been  many  loose  statements 
about  forests  turning  into  coal  ; only  recently  in  Nature, 
4/8/23,  p.  163,  we  have  been  told  how  pine  forests  might  grow 
in  the  Arctic,  and  such  type  of  growth  might  have  formed 
the  coals  found  in  those  latitudes.  At  a meeting  of  the 
Quekett  Microscopical  Club,  November,  1919,  Dr.  G.  H. 
Rodman  said  : ‘ Coal  is  a product  formed  from  the  shedding 
of  the  leaves,  fronds  and  spores  of  primeval  forests.'  Or, 
before  the  Past  and  Present  Mining  Students’  Association, 
Mr.  Jas.  Lomax  is  reported  as  saying  : ‘ After  an  exhaustive 
-examination  of  a large  number  of  seams  he  had  come  to  the 
-conclusion  that  almost  all  had  their  origin  in  vegetable 
matter  grown  and  deposited  on  the  spot  where  it  now  rested, 
the  coal  substance  being  formed  chiefly  by  the  droppings  of 
leaves,  twigs,  etc.’  Against  such  statements  it  is  well  to 
read  what  R.  C.  McLean  speaking  of  the  Forests  of  South 
Brazil  in  The  Ecological  Journal,  VII.,  p.  122,  says  : — ‘ Soil 
is  extremely  shallow  : 10  cm.  general  average  depth  for  hill 

forests.  The  great  depths  of  humus  soil  spoken  of  by  some  of 
the  older  travellers  occur  only  in  valley  forests,  and  even  there 
only  exceptionally,  where  circumstances  of  topography  fa- 
voured accumulation.  This  shallowness  of  the  soil  has  not 
been  generally  emphasized  by  those  who  have  written  about 
Tropical  rain  -forests,  but  its  effect  on  the  vegetation  is  mani- 
fest  The  soil  has  a very  low  capacity  for  absorbing  or 

retaining  water  ; but  in  this  latter  respect  its  power  is  en- 
hanced by  the  layer  of  decaying  leaves  2-3  inches  thick 
which  everywhere  covers  it.  This  layer  is  not  seasonal  as 
with  us,  but  perpetual,  owing  to  the  high  percentage  of  ever- 
green trees  present,  so  that  while  being  continually  destroyed 
by  decay  it  is  steadily  renewed.’ 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  any  large  tree-like  growth 
on  a soft  boggy  surface  would  have  a very  unstable  support, 
and  also  the  relative  time  taken  to  grow  a large  tree-like 
plant  against  the  speedy  destruction  of  fallen  timber,  etc.,  by 
fungus,  bacteria  and  animals,  unless  under  water,  is  against 
the  possibility  of  accumulation.  May  not  the  growth  of 
Cotton-grass  and  other  similar  peat-forming  plants  of  a tufted 
habit  give  an  insight  as  to  how  the  enormous  depths  of  peat 


Naturalist 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


15 


such  as  are  needed  for  our  coal  seams  may  have  been  produced. 
It  is  a fair  estimate  to  say  15  feet  of  peat  are  required  to 
form  1 foot  of  coal  by  compression  so  that  a y-ioot  seam 
would  require  more  than  100  feet  of  peat.  A plant  growth  of 
a tufted  habit  like  Cotton-grass  possibly  of  a fern  type,  pro- 
ducing enormous  numbers  of  spores  and  growing  up  as  a solid 
mass,  could  give  the  necessary  depth  and  is  a reasonable  way 
in  which  such  peat  masses  could  form. 

It  may  be  asserted  that  we  find  undoubted  plants  of  tree-like 
growth  in  coal  ; if  one  could  take  10  feet  of  amorphous  peat, 
including  one  layer  of  birch,  and  compress  it  into  9 inches  of 
coal,  the  only  recognisable  thing  would  be  the  birch  layer, 
but  it  would  be  a mistake  to  assume  that  this  coal  was  all 
formed  from  a birch  wood  ; the  tree  trunks  and  stumps  seen 
at  the  base  of  some  peats  might  lead  to  similar  wrong  con- 
clusions after  such  compression.  A growth  similar  to  the  one 
postulated  is  seen  in  the  recently  described  fossil  Devonian 
plants  Rhinia  and  Hornea. 

The  microscopic  examination  of  peat  is  a slow  process,  but 
sufficient  has  been  done  to  show  the  composition  of  hill  peat 
and  how  it  is  practically  pure  Cotton-grass.  What  is  wanted 
now  is  a survey  over  the  whole  of  the  peat  area  showing 
roughly  how  much  is  Heather-covered  (retrogressive),  and 
how  much  covered  by  Cotton-grass  (accumulating),  and  also 
over  what  area  is  there  a tree  base.  This  is  work  which  can 
be  done  by  everyone  living  near  a peat  area,  and  the  Union's 
members  will  doubtless  see  that  this  is  soon  completed. 

: o : 

REVIEWS  AND  BOOK  NOTICES. 

The  Archaeology  of  the  Cambridge  Region,  by  Cyril  Fox. 

London  : Cambridge  University  Press,  xxvT-l-360  pp.,  31/6  net.  In 

view  of  the  extraordinary  interest  now  being  taken  in  the  study  of  archae- 
ology, resulting  in  much  unreliable,  and  in  some  cases  absurd  information 
being  published,  it  is  particularly  satisfactory  to  find  a volume  like  the 
present,  based  on  sound  and  authentic  lines,  the  result  of  considerable 
research,  and  illustrated  in  a way  which  we  should  expect  from  the 
Cambridge  University  Press.  The  author  has  successfully  searched  in 
all  manner  of  directions  for  information  bearing  upon  his  remarkably 
complete  account  of  the  Neolithic,  Bronze,  Iron,  Roman  and  Saxon 
remains  in  the  Cambridgeshire  area,  which  has  proved  particularly  rich 
in  all  these  five  directions.  He  has  taken  considerable  care  to  examine 
and  sift  the  information  recorded  in  scores  of  publications,  in  addition 
to  which  he  has  seen  the  actual  specimens  in  various  institutions  and 
private  collections  ; in  fact,  the  volume  is  a model  of  what  a work  of  this 
character  should  be.  In  a pocket  at  the  end  of  the  book  are  coloured 
maps  upon  which  are  shown  various  discoveries  made  during  the  Neo- 
lithic, Bronze,  Early  Iron,  Roman  and  Anglo-Saxon  Ages.  These  alone 
convey  an  amount  of  information  of  inestimable  value  to  the  historian, 
and  represent  an  amount  of  work  which  only  those  who  have  undertaken 
duties  of  this  kind  can  appreciate.  We  have  nothing  but  praise  for 
Dr.  Fox’s  book. 


1924  Jan.  1 


i6 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


Lawns,  Links  and  Sportsfields , by  J.  MacDonald.  London: 

‘ Country  Life/  ix.,+  78  pp.,  5s.  net.  Owing  to  the  spread  of  golf  and 
other  games  in  which  good  turf  is  a disideratum,  Mr.  Macdonald’s  little 
volume  will  prove  of  considerable  value,  in  view  of  his  practical  knowledge 
of  the  subject.  In  addition  to  such  questions  as  Drainage,  Cultivation, 
Levelling,  Seeding,  Selection  of  Seeds,  Turfing,  Mowing  and  Rolling, 
the  author  deals  with  Golf  Courses,  Tennis  Courts  and  Croquet  Lawns  ; 
Cricket,  Football  and  Polo  Grounds  ; Bowling  Greens,  and  ends  up 
with  Lawn  Pests  and  Manures. 

Essays  of  a Biologist,  by  Julian  Huxley.  London  : Chatto  & 

Windus,  xiv. + 306  pp.,  7/6.  net.  Following  the  example  of  his  illus- 
trious grandfather,  Mr.  Julian  Huxley  has  reprinted  a number  of  his 
essays  under  the  above  title,  and  the  many  people  who  admire  his  work 
will  be  glad  to  have  the  volume  in  the  present  form,  particularly  in 
view  of  the  reasonableness  of  the  cost.  The  essays  are  ‘Progress,  Bio- 
logical and  Human,  ’ ‘ Some  Bearings  of  Biology  on  Sociology,  ’ ‘ Sex 
Biology  and  Sex  Psychology,’  ‘ Philosophic  Ants  : a Biological  Fantasy,’ 

‘ The  present  relations  between  Science  and  Religion.’ 

Guide  to  the  Birds  of  Europe  and  North  Africa,  by  R.  G.  Ward- 
low  Ramsay.  London  : Gurney  & Jackson,  xL  + 355  pp.,  12/6  net. 
The  late  Colonel  Wardlow  Ramsay  spent  many  years  in  the  preparation 
of  a concise  Guide  to  the  Birds  of  Europe  and  North  Africa,  but  un- 
fortunately did  not  live  to  see  his  work  published.  It  was,  however, 
so  far  advanced  that  its  publication  was  not  a difficult  matter,  and  it 
has  been  seen  through  the  press  by  his  friend,  a former  editor  of  this 
journal,  Dr.  W.  Eagle  Clarke,  who  gives  a Memoir  of  the  author  with 
a list  of  his  papers,  etc.  The  volume  is  prepared  for  the  use  of  the 
working  ornithologist,  to  whom  it  will  be  of  great  service. 

Under  the  general  editorship  of  Mr.  Hugh  Richardson,  who  is  well- 
known  to  our  readers,  the  Cambridge  University  Press  has  issued  a 
Nature  Study  Series,  in  simple  language,  well  illustrated,  some  of  which 
we  have  already  noticed  in  these  columns.  The  series  includes  The 
Gateways  of  Knowledge,  by  J.  A.  Dell  (171  pp.,  3/6)  ; Lessons  on 
Soil,  by  E.  J.  Russell  (132  pp.,  3/-)  ; Pond  Problems,  by  E.  E. 
Unwin  (119  pp.,  3/-)  ; Nature  Study  Lessons,  by  J.  B.  Philip 
(147  pp.,  4/6)  ; The  Story  of  our  Trees,  by  M.  M.  Gregson  (160 pp., 
3/6)  ; Bird  Studies,  by  W.  P.  Westell  (152  pp.,  3/6)  ; The  Study 
of  the  Weather,  by  E.  H,  Chapman  (131  pp.,  4/-)  ; and  Weeds,  by 
R.  Lloyd  Praeger  (108  pp.,  2/6).  The  volumes  will  be  appreciated  by 
teachers  in  secondary  schools  and  others. 

Photographing  Wild  Life  Across  the  World,  by  Cherry  Kearton. 
London  : J.  W.  Arrowsmith,  Ltd.  319  pp.,  25/-  net.  In  this  massive 
volume  the  publishers  have  produced  something  rather  novel  in  the  way 
of  books  dealing  with  natural  history,  inasmuch  as  about  one-third  at 
the  bottom  of  each  page  is  left  blank,  whereas  frequently  half,  or  two- 
thirds,  of  a plate  is  also  blank.  We  presume,  however,  the  object  is  to 
‘ bulk  large,’  one  possible  result  of  the  fact  that  it  is  dedicated  to  the 
late  Theodore  Roosevelt,  and  another  that  it  deals  with  American  ex- 
periences. However,  we  find  that  Mr.  Cherry  Kearton,  in  his  usual 
style,  describes  his  experiences  in  the  natural  history  world,  though  in 
this  case  he  has  gone  a little  further  afield  than  usual,  and  we  are  intro- 
duced to  the  large  mammalia,  birds  and  insects  of  Borneo,  East  Africa, 
South  Africa,  India,  Canada  and  the  American  Rockies.  Several  of  the 
illustrations,  such  as  the  photographs  of  the  lion  at  close  quarters,  indicate 
that  the  author  has  taken  a certain  element  of  risk  in  his  work.  Much 
of  the  information  in  the  present  volume  has  already  appeared  in  a 
previous  book  by  the  same  author,  but  more  recent  experiences  and 
photographs  are  now  included.  We  are  glad  to  see  that  the  author  has 
much  to  say  about  the  useless  destruction  of  wild  life. 


Naturalist 


z7 


FIELD  NOTES. 

Birds  and  Plants  near  Sowerby  Bridge. — For  many 
years  seagulls  have  visited  various  parts  of  the  Calder  Valley, 
and  since  the  various  sewage  systems  were  constructed  their 
numbers  have  greatly  increased.  In  other  places  they  may 
frequently  be  seen  in  the  summer  months,  and  I have  many 
times  watched  them  in  their  flights  over  the  length  of  river 
in  view  of  my  window.  The  river  and  canal  run  parallel  for 
some  distance  here,  but  I never  saw  the  gulls  on  the  latter 
until  the  summer  of  1922.  Previous  to  that  year  barge  traffic 
was  fairly  busy  on  the  canal,  but  when,  owing  to  bad  trade, 
the  company  stopped  business,  a great  change  came  about. 
Shoals  of  roach  made  their  appearance,  and  the  gulls  quickly 
discovered  this.  Their  attention  was  subsequently  divided 
between  the  river  and  canal.  I have  watched  them  many  times 
as  they  flew  over  the  canal,  both  in  the  summer  of  1922  and 
of  1923,  but  I never  saw  them  take  anything.  One  or  two 
birds  then  began  to  stand  on  the  canal  bank  in  order  to  watch 
the  fish.  They  would  wait  with  all  the  proverbial  patience 
of  the  fisherman,  but  without  any  luck  ; when  a fish  leaped 
the  bird  would  rise  and  fly  over  the  place,  then  return  to  the 
bank  ; I never  saw  one  catch  a fish.  Tennyson,  in  ‘ In 
Memoriam,’  has  the  lines  : — 

‘ Where  now  the  seamew  pipes,  or  dives 
In  yonder  greening  glade . ’ 

But  I never  saw  the  gull  dive  ; when  flying  over  the  river, 
even  at  quite  a high  altitude,  it  seems  to  be  able  to  detect 
floating  objects  quite  easily.  It  then  lowers  in  its  flight  and 
travels  swiftly  over  the  current,  passing  the  object,  then  turns 
and,  meeting  it,  endeavours  to  catch  it.  Sometimes  it  misses, 
when  the  process  is  repeated  and  success  is  achieved.  Also 
it  often  happens  that  the  gull  drops  what  it  has  caught,  showing 
that  it  does  not  always  discriminate  beforehand  between 
desirable  food  and  otherwise. 

Another  change  that  has  been  brought  about  by  the  passing 
of  the  canal-barge  is  in  the  vegetation  of  some  parts  of  the 
canal  bank.  A short  patch  of  bank  alongside  the  mill  and 
on  the  side  opposite  the  towing-path,  much  trodden  by  boat- 
men when  manipulating  the  lock-gates,  consists  of  shallow 
soil  well  mixed  with  coal-ashes.  Here  a few  plants  used  to 
eke  out  a miserable  existence.  Dandelions,  with  thin  anaemic 
leaves,  formed  rosettes  close  to  the  ground.  Other  plants  with 
the  rosette  habit  were  plantains  and  crepis,  and  a hawkweed 
with  a leaf  dwarfed  to  the  likeness  of  a herring-bone.  There 
were  several  patches  of  white  clover,  and  in  a corner  close  to  the 
mill  was  a bed  of  gipsy  wort . Now  that  the  patch  is  untrodden 
by  the  boatmen,  these  plants  have  re-asserted  themselves,  and 


1S24  Jan.  1 


B 


i8 


Field  Notes. 


several  additions  to  their  number  have  occurred.  They  have 
lost  their  sickly,  stunted  appearance,  and  quite  a decent 
miniature  flora  is  the  result.  The  dominant  plant  now,  as  in 
many  similar  habitats,  is  the  tall  hawk-weed  Hieraceum 
boreale , which,  when  in  full  bloom,  forms  a pleasing  picture 
from  a mill  window.  A correspondent  in  The  Naturalist 
recently  called  attention  to  the  great  frequency  of  Claytonia 
Siberica  in  the  Ryburn  Valley.  A similar  feature  of  the  Calder 
Valley,  where  the  river  is  joined  by  the  Ryburn  at  Sowerby 
Bridge,  is  the  prevalence  of  a handsome  balsam  for  many 
miles  along  its  banks.  The  writer  is  old  enough  to  remember 
the  time  when  neither  of  these  plants  was  to  be  found  near 
Sowerby  Bridge. — E.  Hallo  well. 

Winter  Purslane  (Claytonia  perfoliata). — A native  of 
the  north-west  coast  of  America,  Claytonia  perfoliata  is  now 
well  represented  among  our  immigrant  plants,  and  it  had 
found  its  way  into  the  Wirral  Peninsula  where  it  is  naturalised 
in  abundance.  It  thrives  exceedingly  well  on  light  soils  in 
the  dune  pastures  at  Wallasey  and  about  Leasowe.  Its  bright 
green  succulent  leaves  under  the  common  name  of  Winter 
Purslane  are  now  used  for  ‘winter  and  spring  salading.’  They 
are  said  to  be  of  mild  flavour  and  quite  free  from  bitterness. — 
Joe  Firth,  Liverpool. 

Omphalia  pseudoandrosacea,  etc.,  in  Yorkshire.— 

On  September  22nd,  at  Edlington  Wood,  near  Doncaster,  I 
observed  Omphalia  pseudoandrosacea  (Bull.)  Fr.,  and  also 
Erysiphe  tortilis  Fr.  parasitic  on  Cornus  sanguinea.  The 
first  named  has  not  been  previously  recorded  for  any  Yorkshire 
district,  and  Erysiphe  tortilis  has  only  been  recorded  for 
Anston  in  September,  1886,  by  Rev.  H.  Friend,  in  Lees’ 
‘ Flora  of  West  Yorkshire.’  The  specimens  were  kindly 
identified  by  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason. — (Miss)  E.  M.  Howkins,  54 
Highwoods  Road,  Mexboro’. 

Vitrea  lucida,  etc.,  at  Market  Rasen. — Mr.  Beetlestone, 
formerly  of  Market  Rasen,  has  submitted  to  me  a few  shells 
collected  by  him  at  and  near  Market  Rasen.  Among  them 
were  three  specimens  of  Vitrea  lucida,  found  in  his  garden, 
in  1910,  the  largest  specimen  measures  15  mm.  at  its  greatest 
breadth.  There  was  also  a very  interesting  caddis  case  from 
Walesby,  1921.  In  addition  to  quartz  and  other  granules 
adhering  thereto,  were  eight  specimens  of  Carychium  minimum , 
one  immature  Limnaea  pereger,  one  Planorbis  fontanus,  a 
considerable  number  of  Planorbis  crista,  and  several  Pisidium 
milium.  Vitrea  lucida  and  Pisidium  milium  have  not  been 
previously  recorded  for  Division  7N. — C.  S.  Carter,  Louth, 
November  8th,  1923. 


Naturalist 


VERTEBRATE  ZOOLOGY  IN  YORKSHIRE. 


19 


E.  WILFRED  TAYLOR. 


A Meeting  of  the  Vertebrate  Section  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union 
was  held  in  the  Library  of  the  Leeds  Philosophical  Society  on  Saturday, 
October  27th,  Mr.  C.  F.  Procter  presiding.  The  Sectional  Meeting  wa^ 
preceded  by  a meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and  Eggs  Protection 
Acts  Committee,  and  of  the  Yorkshire  Mammals,  Amphibians,  Reptiles, 
and  Fishes  Committee. 

The  Reports  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and  Eggs  Protection  Acts 
Committee,  and  of  the  Yorkshire  Mammals,  Amphibians, -Reptiles,  and 
Fishes  Committee  were  read  and  approved. 

A paper  was  read  by  Mr.  H.  B.  Booth  on  ‘ Some  Birds  Noted  in 
Southern  Spain  and  Morocco.’  The  author  first  described  a general 
migration  of  the  Gannet  which  he  witnessed  while  crossing  the  Bay  of 
Biscay  on  March  10th,  and  which  lasted  the  whole  day.  None  of  the 
Birds  was  fishing,  but  all  were  resolutely  persuing  q northerly  course, 
flying  singly,  two  or  three  yards  above  the  surface  of  the  water.  Many 
thousands  were  seen,  all  apparently  actuated  by  the  same  overmastering 
instinct.  After  leaving  the  Channel  the  British  Herring  Gull  soon  gave 
place  to  the  Yellow-legged  Herring  Gull  which  was  plentiful  south  of 
390  30'  North  Latitude.  Similarly  the  British  Black-headed  Gull 
•gave  place  to  the  Mediterranean  Black-headed  Gull  which  became 
-plentiful  south  of  38°  45 ' North  Latitude . The  most  noticeable  differences 
were  in  the  jet  black  head  and  the  paler  primaries  of  the  latter  species, 
while  the  immature  birds  seen  around  Gibraltar  showed  no  sign  of  the 
darker  head  which  characterises  the  immature  British  Black-headed 
‘Gulls  in  their  first  spring. 

The  Mediterranean  Black-headed  Gull  is  not  known  to  nest  in  Spain, 
nor  even  in  Hungary,  though  it  nests  abundantly  in  Asia  Minor,  Syria, 
and  in  the  East.  In  the  case  of  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull  there 
appeared  to  be  no  geographical  dividing  line  between  the  habitats  of 
the  allied  species.  The  British  species  is  now  classified  as  a sub-specieS 
to  the  Scandinavian  form  on  slight  differences  of  colour.  In  the  author’s 
-opinion,  Scilly  Island  birds  are  more  entitled  to  sub-specific  rank,  while 
the  Fame  Island  birds  are  in  colour  intermediate  between  them  and 
the  Scandinavian  birds.  He  thought  these  slight  colour  differences 
between  allied  species  very  difficult  to  account  for,  especially  where  it 
was  only  a question  of  the  colour  of  the  legs  as  in  the  Herring  Gull. 
The  author  briefly  referred  to  the  nesting  habits  of  the  British  Willow 
Tit,  which  he  believed  to  differ  from  those  of  the  Marsh  Tit,  as  in,  his 
experience  the  Willow  Tit  excavated  its  own  nesting  hole. 

In  the  discussion  which  followed  the  paper,  it  was  evident  that 
•several  members  did  not  think  the  British  Willow  Tit  entitled  to  rank 
as  a distinct  species . 

Mr.  Edmondson  exhibited  a young  male  Stonechat  found  dead  at 
Thornton  Dale,  Mr.  Moore  recorded  two  white  Sparrows  and  a white 
Starling  in  the  Greetland  District,  and  Mr.  Fysher  drew  attention  to 
a newspaper  report,  from  which  it  appeared  that  mice  living  in  refri- 
gerators made  the  best  of  it  and  developed  a long,  furry  coat. 

At  the  evening  meeting,  Mr.  R.  Chislett  read  a paper  entitled  ‘ Notes 
on  the  Ring  Ouzel  and  Nightjar.’  He  called  attention  to  the  marked 
similarity  in  appearance  of  the  Blackbird  and  Ring  Ouzel,  and  the 
dissimilarity  in  their  choice  of  habitats,  the  latter  species  invariably 
frequenting  the  craggy  hill  sides.  Its  partiality  for  this  type  of  country- 
does  not  seem  to  be  a question  of  food  supply,  nor  to  a particular  desire 
for  solitude,  and  he  was  driven  to  conclude  that  the  species  was  naturally 
shy,  and  retreated  to  the  lonelier  hillsides  as  man  settled  in  the  more 
fertile  valleys . This  theory  would  account  for  its  migratory  habits, 


1924  Jan.  1 


20 


Northern  News. 


as  its  .summer  habitat  would  furnish  a very  scanty  food  supply  during; 
the  winter  months.  Although  this  species  is  often  fairly  plentiful  in 
its  own  chosen  haunts,  it  may  be  looked  for  in  vain  elsewhere  ; and  in 
Derbyshire,  while  it  regularly  haunts  the  escarpments  of  Millstone  Grit, 
which  generally  crown  the  valleys,  it  is  rarely  seen  on  the  level  stretches 
of  heather.  The  favourite  nesting  site  is  among  the  stones  and  heather 
at  the  foot  of  the  escarpments,  though  it  will  sometimes  nest  below  the 
ground  level  in  the  side  of  a pit  or  on  the  bank  of  a stream,  usually  pre- 
ferring an  altitude  of  1000  to  1500  feet.  The  Nightjar  frequents  similar 
country,  but  prefers  the  bracken -covered  slopes,  nesting  at  a slightly 
lower  elevation  than  the  Ring  Ousel.  Slides  were  shown  illustrating  the 
breeding  habits  of  both  species,  and  the  lecturer  was  complimented  on 
the  excellence  of  his  photographs. 

A paper  was  then  read  by  Mr.  T.  M.  Fowler  entitled  ‘Some  Notes 
on  the  Buzzard,  ’ in  which  he  described  a district  in  which  the  Buzzard 
was  protected  by  the  farmers,  and  was  in  consequence  not  uncommon. 
Photographs  were  shown  of  three  nests,  one  in  the  bowl  of  an  Ash  tree 
about  40  feet  from  the  ground,  one  in  an  ivy-covered  Oak  tree  in  a plan- 
tation, and  one  in  an  Alder  tree  on  the  bank  of  a stream  and  about  15. 
feet  from  the  ground.  The  nests  were  lined  with  green  leaves  and  in 
each  case  three  young  were  reared,  and  the  lecturer’s  observations  did 
not  support  the  theories  put  forward  by  Mr.  Oliver  Pike  to  the  effect 
that  the  stronger  nestling  invariably  preyed  on  the  weaker  ones.  The 
adults  rarely  visited  the  nests,  and  bad  lighting  conditions  made  photo- 
graphy very  difficult.  On  arrival  at  the  nest  with  a rabbit,  or  in  one 
instance  a mole,  the  birds  simply  smashed  their  way  through  the  branches 
of  the  tree  to  the  nest,  and  if,  as  sometimes  happened,  the  prey  was 
accidentally  dropped,  no  attempt  was  made  to  retrieve  it.  Even  when 
carrying  a rabbit  in  its  talons  a Buzzard  has  no  difficulty  in  perching 
on  a branch.  The  period  of  incubation  was  28  to  31  days,  and  the  eggs 
in  one  nest  were  chipped  on  May  19th  ; the  young  remained  about  6 weeks 
in  the  nest.  Photographs  were  shown  of  the  young  and  adult  Buzzards, 
followed  by  a series  of  excellent  slides  of  the  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull, 
Storm  Petrel,  Gannet,  Stonechat,  Corn  and  Yellow  Bunting. 

In  a discussion  which  followed  it  was  pointed  out  that  birds  seem  to 
have  an  aversion  to  picking  up  dropped  food  or  nesting  material  and  an 
instance  of  a Buzzard  striking  and  securing  a flying  Wood  Pigeon  was 
recorded. 

Several  slides  of  sea  birds  were  exhibited  by  Mr.  Bennet.  Finally, 
votes  of  thanks  were  accorded  to  the  Lecturers  and  the  Lanternist. 

: o : — 

Sphaerites  glabratus  F.  is  recorded  for  Yorkshire  in  the  Entomologist's 
Monthly  Magazine  for  December. 

‘ The  Hydrogen  ion  concentration  of  the  Soil  and  of  Natural  Waters 
in  relation  to  the  Distribution  of  Snails,’  by  W.  R.  G.  Atkins  and  M.  V. 
Lebour,  occurs  in  The  Scientific  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society, 
Vol.  XVII.,  No.  28. 

The  Geological  Society  of  Glasgow  has  issued  Part  1 of  Volume  XVII.  of 
its  Transactions,  a substantial  publication,  which  contains  among  other 
matter,  ‘ The  Glaciers  of  Spitzbergen, ’ by  G.  W.  Tyrrell  ; ‘ The  Fracture 
of  Homogeneous  Media,’  by  James  W.  French  ; and  ‘ Notes  on  Four 
Nautili,’  by  Robert  Dunlop. 

Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries,  Part  XVII.,  deals  particularly 
with  bird  life,  commences  with  the  Archaeopteryx,  and  gives  details 
of  many  important  families  of  birds.  There  is  an  excellently  coloured 
plate  of  ‘ Wonderful  Birds’  Nests.’  Part  XX.  seems  largely  to  be 
devoted  to  the  ‘ ugly  ducklings  ’ of  the  bird  world.  Personally  we 
should  award  the  apple  to  the  Shoebill.  In  Part  XXI.  an  admirable 
coloured  plate  of  the  Crested  Ibis  appears. 


Naturalist 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION  : 
ENTOMOLOGICAL  SECTION. 


2i 


B.  MORLEY. 


The  Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Leeds  City  Museum  during  the 
afternoon  and  evening,  October  20th,  I923,  Mr.  G.  T.  Porritt  presiding. 
The  afternoon  meeting  was  devoted  to  the  exhibition  of  specimens,  and 
that  of  the  evening  to  the  election  of  officers,  and  reading  and  adoption  of 
the  various  reports.  Each  report  laid  special  emphasis  on  the  disap- 
pointing results  of  the  year’s  work.  All  orders  of  insects  had  appeared  in 
much  below  average  numbers,  and  the  general  opinion  was  that  the  past 
season  had  been  the  worst  of  a succession  of  bad  years.  Nevertheless, 
the  knowledge  of  the  distribution  of  species  in  the  county  has  advanced 
considerably,  and  many  new  species  have  been  discovered,  especially  in 
the  Diptera.  Some  specimens  of  great  interest  were  exhibited. 

Coleoptera,- — -Mr.  M.  L.  Thompson  showed  *Acupalpus  exiguus  Dej., 
*Gymnusa  brevicollis  Payk.,  from  Skipwith  ; *Philonthus  Julvipes  F., 
Micrurula  melanocephala  Marsh  ; \Phyllotreta  atra  Payk.,  and  *Ceu- 
thorrhynchus  asp  evifoli  arum  Gyl.  from  Helmsley. 

f Sphaerites  glabratus  F.,  from  Kildale  in  Cleveland,  and  f Phytonomus 
fasciculata  Hit.,  taken  by  Mr.  R.  S.  Bagnall  at  Redcar. 

Mr.  H.  Maxwell  Stuart  showed  *Anaglyptus  mysticus  L.,  *Leiopus 
nebulosus  L.,  and  *Saperda  populnea  L.,  from  Everingham  ; Mr.  E.  G. 
Bayford  Miscodera  arctica  Payk.  from  Haworth  Moor,  and  Mr.  Kitchen 
Chlaenius  vestitus  Payk.,  Bridlington  ; Servicornia  and  Malacodermata 
taken  during  recent  years  in  the  Leeds  district.  Species  marked  f are 
mew  to  the  county,  and  * are  new  to  the  respective  Ridings  in  which 
they  were  found. 

Lepidoptera. — Mr.  Porritt  showed  a series  each  of  Polia  chi  and 
Hadena  glauca,  both  common  West  Riding  species  of  exceptional  interest 
on  account  of  their  wide  range  of  variation,  more  especially  the  former, 
the  exhibit  containing  the  five  forms  of  the  variety  Olivacea,  all  obtained 
at  Huddersfield,  and  mostly  during  the  present  year. 

Mr.  H.  Maxwell  Stuart  : — Specimens  from  Everingham  as  follows  : 
Hypsipetes  furcata,  of  extreme  forms  ; Eugonia  quercinaria,  Taeniocampa 
incerta  and  Hydroecia  lucens  and  paludis,  the  last  two  being  put  on  record 
for  the  first  time  for  the  county.  Also  specimens  of  Oporabia  diliitata 
var.  melana,  Calocampa  exoleta,  a peculiar  bleached  Triphaena  pronuba, 
and  a most  extraordinary  melanic  example  of  Taeniocampa  gracilis. 

Mr.  T.  Ashton  Lofthouse  — Tinea  lapella  and  the  white  northern 
form  of  Peronea  variegana,  both  from  Middlesbrough. 

Dr.  H.  D.  Smart  :• — Pieris  napi,  varied  series  of  spring  emergence  bred 
from  Oxford  including  suffused  $s,  one  with  discal  spot  almost  absent, 
and  heavily  veined  yellow  undersides  ; also  specimens  of  a delayed  spring 
emergence  from  Monk’s  Wood,  Hunts.,  emerging  VII.,  23  from  1922 
pupae,  and  having  spring  facies  ; and  very  heavily  spotted  summer  $s 
from  Donegal. 

A tawny  $ Epinephele  jurtina  from  Wansford,  with  bleached  patch  on 
one  primary  ; an  underside  of  Coenonympha  pamphilus  from  Wansford, 
showing  large  double,  bi-pupilled  apical  spot. 

Lyccena  corydon  var.  semisyngrapha,  Royston,  Bombyx  quevcus  var. 
xullunce,  a <$  with  yellow  bands  distally  suffused  on  fore -wings  and 
nearly  absent  on  hind-wings,  and  a $ with  no  development  of  ova,  from 
the  South  Yorkshire  moors,  and  from  the  same  place  a pair  of  Saturnia 
carpini  with  the  finer  transverse  lines  largely  obsolete,  and  markings 
suffused. 

Arctia  caja,  an  example  with  bleached  hind-wings,  and  another  with 


1 i>24  Jan.  1 


22 


News  from  the  Magazines. 


yellow  rayed  hind-wings,  both  from  South  Yorkshire.  Also  a series  of 
Dianthoecia  carpophaga  from  Sussex,  ranging  from  near  type  to  extreme 
white  forms. 

Mr.  B.  Morley  : — Specimens  of  Eupithecia  lariciata,  CEcophova  stipella, 
Stigmonota  coniferana,  Coccyx  splendidulana,  Hypermecia  angustana,. 
Brachycrossata  cinerella  and  Argyresthia  ephippella,  all  additions  to  the 
Skelmanthorpe  district  list  with  the  exception  of  the  first,  which  has  only 
one  previous  record.  Also  the  following  from  the  Skelmanthorpe  district  : 
Lithocolletis  kleemannella,  apparently  a scarce  species  in  the  county  ; 
Gelechia  solutella,  only  before  recorded  from  Scarboro’  ; Argyresthia 
aimoriella,  only  previously  recorded  from  Middlesbro’,  and  Grapholitha 
nigricana,  new  to  the  county  list. 

Hymenoptera.  — Mr.  Rosse  Butterfield  showed  Vespa  austriaca 
Panz.  ; Mr.  A.  E,  Bradley,  a series  of  Colletes  daviesana  Smith,  from 
Lowestoft,  in  which  the  sexes  showed  their  normal  size  and  appearance, 
the  males  being  smaller  than  the  females  ; alongside  these  was  a series, 
from  Skipwith  taken  by  Mr.  Fordham,  in  which  the  females  were  of  the 
male  size  only.  He  also  showed  Epeolus  productus  Thorne,  a parasite 
upon  Colletes,  and  Metopsis  leucocephala,  a dipterous  parasite  on  the 
same  species. 

A most  interesting  exhibit,  also  by  Mr.  Bradley,  consisted  of  a long 
series  of  queens  of  many  species  of  Borvibi  both  British  and  foreign,  showing 
regional  convergence  of  weaker  species  mimicking  stronger  forms. 

Orthoptera. — Mr.  Beanland  showed  a species  of  Blatta  imported  in 
a case  from  India. 

Neuroptera. — Mr.  H.  Maxwell  Stuart  showed  Raphidia  xanthostigma 
from  Everingham,  where  it  is  fairly  common.  Reports  were  read  on  the 
Coleoptera  by  M.  L.  Thompson  ; Hymenoptera  by  R.  Butterfield,  which 
added  four  species  to  the  county  list,  taken  by  Mr.  Fordham  ; Lepidoptera 
by  Mr.  Morley  ; Neuroptera  and  Trichoptera  by  Mr.  Porritt  ; Mr.  Brown’s 
report  on  the  Hemiptera  was  read  by  Mr.  Bayford  ; and  Mr.  C.  A. 
Cheetham’s  report  of  the  Diptera  gave  an  addition  to  the  county  list  of 
seventy  species,  one  of  which  is  new  to  the  British  Isles. 

All  the  above  reports  were  adopted.  The  general  officers  were  all 
re-elected. 

: o : 

‘ The  Growing  Importance  of  Entomology,  ’ by  H.  S.  Fremlin,  appears; 
in  The  Entomologist’s  Record  for  September. 

The  Curator  of  the  Museum  at  Newark-on -Trent,  Mr.  A.  Smith,  has 
issued  his  Publication  No.  i,  which  deals  with  ' Sieges  of  Newark  during 
the  Civil  War,’  by  W.  Bradley  ; and  ‘ Catalogue  of  the  Civil  War  Relics 
in  the  Newark  Museum,’  by  the  Curator. 

The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist  for  August -September  is. 
particularly  full  of  notes  which  principally  bear  upon  the  area  covered 
by  the  Journal.  There  is  a strong  botanical  flavour,  occasionally 
geological  items,  and  there  are  illustrations  of  forms  of  P.  betularia 
and  Sulphur-tuft  Fungi. 

The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  November  contains 
‘ Bird  Migration  and  the  Introduction  of  Foot  and  Mouth  Disease, ' by 
Sir  S.  Stockman  and  Miss  Marjory  Garnett  ; ‘ The  Hedgehog,’  by  H. 

M.  Batten  ; ‘ Prevention  of  Bunt  in  Wheat’;  and  ‘Peppermint:  Its 
Cultivation  and  Distillation.’ 

The  Autumn  Number  of  The  Geographical  Teacher  is,  as  usual,  full 
of  information  likely  to  interest  geographers,  viz.,  ‘ The  Island  and 
the  Empire,’  by  Sir  Charles  P.  Lucas;  ‘Geography  in  Elementary 
Schools,’  by  Ernest  Young  ; ‘ Irish  Place  Names,’  by  Elenor  Butler  ; 

‘ Report  of  an  Excursion,  Spring,  1923,’  by  H.  A.  Hinton  ; and  ' Geo- 
graphy and  Language,’  by  E.  J.  G.  Bradford. 


Naturalist 


2 3 


THE  YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION’S 
SIXTY -SECOND  ANNUAL  REPORT 

FOR  1923. 

(Presented  at  Barnsley,  December  8th,  1923). 

‘ The  Sixty -first  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Union  was  held  at  Scar- 
borough on  Saturday,  December  9th,  1922.  A report  appeared  in  The 
Naturalist  for  January,  1923.  The  Presidential  Address  on  ‘ Botanical 
Survey  and  Ecology  in  Yorkshire  ’ was  delivered  by  Dr.  T.  W. 
Woodhead,  F.L.S.,  and  has  since  appeared  in  our  journal  (1923,  pp. 
97-128). 

President.- — At  an  Executive  Meeting  held  on  November  nth, 
1922,  Dr.  A.  Smith  Woodward,  F.R.S.,  was  unanimously  elected 
President  of  the  Union. 

Field  Meetings  have  been  held  as  follows  : — Bridlington,  April 
2 1st  to  23rd  ; Helmsley,  May  19th  to  21st  ; Middlesmoor,  June  16th  ; 
Penistone,  July  14th  ; Bedale,  August  4th  to  6th.  Reports  of  these 
meetings  have  appeared  in  The  Naturalist. 

Additional  sectional  field  meetings  have  been  held  by  the  Bryological, 
Mycological,  Entomological,  Marine  Biology  and  Plant  Galls  Sections, 
and  notes  on  these  have  also  appeared  in  The  Naturalist . 

The  Railway  Companies  are  not  yet  prepared  to  grant  reduced  fares 
to  members  on  production  of  membership  cards,  but  some  facilities 
have  been  enjoyed  in  travelling,  especially  from  the  London  and  North 
Eastern  Railway  Company. 

The  Excursions  for  1924  are  : — 

S.W.  Yorks.,  Easter,  April  19th  to  21st  : Barnoldswick. 

S.E.  ,,  May  17th,  Holme -on -Spalding  Moor. 

N.E.  ,,  Whitsuntide,  June  7th  to  9th  : Robin  Hood’s 

Bay. 

Mid.W.  ,,  July  12th  : Church  Fenton  for  Saxton. 

N.W.  ,,  Bank  Holiday,  August  2nd  to  4th,  Darlington 

for  Croft  area. 

The  Annual  Meeting  (1924)  will  be  held  at  Sheffield  on  the  invitation 
of  the  Sor by  Scientific  Society. 

Membership. — While  there  has  been  a satisfactory  increase  of 
members  during  the  year,  the  Executive  hopes  that  efforts  to  increase 
the  membership  will  not  be  relaxed,  as  working  expenses  remain  un- 
avoidably high.  The  membership  now  stands  at  423,  the  following 
having  been  elected  during  the  year  - 

Archibald,  Chas.  F.,  Rusland  Hall,  Ulverston,  Lancs. 

Bennett,  W.,  Parker’s  Hotel,  Upper  Briggate,  Leeds. 

Broome,  Herbert  C.,  Netherthorpe,  Failsworth,  Nr.  Manchester. 

Cattley,  Major  R.,  M.B.,  C.M.,  B.Sc.,  F.R.M.S.,  43  Main  Avenue, 
He  worth,  York. 

Cowling,  G.  H.,  M.A.,  16  Cromer  Terrace,  Leeds. 

Dundas,  F.  J.,  Barnborough  Hall,  Nr.  Doncaster. 

Farell,  R.  Vernon,  Brunswick  House,  299  Glossop  Road,  Sheffield. 

Frankland,  J.  N.,  Middlesber,  Austwick,  Lancaster. 

Grange,  Miss  M.  E.,  Old  Manor  House,  Mickleth waite,  Bingley. 

Hudson,  R.  G.  S.,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  The  University,  Leeds. 

James,  C.  H.,  1 Grange  View,  Chapeltown,  Leeds. 

Lawson,  Major,  19  Marshall  Avenue,  Bridlington. 

Mainprize,  S.  L.,  F.G.S.,  Wydale,  St.  John’s  Avenue,  Bridlington. 

Mason,  Harold,  29  Frankland  Terrace,  Leeds. 


1924  Jan.  1 


24  Y orkshire  N aturalists  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923.. 

Maxwell-Stuart,  H.,  Elleker  House,  Weringham,  York. 

Nelson,  Rev.  Edmund,  The  Vicarage,  Lowthorpe,  E.  Yorks. 

Newbold,  Major  J.  N.,  29  St.  Michael’s  Crescent,  Headingley,  Leeds. 

Orde-Powlett,  Hon.  Nigel  A.,  Bolton  Hall,  Leyburn,  Yorks. 

Robinson,  Miss  F.,  47  Athol  Road,  Heaton,  Bradford. 

Russell,  P.  L.,  Broughton  Rise,  Malton. 

Ryan,  Miss  E.,  Gledhow  Mount  House,  Harehill’s  Lane,  Chapeltown, 
Leeds . • ■ 

Sledge,  W.  A.,  38  Kelso  Road,  Leeds. 

Stainton,  E.,  70  Jubilee  Road,  Doncaster. 

White,  Miss  E.,  B.Sc.,  Brough,  E.  Yorks. 

Willatt,  Major  W.  H.,  Reighton  Hall,  Reighton,  Bridlington. 

Wilson,  A.,  F.L.S.,  F.R.Met.S.,  Havera  Bank,  Sedbergh. 

Wray,  Miss  E.  M.,  9 Park  View,  Beeston  Hill,  Leeds. 

Wright,  T.  R.  D.,  J.P.,  St.  Gregory’s,  Bedale,  Yorks. 

Affiliated  Societies. — The  number  of  affiliated  societies  remains 
unaltered.  The  total  numerical  strength  of  the  Union  is  now  3923. 

Obituary.— The  Executive  much  regrets  to  record  the  deaths  of 
Messrs.  C.  H.  Moss,  Percival  Ross  and  J.  W.  Sutcliffe. 

The  British  Association  was  attended,  as  usual,  by  our  delegate, 
Mr.  T.  Sheppard,  who  took  part  in  the  discussion  at  the  Conference  of 
Delegates,  and  was  re-elected  Vice-Chairman  of  the  Corresponding 
Societies  Committee.  The  meeting  place  this  year  being  near  our 
count}q  quite  a large  number  of  our  members  was  present.  Mr. 
Sheppard’s  report  has  already  appeared  in  The  Naturalist,  as  well  as 
summaries  of  many  of  the  papers  read,  and  a series  of  special  articles 
on  the  work  of  the  Association. 

The  Presidency  for  1924  has  been  offered  to  and  accepted  by  Mr. 
P.  F.  Grimshaw,  F.R.S.E.,  F.E.S.,  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Museum. 

VERTEBRATE  ZOOLOGY. 

West  Riding  (H.  B.  Booth)  : — The  following  notes  are  in  addition 
to  those  recorded  in  The  Naturalist.  A Green  Woodpecker  was  shot  by 
mistake  on  Grassington  Moor  (August  14th).  Dr.  K.  C.  Crosbie  records 
the  nesting  of  this  bird  near  Grassington  this  year,  and  states  that  the 
bird  shot  was  one  of  the  young  ones  (The  Field,  October  25th,  p.  591). 
Mr.  T.  Fenton  Greenwood  reported  a pair  in  Flasby  Wood,  near  Gargrave, 
on  April  28th. 

On  September  4th,  in  fine  weather,  a Cormorant  descended  on  the 
lake  at  Royd's  Hall,  Low  Moor,  Bradford,  and  commenced  diving  (Mr. 
R.  Hardy).  Snipe  are  decreasing  both  as  breeding  birds,  and  as  sporting 
birds  in  the  autumn,  and  one  never  hears  of  a Jack  Snipe  now-a-days. 
Partridges  have  had  a bad  season,  and  it  is  reported  from  some  parts 
of  Upper  Wharfedale  that  they  are  suffering  from  a very  infectious  form 
of  enteritis.  Ravens  have  become  almost  common  among  the  fells  in 
the  N.W.  of  the  Riding,  while  most  of  them  nest  just  beyond  the  boundary 
of  the  county.  I know  of  three  nesting  sites  in  the  West  Riding.  The 
oft  repeated  story  that  they  nest  at  Goredale  Scar  is  incorrect 

Herons. — The  Eshton  Herons  nested  in  Flasby  Wood  this  season. 
Mr.  T.  Fenton  Greenwood  reports  that  on  April  28th,  there  were  twenty- 
three  nests  in  all,  some  obviously  old.  He  could  not  be  certain  that 
more  than  fifteen  nests  were  occupied.  Two  nests  were  examined,  one 
contained  eggs,  and  the  other  two  young  ones  about  ten  days  old. 

Great  Crested  Grebes  are  increasing  and  extending  their  breeding 
range  in  a North-westerly  direction  in  the  West  Riding.  Mr.  A.  Ward 
informs  me.  that  two  pairs  nested  on  Malham  Tarn  this  season,  and  that 
one  reared  one,  and  the  other  two,  young.  The  pair  at  Coniston  Cold 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  ’Naturalists  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923.  25 

Lake  nested,  but  did  not  succeed  in  rearing  any  chicks  (Mr.  R.  Butterfield). 
Mr.  W.  S.  Bramley  tells  me  that  at  the  least  six  pairs  nested  at  Fairburn. 

Gulls. — The  gamekeeper  at  Malham  Tarn  (Mr.  A.  Ward)  reports 
that  a few  pairs  of  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  have  been  hanging  about 
there  all  the  summer,  but  that  he  has  not  known  a nest,  and  has  not 
encouraged  them.  It  is  probable  that  they  may  now  be  nesting  some- 
where else  in  that  wild  neighbourhood. 

British  Willow  Titmouse  ( Parus  borealis  kleinschmidti)  ? — What 
appeared  to  me  to  be  most  probably  a pair  of  this  species  endeavoured 
to  nest  in  Manningham  Park,  Bradford.  About  the  middle  of  April 
the  birds  hollowed  out  a hole  in  the  rotten  branch  of  an  Elm  about  30  feet 
np,  and  littered  the  ground  below  with  small  chips  for  several  yards . They 
were  frustrated  by  a pair  of  House  Sparrows,  which  filled  up  the  hole  with 
straws,  until  they  could  not  get  into  it,  and  then  abandoned  it.  I 
saw  the  birds  on  April  18th,  but  they  were  far  too  high  up  for  identifica- 
tion even  with  my  field  glasses,  as  the. hen  sparrow  was  then  guarding 
the  hole,  and  driving  them  away.  I submitted  full  particulars  to  tie 
Rev.  F.  C.  R.  Jourdain,  who  considers  that  the  facts  are  too  scanty  to 
make  an  actual  record,  with  which  I entirely  agree  ; although  in  my 
own  mind  I have  very  little  doubt.  This  is  the  only  case  in  this  district 
where  I have  known  tits  entirely  to  dig  out  a nesting  hole  ; although 
when  I lived  in  N.W.  Norfolk  I saw  several — but  usually  in  rotten 
Silver  Birch  stumps,  and  much  nearer  to  the  ground.  I have  to  thank 
Mr.  F.  Rhodes  for  first  drawing  my  attention  to  the  occurrence. 

Other  Nesting  Notes. — The  Dunlin  has  again  nested  on  Rombald’s 
Moor  ; probably  two  pairs.  Woodcocks  are  still  increasing  as  nesting 
birds  in  this  district.  The  Rev.  C.  F.  Tomlinson  and  I examined  the 
nest  of  a Spotted  Flycatcher  at  Bolton  Abbey,  in  which  all  the  five  eggs 
were  pale  blue,  and  apparently  quite  unmarked.  Mr.  W.  H.  Parkin 
reports  that  he  found  a pair  of  Long -tailed  Tits  (locally  uncommon  birds ), 
nesting  in  Grass  Woods.  Mr.  W.  G.  Bramley  remarks  that  for  two 
seasons  Yellow  Wagtails  have  been  absent  from  the  Fairburn  and 
Castleford  district,  where  formerly  they  nested. 

Migration  Notes. — I again  saw  a Spotted  Flycatcher  in  April.  This 
was  at  Ilkley  on  April  21st.  The  bird  was  catching  flies  from  off  boulders 
in  the  river  Wharfe.  I believe  it  perished,  because,  although  I went 
round  several  times,  I never  saw  another  Spotted  Flycatcher  near  to  the 
same  place  until  May  12th.  The  Willow  Warbler  arrived  very  early, 
one  being  heard  by  Mr.  S.  Longbottom  at  Bingley  on  April  nth,  and  by 
the  14th  and  15th  they  were  widely  but  thinly  distributed  ; although 
it  was  a week  later  before  I noticed  any  females.  The  Cuckoo  was  rather 
late,  not  being  authentically  reported  at  Ben  Rhydding  before  April 
29th.  From  May  2nd  to  the  6th  it  was  numerous,  and  very  noisy  on  the 
moor  edges  in  spite  of  vile  weather.  Since  May  6th  we  have  rarely 
heard  one,  and  I have  similar  reports  from  others.  It  has  been  by  far 
the  worst  year  for  Cuckoos  during  my  fifteen  years’  residence  in  Wharfe  - 
dale . I believe  they  were  killed  off — or  perhaps  starved  to  death — because 
caterpillars  were  apparently  absent  in  the  area.  Willow  Warblers  lived 
for  the  first  two  or  three  weeks  after  their  arrival  here  by  catching  insects 
in  the  air,  instead  of  on  leaf  caterpillars — their  usual  food.  A young 
Cuckoo  (with  part  of  its  tail  feathers  missing)  lingered  on  in  a suburb 
of  Keighley,  until  September  22nd,  when  probably  it  perished.  A 
Merlin  ringed  as  a nestling  on  Barden  West  Moor,  on  July  7th  1922,  was 
reported  from  near  Berwick-on -Tweed  on  September  16th,  1922  ( British 
Birds,  Vol.  XVI.,  p.  302).  Finally,  are  Corncrakes  changing  their 
habits  and  becoming  more  silent  ? I am  frequently  getting  reports  that 
they  have  been  seen  but  not  heard!  Personally,  I don’t  .remember 
having  heard,  or  seen,  one  this  year. 


1924  Jan.  1 


26  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  : Annual  Report , 1923. 


East  Riding  (E.  W.  Wade)  : — The  opening  months  of  1923  gave 
promise  of  an  early  season.  The  absence  of  severe  winter  weather 
stimulated  resident  and  partially,  migrant  birds  to  a premature  outburst 
of  song,  the  following  being  noted  in  full  song  : 31st  December,  Chaffinch  ; 
4th  January,  Missel  Thrush  and  Hedge  Sparrow  ; 7th  January,  Ringdove  ; 
12th  March,  Yellow  Hammer.  Thrushes  were  laying  by  the  second  and 
Blackbirds  by  the  third  week  in  March. 

Unfortunately,  these  activities  were  nipped  in  the  bud  by  an  ab- 
normally cold  and  sunless  spring,  with  wet  weather.  The  birds  generally 
were  late  and  irregular  in  breeding,  frequently  laying  short  clutches, 
and  the  Marsh  breeders  suffered  severely  from  flooded  land,  eggs  being 
flooded  after  incubation  had  commenced. 

The  breeding  of  Owls  was  normal  except  the  Barn  Owl,  which  suffered 
from  scarcity  of  mice.  The  Brown  Owl  seems  to  feel  this  the  least  of 
any  species,  owing  to  its  more  catholic  diet,  and  clutches  of  5 eggs  were 
observed. 

The  Corvidae  were  later  in  nesting  and  much  less  prolific  than  usual. 
Peewits  commenced  nesting  in  March,  but  were  again  in  diminished 
numbers.  The  bird  seems  to  be  dying  out  as  a breeding  species  in 
Holderness . 

Of  the  migrants,  Sand  Martin,  Willow  Warbler,  Common  Whitethroat,. 
Cuckoo,  Sedge  Warbler  and  Spotted  Flycatcher  were  late  in  arriving. 
The  rest  normal. 

The  Goldfinch  shows  no  increase  on  1922.  The  Whinchat  though 
scarce  and  local,  does  not  diminish.  Swallows  generally  reared  two- 
broods,  and  had  departed  by  30th  September,  a week  earlier  than  usual. 
Three  belated  House  Martins  were  seen  on  15th  October.  Swifts,  though 
arriving  at  the  average  date,  were  late  in  breeding.  Family  parties- 
were  seen  on  26th  August,  and  the  last  bird  recorded  on  15th  September. 
The  Warblers  generally  were  late  in  nesting,  and  frequently  short 
clutched . 

A further  decrease  in  the  numbers  of  Corncrakes  was  observed,  three 
pair  being  noted  east  of  the  wolds,  one  of  which  was  known  to  rear  young, 
and  four  pair  on  the  western  edge  of  the  wolds.  The  Little  Owl  is  still 
extending  its  range  on  the  edge  of  the  wolds,  and  fresh  stations  are 
recorded. 

One  Stone  Curlew  was  seen  on  migration  on  the  coast  in  April,  but 
the  species  is  practically  extinct  on  the  wolds.  The  Woodcock  has  again 
nested  in  this  district,  three  pair  being  recorded. 

The  breeding  range  of  the  Magpie  in  South  Holderness  is  still  ex- 
tending, two  pairs  nested  in  the  hedges  at  Kilnsea.  The  Quail,  formerly 
a regular  breeder  in  the  Beverley -Drifhe Id  area,  near  Lowthorpe,  and 
Pickering  Valley,  nested  this  year  at  Little  Driffield,  as  already  recorded. 

The  Waxwing  occurred  at  Filey  on  25th  December,  1922  ; Hornsea* 
20th  January,  1923.  Very  few  winters  pass  without  this  species  being 
seen  in  the  East  Riding.  On  27th  April,  two  Rough-legged  Buzzards 
■were  seen  at  Burton  Constable. 

The  Razor  Bill  and  Guillemot  were  exceptionally  early  in  laying, 
the  weather  seeming  to  have  no  effect  upon  their  breeding  date.  No- 
doubt some  unknown  food  conditions  are  the  deciding  factors  in  the  date 
of  egg  production.  On  27th  December,  1922,  numbers  of  dead  and 
dying  Guillemots  came  ashore  with  feathers  clogged  by  oil.  This  year, 
for  the  first  time,  I have  seen  oil-stained  eggs  brought  up  the  cliffs. 
Apparently  the  three  mile  limit  for  the  discharge  of  refuse  oil,  if  observed, 
is  ineffective  in  protecting  these  birds. 

Partridges  have  suffered  severely  on  all  lowlands  from  the  July 
storms,  and  wild  Pheasants  have  not  done  so  well  as  in  1922. 

North  Riding  (W.  J.  Clarke)  : — There  has  been  a steady  spread  of 
the  Fulmar  Petrel,  which  during  the  spring  of  1923,  occupied  every  bit 

Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923.  27 


of  available  cliff  along  the  coast,  and  bred  in  several  places.  The  colony 
of  Black-headed  Gulls  had  a set  back  this  year  owing  to  the  unsympathetic 
action  of  the  landowner  who  erected  a scarecrow  upon  the  ponds  where 
they  breed,  the  result  being  that  on  May  31st  not  a single  nest  was  to  be 
seen.  Shags  were  very  numerous  in  the  vicinity  of  Scarborough  during 
the  early  spring,  and  on  four  successive  days,  26,  25,  43,  and  23  were 
seen  fishing  in  Scarborough  Harbour.  A Whooper  Swan  visited  the 
Scarborough  Mere  during  February,  and  several  pairs  of  Mallards  nested 
on  the  same  sheet  of  water.  Common  Scoters  were  not  so  numerous  as 
usual  during  the  winter,  the  considerable  flocks  which  used  to  assemble 
near  Whitby  and  further  south  being  absent.  The  pair  of  Peregrines, 
which  occupied  a new  nesting  station  on  the  coast  in  the  spring  of  1922, 
did  not  return  this  year.  Merlins  nested  in  several  places  on  the  moors, 
and  in  two  instances  laid  their  eggs  in  old  Carrion  Crows’  nests.,  one  in  a 
Birch  tree  at  a height  of  1 4 feet  from  the  ground . Three  young  were 
hatched.  In  the  other  case  a crow’s  nest  was  also  occupied,  in  a Scots 
Fir,  25  feet  up,  the  old  birds  being  destroyed  by  the  gamekeeper. 

A considerable  increase  of  Kestrels  is  reported  in  the  Whitby  district. 
A male  Hen  Harrier  was  seen  on  the  moors,  near  Glaisdale,  on  January 
1 6th. 

WTdtethroats,  Wheatears,  Blackcaps,  Yellow  and  Common  Buntings, 
Bullfinch  and  Grey  Wagtails  and  most  of  the  moorland  species,  except 
Curlew,  showed  a decrease  in  numbers  in  the  Scarborough  district. 
The  Reed  Bunting  which  returned  to  the  Scarborough  Mere  in  1922, 
after  many  years’  absence,  again  bred  there  this  year,  and  the  young 
were  seen.  Cuckoos  were  reported  to  be  less  numerous  near  Whitby, 
but  appeared  in  usual  numbers  in  other  areas.  Fieldfares  were  scarce, 
but  very  great  numbers  of  Redwings  were  present  during  the  winter. 
Goldfinches  were  not  so  numerous  around  Scarborough,  but  continue 
to  increase  further  north.  Very  large  numbers  of  Bramblings  were 
seen  about  Whitby  during  the  winter. 

Whinchats,  Chiff chaffs.  Greenfinches,  and  Linnets  appeared  in  greater 
numbers  than  usual  in  the  Scarborough  district.  The  pair  of  Yellow 
Wagtails  which  usually  nest  near  Scarborough  each  year  did  so  last 
spring,  and  the  young  were  seen.  Turtle  Doves  keep  up  the  increase 
noticed  in  recent  years.  Two  Great  Grey  Shrikes  were  observed  in  the 
Whitby  district,  one  in  November,  1922,  and  the  other  in  April,  1923. 
Siskins  were  reported  in  fair  numbers  near  Whitby,  and  at  Goathland, 
and  20  Mealy  Redpoles  were  seen  near  Ruswarp  on  January  14th. 

Little  Grebes  have  been  absent  from  the  Scarborough  district  during 
the  year.  Kingfishers  have  kept  up  their  numbers,  and  a considerable 
increase  is  reported  in  the  Whitby  district.  Single  specimens  each  of 
Grey  Plover  and  Greenshank  were  noticed  at  Whitby  . A Starling  was 
feeding  young  in  the  nest  near  Scarborough  on  March  22nd.  A Dipper’s 
nest  containing  eight  eggs  was  found  near  the  same  place.  At  least  three 
pairs  of  Woodcocks  nested  in  the  Scarborough  district.  On  October 
nth,  four  Swallows  were  seen,  two  adults  and  two  immature.  The 
recorder  is  indebted  to  Mr.  F.  Snowden  of  Whitby,  and  Mr.  T.  N.  Roberts 
of  Scarborough,  for  information  of  great  service  in  compiling  this  report. 

York  District  (Sydney  H.  Smith)  : — All  immigrant  birds  were  late 
in  arrival,  and  few  in  numbers.  Decreases  are  particularly  noticeable 
in  Landrails,  Swallows,  House  Martins  and  Cuckoos.  The  former  have 
almost  disappeared,  and  I heard  one  where,  20  years  ago,  I could  hear 
40  or  50.  On  January  18th,  a Red-necked  Grebe  was  killed  in  the 
River  Ouse  at  Poppleton,  and  proved  to  .be  a young  male  weighing 
2 lbs.  2\  ozs.  A Heron  was  flushed  from  some  swampy  ground  in  the 
City  of  York  early  in  the  morning,  of  January  24th,  probably  attracted 
by  the  numbers  of  small  fish  collected  by  the  warm  water  overflow  at 
the  electricity  station.  A Great  Crested  Grebe  arrived  on  the  Dringhouses 


1924  Jan.  1 


28  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  : Annual  Report,  1923. 

pond  on  January  12th,  and  stayed  until  the  middle  of  March  ; this  may 
be  one  of  the  Castle  Howard  Grebes,  as  the  species  nested  again  quite 
successfully  on  the  large  lake  there.  A big  flock  of  gulls  visited  the 
Knavesmire  on  March  2nd,  but  my  informant  was  unable  to  describe 
the  species.  Other  birds  on  passage  were  a gaggle  of  geese  (probably 
pink-footed)  flying  over  the  City  in  the  N.E.  direction  on  March  24th, 
and  a party  of  Stone  Curlews,  whistling  distinctly  as  they  passed  over- 
head, about  10-45  p in.  on  April  5th.  On  January  22nd  I flushed  about 
100  Snipe  from  some  marshy  ground  behind  my  house  in  York,  and  I 
often  notice  smaller  parties  busily  probing  in  this  place,  quite  unmindful 
of  the  people  who  constantly  pass  by.  On  March  9th  a Pied  Blackbird, 
very  prettily  speckled  all  over  with  white,  was  seen  at  Bishopthorpe, 
and  as  far  as  is  known  escaped  being  killed.  On  April  17th,  a Lark’s 
nest  with  three  eggs  was  discovered  near  York,  an  early  date  for  such  an 
inclement  season.  A Hawfinch’s  nest  with  five  eggs  was  found  in  a 
pear  tree  at  Cawood  on  June  12th,  and  about  the  same  date  several  nests 
of  Goldfinches,  Wheatears,  and  Whinchats  were  observed.  At  least 
three  pairs  of  Curlew  successfully  reared  young  on  Strensall  Common, 
and  Redshanks  have  been  well  in  evidence  at  Cottingwith  and  Skipwith, 
and  three  pairs  are  thought  to  have  bred  at  Whenby . Numbers  of  Carrion 
Crows  frequent  Strensall  Common,  and  during  April  and  May  a York 
boy  collected  54  eggs  of  this  species  with  little  apparent  effect  on  the 
numbers  of  ‘ carrions  ’ still  about  the  district.  Jays  are  fairly  numerous, 
and  Magpies  are  particularly  abundant.  The  effect  of  the  protection 
orders  is  most  marked  in  the  case  of  Owls  ; Barn,  Tawny  and  Long -eared 
Owls  have  increased  very  much,  and  a country  walk  at  night  speedily 
verifies  the  fact,  as  their  hooting  can  be  heard  on  every  hand. 

Kingfishers  and  Dippers  have  apparently  increased  on  the  River  Ouse 
and  various  becks  in  the  district,  and  Herons  seem  to  be  far  more  plenti-* 
ful  than  was  the  case  a few  years  ago.  Black-headed  Gulls  are  still 
very  numerous  in  their  breeding  colony  on  Skipwith  Common.  Last 
year  I mentioned  a tendency  on  the  part  of  some  species  of  birds  towards 
segregation  of  the  sexes  at  certain  times  of  the  year,  particularly  Chaf- 
finches. On  May  6th,  at  Thirkleby,  I saw  a very  large  flock  of  these 
birds — all  females.  Another  incident  concerns  the  Yellow  Wagtail- 

several  males  of  this  species  arrived  on  April  24th,  but  no  females  were 
«een  until  a fortnight  later. 

I am  greatly  indebted  to  Messrs.  V.  G.  F.  Zimmermann,  E.  W.  Taylor, 
-and  H.  Shorney  for  their  valuable  help  with  local  records. 

Arrival  of  Migrants,  1923. 

Chiff  Chaff. — Heworth,  March  25th  ; Askham  Bogs,  March  29th  ; 
York,  March  30th. 

Willow  Warbler. — Thirkleby,  March  30th  ; York,  April  17th  ; 
Strensall,  April  18th. 

Swallow. — Acomb,  April  6th  ; Stillington,  April  7th  ; Howsham, 
April  13th  ; York  April  27th. 

Wheatear. — Wass,  April  7th. 

Sand  Martin. — York,  April  15th  ; Thirkleby,  May  5th. 

House  Martins. — York,  April  17th  and  25th  ; Dringhouses,  May  7th. 

Whitethroat. — Strensall,  April  18th  ; Dringhouses,  May  7th. 

Blackcap  Warbler. — Moreby  Park,  April  22nd. 

Sandpiper . — River  Ouse,  Cawood,  April  22nd  ; Pickerihg,  May  5th. 

Yellow  Wagtail. — Dringhouses,  April  24th. 

Redstart. — Flaxton,  April  25th. 

Sedge  Warbler. — Flaxton,  April  25th  ; Thirkleby,  April  29th  ; 
Dringhouses,  May  7th. 

Swift. — Dringhouses,  April  25th  ; Heworth,  May  2nd  ; York,  May 
.5th. 

Tree  Pipit. — York,  April  22nd  ; Dringhouses,  April  26th. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923.  29 


Whinchai. — York,  April  28th. 

Cuckoo. — Dringhouses,  April  28th;  Strensall,  April  28th;  York, 
May  2nd. 

Landrail. — Fulford,  May  1st  ; Dringhouses  (1  picked  up  dead). 
May  5th  * Flaxton,  May  6th  ; Thirkleby,  May  10th. 

Nightjar. — Flaxton,  May  6th. 

Turtle  Dove. — Dunnington,  May  6th. 

MAMMALS,  AMPHIBIANS,  REPTILES  AND 
FISHES  COMMITTEE. 

Mammals  (Sydney  H.  Smith)  The  usual  common  Yorkshire 
Mammals  retain  their  average,  Foxes  are  perhaps  too  numerous  as  viewed 
by  the  poultry  keeper.  Badgers  occur  in  all  their  usual  haunts,  and  reports 
of  their  capture  or  observation  are  plentiful.  Otters  have  slightly  in- 
creased in  some  parts  of  the  county,  and  records  are  numerous.  Two 
Otters  occurred  in  the  River  Ouse  at  York,  in  the  mid-morning  of  January 
26th,  in  full  view  of  scores  of  spectators,  when  one  of  the  animals  dived 
and  came  up  with  a roach  in  its  mouth.  The  season  may  have  been  too- 
wet  and  cold,  to  suit  Ftares  and  Rabbits,  as  both  are  not  near  so  common 
as  they  were  the  previous  year.  On  July  22nd,  at  Thirkleby,  I saw  a 
Stoat  hunting  through  the  Water  Voles  run  along  the  bank  of  the  stream, 
and  fearlessly  taking  to  the  water  at  short  intervals  in  its  keen  pursuit 
of  its  quarry.  On  seeing  me  it  kept  on  with  its  task,  and  being  joined 
by  its  mate,  the  pair  of  Stoats  continued  until  lost  to  sight  beyond  a 
bend  in  the  stream.  Squirrels,  both  Grey  and  Red,  maintain  their 
numbers,  and  smaller  Mammals  such  as  Weasels,  Rats,  Water  Voles, 
long  and  short -tailed  Field  Voles  and  Shrews  appear  to  be  in  their 
usual  numbers.  In  the  Scarborough  district,  Mr.  W.  J.  Clarke  reports 
Squirrels  to  be  almost  extinct,  and  it  would  be  of  interest  to  know  the 
cause  of  this  local  decrease.  He  further  adds  that  Otters  and  Badgers 
maintain  their  numbers  in  spite  of  persecution. 

Many  notes  on  Yorkshire  Mammals,  Fishes,  etc.,  have  appeared  in 
The  Naturalist,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  index  to  that  volume. 

Fishes  (S.  H.  Smith)  : — Besides  the  species  already  recorded  in 
The  Naturalist  : — 

A Blue  Shark  was  caught  in  Bridlington  Bay  during  September 
{County  Life,  September,  p.  400.) 

An  Eel,  3 feet  3 inches  long,  weighing  4 lbs,  was  caught  by  a Mr. 
Banford  in  an  old  brick  pit  near  York  on  August  6th. 

A Barbel,  5J  lbs.,  was  caught  in  the  River  Ouse  at  Beningbrough  in 
September . 

A Rudd  weighing  1 lb.  10  ozs.,  was  caught  in  a pond  at  Market 
Weighton  by  Mr.  T.  Wood  of  York,  on  September  23rd,  and  a Roach 
weighing  1 lb.  iiozs.  was  caught  in  the  River  Ouse  at  York  on  February 
23rd,  by  Mr.  L.  Horsley. 

East  Riding  (C.  F.  Procter)  : — The  season  seems  to  have  been  a 
favourable  one  for  the  nesting  period,  since  the  game  birds  (the  best 
test  of  these  conditions)  are  more  than  usually  plentiful,  and  Hares  and 
Rabbits  have  bred  freely.  It  may  be  thought  that  Rabbits  always  breed 
freely  ; this  is  not  so,  and  in  certain  seasons,  Rabbits  are  very  responsive 
to  favourable  conditions.  There  is  an  increasing  abundance  of  Kestrel 
Hawks  : they  are  everywhere.  There  is  the  usual  steady  increase  in 
Grass  Snakes  in  Holderness.  I nearly  trod  on  a very  fine  coiled  specimen 
as  recently  as  October  13th.  I am  very  much  inclined  to  the  opinion 
that  this  increase  is  entirely  a response  to  the  creation  of  the  swamp 
land  interspersed  with  sheltered  sunny  situations  at  Kelsey  Hill,  owing 
to  the  activities  of  the  Railway  Company.  This  has  now  become  a 


1924  Jan.  1 


30  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  : Annual  Report,  1923. 

real  sanctuary  for  reptiles,  and  the  water  courses  which  run  alongside 
are  a steady  means  of  distribution. 


WILD  BIRDS  AND  EGGS  PROTECTION 
COMMITTEE. 

Mr.  F.  H.  Edmondson  reports  : — 

The  Breeding  Season,  1923,  has  not  been  very  satisfactory,  the  only 
two  places  to  be  reported  as  a success  are  Hornsea  Mere  and  the  Fulmar 
Petrel  on  Bempton  Cliffs. 

The  Peregrine  Falcon  in  North  West  Yorkshire. — Unsatisfactory.  I 
think  one  pair  reared  its  young  ; the  pair  we  specially  protect  has  not. 
I was  there  at  Easter  and  saw  three  Falcons  in  the  air  at  the  same  time, 
but  could  not  find  the  eggs,  nor  have  I any  report  of  eggs  or  young  having 
been  seen  later. 

Stone  Curlew,  North  Riding. — Two  pairs  are  reported  having  been 
seen  about  on  the  usual  ground.  During  the  summer  five  birds  were  seen 
the  first  week  in  August,  and  three  on  the  14th  of  August.  Three  or 
four  pairs  have  bred  on  the  North,  young  ones  having  been  seen.  When 
I was  there  at  Whitsuntide  I did  not  see  the  eggs. 

Stone  Curlew,  East  Riding. — The  Keeper  reports  that  he  has  not  seen 
any  birds  this  year. 

Spurn. — At  Spurn  we  have  not  had  too  good  a year,  neither  the 
Lesser  Tern  nor  Ring  Plover  being  numerous.  A Marsh  Harrier  was 
reported  on  May  20th,  but  only  stayed  four  days.  On  June  10th  many 
nests  were  destroyed  by  the  sea.  Crows  and  Magpies  have  been  a very 
serious  problem  this  year  ; they  are  reported  breeding  at  Ske filing,  and 
have  repeatedly  raided  the  Terns’  nests.  Ten  Crows  and  five  Magpies 
have  been  destroyed.  The  Terns  apparently  tried  to  nest  two  or  three 
times,  and  in  July  were  siting  on  one  and  two  eggs. 

Hornsea  Mere. — The  expense  for  Hornsea  Mere  has  been  the  same  as 
last  year,  and  our  income  has  been  less,  so  we  must  get  a larger  sub- 
scription list.  The  Keeper  reports  ‘all  well,’  and  a report  from  the 
shooting  tenant  and  owner  indicates  that  all  is  satisfactory.  Several 
pairs  of  Crested  Grebes,  Mallard,  Tufted  Duck,  and  Pochard  have  bred, 
Reed  Warbler,  and  Sedge  Warbler  in  good  numbers. 

Fulmar  Petrel. — Protection  was  given  to  both  the  bird  and  its  eggs 
by  the  County  Council  on  our  recommendation.  The  Fulmar  Petrel 
has  bred  at  Speeton  in  considerable  numbers.  Although  I have  reason 
to  believe  that  the  climbers  are  taking  a few  eggs,  they  certainly  left  a 
nice  number  to  hatch  ; I saw  a climber  pass  several  sitting  birds,  and 
if  the  increase  continues  another  year  or  two  I hope  we  may  be  able  to 
take  away  the  protection  we  got  for  the  birds  and  still  have  them  as 
regular  breeding  species.  I saw  the  remains  of  several  eggs,  the  contents 
of  which  had  been  sucked  by  the  Herring  Gull. 

Green  Plover,  in  the  North  and  West  Ridings. — There  has  been  a fair 
increase  of  breeding  birds  and,  judging  from  the  flocks  seen  in  August 
and  September,  I think  they  have  had  a good  year. 

The  Merlin  in  the  West  Riding. — On  the  Duke  of  Devonshire’s  estate 
two  or  three  pairs  have  again  reared  their  young,  and  I notice  that  a 
bird  bred  there,  ringed  by  Mr.  Birch  in  1922,  was  shot  this  spring  in  the 
North.  On  the  borders  of  Lancashire  and  Yorkshire  the  report  is  as 
last  year,  “ reasonably  well.’ 

(To  he  continued ). 


Naturalist 


CORRESPONDENCE . 

FOX  HUNTING. 

Sir. — I thank  you  for  your  mention  of  my  booklet  ‘ Reynard  : the 
case  against  the  Fox/  in  your  issue  for  November,  1923.  I cannot, 
however,  congratulate  R.F.  on  his  summing  up  of  its  contents,  for  not 
only  does  he  show  surprising  ignorance  on  the  whole  subject  of  fox- 
hunting, but  he  also  introduces  a certain  amount  of  unfairness  in  the 
way  he  misrepresents — by  misquotation,  repression  and  unwarranted 
imputation — my  views  on  the  matter.* 

There  is  at  the  present  moment  a marauding  fox  in  this  district. 
Already  it  has  killed  eleven  Rhode  Island  Red  Pullets,  belonging  to  the 
foreman  of  this  farm,,  twenty-nine  fowls  belonging  to  a farmer,  and 
twenty -seven  turkeys,  that  were  being  fattened  for  Christmas,  belonging 
to  someone  else . It  has  probably  done  some  more  damage  since . The 
•owners  of  these  fowls  cannot  afford  such  losses,  and  it  is  both  unreasonable 
and  unfair  to  expect  them  to  do  so.  Fox-hunters  are  a privileged  class, 
the  majority  of  whose  members  are  of  an  exceptionally  idle  and  vicious 
disposition  ; and  it  is  not  right  that  such  people  should  amuse  themselves, 
by  the  torture  of  dumb  animals,  at  other  people’s  expense. 

Fox-hunting,  by  debarring  many  people  from  obtaining  fresh  eggs, 
is  helping  to  undermine  the  health  of  the  Nation. — G.  W.  Clark. 

Evidently  Mr.  Clark’s  idea  of  a book  review  is  that  it  should  only 
be  a favourable  one. 

The  writer  of  the  review  introduced  no  unfairness,  nor  did  he  mis^- 
quote.  As  it  is  impossible  to  deal  with  the  whole  of  the  matter  in  the 
pages  of  The  Naturalist,  certain  paragraphs  in  the  booklet  were  quoted, 
word  for  word,  and  left  to  speak  for  themselves. 

The  present  writer  stated  that  he  held  no  brief  for  fox-hunters  ; 
indeed,  with  some  of  the  things  they  do  he  entirely  disagrees  ; but  over 
thirty  years  ’ experience  with  foxes  and  hunting  does  not  tend  to  ignorance 
on  the  matter. 

Mr.  Clark  says  ‘ Fox  hunters  are  a privileged  class,  the  majority  o.f 
whose  members  are  of  an  exceptionally  idle  and  vicious  disposition.  This 
shows  that  Mr.  Clark  on  this  matter  is  both  ignorant  and  vicious.  It 
may  (or  rather  may  not)  interest  him  to  know  that  in  the  West  Riding, 
a great  (if  not  the  greatest)  proportion  of  the  riders  to  hounds  are  business 
men,  who  find  health  and  relaxation  in  a pursuit  which  is  encouraged 
by  both  farmers  and  landowners,  and  without  whose  good  will  it  would 
be  impossible  to  carry  on.— R.F. 

: o 

Britain’s  Life  - boats  : The  Story  of  a century  of  Heroic  Service, 
by  Major  A.  J.  Dawson.  London  : Hodder  & Stoughton,  xiii.  -p 
279  pp.,  7/6  net.  This  admirable  and  well  illustrated  volume  contains 
a complete  account  of  the  excellent  work  achieved  by  the  Royal  National 
Life -boat  Institution,  and  in  addition  gives  much  interesting  information 
relating  to  life-boats  of  various  periods,  and  the  work  they  have  ac- 
complished. There  is,  as  frontispiece,  an  excellent  portrait  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  who  has  written  an  introduction  ; and  a foreword  by 
Joseph  Conrad.  _ The  map  published  at  the  end  showing  the  positions 
of  the  life -boats  in  the  country  is  an  indication  of  the  extent  of  the 
Institution’s  activities. 


* We  have  had  to  omit  much  of  Mr.  Clark’s  letter — Ed. 


1924  Jail.  1 


32 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

Mr.  E.  Snelgrove,  B.A.,  a well-known  member  of  the  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union,  has  been  elected  a member  of  the  Sheffield  City 
Council.  We  should  like  to  congratulate  Mr.  Snelgrove,  and  the 
Sheffield  City  Council. 

The  ex-Lord  Mayor  of  Leeds  (Alderman  Frank  Fountain),  kindly 
favours  us  with  a copy  of  the  souvenir  of  the  official  opening  of  Temple 
Newsam,  Leeds,  of  which  only  a very  few  copies  were  printed  and  the 
edition  was  soon  out  of  print. 

The  Report  of  the  Manchester  Museum,  Publication  No.  86  (19  pp., 
6d. ) gives  the  usual  full  summary  of  the  progress  made  by  that  well-known 
institution,  in  its  various  branches,  notwithstanding  the  way  in  which 
it  is  somewhat  crippled  as  regards  finances. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London,  the  President 
announced  the  donation,  by  the  executors  of  the  late  Prof.  W.  Crawford 
Williamson,  of  two  armchairs,  formerly  the  property  of  William  Smith 
(1769T1839) , and  bequeathed  by  him  to  John  Williamson,  of  Scarborough. 

Our  contributor,  Mr.  A.  A.  Dallman  (17  Mount  Road,  Higher  Tran- 
mere,  Birkenhead)  has  in  hand  ‘The  Flora  of  Flint  and  Denbigh,’ 
particulars  of  which  he  will  be  glad  to  send  to  anyone  interested.  The 
work  is  practically  complete,  but  its  publication  depends  upon  the 
support  received. 

The  third  edition  of  Economic  Series,  No.  4,  issued  by  the  British 
Museum  (Natural  History)  entitled  Mosquitoes  and  their  Relation  to 
Disease,  by  F.  W.  Edwards,  has  just  been  issued,  and  speaks  for  the 
popularity  of  these  useful  pamphlets.  It  is  well  illustrated,  and  can  be 
had  for  the  small  price  of  fourpence. 

The  members  of  the  Fell  and  Rock  Climbing  Club  of  the  English  Lake 
District  have  perpetuated  the  memory  of  their  fellow  members  who  fell 
in  the  Great  War  by  the  creation  of  a unique  memorial.  They  have 
purchased  for  this  purpose,  in  the  heart  of  the  most  romantic  part  of 
Lakeland,  about  three  thousand  acres  of  land,  which  embraces  some  of 
the  stiffest  climbs  in  this  country. 

We  seem  to  have  missed  some  of  the  ' celebrations  ’ in  connexion 
with  the  recent  Jubilee  meeting  of  the  Leeds  Geological  Society,  as, 
according  to  the  press,  the  President  of  one  Society  attending  ‘gave  a 
very  interesting  account  of  his  visit  as  delegate  of  the  Society  to  the 
recent  jubilee  meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Geological  and  Polytechnic 
Society  at  Leeds  ’ ; from  which  we  assume  there  has  been  ‘ celebrating  * 
indeed  ! 

His  Majesty  the  King  of  Sweden  recently  paid  a visit  to  the  Linnean 
Society’s  rooms,  Burlington  House,  London,  and  inspected  the  collections 
of  Linnaeus,  comprising  the  herbarium,  insects,  shells  (including  the 
artificial  pearls  produced  by  Linnaeus),  fishes’  skins  affixed  to  sheets 
of  paper  ; the  letters  received  and  preserved  by  the  recipient,  and  the 
interleaved  and  copiously  annotated  volumes,  such  as  the  ‘ Species 
Plantarum,”  and  ‘ Fauna  suecica.’ 

We  learn  from  the  daily  press  that  ' A consignment  of  earwigs  in  the 
pupae  stage  formed  part  of  the  cargo  of  the  White  Star  liner  Athenie, 
which  left  Southampton  recently  for  New  Zealand.  They  are  to  be 
liberated  in  orchards  infected  with  parasites.  The  earwigs,  which  were 
packed  in  specially  constructed  wooden  boxes  with  gauze  panels  for 
ventilation,  are  the  foes  of  the  microbes  [!  ] which  are  destroying  great 
quantities  of  fruit,  and  they  have  been  sent  as  a last  resort  in  the  hope 
that  the  threatened  crops  may  be  saved  this  season.’ 


> turaiist 


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FEB.,  1924. 


No.  805 

No.  579  of  current  Series 


JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 

EDITED  BY 

T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.S.A.Scot., 

The  Museums,  Hull; 

AND 

T.  W.  WOODHEAD,  Ph.D.,  M.Sc.,  F.L.S., 

Technical  College,  Huddersfield, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES  IN  SPECIAL  DEPARTMENTS  OF 

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Contents  s 


Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — The  British  Association  ; 
Wayside  and  Woodland  ; Cuckoo  Habits  ; Protection  of  Wild 
Birds  ; Marine  Animal  Communities  ; Samples  ; Wild  Life  in 
Devon  ; Index  Animalium  ; The  Spirit  of  the  Downs  ; Marine 
Deposits  of  the  North  Sea  ; Wild  Bird  Adventures  ; Shetland 
Pirates  ; A Norfolk  * Albatross  ’ ; British  Hymenoptera 
River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire  (illustrated) — W . B.  R. 

King,  M.A.,  F.G.S 

Geaster  rufescens  var.  minor  Pers.  in  Yorkshire  (illustrated) — 
F.  A.  Mason,  F.R.M.S.  ... 

West  Yorkshire  Botanical  Notes — A.  Wilson,  Sedbergh 
Field  Notes  : — Remains  of  Birds  from  the  Holderness  Peat  ; Ploiariola 
culiciformis  de  G. 

Remains  of  Early  Man  (illustrated) — T.S. 

Hull  Museum  Publications — J.B.  ... 

Peat  Investigation — T.S 

Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union’s  Report  for  1923 
South-west  Yorkshire  Entomological  Society — B. 

Correspondence  : — Instances  of  Inverted  Sexualil 
Squirrel  in  Yorkshire 
Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ... 

Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies 
News  from  the  Magazines  ... 

Northern  News 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  35,  36,  37,  3 1 

Plates  II.,  III.  

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YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION 


VERTEBRATE  SECTION. 


President  of  the  Section  : C.  F.  PROCTER,  Hull. 


Two  Meetings  will  be  held  in  the  Library  of  the  Leeds  Philosophical  Society, 
on  Saturday,  February  16th,  1924,  at  3-15  p.m.  and  6-30  p.m. 

Papers  will  be  given  as  follows  : — 

' The  Fulmar  Petrel  ’ (illustrated),  by  E.  W.  Wade. 

‘ Some  Bird  Legends/  by  W.  G.  Bramley. 

‘ The  Work  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and  Eggs  Protection  Acts 
Committee  ' (illustrated),  by  F.  H.  Edmondson. 

‘ The  Status  and  Distribution  of  the  Commoner  Birds  of  Shetland  ' 
(illustrated),  by  R.  Chislett,  M.B.O.U.,  F.R.P.S. 

Members  or  Associates  are  invited  to  attend  and  bring  notes,  specimens 
and  lantern  slides. 

Will  officials  of  Affiliated  Societies  kindly  notify  their  members. 

E.  Wilfred  Taylor,  Hon.  Sec., 

io  Telford  Terrace,  York. 


BOOKS  WANTED 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II  -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2nd  ser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.) 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micro  logy  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914— 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXV J . 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3.  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists’  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  i-8,  n-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3,  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  II. 


Snail  ( Helix  aspersa)  and  Wall  Pennywort. 


33 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

THE  BRITISH  ASSOCIATION. 

Circumstances  have  rendered  it  necessary  to  alter  the  date 
of  the  British  Association  meeting  in  Toronto  this  year,  which 
had  been  provisionally  announced  for  September  3rd-ioth 
inclusive.  It  has  now  been  fixed  for  August  6th-i3th,  and 
will  be  followed,  not  preceded,  as  previously  contemplated, 
by  any  official  excursions.  The  Association,  which  will  meet 
in  Southampton  in  1925,  has  received  an  invitation  from  the 
University  and  City  of  Oxford  to  meet  there  in  1926,  which 
will  in  due  course  be  presented  to  the  General  Committee. 

WAYSIDE  AND  WOODLAND.* 

We  have  previously  referred  to  the  excellence  of  the 
publications  issued  by  Messrs.  Warne,  and  the  present  handy 
little  volume*  (which  easily  fits  the  pocket,  notwithstand- 
ing that  it  contains  over  200  pages  and  over  100  plates) 
seems  to  deal  with  most  aspects  of  wild  life  ; mammal,  bird, 
fish,  insect,  mollusc,  wild  flowers,  fungi,  etc.  The  striking 
feature  on  opening  the  volume  is  the  wealth  of  illustration, 
which  so  far  as  the  numerous  coloured  plates  are  concerned, 
will  be  very  difficult  to  improve  upon.  The  fact  that  the 
text  is  written  by  Mr.  T.  A.  Coward,  who  has  already  been 
responsible  for  some  of  the  volumes  in  this  series,  is  all  that 
is  necessary  to  guarantee  that  the  text  is  as  good  as  the  illus- 
trations. We  are  kindly  permitted  to  reproduce  an  example 
of  the  coloured  plates,  with  this  issue  (Plate  II.). 

CUCKOO  HABITS. 

In  Natureland , Vol.  II.,  No.  2,  Mr.  G.  J.  Scholey  states 
that  recently  several  new  facts  revealed  the  Cuckoo  in  a most 
unfavourable  light,  pursuing  her  evil  ways  with  a deliberate 
and  ruthless  cunning  hitherto  unsuspected.  One  bird,  on 
April  26th,  a few  days  following  her  arrival,  deliberately 
destroyed  sets  of  incubated  Wagtails’  eggs  and  young  birds 
which  were  too  far  advanced  for  her  purpose,  causing  the 
fosterers  to  rebuild  nests  in  which  she  could  deposit  her  own 
eggs  at  the  right  time  ! To  prove  her  deliberate  intention 
to  cause  the  Wagtail  to  forsake  its  nest,  in  one  instance, 
being  unable  to  get  to  a clutch  of  incubated  eggs  (so  restricted 
was  the  entrance  hole),  she  remained  outside  and  frustrated 
all  endeavours  of  the  Wagtail  to  enter.  The  eggs  became 
chilled  and  the  Wagtail  deserted  : a new  nest  was  immediately 
built  and  received  the  egg  of  the  Cuckoo  a week  after  the 
desertion  of  the  first. 


* ‘ Life  of  the  Wayside  and  Woodland,’  by  T.  A.  Coward.  London  : 
Messrs.  F.  Warne  & Co.  10/6  net. 

1924  Feb.  1 

C 


34 


Notes  and  Comments. 


PROTECTION  OF  WILD  BIRDS. 

The  first  case  under  the  Wild  Birds'  Protection  Act,  East 
Riding  Order  of  1922,  was  taken  at  Withernsea  in  December. 
According  to  the  press,  the  defendant  was  catching  linnets, 
and  had  three  grey  and  two  green  linnets  in  his  possession 
when  caught.  Some  of  them  were  dead,  but  the  remainder 
were  released  at  Withernsea  Police  Station.  Defendant 
admitted  the  offence,  saying  he  was  unaware  of  the  Order, 
and  thought  he  was  all  right,  as  he  had  permission  from  Mr. 
Atkinson,  of  Owthorne,  whose  land  he  was  on,  to  catch  birds. 
He  added  that  he  caught  the  birds  for  a pastime,  it  was  his 
hobby.  The  Chairman  said  it  was  necessary  seriously  to 
warn  defendant  not  to  repeat  the  offence.  He  would  have 
to  pay  the  costs,  and  his  tackle  would  be  confiscated. 

MARINE  ANIMAL  COMMUNITIES. 

Among  many  valuable  contributions  to  Marine  Biology 
appearing  in  the  recently  issued  Journal  of  the  Marine  Bio- 
logical Association  is  one  dealing  with  Animal  Communities 
of  the  Level  Sea-bottom  in  the  waters  adjacent  to  Plymouth,' 
by  E.  Ford.  This  is  illustrated  by  a large  number  of  charts 
and  photographs  of  samples  of  communities  taken  from 
different  parts  of  the  sea  floor  of  the  Plymouth  district  ; and  a 
reference  to  the  paper  and  the  numerous  illustrations,  one  of 
which  we  are  kindly  permitted  to  reproduce,  demonstrates  the 
extraordinary  wealth  of  marine  life  in  the  area  investigated. 

SAMPLES. 

Mr.  Ford  tells  us  that  from  May,  1922,  onwards  the  square 
meter  bottom-sampler  has  been  used  to  collect  samples  of 
the  bottom  deposits  with  their  animals  in  the  waters  off 
Plymouth.  The  animals  have  been  removed  as  soon  as  possible 
after  capture  by  passing  the  samples  through  a series  of 
sieves,  and  have  been  preserved  in  alcohol,  to  be  identified 
and  counted  ashore.  The  present  report  deals  with  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  species  represented,  in  the  light  of  Petersen's 
Community  investigations  in  Danish  waters.  The  extensive 
use  of  his  bottom-sampler  in  Danish  waters  and  elsewhere 
has  enabled  Dr.  C.  G.  Joh.  Petersen  to  advance  an  opinion 
that  * as  a rule  it  is  best  to  regard  the  animals  living  on  the 
sea-bottom  as  communities,  just  as  botanists  group  together 
the  vegetation  of  the  land  into  plant  communities,  even 
though  in  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  it  is  impossible 
to  show  how  intimate  the  mutual  relations  are  between  the 
animals  of  the  sea  in  the  single  cases.’  In  addition  are  valu- 
able contributions  by  J.  H.  Orton,  C.  F.  A.  Pantin,  Marie 
V.  Lebour,  W.  R.  G.  Atkins,  H.  W.  Harvey,  G.  R.  Lumby, 
D.  L.  Thomson,  R.  Gurney,  etc. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


35 


EcVg  COMMUNITY.  b dominant  over  (b)  . 

Number  of  animals  per  1/10  sq.  meter  (11/10  natural  size) . 


No. 


INucula  nitida  - - 4 

Tellimya  ferruginosa  - 1 

Syndosmya  alba  - 5 

Syndosmya  prismatica  1 - 

Dosinia  lupina  - - 1 

Cultellus  pellucidus  - 7 

Lyonsia  norvegica  - 1 

Bullinella  cylindracea  1 


No. 


Natica  alderi  - - 1 

Echinocardium  cordatum  1 
Echinocyamus  pusillus  1 
Anapagurus  las  vis  - 1 

Nika  edulis  - - 1 

Diastylis  sp.  - - 1 

Ampelisca  sp.  - - 1 


Nephthys  sp.  - 
Sthenelais  limicola 
Owenia  fusiformis  - 
Goniada  maculata  - - 

Pectinaria  sp.  - 
Lanice  conchilega,  tubes 
Polychaeta,  tubes  - 

Nemertinea  - 


No. 


1 

1 

1 

1 


frequent 

frequent 


Station  104.  Borough  Island  E.,  Revelstoke  Point  N.E.  by  N.  June  12th,  1923. 
Silty  sand  with  some  flaky  shell  fragments. 


.1924  Fab.  1 


36 


Notes  and  Comments. 


WILD  LIFE  IN  DEVON.* 

Here  fine  photographs  of  scenery  and  wild  life  are  a 
prominent  feature  in  this  popular  work,  and  the  book  gives 
an  insight  into  the  natural  history  of  this  charming  county .. 
The  principal  chapters  deal  with  Foxes,  Otters,  Owls,  Polecats,. 
Wood  Pigeons,  Curlew,  Buzzard,  Sparrow-Hawk,  Golden 
Plover,  etc.  A typical  illustration  is  reproduced  herewith 


* Compiled  from  notes  by  W.  H.  Hudson  by  Linda  Gardiner.  London 
J.  M.  Dent  & Sons,  Ltd.  xix.  + i20  pp.  10/6.  net. 


by  kind  permission  of  the  publishers,  this  being  from  a photo- 
graph by  Miss  Frances  Pitt. 


INDEX  ANIMALIUM. 

We  are  pleased  to  announce  the  appearance  of  Part  III.  of 
the  Second  Volume  of  Index  Animalium,  which  is  being 
published  by  the  British  Museum  (Natural  History)  at  £i. 
The  present  part  contains  pages  385-640,  and  brings  us  up  to 
baileyi.  As  illustrating  the  extraordinary  amount  of  research 
in  the  compilation  of  this  volume,  there  are  over  two  pages: 
devoted  to  the  word  axillaris,  apicalis  occupies  about  seven' 
pages,  while  the  word  ater  and  its  allied  forms  occupies  about 
eight  pages.  As  each  page  contains  something  like  fifty-five 
entries,  this  gives  an  indication  of  the  thoroughness  in  which 
this  work  has  been  carried  out. 


A Healthy  Appetite : Otter  Cub  at  Dinner. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


37 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  DOWNS.* 

In  this  case  the  author  has  selected  an  admirable  title, 
and | it  precisely  describes  the  nature  of  his  charming  and 
well- illustrated  volume.  He  deals  with  the  South  Downs 
and  their  People,  Old  Time  Pastimes,  Dew-ponds,  Antiquities, 
Place-names,  Fairs,  Ploughing  Matches,  Fairy  Rings,  South 
Country  Characters,  The  Bird  of  Downland  (Wheatear),  etc. 
Throughout  evidence  is  given  of  his  intimate  acquaintance 


The  Spirit  of  the  Downs. 


with  the  antiquities  and  natural  history  of  the  area  with  which 
he  deals,  and  our  readers  who  are  familiar  with  the  Yorkshire 
Wolds  will  find  the  volume  of  value  in  comparing  these  two 
somewhat  similar  districts.  A characteristic  illustration  we 
are  permitted  to  give  herewith. 

MARINE  DEPOSITS  OF  THE  NORTH  SEA. 

Those  who  recollect  the  admirable  address  given  by]  Mr. 
J.  O.  Borley  at  the  Hull  Meeting  of  the  British  Association 
will  be  delighted  to  find  that  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and 

* By  Arthur  Beckett.  London  : Methuen  & Co.  xv.-f  303  pp.,  8/6  net. 


924  Feb.  1 


38 


Notes  and  Comments. 


Fisheries  has  issued  a valuable  report  on  The  Marine  Deposits 
of  the  Southern  North  Sea,  as  Vol.  IV.  of  Series  II.  of  the 
Fishery  Investigations  (62  pp.  and  plates,  15 /-  net).  All 
the  information  given  by  Mr.  Borley  at  Hull,  and  considerably 
more,  is  included  in  this  valuable  publication,  which  L 
accompanied  by  a large  number  of  plates  containing  coloured 
and  photographic  illustrations  of  samples  of  the  sea  floor  at 
different  depths  and  in  various  localities,  as  well  as  a most 
useful  series  of  charts,  upon  which  are  indicated  the  positions 
from  which  the  specimens  were  taken,  and  the  distribution 
of  the  various  materials.  As  a sample  we  may  specially 
refer  to  the  series  of  charts  showing  the  distribution  of  stones,, 
very  coarse  gravels,  coarse  gravels,  medium  gravels,  fine 
gravel,  coarse  sand,  medium  sand,  fine  sand,  and  silt.  Those 
interested  in  the  former  geological  conditions  of  the  North 
Sea  area  must  have  this  report. 

WILD  BIRD  ADVENTURES.* 

The  reputation  of  Mr.  Kearton  is  such  that  it  is  not  neces- 


Redshank  on  Nest. 


sary  nowadays  to  do  more  than  draw  attention  to  the  fact 
that  one  of  his  publications  has  appeared.  In  the  present 
case  the  volume  is  a store-house  of  photographs  of  wild  birds 
and  their  nests.  We  are  enabled  to  reproduce  one  of  the 
numerous  illustrations  herewith,  entitled  ‘ Mrs.  Redshank 
on  her  Nest/ 


* By  Richard  Kearton.  London  : Cassell  & Co.  ix.-[-i8i  pp.  5/-. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


39 


* And  other  Wild  Life  Studies,  by  Frances  Pitt.  London:  G. 

Allen  & Unwin,  Ltd.  248  pp.  10/6  net. 


SHETLAND  PIRATES.* 

Our  readers  are  already  familiar  with  the  painstaking 
work  of  Miss  Pitt,  and  our  pages,  from  time  to  time,  have 
been  made  valuable  by  her  records.  She  has  now  produced 
under  the  above  title  a charming  set  of  essays  dealing  with 
the  Pine  Marten,  Wild  Cat,  Owls,  Raven,  Orkney  Vole, 
Rook,  and  other  subjects.  Miss  Pitt  is  a keen  observer  of 
the  habits  of  our  rarer  birds  and  mammals,  and  has  the  ability 
to  express  her  thoughts  in  language  which  is  not  only  easily 
understandable,  but  very  entertaining.  Some  of  the  chapters 


Pine  Marten. 

seem  familiar,  having  previously  been  in  the  periodicals, 
but  they  are  none  the  less  welcome  in  this  handy  and  more 
permanent  form.  We  are  able  to  give  a reproduction  of  one 
of  her  beautiful  photographs  as  a sample. 

A NORFOLK  ‘ ALBATROSS.’ 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union 
at  Barnsley  served  to  clear  up  a doubtful  record.  A sportsman 
of  that  town  had  shot  a large  bird  on  Hickling  Broad  several 
years  ago,  which  he  firmly  believed  to  be  an  Albatross.  Un- 
fortunately, the  gentleman  had  since  died,  but  his  widow  very 
kindly  showed  the  bird  to  us,  and  it  proved  to  be  a fine  adult 
specimen  of  the  British  Gannet  (Sula  bassana)  ! 


1924  Feb.  1 


40 


Notes  and  Comments. 


* ‘ British  Hymenoptera , ’ by  A.  S.  Buckhurst,  L.  N.  Staniland  and 
E.  B.  Watson.  9/-  net. 


BRITISH  HYMENOPTERA.* 

With  the  above  title,  Messrs.  Edward  Arnold  & Co.  have 
produced  a quarto  publication  (48  pp.  and  8 plates)  dealing 
with  this  by  no  means  simple  branch  of  natural  history,  but 
the  numerous  blocks  in  the  memoir  should  do  much  to  make 
our  readers  familiar  with  the  principal  forms.  In  addition. 


Sirex  gigas.  34  X 60  mm. 


there  are  sixteen  figures  in  the  text,  which  describe  the  struc- 
ture of  different  parts  of  these  insects.  The  families  are  dealt 
with  on  general  lines  in  a way  likely  to  be  instructive  to  the 
collector  and  naturalist.  We  are  kindly  permitted  to  reproduce 
two  of  the  illustrations  of  species  which  often  cause  confusion. 


Sirex  juvencus.  28  x 35  mm. 


Naturalist 


4i 


RIVER  CAPTURES  IN  THE  LUNDS,  YORKSHIRE. 


W.  B.  R.  KING,  M.A.,  F.G.S. 


The  area  to  be  described  is  in  the  north-western  comer  of 
Yorkshire,  called  the  Lunds,  where  the  upper  reaches  of  the 
Ure  are  being  attacked  on  the  one  hand  by  the  Eden,  and  on 


SKETCH  MAP  OF  EDEN-URE  CAPTURES. 


the  other  hand  by  the  River  Clough,  belonging  to  some  of  the 
head  waters  of  the  Lune  drainage. 

This  area  has  seen  much  adjustment  of  the  river  systems, 
and  the  state  of  affairs  is  far  from  stable  at  the  present  time. 
One  of  the  results  of  these  adjustments  has  been  the  formation 
of  the  two-way  pass  through  the  heart  of  the  Pennine  Chain 
which  has  been  utilised  both  by  the  roads  and  railways. 

The  glacial  conditions  in  this  district  have  been  so  ad- 
mirably described  by  Goodchild  that  during  short  visits  to 
the  neighbourhood  I have  been  unable  to  add  anything  to  his 


1924  Feb.  1 


42  River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire. 

conclusions  regarding  the  direction  of  the  ice  flow  and  centres 
of  dispersal.  It  would  appear,  however,  that  the  main  river 
captures  had  actually  taken  place  or  were  about  to  take  place 
prior  to  the  glaciation,  although  modifications  of  some  im- 
portance have  been  brought  about  as  the  result  of  glacial  action. 

The  general  geological  structure  of  the  immediate  vicinity 
is  simple.  The  greater  part  of  the  district  is  formed  of  al- 
ternations of  limestones,  shales  and  sandstones,  belonging  to 
the  Yoredale  series  of  the  Carboniferous,  while  the  hill  tops 
are  capped  by  Millstone  grit.  All  these  beds  have  a gentle 
easterly  dip,  which  persists  with  little  change  throughout 
Wensleydale  (valley  of  the  Ure  or  Yore)  . 

The  geological  factors  controlling  the  various  rivers  are 
most  important  in  considering  the  development  of  the  river 
systems.  The  Ure,  for  instance,  from  Yore  Force  (near  the 
Moor  Cock  Inn)  to  Aysgarth,  a distance  of  fourteen  miles,  is 
winding  through  a wide  alluvium-filled  valley  showing  many 
signs  of  maturity.  It  is,  in  fact,  working  to  the  local  base 
level  formed  by  the  massive  limestones  which  cause  the 
famous  Aysgarth  Falls.  It  is  clear,  from  the  gorges  below 
each  individual  fall,  that  these  falls,  as  a whole,  are  receeding 
at  a fairly  rapid  rate,  but  since  the  dip  of  the  strata  nearly 
coincides  with  the  slope  of  the  valley  bottom  for  a considerable 
distance  above  the  falls  there  is  little  chance  that  the  upper 
Ure  will  be  able  to  lower  its  thalweg  to  any  considerable 
degree,  in  fact,  until  the  gorges  of  the  present  Aysgarth  falls 
have  been  cut  back  a distance  of  about  ten  miles  to  a point 
beyond  Hawes. 

The  conditions  of  the  rivers  which  are  attacking  it,  however, 
are  very  different.  In  the  case  of  the  Eden  ; this  river  for  a 
great  part  of  its  course  is  flowing  over  soft  Permian  and  Trias 
rocks,  which  are  denuded  with  such  ease  that  the  river  has 
cut  down  to  600  feet  above  sea-level  at  Kirkby  Stephen,  only 
six  miles  from  its  natural  head  (i.e.,  the  place  where  its  head 
would  be  if  no  captures  had  taken  place).  In  the  upper  part, 
with  a fall  equal  to  twice  that  of  the  Ure,  it  is  undercutting 
the  Yoredale  beds,  and  is  cutting  back  at  a pace  sufficiently 
great  to  enable  it  to  make  extensive  captures  from  the  Ure. 

The  other  stream,  which  is  also  situated  favourably  for 
making  captures  in  this  district,  is  the  River  Clough,  a tribu- 
tary of  the  Rawthey,  and  thus  of  the  Lune.  This  river  drains 
off  Baugh  Fell,  and  has  an  exceptionally  short  course  to  the 
nearest  sea  coast.  Prof.  Marr  has  pointed  out  to  me  that  in 
its  middle  reaches  it  has  cut  down  to  a low  level  by  reason 
of  shatter  belts,  which  enable  it  to  erode  the  hard  rocks.  Thus 
it  has  no  local  base-levels  formed  by  the  massive  limestone 
bands,  as  is  the  case  of  the  Ure,  but  it  is  able  to  undercut  the 
Yoredale  beds,  and  by  its  rapid  fall  and  short  course  is  able 


Naturalist 


River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire.  43 

to  effect  captures  from  the  Ure,  which  is  already  weakened  by 
loss  of  water  to  the  Eden. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  give  further  details  of  these 
captures,  and  to  trace  their  history  and  possible  future 
development . 

The  captures  naturally  fall  into  two  main  groups  : (a)  the 
captures  by  the  River  Eden  ; (b)  those  by  the  River  Clough. 

Dealing  first  with  those  of  the  Eden  : a glance  at  a map 


shows  that  Hell  Gill  Beck,  the  present  head  of  the  Eden,  runs 
in  a south-westerly  direction,  and  is  alligned  as  a tributary 
of  the  Ure,  but  where  it  ceases  to  define  the  county  boundary 
it  turns  due  north  to  flow  into  the  main  Eden  valley. 

This  capture  had  almost  certainly  nearly  taken  place  in 
pre-glacial  times,  and  it  is  interesting  to  try  and  separate 
the  pre-glacial  and  post-glacial  effects. 

Firstly  it  should  be  noted  that  this  locality  was  near  the 
dividing  line  of  the  ice  (see  Goodchild's  Map),  and  therefore 
it  was  somewhat  stagnant,  tending  to  deposit  boulder  clay  in 
the  valley  bottom  in  the  form  of  drumlins  rather  than  do  any 
active  erosion. 

Viewing  the  district  from  the  hill  slopes  on  the  west  of 


1924  Feb.  1 


44  River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire. 

the  valley,  a marked  shelf  is  seen  sloping  gradually  towards 
the  Ure  but  ending  abruptly  towards  the  Eden  in  the  scars 
of  Slade  Edge.  This  shelf  is  not  formed  of  one  limestone  bed, 
but  would  seem  to  be  part  of  the  old  Ure  valley  before  the 
pre-glacial  captures  took  place.  The  ground  below  Slade 
Edge  and  around  Aisgill  Bridge  has  the  general  appearance 
pi  Being  the  natural  corrie-like  head  of  the  Eden  valley.  At 
the  head  of  this  hollow  the  valley  narrows,  and  the  Eden 
enters  a deep  narrow  gorge  in  the  valley  bottom  ; this  gorge 
appears  to  be  largely  post-glacial,  and  extends  for  half-a-mile 
up  to  the  fine  waterfall  of  Hell  Gill  or  Aisgill  Force.  This 
waterfall  marks  the  point  to  which  the  Eden  has  reached  Tn 
‘consolidating  ' its  captures  from  the  Ure. 

The  narrow  gorge  of  Hell  Gill  itself  would  seem,  from  its 
very  nature,  to  belong  to  a recent  post-glacial  episode,  being, 
in  fact,  a series  of  great  potholes  connected  together,  helped 
possibly  by  the  falling  in  of  a subterranean  watercourse. 
Whether  the  gorge  is  entirely  post-glacial  or  not  does  not, 
however,  affect  the  problem  of  capture  to  any  extent.  On 
issuing  from  the  gorge  the  stream  comes  opt  on  to  the  shelf 
mentioned  above,  and  appears,  at  one  time,  to  have  swung 
somewhat  to  the  north  in  an  arc-like  bend  ; this  has  recently 
been  straightened  out,  as  is  evidenced  by  a series  of  old 
terraces.  At  the  present  time  the  river  flows  south-west, 
straight  from  Hell  Gill  gorge,  until  it  strikes  a drumlin  of 
boulder  clay  about  40  feet  high,  lying  with  its  long  axis 
athwart  the  stream.  The  water  is  forced  to  turn  either  to  the 
north-west  or  to  the  south-east  to  get  round  it.  It  happens 
that  a second  drumlin  almost  merges  with  the  first  to  the 
-east,  and  therefore  the  stream  is  diverted  to  the  north-west, 
and  so  into  the  Eden  valley,  already  well  prepared  for  the 
capture.  Since  this  capture  has  been  effected,  however,  the 
drumlin  (A  of  sketch)  has  been,  and  is  still  being,  slowly 
eaten  away  by  the  river  which  strikes  it  at  right  angles,  and 
it  is  a question  whether  the  Eden  will  work  back  the  position 
of  Hell  Gill  Force  to  the  point  of  impact  of  the  river  on  the 
drumlin  before  the  stream  has  completely  eroded  away  the 
north-western  end  of  the  drumlin.  If  the  recession  of  the 
Force  is  the  faster,  then,  naturally,  the  capture  will  be  stabil- 
ised ; but  as  the  position  of  the  fall  recedes,  a greater  thickness 
of  solid  limestone  will  be  exposed  in  the  fall,  and  therefore 
recession  will  become  slower.  On  the  other  hand  the  river 
will  soon  have  cut  away  more  than  half  the  drumlin,  whereupon 
less  and  less  material  will  have  to  be  removed  for  each  foot 
of  ground  won  by  the  stream.  It  therefore  appears  probable 
that  the  north-western  end  of  the  drumlin  will  be  removed 
before  the  fall  has  receded  to  any  great  extent. 

(To  he  continued). 


Naturalist 


45 

GEASTER  RUFESGENS  VAR.  MINOR  PERS. 

IN  YORKSHIRE. 

F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S. 

In  a column  devoted  to  Notes  of  the  Country-side,  which 
appeared  in  the  Yorkshire  Evening  Post,  November  23rd, 


* Mason,  F.  A.  : ‘ G.  rufescens  Pers.  in  Yorkshire,5  The  Naturalist, 
1921,  p.  74. 


Fig.  3. 


1923,  reference  was  made  to  Geasters,  or  'earth-stars/  dis- 
covered by  Mrs.  Scott  Stanley,  in  her  garden  at  Roundhay, 
Leeds.  By  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Henry  Crowther,  I have  been 
able  to  examine  the  fungi,  of  which  there  were  two  specimens, 
and  found  them  in  a dry  and  mature  condition,,  as  illustrated 
herewith  (Fig.  3).  I first  regarded  them  as  small  specimens 
of  G.  rufescens,  which  explains  a later  note,  loc.  cit.,  December 
14th,  1923.  More  careful  examination,  however,  led  me  to 
believe  that  they  were  not  merely  small  specimens  of  Persoon’s 
species  rufescens,  as  represented  by  the  fungus  collected  by 
Mr.  R.  W.  Butcher,  at  Bolton,*  and  now  illustrated  (Fig.  2), 


Photo  by] 


Fig.  1.  [F.  A . Mason 


1924  Feb.  1 


46  G easier  rufescens  var.  minor  Pers.  in  Yorkshire. 

but,  that  they  must  be  referred  to  the  variety  minor,  also 
of  Persoon,  a conclusion  with  which  Mr.  Carleton  Rea  expresses 
himself  in  agreement.  One  may,  perhaps,  be  excused  an 
attitude  of  scepticism  with  regard  to  the  value  of  vartieties 
.minor  among  the  fungi,  but,  apart  from  the  fact  that  Persoon 
was  the  least  likely  among  mycologists  to  recognise  and 
describe  a variety  without  adequate  reason,  there  appears 
to  be  little  doubt  that  in  var.  minor,  of  the  present  species, 
we  have  a diminutive  form  of  constant  character. 

The  variety  is  rare  in  Great  Britain,  and  Mr.  Rea  informs 
me  that  he  has  known  it  only  from  Dinmore,  in  Herefordshire, 
and  from  a locality  near  Cromer,  in  Norfolk.  The  Roundhay 
specimens  vary  in  size  from  one-third  to  two-thirds  that  of 
the  Bolton  example  of  the  species  ; the  endoperidium,  1-2 
cm.  diam.,  exoperidium,  2-4  cm.  diameter.  Microscopically, 
the  spores,  which  are  minutely  verrucose,  are  4-4' 5^  diam., 
but  I find  that  the  capillitium  threads  vary  considerably 
from  the  dimensions  given  for  the  type,*  and  in  each  of  three 
specimens,  they  had  diameters  varying  between  2’ 5 ju  to  5' 6ju. 
Mixed  with  the  spores  in  the  older,  dry  specimens,  were  in- 
numerable crystals  of  calcium  oxalate  of  all  sizes  from  5/^ 
up  to  13/t  diam.,  whereas,  a mature,  but  still  moist,  specimen 
from  the  gathering  referred  to  below,  did  not  contain  any 
such  crystals. 

According  to  Mr.  Rea’s  experience,  G.  rufescens  has  been 
reported  more  frequently  than  usual  during  the  year  1923, 
and  he  has  collected  it  for  the  first  time  in  Wyre  Forest, 
which  he  has  worked  mycologically  for  30  years.  Nothing 
appears  to  be  known  with  regard  to  the  conditions  determining 
the  appearance  of  many  fungi  of  uncommon  occurrence,  such 
as  those  belonging  to  the  Geastreae,  for  instance,  and  con- 
sequently a visit  was  paid  to  Mrs.  Stanley’s  garden  on 
December  16th,  exactly  a month  after  the  date  on  which  the 
first  specimens  were  collected.  There  I was  fortunate  enough 
to  find  a group  of  the  fungi  in  various  stages  of  development, 
and,  incidentally,  to  show  that  the  two  original  examples 
had  not  grown  where  they  were  picked  up,  but  had  been  re- 
moved from  their  soil  matrix  where  the  group  had  been  over- 
looked, about'  2 feet  away,  by  the  agency  of  animals  or  of 
the  wind. 

The  soil  in  which  the  fungi  were  growing  was  between  the 
base  of  a dead  larch  and  a cultivated  rose-bush.  The  ground 
over  an  area  of  about  a square  foot  was  permeated  with  a 
white  mycelium,  having  threads  much  branched,  and  rather 
woolly,  and  swelling  out  into  thicker,  cushion-like  extremities, 
wherever  a fruiting  body  was  produced.  It  extended  right 


* Rea,  Carleton  : Brit.  Basidiomyceteae,  p.  43. 


Naturalist 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


47 


up  to  the  roots  of  the  rose  on  the  one  side,  and  to  the  larch 
trunk  on  the  other.  The  geasters  themselves  were  thickly 
clustered,  two  of  them  expanded  so  as  to  expose  the  endo- 
peridium,  and  three  still  closed,  as  shown  in  the  photograph, 
(Fig.  i).  The  last,  although  the  exoperidium  in  each  case 
remained  unsplit,  had  matured,  but  had  suffered  from  the 
severity  of  the  weather  experienced  in  November.  The 
inner  sides  of  the  thick  fleshy  segments  of  the  exoperidium 
of  each  of  the  expanded  specimens,  varied  in  colour  from 
cream  to  a bright  ferruginous  tint.  The  unopened  fungi 
were  of  a dark  chestnut  colour,  shading  off  into  pale  pink- 
red  at  the  base. 

The  district  is  on  the  Millstone  Grit,  and  is  characterised 
by  acid  soils,  although  it  is  very  near  to  the  borders  of  the 
Magnesian  Limestone  region.  The  soil  proved  to  be  loose 
garden  tilth,  black  from  the  soot  content  peculiar  to  the  top 
soils  of  the  Leeds  area  ; Roundhay,  according  to  Dr.  A.  G. 
Rust  on,*  ranks  with  Weetwood  as  possessing  the  least  smoke 
infested  atmosphere  within  the  three  mile  radius  of  the  centre 
of  Leeds,  the  annual  deposit  of  soot  amounting  to  42  tons  per 
square  mile.  In  addition,  the  soil  was  well  permeated  with 
living  root -fibres  of  grasses  and  chickweed,  and  contained 
much  decaying  vegetable  matter.  Its  reaction,  in  terms  of 
hydrogen  ion  concentration,  determined  by  Medalia’s  com- 
parator method,  was  found  to  be  pH  6’ 3. 

G.  rufescens  var.  minor  Pers.  is  new  to  the  Yorkshire 
flora,  Mid. -West  Div.,  V.C.  64.  Specimens  are  preserved 
in  the  Leeds  City  Museum. 

■ : o : 

Picture  Book  of  Animals,  by  C.  A.  Johns.  London  : Sheldon 

Press,  126  pp.,  2/6.  This  book  is  specially  prepared  for  children.  It 
is  written  in  simple  language,  printed  with  large  type,  and  has  a coloured 
frontispiece.  The  articles  refer  to  the  Zebra,  Goat,  Dolphin,  Leopard, 
Bat,  etc.,  and  each  is  illustrated  by  a block,  which  in  most  cases  is 
familiar. 

Social  Life  among  the  Insects,  by  W.  M.  Wheeler.  London  : 
Constable  & Co.,  vii.-f-.375  pp.,  16 /-  net.  The  Professor  of  Economic 
Entomology  at  the  Harvard  University  has  written  a fascinating  account 
of  the  extraordinary  traits  in  the  character  of  the  different  members  of 
the  insect  world.  The  author  has  obviously  a tremendous  knowledge 
of  the  literature  of  the  subject,  and  we  are  pleased  to  see  the  work  of  our 
contributor,  Mr.  T.  Petch,  is  frequently  recognised  and  referred  to.  The 
Ants  and  their  ways,  of  course,  occupy  a large  proportion  of  the  volume, 
but  in  addition  the  beetles,  wasps  and  bees  receive  a good  share.  So 
remarkable  are  some  of  the  descriptions  that  they  read  more  like  fairy 
tales  than  actual  scientific  observations.  There  is  a ‘ documentary 
appendix  ’ consisting  of  70  pages  of  closely  printed  matter,  and  an  ex- 
cellent index  of  subjects  and  an  index  of  authors. 


* Ruston,  Arthur  G.  : ‘ The  Plant  as  an  Index  of  Smoke  Pollution/ 
Annals  App.  Biol.,  7,  1921,  p.  391. 


1924  Feb,  1 


48 


WEST  YORKSHIRE  BOTANICAL  NOTES. 


A.  WILSON,  SEDBERGH. 


The  following  notes  on  the  flora  of  the  Sedbergh  district  are 
supplementary  to  those  published  in  this  journal,  December^ 
1922,  pp.  397-398,  and  refer  to  Yorkshire  North-west,  V.C.  65. 

I have  to  thank  Mr.  Colin  G.  Trapnell,  of  Bristol,  for  many 
valuable  notes.  Some  of  these  are  inserted  here  and  are 
marked  C.G.T. 

Sisymbrium  Thalianum  Gay.  A puzzling  plant,  which  is 
probably  a condensed  stemless  form  of  this,  occurs  in 
a ravine  on  Cautley  Crag  at  2000  feet.  I have  it  under 
cultivation,  and  hope  to  report  upon  it  further. 
Geranium  sylvaticum  L.  This  ascends  to  1400  feet,  near 
Cautley,  C.G.T. 

Potentilla  sterilis  Garcke.  Found  at  1900  ft.  near  Cautley,. 

C.G.T.  Also  at  1850  ft.  on  Dent  Crag. 

Saxifraga  hypnoides  L.  Descends  to  410  ft.  in  lower  Dentdale, 

C.G.T. 

Taraxacum  officinale  Weber,  var.  palustre  DC.  Rough  fell- 
pasture  below  Siccars  Fell,  C.G.T. 

Neottia  nidus-avis  Rich.  A second  locality  has  been  found 
for  this  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cautley.  The  plant 
was  growing  under  hazels,  C.G.T. 

Orchis  mascula  L.  At  1500  ft.  above  Cautley,  C.G.T. 
Polygonatum  multi florum  All.  Wooded  bank  of  stream,  How- 
gill,  in  considerable  quantity,  C.G.T.  Perhaps  native. 
Luzula  sylvatica  Gaud.  Ascends  to  2100  ft.  on  The  Calf, 
Howgill  Fells,  C.G.T. 

Melica  montana  Huds.  Bank  of  the  Rawthey  near  the  foot 
of  Uldale,  C.G.T. 

Nitella  opaca  Agardh.  Pond  near  the  Cross  Haw  Beck, 
C.G.T.  Also  found  in  a deep  clear  pool  on  Holme 
Fell  at  1100  ft.  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Wheldon,  M.Sc.,  and  the 
writer,  July,  1923. 

Gidipodium  Griffithianum  Schwaeg.  In  company  with  Mr. 
Wheldon  I gathered  this  in  rock  crevices  near  Cautley 
Spout  in  July  last.  This  is  not  recorded  for  V.C.  65 
in  the  Moss  Census  Catalogue,  but  there  is  an  old  record 
by  George  Stabler  for  the  west  side  of  Deepdale,  given 
in  Lees’  ‘ Flora  of  West  Yorkshire,’  p.  559. 

Hypnum  exannulatum  Gumb.  A curious  form  of  this  with 
very  long  awn-like  points  to  the  leaves,  which  I gathered 
on  Baugh  Fell  in  July,  1921,  is  referred  by  Mr.  Wheldon 
to  W arnstorfia  Rotae  (De  Not.)  Wheld.  var.  trichophylla 
(W.)  Wheld.  It  appears  to  be  new  to  Britain. 


Naturalis 


West  Yorkshire  Botanical  Notes. 


49 


The  following,  were  mostly  found  while  I was  with  Mr. 

Wheldon,  who  has  determined  the  Sphagna  and  most  of  the 

Lichens  : — 

Sphagnum  Russowii  W.  var.  rhodochroum  Russ.  Ulgill  Rigg, 
Howgill  Fells  at  1600  ft. 

S.  rubellum  Wils.  var.  sordidum  W.  f.  immersum  Wheld. 
Holme  Fell,  Dentdale. 

S.  quinquefarium  W.  var.  viride  W.  f.  heterocladum  W.  Holme 
Fell. 

S.  plumulosum  Roll.  var.  viride  W.  f.  griseum  W.  Combe 
Scar  and  Cautley  Spout. 

5.  plumulosum  Roll.  var.  caerulescens  W.  Ulgill  Rigg  at 
1600  ft. 

S.  plumulosum  Roll.  var.  purpureum  W.  f.  gracile  W.  Baugh 
Fell. 

S.  recurvum  P.  de  Beauv.  var.  majus  Angst r.  f.  silvaticum 
Russ.,  Ashbeck  Gill  ; f.  subundulatum  W.,  Baugh  Fell. 

S.  recurvum  P.  de  Beauv.  var.  parvulum  W.,  f.  flavescens  W. 
Holme  Fell. 

S.  auriculatum  Schimp.  var.  ovatum  W.,  f.  intortum  W.  Holme 
Fell. 

S.  platyphyllum  W.  var.  teretiusculum  W.  Fair  Mile  Gate, 
Howgill. 

S.  rufescens  Nees  et  Hornsch.  var.  magnifolium  W.,  f.  bicolor 
W.,  sub-f.  intortum  W.,  Baugh  Fell  at  2100  ft. 

S.  papillosum  Lindb.  var.  normale  W.,  f.  confer  turn  W.  Holme 
Fell. 

S.  cymbifolium  W.  var.  podlescens  W.  Ashbeck  Gill  and  lower 
Dentdale. 

Lecanora  polytropa  Schaer.  Cautley  Spout. 

Diplochistes  scruposus  Norm.  Cautley  Spout  and  lower 
Garsdale. 

Gyrophora  polyphylla  Hook.  Howgill  Fells,  Swarth  Fell  and 
Baugh  Fell. 

Cladonia  gracilis  Willd.  Holme  Fell  and  Dent  Crag,  abundant 
at  2220  ft. 

Lecidea  granulosa  Schaer.  Frequent  on  peat  on  the  fells. 

L.  uliginosa  Ach.  Above  Cautley  Spout. 

L.  immersa  Ach.  Dovecote  Gill. 

L.  confluens  Ach.  Cautley  Spout. 

L.  sylvicola  Flot.  var.  Hellbomii  Leight.  Cautley  Spout. 

L.  sanguinaria  Ach.  Cautley  Spout. 

Rhizocarpon  calcar eum  Th.  Fr.  Cautley  Spout. 

Gr aphis  elegans  Ach.  Dovecote  Gill. 

Opegrapha  zonata  Koerb.  Cautley  Spout. 

Dermatocarpon  aquaticum  Zahlb.  Cautley  Spout. 

D.  lachneum  A.  L.  Sm.  Garsdale  and  Dentdale. 

1924  Feb.  1 

D 


50 


Field  Notes . 


V errucaria  aquatilis  Mudd.  Cautley  Spout. 

V.  margacea  Wahl.  Great  Dummacks. 

V.  calciseda  DC.  Dovecote  Gill. 

Acrocordia  epipolaea  A.  L.  Sm.  Dovecote  Gill. 

Correction. — Weisia  tenuis  C.M.,  recorded  in  The  Naturalist 
for  December  1922,  p.  398,  from  Backside  Beck,  Cautley,  was 
inserted  for  V.C.  65  in  error.  The  locality  is  just  over  the 
Westmorland  border  and  belongs  to  V.C.  69. 

: o : 

FIELD  NOTES. 

GEOLOGY . 

Remains  of  Birds  from  the  Holderness  Peat. — Re- 
ferring to  notes  which  appeared  in  The  Naturalist  for  June, 
1922  (pp.  187-188),  the  specimens  there  figured  are  now,  and 
always  will  be,  on  exhibition  in  the  Geological  Gallery  at  the 
Museum  at  Hull,  where  they  can  be  seen  by  anyone  interested. 
— T.S. 

— : o : — 

INSECTS . 

Ploiariola  culiciformis  De  G. — This  delicate  little 
insect,  one  of  the  Hemiptera-Heteroptera,  does  not  appear 
to  be  common  in  the  northern  counties  of  England.  During 
the  past  ten  years  I have  only  met  with  four  specimens,  all 
taken  on  the  wall  in  a lavatory  attached  to  a house  on  the 
outskirts  of  Carlisle.  It  bears  a great  superficial  resemblance 
to  some  species  of  Diptera  which  frequent  such  places,  and 
on  this  account  is  probably  overlooked.  Its  long  slender 
antennae,  and  slow  deliberate  movements  help  to  distinguish 
it.  I have  looked  through  a number  of  volumes  of  The 
Naturalist , and  only  find  two  references,  by  Mr.  F.  H.  Day 
(1916,  p.  254)  and  Mr.  Fordham  (1921,  p.  336)  ; The  latter 
is  an  old  record  from  Saunders  (Brit.  Hemip.  p.  160).  It 
is  not  mentioned  in  Whittaker’s  Lancashire  and  Cheshire 
list.  Both  Douglas  and  Saunders  say  it  is  not  uncommon, 
occurring  in  old  thatch,  ivy,  etc.  My  last  two  specimens 
were  taken  in  1923,  an  immature  example  on  May  6th,  and  a 
fully  grown  one  on  July  1st. — Jas.  Murray,  Kelsick,  Wigton. 

: o : 

Part  XLIII.  of  Buckman’s  Type  Ammonites  includes  two  Yorkshire 
species,  viz.,  Toxosphinctes  pickenngius  from  Pickering,  and  Cawioniceras 
cawtonense  from  Cawton. 

We  extend  our  congratulations  to  Sir  Archibald  Geikie,  who  has 
recently  attained  his  eighty-eighth  birthday,  and  to  Sir  William  Boyd 
Dawkins,  who  has  recently  celebrated  his  eighty-fifth  birthday.  Both 
names  occur  on  the  list  of  Presidents  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union. 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  III. 


Fig.l. 

Restoration  of  Eoanthropus  dawsoni,  and  cast  of  brain  cavity. 


5i 

REMAINS  OF  EARLY  MAN. 

Bearing  in  mind  that  the  Mortimer  Collection  of  Prehistoric 
Remains,  containing  the  human  and  other  objects  from  over 
300  burial  mounds  in  East  Yorkshire,  collected  by  the  late 
J.  R.  Mortimer,  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Hull  Corpora- 
tion, the  Museums  Committee  has  supplemented  this  excellent 
series  by  reproductions  of  many  of  the  more  important  early 


4 -4-4- 


Fig.  2. 

New  restoration  of  the  Mousterian  Skull  ( Homo  mousterensis  hauseri) . 

relics  of  the  human  race.  In  view  of  the  meeting  of  the 
British  Association  at  Hull,  in  1922,  and  the  Museums  Associa- 
tion there  in  1923,  special  efforts  were  made  to  give  a repre- 
sentative series  of  these  remains.  Through  the  kind  help 
of  Dr.  F.  A.  Lucas,  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  New  York,  copies  of  the  somewhat  striking  restora- 
tions of  Trinil  Ape-man  ( Pithecanthropus  erectus),  Neanderthal 
Man  (Homo  neanderthalensis) , and  Cro-Magnon  Man  ( Homo 
sapiens),  were  kindly  sent,  in  addition  to  which  an  example 


1924  Feb.  1 


52 


Remains  of  Early  Man 


Fig.  3. 

Galley  Hill  Skull. 


Fig.  4. 

The  Gibraltar  Skull. 

Naturalist 


Remains  of  Early  Man. 


53 


was  supplied,  half  restored,  and  half  showing  the  skull,  in 
this  way  illustrating  the  relationship  between  the  bones  and 
the  restoration,  and  the 
methods  adopted  by  the 
American  Museum  in  their 
work. 

From  the  well-known 
■establishment  of  R.  F. 

Damon,  of  Weymouth,  a 
series  of  casts  was  secured, 
part  of  which  that  firm 
kindly  enables  us  to  re- 
produce by  means  of  the 
blocks  which  are  printed 
herewith.  All  these  speci- 
mens are  exhibited  at  Hull, 
in  addition  to  which  is  an 
■extensive  collection  of  over 
fifty  specimens  illustrating 
the  various  engravings 
upon  bone,  ivory,  etc., 
from  well-known  Palaeo- 
lithic sites,  principally  on 
the  continent.  These  in- 
clude most  of  the  examples 
figured  in  the  various  text- 
books, and  enable  students 
in  the  provinces  to  study 
them,  the  reproductions 
being  so  excellently  made 
that  for  almost  all  practical 
purposes  they  are  as  useful 
as  the  actual  speciment,  to 
•see  which  would  mean  an 
extensive  and  expensive 
tour. 

Fig.  i (Plate  III.)  illus- 
trates a restoration  of  Pilt- 
down  Man  (Eoanthropus 
dawsoni),  and  of  the  brain 
cavity. 

Fig.  2 is  a new  res- 
toration of  the  Mousterian 
Skull  (. Homo  monster ensis 
hausen) . 

Fig.  3 shows  the  famous  Galley  Hill  Skull  described  by 
Mr.  E.  T.  Newton,  but  respecting  the  Palaeolithic  date  of  which 
doubts  have  been  expressed  in  recent  times. 


S 

i 


1924  Feb.  1 


54 


Hull  Museum  Publications. 


Fig.  4 gives  two  views  of  the  Gibraltar  Skull,  said  bjr 
Professor  Keith  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  Palaeolithic 
Skulls  known. 

Fig.  5 is  a series  of  casts  showing  the  construction  of  the 
lower  jaw  of  various  species  from  the  chimpanzee  to  modern 
man. 

The  collection  also  includes  casts  of  the  Neanderthal 
Skull,  Java  Skull,  and  others. 

Exhibited  in  the  same  case  are  typical  examples  of  Bronze 
Age,  Iron  Age,  Roman,  Saxon,  and  Mediaeval  Skulls,  as  well 
as  modern  skulls  (European,  African,  Australian,  etc.). 

Among  the  reproductions  of  Palaeolithic  carvings  are 
many  of  the  specimens  figured  in  Repertoire  de  l’Art  Quater- 
naire,  Reliquiae  Aquitanicae,  and  other  well-known  works. 
— T.S. 

— — : o : — — 

HULL  MUSEUM  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Hull  Museum  probably  publishes  more  literature  annually  than 
any  other  provincial  museum  in  the  kingdom.  This  is  doubtless  due 
to  the  inordinate  appetite  for  work  of  the  Curator,  Mr.  T.  Sheppard,, 
M.Sc.  We  have  before  us  Nos.  126  to  136  inclusive,  and  they  cover 
an  astonishingly  wide  field.  The  first  is  an  illustrated  catalogue  of 
love  tokens  and  other  engraved  pieces — no  fewer  than  200  in  number — 
full  of  human  interest,  although  often  crude  in  design  and  execution. 
An  introductory  note  explains  the  various  methods  by  which  these 
tokens  were  produced. 

Publication  No.  127  deals  with  Yorkshire  Tramway  Tokens  and 
Counters  ; also  Yorkshire  Seventeenth  Century  Tokens.  A most  unusual 
collection  to  find  in  a museum,  but  thoroughly  appropriate  in  a town 
like  Hull,  where  transport  is  a leading  occupation.  In  design  many  of 
these  tokens  resemble  early  English  coins,  and  are  worth  preservation 
upon  artistic  grounds. 

The  next  publication  (No.  128)  takes  us  into  quite  other  regions  of 
museum  work.  Starting  with  the  remains  of  the  famous  elk  found  in 
East  Yorkshire,  two  bronze  axes  from  the  same  neighbourhood,  a bronze 
mould,  ‘ British  ’ pottery  made  by  ‘ Flint  Jack,’  and  recent  glacial 
sections  found  in  Holderness  ; it  ends  with  ‘ Some  Yorkshire  Arthropods. 
Could  the  most  exacting  public  ask  for  more  varied  diet  ? 

The  Andrew  Marvell  Centenary  Celebrations  at  Hull  fully  justifies 
Publication  No.  129.  A Hull  man  who  was  contemporary  with  Oliver 
Cromwell,  Milton,  and  Dryden,  and  a worthy  acquaintance  of  all  these 
celebrities,  naturally  evokes  some  sense  of  pride  in  his  native  town, 
which  he  represented  in  Parliament  for  18  years.  It  is  a matter  for  con- 
gratulation not  only  to  Hull,  but  to  the  country,  that  an  Englishman 
with  such  a record,  who  breathed  his  last  in  obscure  London  lodgings, 
should  240  years  later  be — so  to  speak — rescued  from  oblivion,  recognised, 
and  his  memory  revered. 

Publication  No.  130  is  a history  of  the  Hull  Museum  and  its  collection. 
Those  of  us  who  are  acquainted  with  museums  all  over  the  country 
know  what  a need  there  is  for  such  a record  in  every  provincial  museum. 
Curators  come  and  go,  often  forgetting  that  the  history  of  their  insti- 
tution will  be  of  more  than  passing  interest  to  those  who  come  after  them . 
We  commend  this  example  for  general  adaption,  if  only  in  the  brief 
form  in  which  Mr.  Sheppard  gives  his  story. 


Naturalist 


Peat  Investigation. 


55 


The  ‘ Record  of  Additions,’  No.  LXIV.  (Publication  No.  131), 
illustrated,  is  one  of  a series  which  gives  a short  account  of  objects  ac- 
quired from  time  to  time.  These  ‘Records  ’ serve  the  double  purpose 
of  directing  attention  to  recent  acquisitions,  and  giving  information 
about  them  in  a popular  form . This  particular  publication  relates  to 
a collection  of  antique  watches,  old  Hull  bank-notes,  a White  Ensign 
carried  by  a steam  trawler  through  an  engagement  with  a German  sub- 
marine, a collection  of  Hull  barometers,  Roman  coins,  Hull  medals, 
a newly  discovered  shell,  a Corinthian  dish  2000  years  old,  Hull  pottery, 
and  various  other  examples,  which  illustrate  the  all-embracing  instincts 
of  a many  sided  collector. 

Publication  No.  132  deals  with  the  old  farming  implements  and 
methods  of  East  Yorkshire.  It  illustrates  examples  which  will  be  of 
ever  increasing ' local  interest  as  time  passes. 

‘ Record  of  Additions  ’ No.  LXV.  (Publication  No.  133),  is  mainly 
devoted  to  bronze  axes  and  moulds  purchased  for  the  Hull  Museum. 

An  interesting  Anglo-Saxon  gold  ring,  set  with  an  oval  garnet,  is 
the  subject  of  publication  No.  134.  The  history  of  this  example  reads 
like  a romance.  Other  objects  of  importance  are  also  dealt  with  in 
this  number. 

‘ Roman  Remains  at  Middleton-on -the-Wolds, ’ etc.,  are  explained 
in  Publication  No.  135  ; while  No.  136  is  Mr.  Sheppard’s  Presidential 
Address  to  the  Museums  Association  Conference  at  Hull  in  July,  1923, 
on  ‘ The  Place  of  the  Small  Museum.’ 

We  congratulate  Mr.  Sheppard  on  the  indefatigable  and  useful  work 
he  is  doing  to  popularise  the  museums  of  his  city. — J .B. 

: o : — — 

PEAT  INVESTIGATION. 

At  the  Liverpool  Meeting  of  the  British  Association,  a Committee  was 
appointed  to  investigate  the  Quaternary  Peats  of  the  British  Isles.  This 
consists  of  Prof.  P.  F.  Kendall  (Chairman),  Mr.  L.  H.  Tonks  (Secretary), 
Prof.  P.  G.  H.  Boswell,  Miss  Chandler,  Prof.  H.  J.  Fleure,  Mr.  E.  Greenly, 
Prof.  j.  W.  Gregory,  Prof.  G.  Hickling,  Mr.  W.  B.  Hinch,  Mr.  R.  Lloyd 
Praeger,  Mrs.  Reid,  Mr.  T.  Sheppard,  Mr.  J.  W.  Stather,  Mr.  A.  Stelfox, 
Mr.  J.  Travis,  Mr.  A.  E.  Truman,  Mr.  W.  B.  Wright. 

In  connection  with  this,  a meeting  was  held  in  the  Museum,  Hull, 
on  the  1 8th  October.  Present  : Professor  P.  F.  Kendall  (in  the  chair), 
Messrs.  W.  H.  Crofts,  J.  W.  Stather,  A.  Charlesworth  and  T.  Sheppard. 

Professor  Kendall  pointed  out  the  method  of  enquiry  to  be  adopted, 
and  suggested  that  at  present  investigations  should  be  carried  out  in  the 
Humber  area  on  the  east,  and  the  Mersey  area  on  the  west  ; that  a local 
Committee  should  be  appointed  for  each  centre  : that  for  the  Humber 
area  consisting  of  the  members  appointed  by  the  British  Association 
with  the  addition  of  Miss  Whitaker,  Captain  Butterfield,  Messrs.  W.  H. 
Crofts,  A.  Charlesworth,  J.  F.  Robinson,  W.  S.  Bisat,  G.  R.  Newton, 
Chris.  A.  Cheetham  and  W.  A.  Massey,  with  power  to  add  to  their 
number . 

Mr  . Sheppard  was  asked  to  act  as  Secretary  pro  tem. 

The  Chairman  pointed  out  that  it  was  desirable  that  a bibliography 
should  be  prepared  of  papers  dealing  with  the  peat  deposits  of  the  Humber 
area,  and  this  Mr.  Sheppard  undertook  to  carry  out. 

The  Chairman  offered  to  lend  the  six-inch  maps  for  the  district,  and 
also  a set  of  boring  tools. 

It  was  suggested  that  a section  should  be  prepared  from  the  vicinity 
of  Goole  to  Spurn,  showing  the  proved  depths  at  which  the  forest  bed  or 
other  peat  deposits  had  been  met  with  in  their  relation  to  Ordnance 
datum,  and  that  Mr.  Charlesworth  be  responsible  for  this. 

It  was  also  thought  desirable  to  have  a meeting  of  the  suggested 
local  Committee  at  an  early  date. — T.S. 


3 124  Feb.  1 


56 

YORKS.  NATURALISTS’  UNION  AT  BARNSLEY. 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Union  was  held  at  Barnsley  on  Satur- 
day, December  8th.  The  General  Committee  met  in  the  afternoon, 
presided  over  by  Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead,  and  the  Annual  Report  and 
Treasurer’s  statement  of  accounts  were  approved.  Special  appreciation 
was  expressed  of  the  generosity  of  Mr.  W.  N.  Cheesman,  F.L.S.,  and  of 
Mr.  H.  B.  Booth,  M.B.O.U.,  for  their  recent  substantial  donations  to 
the  funds  of  the  Union. 

The  members  and  guests  at  the  evening  meeting  were  received  by  the 
Mayor  of  Barnsley,  Mr.  G.  F.  Wood.  At  6-30  p.m.  the  usual  business 
preliminaries  of  the  General  Meeting  commenced,  during  which  eight 
new  members  were  elected.  The  President,  Dr.  A.  Smith  Woodward, 
F.R.S.,  then  vacated  the  chair,  which  was  occupied  during  the  remainder 
of  the  meeting  by  the  Mayor.  The  President  then  delivered  his  Address 
to  a large  and  appreciative  audience,  the  subject  being  ‘ The  Animals  of 
the  Carboniferous  Period,’  illustrated  by  lantern  slides,  and  dealing 
especially  with  the  relation  of  Yorkshire  fossils  to  this  subject.  At  the 
close.  Professor  A.  Gilligan  moved  a hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the  Presi- 
dent ; this  was  seconded  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Bisat,  and  carried  unanimously. 
A vote  of  thanks  was  also  accorded  to  the  Mayor  for  his  good  offices 
during  the  evening,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  H.  B.  Booth,  seconded  by  Mr. 
W.  Holmes  Burrell.  A further  unanimous  vote  of  the  Union’s  apprecia- 
tion, proposed  by  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason,  and  seconded  by  Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead, 
was  expressed  to  the  Barnsley  Naturalists  for  their  kindness  in  inviting 
the  Union  to  Barnsley,  and  in  entertaining  them.  This  was  coupled 
especially  with  the  names  of  Mr.  John  Fletcher,  the  President,'  and 
of  Mr.  A.  Wade,  who  had  carried  out  the  local  arrangements  with  much 
success.  The  meeting  concluded  with  a conversazione  and  refreshments, 
provided  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Barnsley  Naturalists’  Society. 
Members  of  this  society  shewed  a number  of  interesting  exhibits  of  local 
naturalistic  features.  These,  and  the  lantern  lecturettes  on  ‘ The 
Photography  of  Bird-life,’  by  Mr.  T.  M.  Fowler,  and  ‘ Beauty  Spots  of 
the  Barnsley  Neighbourhood,’  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Barker,  were  much  appreci- 
ated. 

- : o : 

The  Geological  Magazine  for  December  completes  its  sixtieth  volume, 
a fact  upon  which  all  concerned  should  be  congratulated. 

Irish  Sphagna,’  by  W.  A.  Lee,  and  ‘ Stray  Reflections  on  the  Irish 
Alpine  Flora,’  by  R.  F.  Scharff,  occur  in  The  Irish  Naturalist  for  Decem- 
ber. 

British  Birds  for  December  contains  notes  on  ‘ The  Whimbrel  in 
Shetland,’  by  R.  Chislett  ; ‘ Nesting  Kingfishers,’  by  R.  H.  Brown  ; 

and  ‘ The  Birds  of  Lundy,’  by  L.  R.  W.  Loyd. 

The  Revue  de  Geologie  et  des  sciences  connexes,  makes  its  appearance 
promptly  each  month,  and  contains  summaries  of  papers  on  various 
branches  of  geology.  It  is  issued  from  the  University  of  Liege. 

We  notice  that  two  further  names  have  been  added  to  the  Editorial 
Staff  of  The  Entomologist,  namely,  Dr.  H.  Eltringham  and  Dr.  j.  W.  H. 
Harrison.  The  proprietorship  of  the  journal  also  changes  hands  with 
the  January  issue. 

The  journal  of  Conchology  for  December  includes  1 Dredging  in  Loch 
Alsh,’  by  H.  C.  and  R.  Winckworth  ; ‘ Additions  to  the  Mollusca  of 

Somerset,’  N.  G.  Haddon  ; and  L.  Pfeiffer’s  English  Specimens  of 
Helix  gigaxii,  Dr.  F.  Haas. 

Among  the  contents  of  The  Scottish  Naturalist  for  November  are 
‘ Bird  Notes  from  Fair  Isle,’  by  J.  H.  Stenhouse  ; ‘ Spread  and  dis- 

tribution of  the  Woodcock  in  Scotland,’  by  E.  V.  Baxter  and  L.  J. 
Rintoul  ; ‘ Hemiptera  of  the  South  Ebudes,’  by  G.  E.  Hutchinson. 


Naturalist 


57 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION’S  REPORT. 

(Continued  from  page  jo). 

BALANCE  SHEET. 


Receipts. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

Payments. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

Balance  brought  forward 

9 

10 

3 

Mr.  J . Medcalf 

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6 

Mr.  Albert  Hirst 

5 

0 

0 

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1 

0 

0 

Mr.  W.  H.  St.  Quintin 

5 

0 

0 

Mr.  J.  Hodgson 

20 

0 

0 

Mr.  J.W.  Dent 

2 

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0 

Mr . J . Green  ... 

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•Capt.  C.  Scott -Hopkins 

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2 

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0 

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comb, Chas.  O.  F. 

' Saner,  Mrs.  Bishop, 
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H.  B.  Booth  £i  is. 
each  ...  ...  ... 

Mr.  F.  II.  Edmondson 
Messrs.  W.  G.  Bramley, 
E.  B.  Gibson,  W.  H. 
Parkin,  W.  N.  Chees- 
man,  A.  H.  Lumby, 
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rens, E.  W.  Wade, 
ios.  6d.  each 
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G.  T.  Porritt,  C.  F. 
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Donations. 
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4 14  6 


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Audited  by  W.  E.  L.  Wattam. 


£43  P 11 

J . Wilkinson,  Hon.  Treas. 


ENTOMOLOGICAL  SECTION. 


Even 


All  recorders  note  that  the  season  has  been  very  unfavourable . 
dhe  commoner  forms  have  been  scarce  or  absent. 

Coleoptera  (M.  L.  Thompson)  : — Some  interesting  notes  of  new 
localities  have  reached  me,  referring  to  some  uncommon  insects,  and 
three  species  have  been  added  to  the  county  list.  A single  specimen  of 
Sphaerites  glabratus  L.  is  recorded  in  a fungus  at  Kildale,  Cleveland, 
this  being  only  the  third  English  record  of  this  rare  species.  Longitarsus 
holsaticus  L.  has  only  recently  been  determined,  though  found  in  August, 
1922,  by  W.  J.  Fordham,  near  Cloughton.  I took  Ceuthorrynchus 
asperi foliar um  Gy  11.  on  Myosotis  in  Duncombe  Park,  Helmsley,  in  May. 
The  re-discovery  of  Bledius  dissimilis  Er.  at  Bridlington  by  Mr.  Walsh, 
who  also  took  the  rare  Acrulia  inf  lata  Gyll.  in  Forge  Valley,  near 
Scarborough,  give  us  two  other  notable  results  of  this  season’s  work. 
Further  reports  will  appear  in  The  Naturalist. 


1924  Feb.  1 


58  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923. 


Hymenoptera  (R.  Butterfield)  : — Under  the  weather  conditions 
during  1923,  the  Aculeates  have  not  been  much  in  evidence.  The  genera 
Bombus  and  Psithyrus  have  had  a bad  time/  and  I never  remember  to* 
have  seen  them  less  numerous.  The  social  wasps  rallied  towards 
autumn,  but  obviously  a large  number  of  fertile  queens  perished.  On 
August  14th  I captured  a queen  of  Vespa  austriaca.  This  is  a late  date 
for  a queen  to  be  at  large,  for  it  is  how  recognised  that  the  species  is 
parasitic  on  social  wasps,  and  the  example  was  a last  year’s  queen  in 
search  of  a host.  On  Allerthorpe  and  Skip  with  Commons,  Mr.  W.  J. 
Fordham  has  added  one  or  two  species  of  Aculeata  to  the  county  list. 

On  September  9th,  Mr.  A.  E.  Bradley  paid  a visit  to  the  colony  of 
Mellinus  at  Woodhall  Bridge,  near  Collingham.  He  reports  a banded 
form  of  Andrena  clarkella,  females,  at  Adel  ; males  in  the  colony  of 
Andvena  ruficrus  were  seen  on  March  30th. 

Neuroptera  and  Trichoptera  (G.  T.  Porritt)  : — Unlike  most  of  the 
other  orders,  these  insects  seemed  to  have  been  up  to  their  normal  numbers . 
except,  perhaps,  the  Odonata,  but  nothing  had  been  observed  which  had 
not  been  recorded  in  previous  years.  Mr.  H.  Maxwell -Stuart  had  found 
Raphidia  xanthostigma  at  Everingham,  a new  locality  for  it,  more 
commonly  than  it  had  been  taken  anywhere  else  in  the  county,  or 
possibly  anywhere  else  in  Britain.  The  Rev.  C.  D.  Ash  had  sent  to 
him  Chrysopa  vulgaris  from  Saxton,  a new  locality  for  it.  This  species, 
so  common  in  many  parts  of  England,  is  not  at  all  so  in  Yorkshire. 

Diptera  (Chris.  A.  Cheetham)  : — The  list  of  additions  is  swollen 
by  the  examination  of  previous  years  ’ collecting,  and  the  number  added  to- 
our  list  will  be  about  seventy.  One  of  them,  Molophilus  undulatus- 
Goet.,  taken  on  the  bank  of  the  River  Burn,  near  Masham,  is  recorded 
for  the  first  time  as  a British  species.  Unfortunately,  the  special  ento- 
mological meetings  were  not  favoured  with  good  weather  conditions,  and 
consequently  had  poor  results  in  Diptera  captures. 

Interest  is  maintained  in  the  group  and  the  number  of  workers  is* 
increasing.  Mr.  J.  H.  Ashworth  writes  a note  in  agreement  with  the 
above  remarks,  and  we  hope  to  hear  of  Mr.  G.  Grace’s  work  on  the 
Chironomids  in  the  near  future. 

Hemiptera  (J.  M.  Brown)  : — During  the  early  summer  the  only 
Hemiptera  at  all  plentiful  were  the  numerous  species  of  Aphides  which 
appeared  in  swarms.  The  small  Homoptera  which  are  usually  swept 
in  plenty  from  grass,  such  as  the  species  of  Deltocephalus  and  Delphax, 
were  almost  entirely  absent.  Beating  oaks,  usually  yielding  some 
good  species,  was  unprofitable.  Noticeable  absentees  during  the  season, 
were  the  species  of  Calocoris,  the  only  one  met  with  in  fair  numbers 
being  C.  sexguttatus . 

\V.  J.  Fordham  reports  Piezodorus  lituratus  and  Zicrona  coerulea 
from  Skipwith,  and  Picronierus  bidens  from  Allerthorpe  ; Rev.  C.  Ash 
took  the  last  species  at  Skipwith  ; Bryocoris  pterydis  was  obtained 
during  the  Union  Excursion  to  Penistone  ; Cixius  similis,  Rhinocola 
ericae  and  Gastrodes  ferrugineus  during  the  Entomologists’  Meeting  at 
Skipwith  ; while  Microphysa  pselaphiformis,  hitherto  recorded  twice 
only  in  the  county,  occurred  in  two  localities  near  Sheffield. 

Two  species  of  Fleteroptera  and  one  variety  of  Homoptera  can  at 
present  be  reported  as  new  to  the  county  : Heterocovdylus  tibialis,  Globiceps 
dispar,  and  Alebra  albostriella  var.  wahlbergi,  all  taken  near  Sheffield. 

Lepidoptera  (B.  Morley ) : — No  species  of  Butterfly  has  been  common, 
not  even  the  Pierids,  but  Vanessa  atalanta  and  V.  cardui  managed  to- 
get  about  the  district  some  time  during  the  summer,  for  the  larvae  of 
both  were  common  during  September,  especially  the  former,  but  very 
few  have  matured. 

Motifs  also  have  been  generally  very  scarce,  but  few  species  have- 
occurred  in  good  numbers.  A notable  exception  to  the  general  rule 
has  been  the  plentiful  occurrence  of  Triphosa  dubitata  at  flowers  during: 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Annual  Report , 1923.  59 


September.  Bombyx  quercus  var.  callunae  occurred  abundantly  also. 
Mr.  Porritt  noted  it  quite  plentiful  on  the  moors  near  Huddersfield,  as 
it  was  also  on  the  Penistone  Moors  on  the  day  of  the  Union  Meeting  there. 

The  capture  of  a specimen  of  Zygaena  filipendulae  at  Skelmanthorpe, 
on  8th  July,  1923,  was  an  event  of  some  interest,  as  no  colony  of  the 
species  is  known  to  exist  in  the  neighbourhood.  X have  been  told 
that  a good  colony  flourished  near  the  village  about  fifty  years  ago, 
but  it  dwindled  away,  and  beyond  the  taking  of  two  or  three  individuals 
about  twenty  years  ago,  nothing  has  been  seen  of  the  species  here,  so 
it  is  difficult  to  account  for  its  re-occurrence.  Macroglossa  stellatarum 
was  seen  a few  times  at  flowers  in  the  garden  at  Wind  Mill  during  July, 

The  following  have  been  taken  in  the  Skelmanthorpe  district  for  the 
first  time,  Hypermcecia  angustana,  a few  from  sallow  in  July  ; Argyresthia 
ephippella , common  about  wild  cherry  in  July  ; Coccyx  splendidulana 
found  on  oak  trunks  in  May  ; Stigmonota  coniferana  from  pines  in  July  ; 
and  Brachycrossata  cinerella  in  July.  Specimens  of  Grapholitha  nigricana 
were  obtained  from  spruce  in  Deffer  Woods  on  12th  July,  1922,  17th 
June,  1923,  and  again  on  14th  July,  1923,  these  being  the  first  records 
for  the  county. 

On  the  Union’s  visit  to  the  Penistone  Moors,  (Ecophora  stipella  was 
found  on  pine  trunks,  being  new  to  the  southern  part  of  the  county. 
On  15th  June,  1922,  I took  an  Argyresthia  flying  about  spruce  in  Deffer 
Wood,  and  on  the  17th  June  last,  it  appeared  again  rather  commonly 
in  the  same  place.  These  have  been  submitted  to  Mr.  Ashton  Lofthouse, 
who  refers  them  to  A . atmoriella,  which  has  only  previously  been  taken 
before  in  the  county  near  Middlesborough.  Gelechia  solutella,  only 
previously  reported  from  Scarborough,  I took  on  Royd  Moor,  near 
Penistone,  on  25th  June,  1921,  and  on  27th  August,  1922,  in  Bank  Hall 
Wood,  Emley.  Lithocolletis  kleemannella  was  obtained.  Little  seems 
to  be  known  of  the  distribution  of  this  species  in  the  county,  and  it  does, 
not  appear  in  the  lists  for  the  area  south  of  Harrogate. 

Mr.  Porritt  writes  that  it  has  been  almost  a blank  year  for  Lepidoptera 
in  the  Huddersfield  district. 

The  exceptions  are  Bombyx  quercus  and  the  larvae  of  Dianthoecia 
capsincola,  which  again  were  common  on  Lychnis  vespertina  at  Waterloo 
Tip.  He  saw  no  larvae  of  D.  carpophaga  this  year.  He  expresses  a 
conviction  that  many  species  which  formerly  were  common  have  now 
disappeared  or  are  fast  disappearing. 

Mr.  E.  G.  Bayford  sent  me  an  example  of  the  melanic  form  of 
Odontoptera  bidentata  found  at  Barnsley  in  June.  For  many  years  the 
form  seems  to  have  been  common  in  the  area  around  Wakefield  and 
Horbury,  in  the  Calder  Valley,  but  has  made  little  progress  in  spreading 
into  other  parts. 

Arachnida  (W.  Falconer)  : — Very  little  field  work  has  been  done 
during  the  year  in  this  branch  of  the  Union’s  activities.  A tube  filled 
for  me  by  the  Superintendent,  Mr.  Smedley,  from  the  green -houses  of 
Beaumont  Park,  Huddersfield,  contained  an  adult  pair  of  Meta  menardi 
Latr.  (probably  introduced) , not  before  recorded  from  V.C.  63,  and  one 
male  of  the  harvestman,  Phalangium  parietinum  Degeer. 

The  following  papers  have  been  published  in  The  Naturalist  : (1) 

* Two  British  Mites  new  to  Science  and  a new  Sub-genus  of  Macrocheles 
Latr.,’  April,  pp.  151-3,  illustrated;  (2)  ‘The  Mites  of  Yorkshire/ 
completing  the  enumeration  of  the  county’s  Arachnida,  May,  pp.  181-4, 
June,  pp.  215-221,  and  August,  pp.  267-283.  In  ‘ Yorkshire  Naturalists 
at  Bedale,’  November,  p.  383,  Mr.  W.  P.  Winter  records  five  gall  mites, 
one,  Eriophyes  tristriatus  Nal.  var.  erinea  Nal.  on  the  Walnut  tree,  being, 
new  to  the  North  of  England. 

BOTANICAL  SECTION. 

Botany  (C.  A.  Cheetham  and  J.  Fraser  Robinson)  : — Edaphic  and 


ia24  Feb.  1 


6o  Yorkshire  N aturalists'  Union  : Annual  Report , 1923. 


geographical  conditions  under  which  plants  live  being  fairly  constant 
throughout  the  years,  it  is  chiefly  to  the  meteorological  that  one  must 
look  for  an  explanation  of  the  variability  in  the  growth,  flowering  and 
fruiting  of  plants . From  this  point  of  view,  the  past  year  may  be  summed 
up  as  ‘a  winter  lacking  frost  followed  by  a summer  without  sunshine.’ 
The  comparative  mildness  of  the  weather  last  December  would  explain, 
to  some  extent,  how  so  large  a number  as  36  species  of  plants  could  still 
be  found  near  the  sea  coast  of  Yorkshire  at  Christmas,  1922.  In  January 
and  early  February  the  same  mild  weather  brought  out  the  flowers  of 
the  Lesser  Celandine  and  Coltsfoot  earlier  than  usual. 

In  mid-February  came  a fairly  heavy  fall  of  snow,  which  persisted 
in  drifts  on  the  hills  right  into  March,  but  was  followed  by  open  weather 
giving  signs  of  an  early  spring.  As  examples,  it  may  be  mentioned  that 
Hutchinsea  petraea  was  in  full  flower  on  March  17th,  and  Saxifraga 
oppositifolia  seen  flowering  on  Inglebro’  on  March  30th  was  still  in  flower 
on  April  21st.  In  April  and  May,  and,  indeed,  well  into  June,  northerly 
winds  prevailed  almost  continuously  over  the  northern  counties,  making 
a spell  of  very  cold  weather,  not  infrequently  accompanied  by  rain  and 
showers  of  hail.  At  the  same  time,  each  day  was  not  without  hours  of 
sunshine,  as  a rule  ; but  the  weather  vagaries  of  that  period  were  ex- 
tremely perplexing.  One  of  your  secretaries  saw  freshly  fallen  snow  on 
the  Pennines  on  the  16th  day  of  May  last,  and  on  the  17th,  in  N.  Cheshire, 
had  the  unique  experience  of  being  awakened  before  six  in  the  morning 
by  the  songs  of  Thrushes,  whilst  the  sunshine  was  streaming  into  his 
room  and  a shower  of  snow  falling  at  the  time  | Sunshine,  and  its  own 
•cold  resisting  internal  economy,  would  account  for  the  common  Whin 
(Gorse  and  Furze)  making  such  a fine  golden  show,  as  it  did,  last  spring — 
perhaps  the  only  shrub  that  did  actually  well  at  blossoming  in  the  early 
part  of  the  season.  After  the  marvellous  display  of  Hawthorn  blossom 
in  1922,  it  was  scarcely  surprising,  but  very  disappointing  to  have  such 
an  exceedingly  poor  show  of  ‘ May  ’ blossom  last  spring.  It  was  then 
quite  remarkable  to  see  large  quantities  of  the  previous  year’s  ‘ haws 
being  gradually  enveloped  by  the  fresh  green  foliage  of  this  year’s  growth. 
The  crop  of  Hawthorn  fruit  which  we  have  looked  for  of  late  weeks  is 
practically  nil,  or  at  best  only  very  scanty  and  poor. 

Of  fruit  crops,  especially  of  cultivated  species,  reports  differ  very 
curiously.  For  example,  one  orchard  had  no  gooseberries  ; another  a 
good  average  crop.  The  same  has  been  said  of  apples  ; although  all  seem 
to  agree  that  plums  and  pears  with  us  are  a failure.  In  fact,  from  our 
various  contributors  we  gather  that,  on  the  whole,  the  fruit  crop  of  both 
cultivated  and  wild  species  is,  this  year,  very  much  below  the  average. 
The  abnormally  heavy  cropping  of  the  previous  year,  with  the  natural 
and  consequent  reaction,  and  the  inclement  weather  at  the  blossoming 
time,  and  even  later,  may  be  largely  responsible  for  the  deficiency. 

About  25  or  30  trees  and  shrubs  have  been  reported  upon  in  common 
by  several  members  of  the  Section,  and,  besides  these  already  mentioned, 
in  the  cases  of  the  Oak,  Beech,  Ash,  Broad-leaved  Elm,  Sycamore,  Horse 
Chestnut,  Crab  Apple,  Bullace,  Sloe  and  Larch,  the  crops  are  said  to  be  of 
the  most  meagre  description  possible.  Of  Wild  Service  and  Mountain 
Ash,  Hazel,  Elder,  Guelder-rose,  Bilberry,  Red  Cowberry,  Bittersweet, 
etc.,  the  reports  are  that  the  fruit  crop  is  fairly  good,  although  frequently 
of  poor  quality. 

Wild  Roses,  both  of  the  canina  and  arvensis  species,  have  fruited 
moderately,  or  perhaps  fairly  well,  although  it  is  noticeable  that  the 
' hips  ’ are  maturing  and  colouring  very  slowly,  the  crop  of  the  latter 
being  the  better  of  the  two. 

(To  he  continued). 


Naturalist 


6i 

SOUTH-WEST  YORKS.  ENTOMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

By  the  kind  invitation  of  Mr.  W.  Barraclough,  Holly  Hall  Farm,  Low 
Moor,  Bradford,  a well-attended  and  enjoyable  meeting,  presided  over 
by  Mr.  B.  Morley,  was  held  by  the  members  of  the  above  society  on 
November  18th,  1923. 

During  the  afternoon  the  exhibits  passed  around  for  inspection 
consisted  only  of  lepidoptera,  and  comprised  the  following  : By  Mr. 

G.  T.  Porritt,  a series  each  of  Hydvoecia  nictitans,  H.  crinanensis,  H. 
paludis  and  H.  lucens.  He  remarked  that  the  two  last  named  species- 
had  been  added  to  the  Yorkshire  List  by  specimens  taken  by  Mr.  Maxwell 
Steuart,  of  Everingham,  during  1923.  By  Mr.  j.  Hooper — a remarkable 
local,  almost  white,  but  perfect  Hybernia  rupicapraria,  a dark  brown 
Himera  pennaria,  a melanic  Odontoptera  bidentata,  showing  the  sub- 
terminal transverse  line,  and  a fine  series  of  Smerinthus  populi,  com- 
prising pink,  grey  and  bluish  forms.  By  Mr.  H.  Spencer — about  a 
thousand  specimens  of  micro  lepidoptera,  mostly  taken  during  the  past 
season  at  Elland  ; most  of  the  commoner  West  Riding  species  were 
represented.  By  Mr.  W.  Barraclough — Pale  yellow  forms  of  Odonestis 
potatoria,  Vanessa  urticae  and  variable  undersides  of  Euchloe  cardamines- 
from  the  Lake  District.  By  Mr.  B.  Morley — Light  and  dark  forms  of 
V . uvticce,  Arctia  caja,  Saturnia  pavonia  from  Skelmanthorpe  district ; a 
melanic  A crony  eta  psi,  a long  series  of  Cidaria  suffumata,  containing 
intermediate  forms  between  the  type  and  extreme  var.  porrittii,  which 
was  represented  by  two  specimens,  C.  populata,  a unicolorous  brown, 
and  other  dark  forms  also  from  Skelmanthorpe.  A long  series  each  of 
Bryophila  perla  and  B . muralis,  showing  similar  variation,  and  a varied 
series  of  Polyommatus  phlceas.  By  Mr.  H.  D.  Smart — Lyccena  corydoria^Tid 
L.  arragonensis,  Melitcea  athalia  and  M . pseudathalia,  Syrichthus  malvce- 
and  5.  malvoides,  and  the  various  species  of  Hydvoecia,  all  for  comparison. 

Mr.  Smart  read  a paper  on  ‘ Species/  dealing  with  some  of  the  recent 
theories  of  heredity.  He  called  attention  to  the  diminishing  importance 
assigned  to  environment  as  a cause  of  variation,  and  emphasized  the 
value  of  breeding  experiments  in  solving  questions  of  specific  identity. 
A discussion  followed. 

After  tea  the  evening  was  spent  in  looking  over  Mr.  Barraclough ’s 
fine  collections  of  British  and  foreign  lepidoptera,  and  foreign  coleoptera. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barraclough  were  heartily  thanked  for  their  kind  hos- 
pitality and  entertainment/ — B.  Morley. 

: o : 

The  Leeds  Institute  of  Science,  Art  and  Literature  has  published 
An  Historical  Sketch  of  One  Hundred  Years'  Work  (1824-1923)  in 
connection  with  its  Centenary  Celebrations. 

The  Gresham’s  School  Natural  History  Society  Report  for  1923  is 
to  hand,  and  contains  a useful  record  of  the  work  accomplished  by  the 
Society,  including  particulars  of  new  entomological  and  other  captures. 

The  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  Librarian  and  Curator  of  The 
Northampton  Libraries  and  Museums  Committee  contains  valuable  lists 
of  additions,  including  a mammoth  tusk  found  at  Islip,  a landau,  lead 
coffin,  spring  gun,  and  numerous  other  interesting  exhibits. 

The  Isle  of  Wight  Natural  History  Society,  which  was  formed  quite 
recently,  is  now  in  a healthy  state,  and  at  present  has  a membership 
of  over  250.  The  Society  has  also  been  able  to  produce  the  third  part 
of  Vol.  I.  of  its  Proceedings,  which  is  full  of  valuable  records  of  the 
fauna  and  flora  of  the  island,  meteorological  notes,  etc.  Among  the 
more  important  items  are  ‘ New  Records  of  Fungi,’  by  J.  F.  Rayner  ; 

Diptera,’  by  H.  G.  Jeffery  ; and  ‘ Birds  killed  by  Migration,  at  St. 
Catherine’s  Lighthouse,’  by  the  Editor,  Mr.  F.  Morey.  The  publication 
can  be  obtained  from  the  Hon.  Secretary,  at  Wolverton,  The  Mall, 
Newport,  I.W.,  for  1/6  post  free. 


1924  Feb. 1 


62 


CORRESPONDENCE . 

INSTANCES  OF  INVERTED  SEXUALITY. 

Sir. — Some  cases  recently  have  been  brought  forward  by  the  press 
of  the  domestic  cock  having,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  become  a hen, 
and  laid  eggs,  and  also,  of  a hen  or  hens  having  not  only  assumed  the 
outward  insignia  of  the  male,  but  even  functioned  as  such.  Bearing 
on  this,  may  I be  allowed  to  refer  to  the  fact  that,  in  the  course  of  many 
years’  observation  in  field  ornithology,  I have  witnessed  and  recorded 
instances  of  inverted  sexuality,  of  varying  degree,  in  the  case  of  three 
wild  species,  and  to  invite  scientific  attention  to  the  subject,  from  a 
larger  point  of  view,  by  giving  chapter  and  verse  as  follows  : — 

Great  Crested  Grebe. — Inverted  sexual  actions  preliminary  to 
coition,  but  not,  in  the  cases  observed,  followed  by  this.  Zoologist y 
May,  1901,  pp.  179-181. 

Ruff. — Unisexual  coition  of  males,  and  courting  display  actions 
between  same  ( Zoologist , May,  1907,  p.  164).  Unisexual  coition  of 
females,  and  characteristic  male  courting  display  actions  between  same 
{tom.  cit.,  pp.  168-9). 

Moorhen.- — Inverted  sexual  functioning  (coition)  as  between  the 
two  sexes,  with  preliminary  display  action,  on  the  part  of  the  female 
so  functioning  ( Zoologist , May,  1902,  pp.  196-7). 

Little  Grebe. — Inverted  sexual  actions  preliminary  to  coition 
between  the  two  sexes,  but  not  followed  by  this  {Wild  Life,  August,  1915, 
pp.  40-41).  Unsuccessful  attempt  at  coition,  with  inverted  sexual 
functioning,  between  the  two  sexes  {Wild  Life,  September,  1915,  p.  98). 
Inverted  sexual  functioning  (coition)  between  the  two  sexes  {Wild  Life, 
July,  1915,  pp.  31-33,  and  August,  1915,  p.  42). 

From  these  observations,  it  would  appear  that  the  whole  sexual 
psychology  is  affected,  and  I contend  that  my  own  explanation,  viz., 
that  the  separation  of  the  sexes,  in  nature,  has  been  a physiological 
process  only,  and  not — or,  at  any  rate,  not  to  the  same  extent — -a  psy- 
chological one,  is  the  only  hypothesis  which  acccounts  for  all  the  facts. 
In  other  words,  birds,  and  probably  all  other  vertebrates,  are  still  mental 
hermaphrodites,  either  latently  or  patently. — Edmund  Selous. 

AMERICAN  GREY  SQUIRREL  IN  YORKSHIRE. 

Since  the  note  in  The  Naturalist,  No.  797,  p.  221,  I have  heard  of 
another  Yorkshire  locality  colonized  by  this  species,  namely,  the  How- 
sham  estate  near  York.  Grey  Squirrels  were  first  observed  there  in 
1914,  and  Mr.  A.  Card,  now  head-keeper  at  Edenhall,  Carlisle,  informs 
me  that  they  came  from  Scampston  Hall,  like  those  which  Mr.  H.  B. 
Booth  mentions  as  occurring  in  Duncombe  Park  (p.  252  ante).  At 
Howsham,  in  spite  of  trapping,  they  have  increased,  and  when  Mr.  Card 
left  the  district  in  1921,  he  estimated  the  number  as  about  300.  He 
had  trapped  over  100  then,  and  as  they  were  suspected  of  taking  the  eggs 
of  game-birds,  the  stomach  of  each  one  caught  was  examined,  but  the 
•contents  were  entirely  vegetable.  Mr.  Card  says  that  they  had  com- 
pletely ousted  the  native  red  squirrel,  and  adds  that  the  salvation  of  the 
last-named  is  in  the  pine-woods,  where  the  grey  squirrel,  for  some  reason, 
does  not  thrive  as  in  a hardwood  district.  Mr.  Card  remarks  that  the 
grey  squirrel  is  not  met  with  in  the  Carlisle  district,  but  that  the  red 
squirrel  is  very  numerous  there,  and  also  in  Northumberland. — Hugh 
Boyd  Watt,  London,  5th  December,  1923. 


No  doubt  the  Grey  Squirrels  at  Howsham  are -descendants  of  those 
turned  down  here  in  1906.  They  have  reached  Birdsall  and  Ganton  in 
other  directions.  They  are  active  foragers,  and  soon  find  where  poultry 
are  fed,  and  if  too  troublesome,  are  better  destroyed.  We  constantly 
see  them  round  our  foster-mothers  ; but  they  have  not  been  known  to 
touch  even  the  youngest  chicken,  being  attracted  by  the  grain,  etc.  As 


Naturalist 


Correspondence. 


63 


regards  small  birds’  eggs,  no  instance  of  the  Grey  Squirrels  interfering 
with  nests  has  been  noticed  here.  The  Red  Squirrel  is  by  no  means 
•entirely  blameless  in  this  respect,  and  I do  not  say  that  the  Grey  one  may 
not  on  occasion  give  way  to  temptation  ! 

But  a very  large  portion  of  the  time  of  the  Grey  Squirrel  is  spent 
on  the  ground,  and  he  is  a great  eater  of  the  fine  grasses  which  spring  up 
under  trees  in  pleasure  grounds,  or  in  open  places  in  woods. 

The  only  serious  mischief  caused  by  these  squirrels  occurred  many  years 
after  they  came  here,  and  that  was  the  peeling  of  the  bark  of  young 
Sycamore  trees  (in  July,  a curious  time  !).  They  attacked  the  bases  of 
the  lateral  branches,  as  well  as  of  the  leaders,  and  in  a few  weeks  had 
done  serious  harm  to  young  plantations  of  about  thirty  years'  growth. 
I was  abroad,  but  when  I returned,  we  started  a crusade,  and  we  had  no 
difficulty,  in  a very  few  weeks,  in  reducing  their  numbers,  and  have 
never  since  allowed  them  to  become  numerous  enough  to  be  troublesome. 
I cannot  understand  how  any  difficulty  was  found  in  keeping  them  down 
at  Howsham.  In  any  wood  frequented  by  them,  where  there  are  streams 
or  ditches,  a few  ‘ Brailsford  ' wire  traps  (stoat  size)  laid  on  narrow 
planks  bridging  the  ditches  catches  them  readily,  for,  in  my  experience, 
they  are  very  simple  and  unsuspicious. 

The  above  instance  of  barking  Sycamores  is  the  only  charge  we  can 
bring  against  the  Grey  Squirrels  of  injury  to  trees.  Here  they  do  not 
nip  off  the  young  shoots  of  Horse  Chestnuts,  nor  clip  the  conifers  ; and 
I never  see  them  in  spring  feeding  on  the  Larches,  as  one  does  the  Red 
Squirrel.  In  fact,  they  avoid  coniferous  trees,  and  thus  do  not  come 
much  into  competition  with  the  little  red  native.  The  Red  Squirrel, 
far  more  beautiful  and  interesting  than  the  ‘ Alien,’  was  becoming  very 
iscarce  in  this  district,  as  Mr.  Fortune  remarks  in  the  July  number  of 
The  Naturalist,  before  the  Grey  Squirrel  came  on  the  scene. 

In  Warwickshire,  Sussex  and  Hampshire  this  was  noticed.  In  the 
New  Forest  there  was  an  old  custom  of  annually  hunting  the  squirrel, 
^even  in  the  enclosures,  with  a loaded  stick  called  a ‘ Squail.’  Mr.  Gerald 
Lascelles,  before  he  ceased  to  be  Deputy-Surveyor,  had  to  stop  this,  for, 
as  he  says  in  ‘ Thirty-five  Years  in  the  New  Forest,’  published  in  1915, 
Though  very  abundant  formerly,  an  epidemic  had  reduced  them  for  a 
long  time  to  small  numbers.’  Before  the  Red  Squirrels  became  almost 
extinct  in  this  district,  we  noticed  how  easily  our  terriers  could  catch 
them,  for  they  could  not  climb  a tree  quickly.  The  last  I saw  was  on 
October  10th  of  last  year,  when  a three-quarter  grown  squirrel  ran  to  a 
hedge  from  some  distance  out  in  a pasture  field  ; something  in  its  rhove- 
ments  attracted  my  attention,  and  I went  to  the  fence.  The  little  animal 
had  only  climbed  a few  feet  up  into  an  old  Thorn,  and  it  allowed  me  to 
put  my  hand  within  a few  inches  without  moving.  It  seemed  thin  and 
weak,  though  its  coat  and  brush  were  in  good  order,  and  last  autumn 
food  was  exceptionally  abundant.  I have  not  seen  one  this  year  at  all  ; 
but  I certainly  have  no  reason  to  blame  the  Grey  Squirrels. — W.  H. 
.St.  Quintin. 

: o : 

The  Liverpool  Museum  has  issued  an  admirable  Handbook  and  Guide 
to  the  Egyptian  Collection,  largely  written  by  Professor  Newberry,  and 
'Completed  by  Professor  Peet.  It  contains  48  pages  and  12  excellent 
plates,  and  is  sold  at  sixpence,  which  is  remarkably  cheap. 

The  New  Phytologist  for  December  contains  ‘ On  the  Phenomena 
attending  Seasonal  Changes  in  the  Organisation  in  Leaf  Cells  of  Picea 
.canadensis  (Mill)  B.S.P.,  by  Francis  J.  Lewis  and  G.  M.  Tuttle  ; ‘ Primula 
vulgaris  var.  caulescens,  by  Miller  Christy  ; and  the  concluding  portion 
of  the  ‘ Monograph  on  Permeability,’  by  Walter  Stiles,  in  connection 
with  which  there  are  over  forty  pages  of  ‘ literature  cited.’ 


1924  Feb.  1 


64 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

A.  Sharp  gives  ‘Notes  on  the  Pine  Marten  ’ in  The  Animal  World 
for  December. 

‘ Great  Wood-Wasp  on  Arthur’s  Seat  ’ ! is  the  title  of  a note  in  a 
recent  issue  of  The  Scottish  Naturalist. 

Lord  Chalmers  has  been  elected  a Trustee  of  the  British  Museum, 
in  succession  to  the  late  Sir  Henry  Howorth. 

Mr.  F.  Elgee  has  been  appointed  Curator  of  the  Middlesbrough 
Museum,  a position  he  has  virtually  occupied  for  some  time  past. 

According  to  the  daily  press,  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History  hopes  to  get  ^10,000  for  one  of  its  recently  acquired  Dinosaur 

Eggs- 

A fine  Iron  Age  mirror,  found  at  Desborough  in  1908,  which  has  been 
on  loan  in  the  Northamptonshire  Museum,  has  been  purchased  and  pre- 
sented to  the  British  Museum. 

We  learn  from  the  daily  press  that  lobsters  have  a great  dread  of 
thunder,  and  when  the  peals  are  very  loud  they  will  swim  to  deeper 
water.  Oysters,  too,  are  filled  with  nervous  dread  at  hearing  the  ominous 
report  of  a cork  leaving  a bottle  of  stout. 

The  Fifty-third  Annual  Report  of  the  Bradford  Libraries,  Art  Gallery 
and  Museums  Committee  contains  a valuable  list  of  additions  to  the 
Museum  collections  made  during  the  year,  particulars  of  the  exhibitions 
at  the  Cartwright  Memorial  Hall,  and  a report  of  the  work  of  the  Natural 
History  Museum. 

We  have  received  from  Sir  Herbert  George  Fordham  his  ‘ Address 
on  the  Evolution  of  the  Maps  of  the  British  Islands,’  in  which  he  points 
out  that  in  one  respect  England  is  a pioneer,  namely  with  regard  to 
the  publication  of  Geological  maps.  The  address  was  delivered  in  Man- 
chester last  year. 

The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  January  contains  : 

‘ The  Prevention  of  “ Bunt  ” in  Wheat,’  by  E.  A.  Salmon  and  H. 
Wormald  ; ‘ The  Common  Cause  of  Failure  of  Spring  Oats — Frit  Fly,’ 

by  F.  R.  Petherbridge  ; and  ‘ Dodder,  and  its  Removal  from  Clover 
Seed,’  by  C.  B.  Saunders. 

The  death  is  announced  of  William  Morfitt,  of  Atwick,  East  Yorks., 
whose  collection  of  local  antiquities  and  geological  specimens,  arranged 
in  a glass-covered  ‘ museum  ’ attached  to  his  cottage,  is  well-knovm  to 
visitors  on  the  East  Coast.  He  paid  particular  attention  to  the  remains 
of  red  deer  and  other  mammals  from  the  peat  of  this  district,  and  had  a 
large  collection  of  teeth  and  portions  of  tusk  of  mammoth,  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  press  reports,  represents  700  pounds  of  ivory. 

We  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post  that  early  in  January  a beautiful 
golden  bittern,  measuring  3 ft.  9 ins.  in  length  and  4 ft.  8 ins.  from 
wing  tip  to  wing  tip,  was  found  wounded  and  dying  in  a field  at  Ellesmere, 
Salop,  by  a farmer.  The  bird  had  been  shot  in  the  bill.  After  being 
put  out  of  its  agony,  it  was  taken  to  a local  taxidermist  to  be  stuffed. 
He  noticed  something  moving  in  the  bittern’s  throat,  and  on  examina- 
tion found  a large -sized  frog,  alive.  Naturalists  say  that  food  must 
be  scarce  when  the  bittern  takes  to  eating  frogs  ! 

The  Council  of  the  Geological  Society  has  this  year  made  the  following 
awards  : Wollaston  Medal,  Arthur  Smith  Woodward,  LL.D.,  F.R.S  ; 

Murchison  Medal,  Walcot  Gibson,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.E.  ; Lyell  Medal, 
William  Wickham  King  ; Murchison  Fund,  Leonard  Frank  Spath,  D.Sc.  ; 
Wollaston  Fund,  Cecil  Edgar  Tilley,  Ph.D.,  B.Sc.  ; Lyell  Fund,  J. 
W.  Tutcher  and  Hugh  Hamshaw  Thomas,  M.A.  It  is  satisfactory  to 
find  that  the  work  of  so  many  of  our  contributors  has  been  recognised 
by  the  Geological  Society,  and  it  is  particularly  gratifying  that  -the 
past -President  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  Dr.  Smith  Woodward, 
has  now  received  the  Society’s  most  important  award. 


Naturalist 


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Contents 


Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — Birds  and  their  Young  ; The 
Youthful  Naturalist  ; Scottish  Naturalists  ; Born,  not  Made  ; A 
Derbyshire  Cavern  ; ‘ Danish  ’ Bronze  Celt  in  England  ; Not  from 

a Barrow  ; Other  Examples  ; Raven  ; Welsh  Bronze  Implements  ; 
Silk  from  Slate  Dust  ; ‘ Discovery  ’ ; Government  Publications  ; 

Foreign  Publications  ; ‘ Open  Air  ’ ... 

Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union’s  Report  for  1923 
Reviews  and  Book  Notices  (illustrated)  ... 

Fame  Islands — R.  Fortune,  F.Z.S.  ... 

River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire — W. 

F.G.S 

Diptera  Notes  and  Additions — Chris.  A.  Cheetham 
A Yorkshire  Carboniferous  (Bowland  Shale)  Fauna  in  Oklahoma, 

U.S.A. — W . S.  Bisat,  F.G.S 

Bibliography  : — Papers  and  Records  relating  to  the  Geology  of  the 


B . R.  King,  M.A 


65-72 

73-77 
.77-78,  88 
79-80 

’.  81-83 

84-85 

86-88 


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BOOKS  WANTED 

Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II  -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  AssoC.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2ndser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists'  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVJ, 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3.  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts) . 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith’s  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell's  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Woolhope  Club  Trans.  1877-80. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 


Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


The  Naturalist,  1924, 


Plate  IV. 


The  Sheld  Ducks. 


65 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

BIRDS  AND  THEIR  YOUNG. 

Illustrated  by  a number  of  charmingly  coloured  plates  by 
Roland  Green,  and  mounted  upon  tinted  paper,  together  with 
pencil  sketches  in  the  text,  Mr.  T.  A.  Coward  has  produced 
an  attractive  volume  on  ‘ Birds  and  their  Young  ’ (Gay  and 
Hancock,  viii.  -j-  151  pp.,  10/6  net),  which  should  prove 
to  be  a very  suitable  present  to  a young  naturalist.  Mr. 
Coward’s  work  is  well  known,  is  of  a reliable  character, 
and  his  stories  of  Nests,  Eggs,  Nestlings,  Behaviour  of  the 
Young  and  of  the  Parents,  Food,  Language,  etc.,  are  written 
in  a very  pleasant  style.  The  excellent  plate  (IV.)  herewith 
is  a sample  of  the  coloured  illustrations. 

THE  YOUTHFUL  NATURALIST. 

As  has  already  been  explained  in  these  pages,  there  cer- 
tainly seems  to  be  some  reason  for  the  lack  of  interest  now- 
adays in  field  natural  history  among  the  younger  generation, 
and  while  our  schools  are  receiving  addresses  and  instruction 
in  nature  study  in  a way  which  previously  was  never  dreamt 
of,  the  fact  remains  that  the  subject  seems  to  lose  its  charm 
for  the  children  immediately  they  leave  school.  We  have 
frequently  mentioned  this,  and  now  the  Editor  of  The  Scottish 
Naturalist  refers  to  the  matter.  He  states  ‘ All  naturalists 
are,  of  course,  youthful  ; years  can  never  dim  the  pleasure 
which  stirs  the  blood  at  the  discovery  of  a beast  or  bird  un- 
known, or  of  an  unsuspected  trait  or  habit  in  a familiar 
animal.  It  is  not  such  youthful  naturalists,  however,  but 
the  young  naturalist  that  concerns  us  for  the  moment.  What 
has  become  of  the  young  naturalist.  He  does  not  frequent 
museums  in  the  numbers  of  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago,  when 
he  was  often  to.  be  seen  pondering  over  the  exhibits,  comparing 
with  them  his  own  laborious  collections.  He  is  most  strikingly 
absent  from  the  gatherings  of  many  natural  history  societies, 
which  leave  an  impression  on  the  mind  of  a faithful  band 
of  youthful  naturalists  who  were  boys  forty  to  sixty  years 
ago.  He  is  not  indeed  extinct,  because  rarely  an  enthusiast 
turns  up  ; but  for  some  reason  or  other  boy  naturalists  seem 
to  be  fewer  than  they  once  were.’ 

SCOTTISH  NATURALISTS. 

‘Now  that,  if  it  be  true,  is  a curious  situation,  as  it  is  a 
serious  one.  It  is  serious  when  we  recollect  that  it  was 
the  growing  up  of  the  boy  naturalist  that  gave  Scotland 
its  fine  band  of  competent  field  observers,  the  names  of 
some  of  which  are  known  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  land.  It  is  a curious  situation,  because  at 
no  period  has  the  youth  of  the  nation  received  so  much 
school  instruction  in  nature  knowledge  as  during  the  past 

3924  Mar.  1 


E 


66 


Notes  and  Comments. 


twenty  years.  When  could  it  have  been  claimed,  till  now, 
thac  so  large  a proportion  of  the  teachers  in  elementary 
schools  had  passed  through  a qualifying  course  in  nature 
study,  or  that  so  many  taught  definite  nature  study  lessons 
to  their  pupils  ? ’ 

BORN  NOT  MADE? 

‘ Can  it  be  that  the  naturalist  shares  with  the  genius 
the  distinction  of  being  born  and  not  made,  or  is  there 
something  wrong  with  our  endeavour  to  create  the 
naturalist  spirit  ? May  it  even  be  that  the  formal  teaching 
of  the  schoolroom  checks  rather  than  encourages  the  free 
out-of-door’s  observation  and  the  enthusiasm  which  are 
essential  to  the  growth  of  an  unbounded  love  of  nature. 
We  cannot  elaborate  the  point  here,  but  we  set  it  down 
as  worthy  of  serious  consideration,  for  we  have  a suspicion 
that  the  training  of  the  teachers  themselves  may  some- 
times have  been  at  fault,  in  tending  towards  the  formal 
study  of  details  of  structure,  and  away  from  that  education 
in  accurate  field  observation  (natural  history  as  contrasted 
with  formal  zoology)  which  ought  to  be  the  aim  of  nature 
study.’ 

A DERBYSHIRE  CAVERN. 

In  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Anthropological  Institute , 
Vol.  LIII.,  is  a ‘ Description  of  a Sepulchral  Cave  at  Tray 
Cliff,  Cast  let  on,  Derbyshire,’  by  Leslie  Armstrong.  There 
is  an  account  of  what  are  described  as  Human  ‘ Skeletal  ’ 
Remains,  and  after  a full  consideration  of  these,  Dr.  A.  Lowe 
states  ‘ One  is  hardly  justified  in  drawing  any  very  definite 
conclusions  from  a single  skull,  and  that  immature,’  yet  he 
adds:  ‘but  the  high,  short,  broad  type  of  skull  presents 
features  characteristic  of  the  Bronze- Age  race.’  In  view  of 
the  absence  of  any  Bronze-Age  relic  found  in  association, 
the  last  conclusion  seems  a bit  unfortunate,  as  the  skull  can 
certainly  be  matched,  precisely,  in  the  streets  of  Sheffield 
to-day.  Mr.  Armstrong,  however,  seems  to  go  further,  as 
under  the  head  of  ‘ Associated  Relics,’  he  refers  to  a small 
polished  and  re-chipped  celt  of  greenish  volcanic  rock,  said 
to  have  been  found  by  one  of  the  workmen  four  feet  south 
of  the  human  remains,  and  upon  the  same  level  ‘ therewith.' 
In  this  case  ‘ associated  ’ seems  to  be  wrongly  used,  as  it  is 
very  unlikely  that  the  axe  has  anything  whatever  to  do  with 
the  skeleton.  Mr.  Armstrong  seems  particularly  fortunate 
in  whatever  excavations  he  undertakes  in  finding  a single 
Bronze  or  Stone  Axe  head  in  ‘ association  ’ with  the  remains. 
Of  the  Mollusca  recorded,  three  species  are  given  of  the 
commonest  forms  we  have  living  at  the  present  day  (though 
one  of  them  is  spelled  incorrectly),  and  the  Mammalian 
Remains  also  seem  to  be  of  common  species,  and  do  not  assist 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


6 7 


in  giving  the  great  age  to  the  ‘ Skeletal  remains  ’ which 
seems  to  be  so  fashionable  nowadays  in  describing  discoveries 
of  this  nature. 

‘ DANISH  ’ BRONZE  CELT  IN  ENGLAND. 

The  Antiquaries  Journal  for  October  contains  the  following 
note  under  the  above  heading,  ‘ By  the  courtesy  of  the  Curator 
of  Scarborough  Museum,  it  is  possible  to  substantiate  the 
report  that  the  palstave  here  illustrated  was  found  in  British 


soil,  and  is  therefore  a link  between  Denmark  and  this  country 
in  the  Bronze  Age.  According  to  Mr.  Robert  Orr  it  was  given 
to  his  father  about  1870  by  Mr.  Christopher  Bell,  a cabinet- 
maker of  Driffield,  East  Yorks.,  and  had  been  found  some  time 
before  in  opening  a barrow  on  the  outskirts  of  that  town, 
known  as  the  King’s  Mount,  or  Mound,  or  else  in  the  King’s 
Field.  He  is  under  the  impression  that  more  grave-goods 
were  found  as  well  as  a skeleton,  and  that  they  were  shared 
among  some  of  the  burgesses  of  Driffield.  Mr.  Bell  was 
curious  to  know  what  sort  of  an  edge  it  would  take,  and  put 
it  on  the  grindstone,  but  found  the  metal  intensely  hard. 


1924  Mar.  1 


68 


Notes  and  Comments. 


Apart  from  this  the  palstave  is  intact,  and  still  shows  the 
seam  of  the  double-mound  in  which  it  was  cast.  The  type 
is  unmistakable,  and  comparison  may  be  made  with  a Danish 
example  in  the  Bronze  Age  Guide  (British  Museum),  second 
edition,*  fig.  138  (right).  The  date  may  be  as  early  as 
1300  B.c.,  and  more  traces  of  intercourse  may  be  expected  on 
the  East  Coast/ 

NOT  FROM  A BARROW. 

Unfortunately  the  note,  together  with  a similar  one  on  an 
alleged  Scandinavian  strike-a-light  said  to  have  been  found 
near  Northampton,  is  neither  signed  nor  initialled.  Conse- 
quently it  is  difficult  to  know  what  reliance  can  be  placed 
upon  opinions  expressed,  which  may  or  may  not  meet  with 
general  approval.  It  seems  a pity  that  our  premier  anti- 
quarian journal  should  allow  apparently  authoritative 
opinions  to  be  expressed  in  this  anonymous  fashion.  We 
had  the  privilege  of  examining  the  axe  some  time  ago,  and  then 
gave  the  opinion  that  it  was  not  British,  and  had  not  been  found 
in  a barrow  associated  with  other  burial  relics.  This  opinion 
we  still  hold.  Axes  of  this  type  do  not  occur  with  burials  in 
barrows.  Our  own  experience  is  that  nearly  everything  of 
this  kind  in  the  possession  of  farm  servants  and  others  is  said 
to  have  been  found  ‘ in  a barrow,’  or,  as  is  occasionally 
mentioned,  a * tumoloo,’  which  is  presumably  the  singular  of 
tumulus  ! In  this  way  a greater  value,  archaeological  or 
intrinsic,  is  thought  to  be  added.  Mr.  Orr  is,  no  doubt,  quite 
sincere  in  repeating  the  account  of  the  alleged  discovery  of 
the  axe  given  to  him  by  his  father,  who  obtained  it  from  a 
Mr.  Bell,  who  presumably  obtained  it — possibly  not  direct — 
from  the  persons  who  are  said  to  have  found  it  in  the  barrow, 
or  in  the  King's  Field.  But  was  the  first  account  reliable  ? 
In  any  case,  had  it  been  of  any  local  interest  we  imagine 
the  late  J.  R.  Mortimer  would  have  obtained  it  for  his 
Museum  at  Driffield. 

OTHER  EXAMPLES. 

As  an  example,  quite  recently,  I had  four  bronze  axes 
offered  to  me  from  Scarborough,  which  had  been  found  there 
‘ with  the  hoard  of  socketed  axes  a little  while  ago  ’ (see  The 
Naturalist,  April,  pp.  143-146).  None  was  a bit  like  any  of 
the  Scarborough  hoard,  the  patination  was  totally  different, 
two  were  palstaves,  and  two  were  unquestionably  Irish  axes* 
Of  course,  the  man  who  sold  them  to  me  had  merely  repeated 
what  was  told  to  him,  etc.  But  it  did  not  make  the  axes 


* While  it  is  satisfactory  to  find  these  useful  British  Museum  guide 
books  reaching  into  new  editions,  it  is  unfortunate  that  it  seems  necessary 
to  alter  the  figures  and  numbers  in  each  edition  ; in  our  copy  no  such 
figure  occurs  as  that  quoted  ; and  it  surely  is  inconvenient  to  have  to 
purchase  each  edition  of  each  guide  ? 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


69 


part  of  the  Scarborough  hoard  any  more  than  the  Danish  axe 
figured  in  The  Antiquaries  Journal  is  proved  to  have  been 
found  with  other  ‘ grave  goods  ’ in  an  East  Yorkshire  barrow. 
All  the  thousands  of  ‘ antiquities  7 made  by  ‘ Flint  Jack  ’ were 
also  ‘ found  in  barrows/  More  recently,  objects  of  this  kind 
occur  in  peat,  at  fabulous  depths!  We  are  indebted  to  Mr. 
A.  L.  Armstrong  for  the  sketch  accompanying  these  notes. 

RAVEN. 

An  instance  of  the  value  of  the  information  in  Hutchinson’s 
Animals  of  All  Countries,  which  is  now  appearing  in  fort- 
nightly parts,  and  to  which  we  have  made  many  references, 
is  an  article  appearing  in  the  instalment  Part  XXIII.  of  that 
publication.  This  is  entitled  ‘ Rollers,  Kingfishers,  Horn- 


Photo  by ] Raven,  [F.  W.  Bond. 

The  Raven  is  distributed  throughout  the  northern  parts  of  both  hemispheres,  and  is 
represented  by  a smaller  race,  with  duller  plumage,  in  Japan,  Ceylon  and  the  Malayan 
Islands.  It  breeds  in  Britain  in  the  early  spring. 

bills  and  Hoopoes,’  and  is  by  no  less  an  authority  than  W. 
P.  Py craft,  of  the  British  Museum.  One  of  the  illustrations 
accompanying  this  article  we  are  permitted,  by  the  courtesy 
of  the  publishers,  to  reproduce  herewith,  though  something 
seems  to  be  wrong  at  the  tail-end ! 

WELSH  BRONZE  IMPLEMENTS. 

The  National  Museum  of  Wales  has  issued  a Short  Guide 
to  the  Collections  (24  pp.)  which  contains  a summary  of  the 
nature  of  the  collections  in  the  various  departments,  each 
written  by  the  keeper  in  charge.  The  Guide  contains  an 
illustration  showing  a very  representative  collection  of 
Copper  (?)  and  Bronze  Age  implements,  which  we  are  kindly 


7° 


Notes  and  Comments. 


permitted  to  reproduce,  as  it  apparently  represents  all  the 
important  types  found  in  Wales.  It  will  be  noticed  that  many 
are  practically  identical  with  those  found  in  other  parts  of 
the  British  Islands,  and  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire  have 
yielded  exact  counterparts  of  most  of  them.  No  price  is 


l=Halberd.  2=Axe.  3=Axe.  4— Palstave.  5— Axe. 

6= Dagger.  7 = Dagger.  8=Rapier.  9= Sword.  10=Sword.  ll  = Knife. 

12=Chisel.  13=Spear.  14=Spear. 

stated,  but  we  hear  the  pamphlet  is  sold  at  one  penny,  which 
is  very  cheap.  We  are  inclined  to  think  that  none  of  these 
types  is  pure  copper,  and  that  ‘ bronze  implements  ’ would  be 
a quite  correct  description. 

SILK  FROM  SLATE  DUST. 

We  learn  from  The  Quarry  for  December  that  a corre- 
spondent of  the  Liverpool  Post  assures  us  that  * some  years  ago 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


7* 


an  ingenious  inventor  devised  a process  for  manufacturing 
fine  silk-like  threads  of  beautiful  colours  from  slate  dust.’ 
The  difficulty  of  obtaining  cheap  power  in  the  Welsh  quarrying 
districts  prevented  the  successful  commercial  exploitation  of 
the  discovery  at  the  time  it  was  made,  but  the  advent  of  the 
North  Wales  Power  Company  has  now  obviated  this  difficulty, 
and  the  invention  has  just  found  practical  application,  we  are 
informed,  at  the  Penrhyn  Slate  Quarries,  near  Bethesda. 
Further,  to  convince  the  credulous  reader,  we  are  told  that 
Lord  and  Lady  Penrhyn  recently  visited  the  quarries  in  order 
to  inspect  the  machinery,  which  has  been  installed  for  con- 
verting the  slate  waste  into  artificial  silk.  On  these  premises 
the  correspondent  builds  up  his  inevitable  vision  of  the 
‘ tapping  of  the  almost  unlimited  wealth  of  the  Welsh  slate 
dumps/  etc.  After  this  the  manufacture  of  glass  railway 
sleepers  from  slate  waste  is  a very  humdrum  affair.  Our 
hopes,  however,  are  rudely  dashed  by  a letter  from  Mr.  W. 
D.  Hobson,  correcting  the  statement  that  it  is  proposed  to 
manufacture  silk  from  slate  dust  at  the  Penrhyn  Quarry. 
He  says  : ‘ We  do  not  propose  to  do  this  ; we  have  never 

said  that  we  propose  to  do  so,  and  we  are  not  aware  that  it  is 
possible  that  it  can  be  done/ 

‘ discovery/ 

After  singing  a most  beautiful  swansong  in  its  December 
issue,  and  bidding  an  affectionate  farewell,  Discovery  makes 
its  appearance  in  January,  due  largely  to  the  generosity  of  a 
gentleman  who  desires  to  remain  anonymous.  As  we  are 
now  informed  that  Discovery  is  unique  among  all  English 
magazines  on  account  of  its  guarantee  of  the  soundness  of 
its  matter,  etc.,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  its  sale  will  be  such 
that  it  will  enable  this  unique  publication  to  pay  for  itself. 
We  can  only  express  regret  that  Nature  and  other  of  our 
contemporaries  are  not  in  the  same  category,  though  at  any 
rate  they  pay  their  way  ! As  the  first  article  in  the  January 
issue  is  a seven-column  criticism  of  the  Editorial  Policy  of 
the  Journal,  by  one  ‘ Civis/  there  should  be  some  hope  for 
the  future  of  this  magazine.  We  notice  that  in  its  short 
career  its  first  editor,  Dr.  A.  S.  Russell,  retired,  the  second 
editor,  Mr.  Liveing,  has  also  retired,  and  we  now  have  Mr. 
R.  J.  Pulvertaft,  B.A. 

GOVERNMENT  PUBLICATIONS. 

We  hope  the  timely  protest  made  in  Nature  recently 
against  the  recent  action  of  the  Government  in  restricting 
the  distribution  of  its  publications,  will  meet  with  the  support 
it  deserves.  Every  scientific  worker  with  any  patriotism 
must  long  ago  have  been  ashamed  at  the  parsimonious  manner 
in  which  the  world’s  greatest  government  distributes  the 


1923  Mar.  1 


72 


Notes  and  Comments. 


results  of  the  scientific  activities  of  its  various  departments. 
The  type,  paper,  and  so-called  covers  of  the  publications  of 
the  Geological  Survey,  for  exemple,  have  been  a disgrace  to 
any  scientific  institution,  and  now  that  the  valuable  work 
these  publications  unquestionably  contain  is  to  be  made  even 
more  inaccessible,  the  time  has  surely  arrived  when  everyone 
should  use  his  utmost  to  protest.  Not  long  ago,  on  somewhat 
similar  lines,  and  presumably  for  somewhat  similar  reasons, 
the  Government  decided  that  the  hand-coloured  editions  of 
its  geological  maps  should  be  increased  in  price  in  proportion 
to  the  amount  of  work  contained  in  each  map.  If  this 
system  were  logically  carried  out,  the  cost  of  the  preparation 
of  the  map,  including  field  work  and  office  work,  should 
have  been  taken  into  consideration,  in  which  case  probably 
not  a single  copy  would  have  been  sold.  As  it  is,  the  un- 
reasonable prices  charged  for  these  maps  has  considerably 
interfered  with,  if  not  in  some  cases  entirely  stifled,  amateur 
research  in  certain  geological  regions,  and  as  such  amateur 
work  costs  the  government  nothing,  and  is  invariably  placed 
at  its  disposal  through  the  media  of  the  publications  of  the 
learned  societies,  the  Government  Department  concerned  is 
cutting  its  own  throat  by  this  action. 

FOREIGN  PUBLICATIONS. 

Writing  as  one  whose  work  necessitates  consulting  scien- 
tific publications  on  a fairly  large  scale,  we  have  been  struck 
by  the  facilities  given  for  research  not  only  by  our  American 
friends,  who  unquestionably  lead  the  way,  but  also  by  most 
of  the  countries  the  publications  of  which  it  has  been  our  lot 
to  examine.  In  every  instance  there  is  an  anxiety  to  be 
obliging,  which  makes  us  truly  ashamed  of  ourselves  when 
asked  to  reciprocate  in  the  way  of  supplying  information  or 
publications  issued  by  our  own  Government.  The  Journals, 
Magazines  and  Reports  issued  by  the  scientific  departments 
of  H.M.  Government  are  of  inestimable  value,  and  surely 
the  value  is  greater  or  smaller  according  to  the  extent  to 
which  they  are  readily  available  to  the  public,  and  any 
attempt  to  curtail  their  distribution  is  certainly  interfering 
with  the  scientific  progress  which  the  very  issue  of  these 
publications  would  seem  to  indicate. 

OPEN  AIR. 

The  editor  of  Open  Air  Magazine  has  enabled  us  to  state 
that  his  publication  contains  quite  a number  of  interesting 
chapters  likely  to  interest  our  readers.  It  is  essentially  a 
journal  for  those  who  delight  in  touring,  and  in  taking  an 
interest  in  out -door  life.  The  magazine  is  published  at  20 
Tavistock  Street,  Covent  Gardens,  W.C.2,  and  is  particularly 
well  illustrated,  as  will  be'seen  from  the  specimen  (Plate  VI.), 
which  we  are  permitted  to  give  herewith. 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  VI. 


Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  Yorks. 


73 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION’S  REPORT. 

( Continued  from  page  60). 

At  quite  the  normal  blossoming  time,  the  Brambles  were  seen  to 
flower  profusely  in  most  districts,  but  the  promise  of  a very  good  crop 
of  fruit  has  not  been  kept.  As  it  is,  the  quantity  of  ripe  fruit  is  not 
more  than  an  average,  if,  indeed,  it  reach  an  average  ; whilst  the  quality 
is  slightly  below  par. 

With  regard  to  germination  of  seeds  last  spring,  the  consensus  of  opinion 
is  that  it  was  unusually  extensive,  especially  in  the  case  of  Beech,  Syca- 
more, Mountian  Ash  and  Birch,  as  well  as  in  many  of  the  herbaceous 
plants.  Beech  seedlings  were  noted  in  thousands,  e.g.,  along  the  road- 
sides bordering  Beech  Woods  on  the  Yorkshire  Wolds  ; but,  as  in  the 
West  Riding,  very  few  seedlings  have  persisted.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  Sycamore  and  Ash,  but  of  the  moderate  crop  of  seedlings  of  Oak, 
Birch,  and  Mountain  Ash,  a good  majority  is  becoming  well  established. 

On  the  systematic  side,  at  least  one  plant  new  to  Yorkshire  has  been 
recorded,  viz.,  Viola  calcarea,  from  woods  near  Ledston  Park. 

Botanical  Survey  (W.  H.  Pearsall)  : — A considerable  amount  of 
work  has  been  done,  as  indicated  by  the  reports  of  meetings  in  The 
Naturalist.  Some  field  investigations  of  soil  sourness  and  plant  dis- 
tribution are  in  progress,  and  additional  notes  on  the  Yorkshire  ‘ Gill- 
woods  ’ have  accumulated.  Dr.  Woodhead’s  excellent  Presidential 
Address  serves  to  demonstrate  how  much  has  been  done  in  the  past, 
and  how  much  remains  to  be  attempted  in  the  future. 

Bryology  (F.  E.  Milsom)  Several  new  records,  both  in  Mosses 
and  Hepatics,  have  been  made  to  the  county  list.  In.  addition,  the 
distribution  of  several  species  has  been  critically  examined. 

Orthodontium  gracile  was  reported  from  Raikes  Dyke  last  year,  and 
during  the  current  year  has  been  seen  at  Ingleton  by  Miss  Hewlett, 
in  the  Rivelin  valley  by  Mr.  Snelgrove,  and  at  Penistone  on  the  occasion 
of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  Excursion  in  July.  Its  preference 
for  peat,  and  some  characters  of  the  inflorescence  and  capsule,  have 
suggested  that  it  may  be  specifically  different  from  the  rock  plant  growing 
at  Bolton  Abbey  and  Plumpton. 

Among  the  Hepatics,  Anastrepta  orcadensis,  found  near  Sedbergh, 
V.C.  65,  is  new  to  Yorkshire,  although  it  is  recorded  for  Cumberland 
and  Westmorland. 

The  small  Hepatics  growing  among  sphagnum  have  been  studied 
in  some  detail.  The  Cephalozia  macrostachya  group  repay  careful  study, 
and  search  shows  that  C.  macrostachya  itself  has  a much  wider  distri- 
bution than  hitherto  recorded.  C.  Loitlesbergeri  is  another  member  of 
the  group  which  may  be  expected  to  occur  in  Yorkshire. 

Plant  Galls  Committee  (W.  Falconer)  : — The  Committee  has  held 
two  combined  field  meetings  with  the  Entomological  Section  during  the 
year,  Selby  to  Skipwith,  June  23rd,  and  Grassington,  August  18th,  but 
no  results  have  been  published.  Mr.  W.  P.  Winter,  however,  reports 
from  the  latter  place  : Dip. — Perrisia  urticae  Perr.  (nettle),  P.  ulmariae 
Bremi.  (meadow  sweet)  ; Hom. — Psyllopsis  fraxini  Linn  (ash),  Aphis 
viburni  Scop.  (F.  opulus)  ; Ac. — Phyllocoptes  acericola  Nal.  (sycamore), 
Eriophyes  geranii  or  dolichosoma  Can.(G.  sanguineum ) (the  latter  new 
to  Yorkshire)  ; Fun. — Epichloe  typhina  Pers.  ( Poa  nemoralis ) and 
Puccinia  saniculae  ( Sanicle ) ; and  published  a list  of  the  36  forms 
observed  during  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  Meeting  at  Bedale, 
in  The  Naturalist,  November,  p.  383,  including  Ac. — Eriophyes  tris- 
triatus  var.  erinea  Nal.,  new  to  the  North  of  England  (walnut)  ; Hom. — 
Siphocoryne  lonicerae  Sbld.  (honeysuckle),  new  to  the  county  ; J anetiella 
lemeei  Kiefl,  and  Dip. — Ametropidlosis  thalictricola  Rubs,  (meadow  rue), 
second  Yorkshire  records. 


1924  Mar.  1 


74  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923. 


In  the  Mycology  reports  furnished  by  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason  in  the  printed 
accounts  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union  Meetings  at  (A)  Bridlington 
( The  Naturalist,  June,  pp.  210-211  ; (B)  Helmsley  (Ibid)  July,  p.  248, 
and  (C)  Upper  Nidderdale  (Ibid),  September,  p.  308,  various  parasitic 
fungi  are  entered,  in  most  cases,  without  any  mention  of  their  gall  pro- 
ducing effects. 

(A)  Nectria  ditissima  Tul.,  ash  canker,  Sewerby  and  Boynton  Woods. 

(B)  ,,  ,,  ,,  Beck  Dale  and  Riccall  Dale. 

(A)  Exoascus  turgidus  Sadeb.,  witches’  brooms,  on  birch. 

(C)  E.  pruni  Fckl.,  on  bird  cherry.  Mr.  Mason  seems  to  have  over- 

looked my  record  for  Whitfield  Force,  Wensleydale. 

(B)  Urocystis  Anemones  Schroet.,  Beck  Dale,  on  Helleborus  viridis,  a 
new  host,  at  least  for  the  county  ; and  Duncombe  Park,  on 
Anemone  and  Ranunculus. 

(B)  Cystopus  candidus  Lev.,  cultivated  Arabis,  Duncombe  Park. 

(B)  Uromyces  alchemillae  Lev.,  Puccinia  saniculae  Grev.,  P.  tumida 

Grev.,  P.  fusca  Wint.,  P . caricis  Reb.,  Beck  Dale  and  Riccall  Dale. 

(C)  U . alchemillae  Lev. 

Mr.  H.  Stansfield,  Mytholmroyd,  forwarded  Lasioptera  carophila  F. 
Low.,  on  earthnut  in  June,  new  to  Yorkshire. 

A comprehensive  list  of  the  Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District 
is  in  type . 

Mycology  (A.  E.  Peck)  : — Various  interesting  local  records  have 
appeared  in  The  Naturalist  during  the  year.  The  My co logical  Committee 
has  been  represented  at  the  Bridlington,  Helmsley,  Middlesmoor  and 
Penistone  Excursions,  and  reports  by  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason  upon  the  Mycology 
of  these  districts  have  appeared  in  our  journal  for  June,  July,  September 
and  October  respectively. 

The  Annual  Fungus  Foray  held  at  Masham  was  a well  attended  and 
successful  gathering.  Mr.  W.  A.  Thwaites,  of  Masham,  who  acted  as 
guide  to  our  party,  has  had  a deep  interest  in  the  Fungi  ever  since  1901, 
when  the  late  Chas.  Cross  land  was  one  of  a party  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists 
which  visited  Masham.  A report  of  the  Foray  appears  in  The  Naturalist 
for  December. 

The  City  of  Sheffield  at  last  has  a representative  on  the  Mycological 
Committee  in  the  person  of  Councillor  E.  Snelgrove,  B.A. 

Micro -Biology  (W.  H.  Pearsall)  : — The  principal  piece  of  work 
completed  this  year  is  Mr.  R.  W.  Butcher  s investigation  of  the  Wharfe 
plankton,  which  is  now  ready  for  the  press.  The  investigation  is  being 
extended  to  other  areas,  particularly  the  Washburn  Reservoirs.  The 
finding  of  Genicularia  elegans  near  Leeds  is  also  of  great  interest.  This 
rare  Desmid  is  only  known  in  Great  Britain.  It  was  described  by  Messrs. 
W.  and  G.  S.  West  from  some  Hebridean  locks,  but  has  since  been  found 
in  several  of  the  English  Lakes,  and  now  in  Yorkshire.  The  Committee 
is  being  re-organised,  and  members  interested  are  asked  to  get  into 
communication  with  Mr.  R.  W.  Butcher. 

Mr.  J.  W.  H.  Johnson  has  carried  out  laboratory  work  with  regard 
to  the  metabolism  of  the  smaller  aquatic  fauna.  By  means  of  a specially 
devised  apparatus  the  rate  of  respiration  under  given  conditions  has  been 
determined,  and  from  the  results  it  appears  that  a large  percentage  of 
the  oxygen  required,  reappears  in  the  form  of  carbon-dioxide,  but  in 
no  instance  has  this  amount  been  equal  to  the  volume  of  oxygen  required. 

Marine  Biology  Committee  (Dr.  J.  Irving)  : — About  a dozen 
species  of  Medusae  (Hydrozoa),  recorded  by  Mr.  E.  Percival,  B.Sc., 
from  Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  have  been  added  to  our  marine  lists.  Several 
interesting  nudibranchs,  found  in  South  Bay,  Scarborough,  have  been 
added  during  the  year.  Lucernaria  campanulata,  classed  with  the 
Scyphozoa,  was  recorded  in  1913  for  Scarborough  ; after  an  absence  of 
ten  years  it  has  again  made  its  appearance  in  precisely  the  same  locality. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  : Annual  Report,  1923.  75 


The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Committee  summoned  in  September  was 
poorly  attended. 

Committee  of  Suggestions  (C.  A.  Cheetham)  : — The  work  instituted 
by  the  Committee  on  Peat  and  also  the  Rivers  investigation  has  been 
furthered  on  every  occasion  both  at  the  Union’s  meetings  and  by  private 
work.  It  is  proposed  to  summarize  the  results  of  the  microscopic  studies 
of  peat  and  also  of  the  field  work  during  the  winter,  and  an  effort  will 
be  made  to  hold  a meeting  and  discussion  in  the  early  part  of  the  year 
suggest  further  work. 

Geology  (J.  Holmes)  : — Reports  of  the  work  done  by  the  Section 
on  the  excursions  have  appeared  in  The  Naturalist.  The  zoning  of  the 
Millstone  Grit  has  been  considerably  advanced  during  the  year.  Field 
work  has  been  continued  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Pennines  from 
Wharfedale  to  Derbyshire.  Lancashire  geologists  and  officers  of  the 
Geological  Survey  have  confirmed  the  existence  of  many  of  the  zones  on 
the  western  side. 

Geological  Photographs  Committee  (Major  A.  J.  Stather)  :• — -The 
work  of  this  Committee  is  now  being  actively  renewed,  and  an  interesting 
number  of  prints  has  been  added  to  the  already  extensive  collection  of 
Yorkshire  photographs  of  geological  interest  in  the  Union’s  albums. 

There  are  no  restrictions  now  as  to  the  size  of  the  prints,  which  should 
be  sent  unmounted  to  the  Hon.  Secretary  (Major  A.  J.  Stather,  206 
Westbourne  Avenue,  Hull),  who  will  be  glad  to  receive  them,  together 
with  particulars  of  the  exposures. 

The  following  are  details  of  the  prints  added  since  our  last  list 
was  published,  and  the  descriptions  give  an  idea  of  the  type  of  photo- 
graphs desired.  The  committee  is  particularly  anxious  to  secure  records 
of  temporary  sections  made  in  connection  with  various  engineering 
operations,  etc.  : — 

By  J.  T.  Dyson,  Hull  : — A series  of  sections  in  the  quarry  west  of 
South  Cave  station,  showing  displaced  Oolitic  Limestone  and  intervening 
glacial  beds. 

By  Mr.  Jas.  Rowntree,  Scarborough  : — The  King  and  Queen  Rocks 
and  the  adjacent  cliffs,  Flamborough  Head,  a few  years  ago. 

By  J.  W.  Stather,  Hull  : — Blackey  Topping,  from  Lockton  Low  Moor  ; 
Newton  Dale,  from  Pifelhead  ; Newton  Dale  from  Wilden  Moor  ; Newton 
Dale,  near  Raindale  Mill  ; Newton  Dale,  near  Black  Howe  ; Whinstone 
Dyke,  Sneaton  High  Moor,  showing  ‘ spherical  weathering  ’ ; Weathered 
blocks  of  Estuarine  Sandstone,  showing  ripple  marks,  fucoid  markings, 
worm  tracks,  etc.,  near  Blea  Wyke  ; The  King  and  Queen  Rocks,  Flam- 
borough,  to-day. 

By  Mr.  J.  W.  Jackson,  Manchester  : — Calamities  gopperti  E.  H.  (half 
natural  size),  found  near  Hebden  Bridge,  Yorkshire. 

By  W.  S.  Bisat,  F.G.S.  : — (1 ) Gorge  of  the  Ure,  Hackfall,  near  Tan- 
field,  showing  ‘ Cay  ton  Gill’  shellbed.  (2)  Outliers  of  Kinderscout 
Grit  looking  west  over  Ashopton,  Derbyshire. 

Glacial  Committee  (J.  W.  Stather)  : — Under  this  head  there  is  little 
to  report  additional  to  what  has  been  described  previously.  Careful 
watch  is  being  kept,  and  record  made  of  temporary  sections  in  the  Glacial 
Series.  In  the  way  of  erratics  there  is  little  that  is  new  to  record,  beyond 
teeth  of  mammoth  and  Elephas  antiquus  which  occur  as  erratic  boulders 
in  the  drift  series,  three  or  four  interesting  records  of  which  have  recently 
been  made  at  Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  Sewerby,  Withernsea  and  Easington. 

In  view  of  the  work  being  done  on  the  Continent  and  in  America  in 
connexion  with  the  evidence  which  there  seems  to  exist  relating  to 
different  glacial  epochs,  with  long  mild  periods  in  between,  it  seems 
desirable  that  a look-out  should  be  kept  for  any  such  evidences  in  our 
county  and,  if  possible,  more  information  should  be  obtained  as  to  the 
conditions  existing  in  the  North  Sea  area  during  this  glacial  period  or 
glacial  periods. 


1924  Mar  1 


76  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union:  Annual  Report,  1923. 


Coast  Erosion  (J.  W.  Stather)  : — An  interesting  record  of  a hitherto 
unsuspected  change  in  the  scenic  features  of  Flamborough  Headland  has 
been  made  in  The  Naturalist  during  the  year,  when  the  disappearance  of 
part  of  the  King,  an  outlying  rock  near  the  North  Landing,  and  the  total 
disappearance  of  the  Matron,  another  outlier,  near  Highstacks,  are 
recorded.  So  far  as  Holderness  is  concerned  no  great  changes  are  an- 
nounced, but  two  interesting  papers  have  appeared  bearing  upon  the 
question,  to  which  we  would  draw  the  attention  of  those  interested, 
namely,  * Submarine  Erosion  off  the  Holderness  Coast,’  by  C.  Thompson, 
in  The  Geological  Magazine  for  July,  and  a paper  on  ' How  the  Humber 
was  Closed,’  by  Major  General  Sir  George  K.  Scott  Moncrieff,  in  Black- 
wood's Magazine  for  August,  1923. 

The  Naturalist. — It  is  encouraging  to  find  that  substantial  grants  of 
100  guineas  and  ^100  respectively  have  been  made  by  Messrs.  W.  N. 
Cheesman,  J.P.,  and  H.  B.  Booth,  M.B.O.U.,  towards  the  Union’s  funds, 
with  the  object  of  improving  The  Naturalist,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
illustrations.  This  will  result  in  considerable  improvement  in  the  nature 
of  our  publication,  which,  during  the  past  twelve  months,  has  been 
unable  to  expand  on  account  of  the  excessive  charges  for  printing,  etc. 
While  many  important  scientific  publications  have  ceased  to  exist  in 
recent  years,  it  is  satisfactory  to  find  that  our  Journal  still  takes  its 
place  in  the  scientific  literature  of  hte  country,  and  is  now  a recognised 
source  of  reliable  information  relating  to  the  subjects  coming  within 
its  scope. 


STATEMENT  OF  INCOME  AND  EXPENDITURE, 
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Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union  : Annual  Report,  1923.  77 


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: o : 

REVIEWS  AND  BOOK  NOTICES. 

The  Book  of  a Naturalist,  by  W.  H.  Hudson.  London  : J.  M. 
Dent  and  Sons,  viiL  + 339  pp.,  6/-  net.  This  excellent  volume  is  familiar 
to  our  readers,  having  been  originally  published  in  1919.  It  now  appears 
in  a cheap  and  handy  form,  and  requires  no  recommendation. 

Life,  by  Sir  Arthur  E.  Shipley.  London  : Cambridge  University 
Press,  xvL  + 204  pp.,  6/-  net.  Sir  Arthur  Shipley,  as  a popular  writer 
and  lecturer,  requires  no  introduction,  and  the  mere  announcement  of 
the  fact  that  he  had  produced  ‘ Life  : A book  for  Elementary  Students 
of  Biology  ’ will  be  sufficient  to  ensure  its  ready  sale.  Sir  Arthur  says  : 

‘ What  I have  tried  to  do  in  this  book  is  to  emphasize  the  unity  of  life, 
whether  it  be  plant-life  or  animal-life,  and  the  interrelation  of  living 
organisms  one  with  another  and  with  their  surroundings.  The  crayfish, 
with  its  scaphognathites  and  dactylopodites,  and  the  fresh -water  mussel, 
with  its  ctenidia  and  its  osphradia,  do  not  live  self-contained  lives  tucked 
away  in  water-tight  compartments.  They  are  in  intimate  relation  with 
the  whole  world  of  other  plants  and  animals,  and  with  their  physical 
surroundings.  The  dead  dogfish  in  a dissecting  dish  gives  one  but  little 
idea  of  what  it  did,  and  of  what  happened  to  it  when  it  was  alive.  I 
have  tried  to  bring  out  the  fact  that  plants  and  animals  are  at  one  in 
being  alive,  and  I have  tried  to  make  clear  the  intimate  association  of 
both  with  their  environment,  whether  it  be  the  air  or  the  soil  or  the  sea.’ 

Butterfly  Lore,  by  H.  Eltringham,  D.Sc.,  etc.  Oxford  Uni- 
versity Press,  180  pages.  The  name  of  the  author  is  a sufficient 
guarantee  that  this  book  is  interesting,  accurate  to  the  extent  of  our 
present  knowledge,  and  up  to  date.  Strictly  scientific,  the  intention 
of  the  author  is,  that  in  the  simple  language  employed,  anyone  can 
understand  everything  that  is  written,  and  in  this  he  has  succeeded 
admirably.  In  addition  to  the  ‘ Fore  ward,  ’ it  is  divided  into  ten  chapters 
as  follows  : ‘ The  Life-History  of  a Butterfly,'  ‘ The  First  Butterflies,’ 
‘Eggs,’  ‘Caterpillars,’  ‘The  Chrysalis  Stage,’  ‘Structure,’  ‘Senses,’ 
‘Scents,’  ‘Butterflies  and  Ants,’  ‘Concealments,  Mimicry  and  Poly- 
morphism.’ Every  one  is  intensely  interesting,  but  those  on  ‘ Scents,’ 
‘Butterflies  and  Ants,'  and  ‘Mimicry  and  Polymorphism,’  read  like 
fairy  tales,  with  the  additional  value  that  they  record  absolute  facts., 


1924  Mar.  1 


78 


News  from  the  Magazines. 


We  may  call  attention  to  the  author’s  definition  of  a species,  as  being 
a form  in  which  ‘ the  two  sexes  mate  together,  and  any  two  kinds  of 
creature  which  are  sufficiently  distinct  to  preclude  normal  mating  are 
of  different  species  ’ (p.  15).  The  descriptions  of  the  warning  colours  of 
many  caterpillars  of  both  butterflies  and  moths  ; the  formation  of  the 
irritating  spicules  of  the  Gold-tail  and  other  caterpillars  (p.  44)  ,*  the 
wonderful  account  of  the  making  of  the  hard  cocoon  by  the  Puss  Moth 
larva,  and  the  emergence  of  the  moth  from  it  afterwards  (p.  84)  ; the 
extraordinary  history  of  the  Large  Blue  and  other  Lycsenid  Butter- 
flies in  their  relation  to  Ants'  Nests  (p.  140)  ; the  wonderful  mimicry 
of  the  Heleconine  Butterflies  of  South  America, and  of  the  Danaid  Butter- 
flies, with  the  explanation  of  it  by  Bates  and  Muller,  form  only  a part 
of  the  great  interest  of  this  little  book.  Although  the  author  has  much 
to  say  about  the  antennae  of  butterflies  and  moths,  he  makes  no  allusion 
to  the  recent  theory  of  vibration  as  a sexual  attraction,  and  apparently 
is  no  believer  in  it.  He  says,  indeed,  that  ‘ the  power  (sexual)  possessed 


by  these  moths  is  attributed  to  their  sense  of  smell.  There  is  no  other 
sense  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  which  can  explain  it  ’ (p.  114). 
Later  (p.  1 16)  he  says  the  seat  of  scent  is  in  the  antennae.  One  statement 
in  the  book  to  which  we  are  inclined  to  take  exception  is  that  ‘ the  female 
of  Acentropus  niveus  actually  lives  in  the  water,  and  the  male  follows 
her  beneath  the  surface  ’ (p.  73).  We  have  no  remembrance  of  ever 
having  seen  any  record  of  such  occurrence,  and  should  think  it  very 
unlikely.  Many  of  the  females  of  the  species  (not  all)  have  more  ample 
wings  than  the  males,  and  it  seems  to  us  far  more  likely  that,  although 
emerged  from  pupae  which  may  be  among  leaves  growing  under  water, 
the  females  would  climb  up  stems  of  plants  or  of  stones  outside,  where 
mating  would  take  place.  That  the  females  would  descend  again  into 
the  water  to  deposit  their  eggs  is  possible  enough,  but  one  can  scarcely 
conceive  that  the  males  follow  them  there.  We  would  have  liked  to  have 
seen  a chapter  on  ‘Melanism,’  which  would  fitly  have  followed  that 
on  ‘Concealment,  Mimicry  and  Polymorphism,’  but  this  is  the  only 
omission  in  the  book  that  occurs  to  us.  As  it  is,  that  a volume  of  only 
163  pages  (exclusive  of  Index)  can  contain  the  amount  of  really  first-class 
information  it  does,  is  marvellous,  and  it  is  a long  time  since  we  read  an 
entomological  book  with  so  much  pleasure.  The  delightful  and  affec- 
tionate way,  too,  in  which  Dr.  Eltringham  dedicates  the  little  book  to 
his  mother,  is  not  the  least  charming  part  of  it.  The  book  should  be 
on  the  shelves  not  only  of  everyone  interested  in  insects,  but  in  every 
Public  and  School  Library  in  the  kingdom. — G.T.P. 


Egg  of  ‘ White  Admiral  ’ Butterfly 

(magnified) . 


Egg  of  ‘ Holly  Blue  ’ Butterfly 

(magnified) . 


Naturalist 


FARNE  ISLANDS. 


79 


R.  FORTUNE,  F.Z.S. 


In  1921,  both  in  the  columns  of  The  N aturalist  and  Country 
Life,  the  writer  advocated  the  purchase  of  the  Fame  Islands, 
with  a view  of  handing  them  over  to  the  National  Trust. 
He  pointed  out  the  danger  to  which  the  birds,  owing  to  the 
increase  in  motor-boat  traffic,  and  the  cupidity  of  the  fisher- 
men, were  now  subject,  and  the  necessity  for  the  Association, 
which  for  years  have  employed  watchers  to  protect  the  birds 
during  the  nesting  season,  to  have  their  hands  strengthened. 

There  is  now  a strong  movement  on  foot  to  buy  the  islands 
and  hand  them  over  to  the  Trust,  the  present  Fame  Islands 
Association  to  continue  with  the  management.  The  islands 
are  in  two  groups,  each  having  a different  owner.  A sum  of 
£ 2200  is  required  to  effect  the  purchase  ; of  this  amount  the 
Association  has  had  promised  among  its  members  and  friends, 
subscriptions  amounting  to  £7 00,  and  the  public  are  now 
asked  to  subscribe  the  remaining  amount. 

Practically  all  the  important  papers  in  the  country  have 
given  publicity  to  this  appeal  ; there  should  not,  therefore, 
be  much  difficulty,  even  in  these  hard  times,  in  securing  the 
amount  needed.  Readers  of  The  Naturalist  may  send  their 
subscriptions  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Fame  Islands  Associa- 
tion, J.  Collingwood  Thorpe,  Esq.,  Belvedere,  Alnwick. 

The  Fame  Islands  are  the  most  important  breeding  haunt 
of  sea-fowl  on  the  British  coasts  ; not  only  from  the  multitudes 
that  are  found  there,  but  for  the  great  variety  of  species 
resorting,  to  them  for  nesting  purposes.  No  fewer  than  15 
species  breed  regularly  and  one  or  two  others  less  frequently. 

In  view  of  the  rapidly  changing  conditions  in  this  country, 
it  is  an  urgent  matter  that  this  important  breeding  centre 
should  be  placed  outside  the  danger  zone.  It  is  the  only 
English  breeding  place  of  the  Eider  Duck,  and  for  this  reason 
alone,  bird  lovers  should  do  their  utmost  to  insure  that  the 
islands  should  be  made  a permanent  sanctuary. 

Among  other  species  nesting  are  some  remarkably  fine 
colonies  of  Sandwich  Tern,  and  a small  colony  of  the  rare 
Roseate  Tern.  The  Fames  are  the  northern  breeding  limit 
of  the  Sandwich  Tern. 

Among  the  Terns,  Arctics  were  predominate  in  numbers 
until  1921,  when,  for  some  mysterious  reason,  the  Common 
Tern,  hitherto  represented  by  comparatively  few  pairs,  quite 
outnumbered  the  Arctic  ; indeed,  the  status  of  the  two  species 
had  been  completely  reversed. 

In  1921  the  Terns  in  a body  deserted  their  usual  head- 
quarters on  the  Knoxes  and  Inner  Wide-opens,  and  migrated 
to  the  Brownsman,  where  there  was  already  a considerable 


1923  Mar.  1 


8o 


Fortune:  Fame  Islands . 


colony,  thus  causing  great  overcrowding.  During  this  season 
vast  numbers  of  young  birds  died  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
suitable  food  fishes  ; and  in  1922,  after  commencing  to  nest, 
the  Terns  left  the  islands  in  a body,  no  doubt  from  the  same 
cause,  as  other  breeding  places  suffered  in  a similar  manner 
that  season. 

The  charming  Kittiwake  has  increased  in  numbers  amaz- 
ingly, while  the  other  nesting  species,  Guillemots,  Razorbills, 
Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls,  Herring  Gulls,  Cormorants,  Oyster- 
catchers,  Puffin,  Ring  Plovers,  Rock  Pipits,  etc.,  continue  to 
do  well. 

The  Common  Gull  has  nested  several  times  on  the  Inner 
Fame,  and  the  Fulmar  has  for  some  years  frequented  the 
higher  cliffs  of  the  Inner  Fame,  but  up  to  1922  had  not 
attempted  to  nest. 

In  many  of  the  press  notices  it  is  stated  that  the  Manx 
Shearwater,  Storm  Petrel,  Shag,  Ivory  Gull,  etc.,  breed  on 
the  islands.  This  is  an  error,  none  of  these  species  nests  there. 
Parties  of  Shags,  immature  non-breeding  birds,  may  be  seen 
frequenting  the  islands  all  through  the  summer,  but  they  do 
not  breed. 

A full  illustrated  account  of  the  birds  of  the  Fames  was 
given  by  the  writer  in  The  Naturalist  for  July,  1907. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  Association  should 
obtain  greatly  extended  powers,  especially  to  deal  with  the 
motor  boat  traffic  and  the  predatory  fishermen  of  the  locality, 
otherwise  the  islands  are  likely  to  be  deserted  by  their  feathered 
hosts  in  the  near  future.  It  is  the  only  breeding  place  on  the 
East  Coast  of  the  Great  Grey  Seal. 

: o : 

The  Forty-third  Annual  Report  of  the  Manchester  Microscopical 
Society,  besides  the  usual  details  of  its  interesting  meetings,  contains 
‘ The  Growth  of  Crystals  in  Igneous  Rocks/  by  Professor  O.  T.  Jones  ; 
and  ‘ Chromosomes  and  Inheritance/  by  Professor  F.  E.  Weiss. 

Among  the  contents  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Scottish  Marine 
Biological  Association  recently  received,  we  observe  notes  on  Investi- 
gation on  the  effects  of  Oil  Tanker  Discharge  ; Observations  on  Young 
Herring  ; A Relation  between  Weather  and  Herring  ; and  Faunistic  Notes. 

Under  the  editorship  of  the  Rev.  James  A.  Balleine  and  H.  L.  Earl, 
The  Torquay  Natural  History  Society  has  issued  Part  1,  of  Vol.  IV.,  of 
its  Transactions  and  Proceedings  (Oxford  University  Press,  100  pages), 
which  contains  among  many  other  interesting  items,  ‘ An  Autobiographic 
Sketch  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Roscoe  Rede  Stebbing  ’ ; ‘ The  Excavation 
Products  of  Kent’s  Cavern  and  their  Distribution/  by  Harford  J.  Lowe  ; 

‘ A Note  on  the  Urn  discovered  near  Marldon,  ’ by  H.  G.  Dowie  ; ‘ Food 
Chains  in  the  Sea,’  by  Marie  V.  Lebour  ; ‘ Some  features  of  Plant  Dis- 
tribution in  Devon,’  by  C.  E.  Larter.  We  must  congratulate  the  Society 
upon  the  excellence  of  its  publication,  though  it  does  not  seem  to  have 
carried  out  the  recommendations  of  the  Conference  of  Delegates  to  the 
British  Association,  with  regard  to  the  size  of  its  journal,  having  altered 
it  from  demy  octavo  (the  size  of  its  previous  Transactions),  to  the 
present  part  which  measures  10  ins.  by  6f  ins. 


Naturalist 


8x 


RIVER  CAPTURES  IN  THE  LUNDS,  YORKSHIRE. 


W.  B.  R.  KING,  M.A.,  F.G.S. 


(' Continued  from  page  44). 

It  is  interesting  to  speculate  on  what  may  happen  when 
this  has  taken  place.  The  stream,  having  cut  away  the 
north-western  end  of  the  drumlin  A will  strike  against  the 
south-eastern  end  of  drumlin  B ; it  may  temporarily  turn 
back  towards  the  north  into  its  old  course,  but  soon  it  will 
certainly  cut  away  sufficient  of  the  drumlin  B to  flow  into 
the  low  hollow  which  exists  at  D.  Now  this  hollow  drains 
towards  the  Ure,  and  thus  it  may  come  about  that  the  waters 
of  Hell  Gill  Beck  will  be  returned  once  more  to  their  former 
river  system.  This,  however,  can  only  be  temporary,  for  the 
water-shed  between  this  peat -filled  hollow  and  the  Eden  is 
low,  and  sooner  or  later  the  river  cannot  fail  to  be  recaptured 
by  the  Eden.  This  will  be  brought  about  by  the  operation 
of  the  law  of  unequal  slopes,  for  the  rate  of  fall  to  the  Eden 
(below  Hell  Gill  Force)  is  greatly  in  excess  of  that  of  the 
Ure.  Should  the  adjustment  take  place  the  capture  will  be 
permanent . 

A complication  may,  however,  arise,  for  a series  of  swallow- 
holes  exists  in  the  limestone  round  the  western  edge  of  the 
drumlin  B,  and  it  is  possible  that  the  stream,  having  removed 
part  of  the  drumlin,  may  be  swallowed  by  these  holes,  thus 
bringing  unknown  factors  into  play. 

Captures  by  the  Clough  River  (Garsdale)  : — 

The  head  waters  of  the  Clough  River  are  known  as  Grisdale 
Beck  and  Grisdale  Gill,  the  latter  running  parallel  to  some  of 
the  headwater  streams  of  the  Rawthey  River.  Both  Grisdale 
Gill  and  Rawthey  Gill,  with  other  small  tributaries,  rise  on 
the  northern  flanks  of  Baugh  Fell,  and  after  a rapid  fall  they 
reach  a flat  tract,  which  drains  both  north-west  to  the  Rawthey 
and  east  to  Grisdale  and  the  Clough. 

At  the  foot  of  Rawthey  Gill  there  is  a marked  delta  of 
rubble,  but  it  does  not  appear  that  this  ever  acted  as  a corram. 
There  does  not,  therefore,  seem  here  to  be  any  evidence  of 
post-glacial  capture.  There  is,  however,  on  the  flank  of 
west  Baugh  Fell,  above  the  Rawthey,  the  faint  trace  of  a 
ledge  sloping  towards  Grisdale,  which  may  indicate  the 
former  drainage  of  the  head  waters  of  the  Rawthey  to  Grisdale. 
This,  if  it  ever  were  thus,  must  have  been  in  pre-glacial  times, 
and  the  capture  by  the  Rawthey  probably  took  place  when 
Grisdale  Beck  was  a tributary  of  the  Ure,  at  which  time  the 
west  flowing  streams  would  have  great  advantages  over  those 


1924  Mar.  1 


F 


$2  River  Captures  in  the  Lunds,  Yorkshire. 

flowing  to  the  east  owing  to  the  shortness  of  their  course  to 
the  sea. 

Leaving  the  headwaters  and  following  the  stream  to  the 
east  down  Grisdale  it  is  seen  to  flow  between  a mass  of  drum- 
lins,  though  solid  rock  occurs  in  the  stream  bed  at  intervals 
as  far  as  Galey  Hill  ; below  this,  for  a mile,  nothing  is  seen 
but  boulder  clay,  often  rising  in  great  drumlins  to  a height 
of  40  feet  or  so  above  the  valley  bottom.  About  one-third  of 
a mile  above  Clough  Farm  the  stream  takes  a sharp  bend  to 
the  east,  and  soon  solid  rock  again  appears  in  its  bed  ; though 
for  some  distance  the  boulder  clay  comes  down  to  within  a 
few  feet  of  the  water  level,  but  near  the  hen-house,  just  before 
the  stream  swings  round  again  to  the  south,  the  solid  rock  is 
seen  to  rise  rapidly  on  the  north  bank,  so  that  within  a few 
yards  the  whole  bank,  about  forty  feet  high,  is  cut  in  solid 
rock  instead  of  boulder  clay.  From  this  point  there  is  a gorge 
to  below  Clough  Farm,  both  banks  of  which  are  composed  of 
shales  and  limestones.  The  whole  ground  to  the  north  of 
this  gorge  is  seen  to  be  covered  with  peat  and  to  rise  but 
gradually  to  the  north,  and  all  exposures  in  the  streams 
draining  the  peat  to  the  east  show  nothing  but  boulder  clay. 

It  is  clear  that  under  this  peat,  drift  blocks  the  old  valley 
Of  the  Grisdale  Beck,  and  at  the  entrance  to  the  gorge  there 
may  be  seen  the  south  bank  of  this  old  pre-glacial  stream 
which  flowed  towards  the  east,  and  the  cut  in  the  solid  rock  is 
the  work  of  post-glacial  capture. 

The  question  now  arises  as  to  whether,  in  times  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  glaciation,  the  Grisdale  Beck  was  a tribu- 
tary of  the  Ure  or  had  already  been  captured  by  the  Clough 
at  some  point  east  of  Clough  Farm. 

The  open  valley  of  ‘ Garsdale  Head  ’ below  Hawes  Junc- 
tion Station  suggests  that  the  capture  had  taken  place  in 
pre-glacial  times,  and  that  the  Grisdale  Beck  flowed  east  to 
some  point  a little  short  of  Dandry  Mire,  and  was  then  captured 
and  turned  south-west  to  the  Clough  Valley.  If  this  be  the 
true  explanation,  the  present  capture  near  Clough  Farm  is 
merely  making  a ‘ short  circuit  * on  the  elbow  bend  formed  by 
the  earlier  capture. 

As  is  mentioned  in  the  Survey  Memoir  on  Mallerstang, 
‘ The  water  parting  between  the  Ure  Valley  and  Garsdale  Head 
is  so  ill-defined  that  while  crossing  it  you  scarcely  perceive 
you  are  passing  from  one  dale  to  another,  and  the  stream  . . 
runs  sometimes  into  one  dale  and  sometimes  into  the  other/ 
This  stream,  known  as  Mere  Gill,  has  a well  marked  corram 
immediately  north  of  the  Railway  (Hawes  Branch),  but  the 
culvert  at  its  head  now  diverts  the  water  to  the  Ure. 

The  stream  flowing  from  Black  Gutter  Head  towards  the 
north  end  of  the  Railway  viaduct  turns  sharply  south  and 


Xaturalist 


River  Captures  in  the  Lunds , Yorkshire.  83 

then  west  to  the  Clough,  although  there  is  a depression  with 
a small  stream  running  straight  ahead  to  the  Ure  at  the 
Moor  Cock  Inn.  This  has  so  much  the  appearance  of  a very 
recent  capture,  that  if  it  were  not  for  the  evidence  of  old 
maps,  it  might  be  tempting  to  say  that  it  was  the  result  of 
man’s  work  when  constructing  the  railway. 

It  has  been  shown  that  both  in  respect  of  the  Eden  and 
the  Clough,  some  of  the  captures  had  probably  taken  place  in 
pre-glacial  times,  and  that  other  important  captures,  such  as 
Hell  Gill  Beck  and  Grisdale  Beck,  were  about  to  take  place, 
if  not  actually  completed.  The  glacial  and  post-glacial  effects 
have  been  largely  of  the  nature  of  minor  modifications,  but 
of  such  importance  that  Hell  Gill  Beck  may  temporarily  be 
recaptured  by  the  Ure,  while  the  effect  on  Grisdale  Beck  has 
been  to  remove  all  chance  of  the  Ure  ever  recapturing  this 
part  of  its  lost  waters. 

It  has  also  been  shown  that  both  the  Eden  and  the  Clough 
are  attacking  the  Ure  at  points  about  three  miles  apart. 
What  is  to  happen  in  the  future  to  this  three  miles  of  river? 
Will  it  become  Eden  or  Clough  ? 

The  Eden  is  in  the  more  favourable  position  as  respects 
the  size  of  the  tributaries  conning  off  Abbotside  ; these,  as 
the  Ure  looses  its  head  waters,  will  tend  to  build  up  corrams, 
which  will  facilitate  capture  by  the  Eden  ; on  the  other  hand 
the  Clough  has  only  very  small  tributaries  ; even  Mere  Gill, 
through  man’s  action,  has  been  deprived  of  its  natural  function 
to  the  detriment  of  the  Clough  ; the  distance,  however,  that 
the  Clough  has  to  cut  back  to  tap  the  main  Ure  river  is  not 
great.  It  seems  therefore  that,  on  the  whole,  the  chances 
are  about  equal,  and  we  may  speculate  that,  at  some  distant 
date  in  the  future,  the  drainage  of  the  Lunds  will  be  halved 
between  the  Eden  and  the  Clough  instead  of  belonging  to  the 
Ure  as  at  present.  Then  the  two  victors  will  become  oppon- 
ents, and  it  is  difficult  to  predict  which  will  eventually  be  the 
conqueror. 

: o : 

The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  February  contains 
the  following  items  likely  to  be  of  interest  to  our  readers,  ‘ The  Stoat,’ 
by  H.  Mortimer  Batten  ; ‘ Woodlice  in  Glasshouses,’  by  E.  R.  Speyer  ; 
and  ‘ Destruction  of  Wireworms,’  by  A.  Roebuck. 

The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist  for  December  contains  a 
variety  of  local  matter,  although  the  splitting  up  of  certain  articles, 
the  wealth  of  headings  and  sub-headings,  and  of  spaces,  suggest  that 
considerable  saving  might  be  made  with  a little  care,  and  incidentally 
the  bibliographer’s  task  would  be  lessened.  Issued  with  this  number 
is  a ‘ supplement  ’ which  is  entitled  ‘ Notes  on  Myriapoda,  XXIX.  : 
A Preliminary  Communication  on  Economic  Status.’  It  is  separately 
paged,  and  has  a separate  cover  on,  and  does  not  appear  to  be  referred  to 
anywhere  on  the  cover  of  the  L.  & C . N . It  is  inserted  loosely,  and  we 
think  it  is  a mistake  in  inserting  matter  of  this  kind  which  can  easily 
be  misplaced  without  leaving  any  trace. 


1924  Mar.  1 


84 


DIPTERA  NOTES  AND  ADDITIONS. 


CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


Recent  work  has  resulted  in  several  additions  to  our  County 
list  and  two  species  are  added  to  the  British  list.  In  one 
case  this  is  possibly  only  through  an  error  of  previous  identi- 
fication. 

The  first  group,  mostly  Mycetophildae,  have  been  identi- 
fied by  Mr.  F.  W.  Edwards,  they  were  all  captured  by  the 
writer. 

Trichonta  melanopyga  Ztt.  Ryedale,  21/5/23. 

T.  atricanda  Ztt.  Austwick,  20/10/23. 

T.  submaculata  Staeg.  Austwick,  20/10/23. 

Exechia  hammi  Edw.  m.s.  Austwick,  23/6/23. 

Allodia  borealis  Lundst.  Austwick,  23/6/23.  This  is  an  addition  to 
the  British  list. 

Acnemia  nitidicollis  Mg.  Allerthorpe,  5/9/23. 

Coelosia  thoracica  Winn.  Austwick,  20/10/23. 

Boletina  basalis  Mg.  Austwick,  10/6/23. 

Sciophila  (■ Lasioma ) lutea  Mg.  (a  black  var.).  Farnley,  18/6/23. 

S.  (Lasioma)  hirta  Mg.  Austwick,  16/6/23. 

Mycomyia  ( Sciophila ) exigua  Winn.  Ryedale,  21/5/23. 

Erioptera  griseipennis  Meij.  Austwick,  23/6/23. 

Mr.  Edwards  has  recently  examined  my  Biblios.,  and 
pointed  out  where  I have  been  led  astray  by  the  tables  in 
Wingate.  The  chief  difficulty  is  lacteipennis  Ztt.,  which 
apparently  is  one  of  the  widely  distributed  species  in  the 
county.  I had  several  of  these  under  nigriventris  Hal. 

The  venosus  Mg.  and  varipes  Mg.  from  Helmsley  were 
not  these,  but  lacteipennis  Ztt.,  leucopterus  Mg.,  and  two 
doubtful  <$<$  which  may  be  a variety  of  laniger  Mg.  or  some 
undescribed  species. 

Recently,  whilst  looking  over  the  genus  Pachyrrhina , I 
noticed  that  the  insects  placed  under  imperialis  Mg.  did  not 
agree  with  the  description,  but  that  they  were  all  crinicanda 
Riedel.,  a species  not  previously  recognised  as  British.  I 
was  fortunate  in  having  continental  specimens  of  the  true 
imperialis  Mg.  for  comparison,  and  the  character  by  which 
the  two  are  most  easily  differentiated  is  the  black  ventral 
side  of  the  abdomen  in  imperialis  Mg.,  that  of  crinicanda 
Riedel,  being  pale,  and  contrasting  with  the  black  part  of 
the  dorsal  surface  ; the  male  genetalia  are  quite  distinct. 
In  answer  to  enquiries,  Mr.  Edwards  informs  me  all  the 
imperialis  Mg.  in  the  British  Museum  are  crinicanda  Riedel., 
and  Mr.  Hamm  of  the  Oxford  Museum,  and  Mr.  Britten,  of 
the  Museum  in  Manchester,  state  the  same  for  those  in  their 
care . 

Mr.  Edwards  recently  drew  my  attention  to  a difference 
between  Tipula  alpinum  Bergr.  and  T.  obsoleta  Mg.  In 
The  Naturalist,  1923,  p.  408,  I gave  these  as  synonyms,  our 


Naturalist 


Cheetham  : Dip  ter  a Notes  and  Additions . 


85 


insect  is  alpinum  Bergr.,  and  I have  not  seen  a Yorkshire 
specimen  of  obsoleta  Mg.  Mr.  Edwards  finds  the  latter  fre- 
quently in  the  London  district.  Riedel  figures  to  forms  of 
part  of  the  genetalia  which  Mr.  Edwards  finds  are  repre- 
sentative of  the  two  species.  He  also  pointed  out  that 
recently  Nielsen  had  examined  Staeger’s  type  of  signata,  and 
finds  this  is  not  the  insect  now  known  by  that  name,  but  is 
the  one  known  as  anonyma  Bergr.  Nielsen  suggests  the  name 
staegeri  for  the  insect  we  know  as  signata  Staeg.  (see  The 
Naturalist,  1922,  p.  120.)  The  matter  will  now  stand. 

T.  staegeri  Nielson  {signata  Staeg.). 

T.  signata  Staeg.  ( anonyma  Bergr.). 

T.  marmorata  Mg.  {confusa  v.d.  Wulp.). 

Mr.  J.  E.  Collin  has  recently  examined  the  following  for 
me  ; all  are  my  collecting. 

Rhamphomyia  nitidula  Ztt.  Gormire,  9/5/23. 

JR.  albihorta  Coll.  m.s.  Gormire,  9/5/23. 

R.  anomalipennis  Ztt.  Pateley,  25/6/23. 

Hilara  bistriata  Ztt.  Ryedale,  21/5/23. 

Tachydromia  annulipes  Mg.  Bedale,  4/5/23. 

T.  notata  Mg.  Whernside,  11/8/22. 

JMicrophorus  velutinus  Mcq.  Farnley,  18/6/23. 

Sympycnus  spiculatus  Gerst.  Whernside,  11/8/22. 

S. cirripes  Wlk.  Whernside,  11/8/22. 

Mr.  Collin  does  not  agree  with  Becker  that  brachydactylus 
—pullatus  Kowz.  Mr.  Collin  says  that  pullatus  Kowz.= 
Walker’s  cirripes,  and  that  Kowarz’s  cirripes  Wlk.  is  not 
Walker’s  insect,  but  a distinct  species. 

My  dee  a anceps  Ztt.  Bedale,  4/8/23. 

Chloropisca  glabra  Mg.  Farnley,  18/7/22. 

Tephritis  ruralis  Lev.  Pateley-,  26/5/23. 

The  following  are  also  addition  to  the  list  : — 

Eristalis  ceneus  Scop.,  31/8/23,  Eshton,  Cleveland.  Mr. 
M.  L.  Thompson  who  found  this  interesting  addition  states 
it  was  in  a semi-torpid  condition  under  a stone  on  the  sea-shore. 

Pales  pavida  Mg.  ( Phorocera  cilipeda  Rnd.)  bred  from 
larvae  of  0.  antiqua  from  Nidd. 

Pegomyia  iniqua  Stein.  Bred  from  larvae  in  Agaricus 
campestris  from  Austwick. 

Cyrtoma  nigra  Mg.  Pateley,  5/6/23,  C.A.C. 

Empis  lutea  Mg.  Grassington,  18/8/23,  C.A.C. 

Eolichopus  rupestris  Hal.  Whernside,  11/8/22,  C.A.C. 

Cetema  ( Centor ) elongata  Mg.  Skipwith,  20/8/22,  C.A.C. 

My  thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  Edwards  and  Collin  for  their 
help  without  which  these  additions  could  not  have  been  made. 

: o : 

F.  W.  Shurlock  writes  on  ' Erasmus  Darwin  ’ (with  plate)  in  Science 
Progress  for  January. 


1924  Mar.  1 


86 


A YORKSHIRE  CARBONIFEROUS  (BOWLAND 
SHALE)  FAUNA  IN  OKLAHOMA,  U.S.A. 

W.  S.  BISAT,  F.G.S. 


Yorkshire  Carboniferous  field  geologists  have  been  faced  for 
many  years  with  a puzzling  problem,  namely,  the  relation- 
ship of  the  Yoredale  Series  of  Wensleydale  and  the  Bowland 
Shales  (‘  Pendlesides  ')  of  the  South  Craven  area.  As  was 
pointed  out  by  Wheelton  Hind,  the  fauna  and  lithology  of 
each  is  quite  distinct,  and  as  observed  by  Tiddeman  the  two 
facies  abut  against  one  another,  and  do  not  intermingle. 

The  object  of  this  article  is  not  to  attempt  a correlation  of 
the  two,  but  to  draw  attention  to  the  remarkable  parallel  that 
exists  to  our  problem  in  that  of  the  Caney  shale  of  Oklahoma, 
U.S.A. 

The  fauna  and  lithology  of  this  formation  has  been  des- 
cribed by  Girty  (U.S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.,  377-1909)  in  con- 
siderable detail,  and  the  cumulative  evidence  for  its  identity 
with  the  Bowland  Shales  (together  with  part  of  the  Sabden 
Shales)  is  irresistible.  Girty ’s  opening  sentence  strikes  a 
note  familiar  to  Yorkshire  geologists  who  have  studied  the 
Cracoe  area  : ‘ Owing  partly  to  a deficiency  of  evidence,  and 
partly  to  the  ambiguous  or  even  conflicting  character  of  what 
we  have,  the  problems  presented  by  the  Caney  shale  are 
peculiarly  baffling.  They  involve  two  distinct  areas  in 
Oklahoma.  . . . Although  so  close  geographically  that  one  can 
be  seen  from  the  other,  the  Arbuckle  and  Ouachita  Mountains, 
present  sections  which  are  in  some  respects  strikingly  differ- 
ent/ If  we  substitute  the  terms  ‘ Pendle  Hill  ’ and  ‘ Ingle- 
borough  ' for  these  two  American  mountains,  the  last  sentence 
would  be  agreed  to  readily  in  Yorkshire.  We  also  read  that  the 
Caney  shale  * consists  of  black  and  blue  argillites  with  local 
sandy  strata  in  the  upper  part  / and  further,  (on  p.  14)  * While 
I have  thus  spoken  of  the  Caney  fauna  as  a unit,  and  regard 
it  as  such,  there  thus  appear  to  be  two  different  facies  of  a 
sort  contained  in  it.  A typical  example  of  one  of  these— 
from  a position  but  little  above  the  Woodford  chert — comprises 
brachiopods  and  some  pelecypods  [compare  with  Cracoe 
knolls].  The  other  facies  consists  characteristically  of  gonia- 
tites  and  some  other  cephalopods,  with  one  or  more  species  of 
the  pelecypod  genus  Caneyella  [. Posidonomya ] usually  accom- 
panying them.  Other  types  are  rare.  The  goniatite  fauna 
comes  in  at  Wapanucka  near  that  containing  the  brachio- 
pods, and  at  a slightly  higher  horizon/  The  last  observation 
compares  absolutely  with  the  incoming  of  the  goniatite  fauna 
at  the  top  of  the  Ravensholme  Limestone  on  Pendle,  where 
the  goniatites  follow  an  abundant  brachiopod  fauna. 


Naturalist 


A Yorkshire  Fauna  in  Oklahoma,  U.S.A.  87 

We  thus  have  a remarkable  lithological  parallel  between 
the  Caney  shales,  which  overlie  the  Woodford  cherts,  and 
the  Bowland  Shales,  which  overlie  the  cherty  Pendleside  lime- 
stone. 

The  goniatite  fauna  is  strikingly  similar,  and  nearly 
identical.  English  species  represented  in  the  Caney  shale  are 
crenistria  (see  Girty ’s  illustrations,  PI.  XIII.,  figs.  1-8),  a 
species  akin  to.  striatum  (PL  XIII.,  figs  10-11),  present  also 
at  Dinckley,  spirale  (PI.  XII.,  figs.  4-10,  except?  7,  7a7 
and  9).  Girty ’s  bisulcatum  (PI.  XI.,  fig.  15-19)  is  the  well- 
known  but  hitherto  undescribed  goniatite  found  at  Weston 
Beck,  Otley,  and  various  other  localities  in  Yorkshire,  Lan- 
cashire and  Derbyshire,  and  possibly  Scotland.  Girty 's 
species  meslerianum  is  very  close  to  our  micronotum,  though 
specifically  distinct,  and  his  richardsonianum  is  akin  to  our 
diadema,  though  again  specifically  distinct. 

Girty,  unfortunately,  makes  no  mention  of  any  division 
of  the  series  into  goniatite  zones,  but  a study  of  his  faunal 
lists  and  localities  {op.  cit.,  pp.  9-10)  yields  some  remarkable 
information.  One  notices  first  that  the  goniatites  mentioned 
by  Girty  as  occurring  in  the  Caney  shale  fall  into  two  groups, 
which  are  not  present  in  the  same  localities.  Thus,  * caney - 
anum  ’ {spirale)  and  ‘ choctawensis  ’ {crenistria)  are  associated 
in  many  instances,  sometimes  accompanied  by  meslerianum 
(near  micronotum),  whilst  bisulcatum  and  richardsonianum 
occur  also  together,  but  from  a different  set  of  localities  from 
the  first  group.  A study  of  the  register  of  localities  {op.  cit., 
pp.  73-75)  helps  to  an  idea  of  the  relative  horizons  of  the 
two  groups,  for  we  learn  that  locality  2084,  with  bisulcatum, 
is  100  feet  above  the  chert,  but  locality  2088,  with  crenistria, 
is  probably  near  base  of  shale  and  top  of  chert.  Here,  then, 
are  two  of  the  zones  known  in  Yorkshire  occurring  in  the  same 
relative  position  in  central  North  America. 

It  is  curious  to  note  that  ‘ caney  anum  ' {spirale)  occurs  in 
one  locality,  and  one  only,  associated  with  bisulcatum,  a 
curious  parallel  to  the  occasional  occurrence  with  us  of  a 
badly  preserved  spirale-like  form  with  bisulcatum  as  at  Warley 
Wise  Bridge,  Gill  Beck,  Cowling,  near  Silsden,  Yorks. 

The  most  striking  goniatite  parallel  is  provided,  however, 
by  Girty ’s  Trizonoceras  lepidum,  the  suture  of  which  (Pl. 
XI.,  fig.  13b)  is  strikingly  like  our  Dimorphoceras  discrepant, 
except  for  an  additional  lateral  lobe,  which  is  apparently 
conjectural  only.  To  make  the  parallel  complete,  this 
species,  like  our  Dimorphoceras,  is  present  at  both  horizons 
forming,  as  with  us,  a connecting  link  between  the  two. 

So  much  for  the  goniatites.  The  lamellibranchs  are  ob- 
viously the  same  as  our  Bowland  shale  forms,  at  any  rate,  to  a 
superficial  inspection,  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Jackson,  of  the  Man- 


1924  Mar.  1 


88  A Yorkshire  Fauna  in  Oklahoma,  U.S.A. 

Chester  Museum,  who  is  studying  this  group,  has  kindly 
confirmed  this,  saying  : — 

Caneyella  vaughani  is  Posidonomya  becheri. 

Caneyella  richardsoni  is  Actinopteria  cf.  per  sulcata. 

Caneyella  percostata  is  Posidonomya  radiata  (Hind)  ?, 
all  occurring  in  the  Bowland  Shale. 

This  correlation  shews  that  our  local  conditions  at  the  close 
of  the  Lower  Carboniferous  period  were  parallelled  with 
scrupulous  fidelity  of  detail  at  a great  distance  from  these 
shores,  and  suggests  that  our  local  problems  may  have  much 
light  shed  on  them  by  work  in  other  countries  ; that,  in  fact, 
they  are  not  unique,  but  merely  a portion  of  the  greater 
problem  of  the  distribution  of  land  and  water  in  the  Northern 
hemisphere  during  the  Carboniferous  period. 

: o : 

Birds  in  Legend,  Fable  and  Folklore,  by  Ernest  Ingersoll. 

Longmans,  Green  & Co.,  1923,  292  pp.,  12/6  net.  Mr.  Ingersoll  has 
produced  an  extremely  interesting  book,  which  brings  to  light  many 
new  legends  and  fables,  in  addition  to  recalling  many  old  ones.  That 
the  author ’s  researches  in  this  direction  have  been  extensive  is  proved  by 
the  long  list  of  books  he  has  brought  under  contribution  to  produce  his 
volume.  No  fewer  than  113  works  are  mentioned  in  this  list.  The 
fifteen  chapters  deal  with  widely  different  subjects,  as,  for  instance, 

‘ Birds  as  National  Emblems,’  ‘ The  Folklore  of  Bird  Migration,’  ‘ Birds 
in  Christian  Tradition  and  Festival,  ’ ‘ A Primitive  View  of  the  Origin 
of  Species,’  etc.  An  interesting  account  is  given  of  the  evolution  of 
the  Eagle  in  the  American  Coat  of  Arms.  Benjamin  Franklin  thought 
they  ought  to  have  a thoroughly  native  and  useful  fowl,  like  the  wild 
turkey,  figuring  there.  He  thought  it  would  make  a far  truer  emblem 
for  a new  and  busy  nation,  extolling  it  as  a bird  of  courage,  whereas 
the  bald  eagle  ‘ is  a bird  of  bad  moral  character  ; he  does  not  get  his 
living  honestly,’  and  ‘ besides,  he  is  a rank  coward  ; the  little  King-brid 
attacks  him  boldly.  He  is  therefore  by  no  means  a proper  emblem.’ 
The  Indian  legends  are  especially  interesting,  as  they  follow  very  closely 
the  legends  in  our  own  country.  The  little  Wren  is  classed  by  them  as 
a real  nosey-parker,  getting  up  early  in  the  morning,  fussing  round  and 
prying  into  every  lodge  in  the  settlement,  where  she  gathers  the  news 
which  she  afterwards  retails  at  the  birds’  council.  When  she  reports 
the  birth  of  a boy,  the  birds,  knowing  the  traditional  cruelty  of  the 
species,  lament,  and  break  into  a mournful  chorus  : ‘ Alas  ! the  whistle 
of  the  arrow  ! my  skins  will  burn,  ’ anticipating  the  time  when  he  grows 
up  and  turns  his  infant  hunting  instincts  in  their  direction.  The  birth 
of  a girl  is  welcomed  because  ‘ Thanks  ! The  sound  of  the  pestle  ! At 
her  home  I shall  surely  be  able  to  scratch  where  she  sweeps.’  knowing 
well  that  when  she  sweeps  out  the  lodge  there  will  be  scraps  of  grain 
from  the  corn  grinding,  and  crumbs  to  reward  them.  The  tameness  and 
friendliness  of  the  Robin,  according  to  the  Chippeways,  was  brought 
about  by  a young  Indian  who  could  not  stand  the  spartan  initial  cere- 
monies through  which  he  had  to  go  before  taking  his  place  in  the  ranks 
of  the  warriors  of  his  tribe.  He  therefore  turned  himself  into  a robin, 
and  said  to  his  father,  ‘ I shall  always  be  the  friend  of  man  and  keep 
near  their  dwellings.  I could  not  gratify  your  pride  as  a warrior,  but 
I will  cheer  you  by  songs.’  There  is  a host  of  similar  charming  fables 
which  every  student  of  bird  life  will  enjoy. — R.F. 


Naturalist 


8g 


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Naturalist 


Bibliography  : Geology  of  the  North  of  England.  93 


Hewitt,  M.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

The  Liverpool  and  District  Regional  Survey.  Merseyside  : Handbook 
to  Liverpool,  pp.  7-17. 

Hewitt,  W.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

The  Physiographical  Features  of  the  Country  around  Liverpool. 

tom.  cit.  pp.  18-27. 

Hewitt,  W.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

The  Geology  of  the  Country  around  Liverpool,  tom.  cit.,  pp.  230-256. 

Hickling,  G.  Lancashire  S. 

The  Tectonics  of  the  Lancashire  Coalfield.  [abs.]  Journ.  Brit. 
Assoc.  ( Liverpool ),  pp.  32-33  ; Coll.  Guard,  September  21st,  p.  716  ; 
Nat.,  October,  pp.  330-331. 

Holland,  L.  See  Felton,  J.  R. 

Houston,  Alexander.  Northern  Counties. 

Pure  Water  Supplies.  Address  to  Royal  Sanitary  Congress,  Hull, 
PP-  3-i4- 

Howe,  J.  Allen.  See  Elsden,  J.  Vincent. 

Jackson,  J.  Wilfred.  Yorkshire,  Derbyshire,  Lancashire. 

On  the  Correlation  of  Yoredales  and  Pendlesides.  Nat.,  October, 
PP-  337-338. 

Jackson,  J.  Wilfrid.  See  Singleton,  T. 

Jones,  T.  A.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

The  Middle  Bun  ter  Sandstones  of  the  Liverpool  District  and  their 
Pebbles,  [abs.]  Journ.  Brit.  Assoc.  (Liverpool),  pp. 27-28  ; Nat., 
October,  pp.  326-327. 

Jones,  T.  A.  Cheshire. 

Note  on  a Well-boring  at  Seacombe  (Wallasey).  Proc.  Liverp . Geol. 
Soc.,  Vol.  XIII.,  Part.  4,  pp.  340-341. 

Kendall,  Percy  Fry.  Northern  Counties. 

The  Physiography  of  the  Coal  Swamps.  Rep.  Brit.  Assoc.,  for  1922, 
pp.  49-78. 

Kendall,  P.  F.  Northumberland,  Durham,  Yorks.,  Lines. 

Discussion  on  the  Geological  History  of  the  North  Sea  Basin. 

Rep.  Brit.  Assoc.,  1922,  pp.  361-363. 

Kendall,  P.  F.  Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire  N. 

On  Quaternary  Isostatic  Re  - ad justments  in  N.W.  Europe. 

[abs.]  Journ.  Brit.  Assoc.  (Liverpool),  pp.  28-29  J Nat.,  October, 
pp.  327-328. 

Kidston,  Robert.  Northern  Counties. 

Fossil  Plants  of  the  Carboniferous  Rocks  o z Great  Britain.  Mem. 
Geol.  Survey.,  Palaeontology,  Vol.  II.,  Part  1,  pp.  1-110.,  pl.i.-xxii.  ; 
Vol.  II.,  Part  2,  pp.  111-198  ; pi.  xxiii-xlvii.  Rev.  in  Coll. 
Guard.,  August  10th,  pp.  346-347. 

Kitchin,  F.  L.  See  Lamplugh,  G.  W. 

La  Touche,  T.  H.  Digges.  Northern  Counties. 

Geological  Literature  added  to  the  Geological  Society’s  Library 
during  the  years  1915,  1916,  1917,  1918  and  1919.  pp.  545. 

Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire. 

Lamplugh,  G.  W.,  Kitchin,  F.  L.  and  Pringle,  J. 

The  Concealed  Mesozoic  Rocks  in  Kent.  (Mem.  Geol.  Survey ): 
224  pp.  [Speeton  Series  on  pp.  225-226]. 

Lance,  P.  See  Laws,  A.  R. 

(To  be  continued.) 


1924  Mar.  1 


94 


FIELD  NOTES. 

Varieties  of  Blackbird  at  Thorparch. — Near  Thorparch 
at  the  present  time  may  be  seen  three  Blackbirds,  one  entirely 
white,  another  marked  very  like  a Magpie,  while  the  third 
has  a white  head. — R.  Fortune,  18th  January,  1924. 

Pine  Marten  in  Yorkshire. — Mr.  T.  R.  Cuckney,  of 
Arnside,  reports  in  The  Yorkshire  Post  (17th  January,  1924) 
that  he  saw  a Pine  Marten,  the  distinctive  features  of  which 
he  was  able  to  see,  on  Simon’s  Fell,  Wharfedale,  in  November 
last. — R.  Fortune. 

Crossbills  near  Thornton  -le  -Dale. — Mr.  J.  Green  states 
that  in  December  he  saw  a pair  of  Crossbills  in  Lewisham 
Woods,  and  that  his  son  saw  quite  a dozen  Crossbills  at 
Brampton,  about  eight  miles  from  Thornton-le-Dale,  about 
the  same  time.— H.  B.  Booth. 

White  Blue  Titmouse  at  Thornton-le-Dale. — Mr.  J. 
Green,  gamekeeper,  of  Thornton-le-Dale,  informs  me  that  in 
December  last  he  got  a white  variety  of  the  Blue  Titmouse. 
As  albinos  in  this  species  are  extremely  rare,  I enquired 
whether  the  bird  had  pink  eyes,  but  Mr.  Green  is  not  quite 
sure,  but  believes  the  bird  had  light  grey  eyes. — H.  B.  Booth. 

Quails  in  the  Wilsden  District. — In  The  Naturalist  for 
February,  1922,  I recorded  a small  flock  of  Quail  from  Bingley 
Wood  on  the  12th  December,  1921,  and  on  12th  January  my 
wife  and  I flushed  another  flock  of  from  ten  to  fourteen  in 
number,  near  the  same  place.  It  is  not  often  met  with  in 
winter,  but  Mr.  Fred  Boyes  had  one  brought  to  him  on  28th 
December,  1878,  and  one  was  obtained  on  20th  February, 
1866,  near  Beverley.  I have  neVer  seen  it  here  in  the  breeding 
season,  which  is  late,  but  it  is  said  to  have  bred  near  Keighley 
in  1879,  an  egg  being  now  in  the  Museum  of  that  town  (Nelson’s 
‘ Birds  of  Yorkshire,’  p.  532),  and  in  various  other  parts  of 
Yorkshire,  but  in  recent  years  it  appears  to  have  become 
quite  scarce.  Both  the  flocks  I flushed  were  not  feeding, 
but  resting  on  migration,  as  was  manifest  from  the  ground, 
which  was  littered  with  their  droppings.  They  evidently 
migrate  during  the  night. — E.  P.  Butterfield. 

: o : 

A.  P.  Pavlow  discusses  ‘ Epoques  glaciaires  et  interglaciaires  de 
l’Europe  et  leur  rapport  a l’histoire  de  Phomme  fossile  ' in  Bull,  de  la 
Societe  des  Naturalistes  de  Moscou.  1922. 

Vol.  XXXVII.  of  the  Proceedings  and  Transactions  of  the  Liverpool 
Biological  Society  contains  the  Presidential  Address  of  Dr.  W.  J.  Dakin 
on  ‘ The  Problem  of  Sex  Determination,  with  special  reference  to  the 
Honey  Bee  ' ; as  well  as  the  Thirty-sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  Marine 
Biological  Station  at  Port  Erin  and  the  Report  for  1922  on  the  Lancashire 
Sea  Fisheries  Laboratory  at  the  University  of  Liverpool,  and  the  Sea- 
Fish  Hatchery  at  Piel,  near  Barrow.  These  include  many  interesting 
items  such  as  ‘ Seasonal  Changes  in  the  Chemical  Composition  of  the 
Mussel  ( Mytilus  edulis) 


Naturalist 


95 

YORKSHIRE  BRYOLOGISTS  AT  GRASSINGTON. 


F.  E.  MILSOM. 


A small  party  braved  the  elements  on  Saturday,  November  17th,  and 
found  the  moors  and  hills  thickly  covered  with  snow,  so  nothing  could 
be  done  on  the  open  ground. 

In  Grass  Wood,  the  most  outstanding  plants  were  Hypnum  molluscum 
and  Plagiochila  asplenioides , which  covered  nearly  every  boulder.  The 
scree  formation  on  the  north  side  of  the  wood  was  notable  for  the  quantity 
of  Lophozia  quinquedentata  growing  among  the  rocks. 

Dib  Scar,  being  more  open,  did  not  yield  much,  but  a large  growth 
of  Bartramia  oederi  in  fine  fruit  was  found.  The  Scar  was  also  notable 
for  the  Alpine  sports  indulged  in  by  the  party  ! 

On  Sunday  the  party  was  diminished  in  numbers,  and  the  day  was 
spent  in  making  another  survey  of  Grass  Wood. 

In  all,  fifty-eight  mosses  and  eighteen  hepatics  were  noted,  of  which 
the  following  are  selected  as  types  : — 

Mosses. 

Camptothecium  sericium. 
Brachythecium  populeum. 
Eurynchium  tenellum. 
Amblystegium  confervoides . 
Hypnum  commutatum. 

H . molluscum . 

H.  Schreberi. 

Ditrichum  flexicaule . 

Dicranum  majus. 

Hylocomium  loreum. 

H . squarrosum. 

Hepatics. 

Metzgeria  pubescens . Scapania  aspera. 

Lophozia  quinquedentata . Madotheca  platyphylla. 

Plagiochila  asplenioides  var.  majus.  Lejeunea  cavifolia. 

: o : 

‘ Nest -building  and  other  Breeding  Habits  of  the  Long -tailed  Tit  / 
by  R.  H.  Brown,  appears  in  British  Birds  for  February. 

Maud  J.  Delap  gives  ‘ Further  Notes  on  the  Plankton  of  Valentia 
Harbour,  1906-1923/  in  The  Irish  Naturalist  for  January,  and  there  are 
numerous  shorter  notes. 

There  is  an  account  of  the  work  of  the  Entomological  Section  of  the 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  by  E.  G.  Bayford,  in  The  Entomologist’s 
Monthly  Magazine  for  January. 

Under  the  somewhat  comprehensive  title  ‘ Man  and  the  Ice  Age,’  in 
Man  for  February,  Mr.  J.  R.  Moir  describes  two  or  three  implements 
found  at  Ipswich  ; very  old  ones . 

An  interesting  account  of  the  Silver  Cauldron  of  Gundestrup,  Jutland, 
and  its  bearing  upon  English  Antiquities,  by  Lieut -Col.  G.  R.  B.  Spain, 
occurs  in  The  Museums  Journal  for  February. 

The  Entomologist  for  February  contains  ‘ British  Mosquitoes,  1920- 
23,’  by  R.  W.  Edwards  ; and  ‘ Notes  from  the  Log-book  of  a Cumberland 
Garden,’  by  H.  D.  Ford,  among  other  useful  notes. 

There  are  descriptions  of  the  Elephas  antiquus  Bed  at  Clacton-on- 
Sea,  and  S.  H.  Warren’s  report  on  ‘ the  late  Glacial  Stage  of  the  Lea 
Valley,’  in  The  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society,  No.  316. 

Bird  Migration  in  Relation  to  Foot  and  Mouth  Disease  ’ is  the 
subject  of  a paper  by  A.  Landsborough  Thomson  in  Nature,  No.  2828. 
The  author  considers  that  a case  against  the  birds  has  not  been  proved. 


Seligeria  pusilla. 
Fissidens  pusillus. 

F.  decipiens. 

Tor  tula  ruralis. 

Barbula  rigidula. 

B.  rubella. 

Trichostomum  mutabile, 
var.  cophocarpum. 
Bartramia  oederi. 
Porotrichum  alopecurum . 
Anomodon  viticulosus . 
Thuidium  Philiberti . 


1924  Mar.  1 


96 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

At  the  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London, 
on  February  15th,  Dr.  J.  W.  Evans,  F.R.S.,  was  elected  President. 

The  Council  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society  has  elected 
Professor  Percy  F.  Kendall  an  Honorary  Life -member  of  that  Society. 

The  death  is  announced  of  W.  M.  Pybus,  a North  of  England  ornith- 
ologist, at  the  age  of  seventy -two  ; and  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Allchin  of  the 
Maidstone  Museum . 

A second  edition  of  the  interesting  ‘ Handbook  to  the  Cases^  illus- 
trating adaptations  for  Locomotion  in  Animals/  has  been  issued  by  the 
Horniman  Museum,  Forest  Hill  (40  pp.,  2d.). 

In  No.  264  of  The  Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society,  H. 
B.  Milner  writes  on  ‘ The  Microscopical  Investigation  of  Sands,  for 
various  Industrial  Purposes/  and  Prof.  A.  C.  Seward  on  ‘The  Use  of 
the  Microscope  in  Palseobotanical  Research/ 

We  notice  that  Mr.  J.  Reid  Moir  has  been  writing  to  The  Times 
advising  caution  in  interpreting  red  or  brown  stains  on  fossil  bones 
as  marks  of  blood,  most  of  these  being  evidently  due  to  the  deposit  of 
oxides  of  iron  by  percolating  water.  Kettle  ! 

We  have  received  from  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Technical 
Instruction  for  Ireland  a valuable  ‘ Guide  to  the  Collection  of  Irish 
Animals/  by  R.  F.  Scharff  (50  pp.,  6d.)  ; ‘ The  Report  of  the  Board 

of  Visitors  for  1921-22  of  the  National  Museum  ’ ; and  a valuable 
‘ Memoir  and  Map  of  Localities  of  Minerals  of  Economic  Importance 
and  Metalliferous  Mines  in  Ireland/  by  Grenville  A.  J.  Cole  (155  pp., 
7/6).  As  frontispiece  to  the  latter  is  a photograph  of  a bust  of  Sir 
Richard  J.  Griffith,  Bart.,  who  had  much  to  do  with  the  mapping  of  the 
geological  features  of  the  island.  , 

Messrs.  H.  F.  & G.  Witherby  ask  us  to  draw  our  readers’  attention 
to  the  fact  that  they  are  issuing  a volume  under  the  title  of  ‘ A Romance 
of  the  Rostrum,  being  the  business  life  of  Henry  Stevens,  and  the 
history  of  38  King  Street,  together  with  some  accounts  of  famous  sales 
held  there  during  the  last  hundred  years,  compiled  by  E.  G.  Allingham, 
with  a preface  by  The  Rt.  Hon.  Lord  Rothschild,  F.R.S./  and  that  a 
limited  edition  only  is  being  issued  to  subscribers.  A prospectus  will 
be  sent  to  anyone  applying,  which  contains  an  illustration  of  a Great 
Auk  and  its  egg. 

We  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post  that  ‘ a curious  angling  experience 
has  befallen  a Grimsby  man  who  was  fishing  from  the  Humber  bank  at 
Stallinbro’.  He  had  two  rods  out,  and,  as  the  sport  was  poor,  he  left 
them  on  the  bank  and  moved  to  watch  a “ school  ” of  porpoises  which 
were  disporting  some  distance  away.  Suddenly  he  noticed  that  one  of 
the  rods  was  moving  along  the  bank.  He  dasked  after  it  and  secured  it, 
and  then  saw  that  a porpoise,  probably  eight  feet  in  length,  had  taken  the 
bait  (a  mussel),  and  was  making  off  with  the  rod  in  tow.  On  feeling 
the  line  jerk  taut,  the  porpoise  disgorged  the  hook  and  bait,  and  went 
wheeling  off  to  rejoin  the  ‘ ‘ school . ” ’ We  wish  he  had  told  us  something 
about  his  other  line  ! 

The  British  Museum  (Natural  History)  has  this  year  issued  an 
almanack,  which,  we  understand,  is  for  sale  at  one  shilling.  It  con- 
tains particulars  of  the  hours  of  admission,  official  tours,  collecting, 
and  publications.  There  is  a representation  in  colours  of  a beautiful 
butterfly,  but  in  a very  un-museum  way  it  is  not  labelled,  and  among 
the  six  interesting  ‘ accessions  ’ is  a White -tailed  Sea -eagle  which  has 
been  shot  in  Kent,  presumably  by  some-one  who  has  broken  the  law  ! 
On  the  back  of  the  almanack  is  a list  of  the  staff  in  the  various  departments 
from  the  Director  to  the  boy,  and  details  of  postal  rates.  However, 
we  must  congratulate  the  Museum  upon  making  an  attempt  to  get  its 
collections  better  known. 


Naturalist 


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By  WILLIAM  MORTON  WHEELER,  Ph.D.,  Sc.D. 

Demy  8 vo.  Illustrated.  16/-  net. 

Professor  Arthur  Dendy,  F.R.S.,  writes: — “ Professor  Wheeler’s  delightful 
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lovers  of  Nature.  It  is  addressed  to  the  general  public  rather  than  to  professional 
students,  and  it  makes  excellent  reading.  At  the  same  time  Professor  Wheeler’s 
high  authority  as  an  entomologist,  and  his  great  literary  ability,  lift  the  book  right 
out  of  the  category  of  mere  popularizations.  Zoologists,  and  even  sociologists, 
will  find  much  in  it  that  they  ought  to  know,  and  that  they  will  not  easily  find 
elsewhere.” 

London  : CONSTABLE  & COMPANY,  Ltd,,  10-12  Orange  St.,  W.C.2. 

BOMBAY  AND  SYDNEY. 

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Streams  treated  are  given  with  every  care.  At  least  one  hundred 
Springs  and  Streams  of  the  East  Riding,  after  full  research,  are 
described,  and  in  addition  many  more  by  way  of  illustration  in 
other  parts  of  England.  An  attempt,  too,  is  made  to  arrive  at  the 
origin  of  the  traditions  connected  with  them  which  few  Folk-lore 
volumes  on  this  or  any  subject  essay. 

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given  in  uniform  order  is  easy  of  reference. 

The  Descriptions  are  more  complete  than  any  hitherto  pub- 
lished in  book  form,  for  they  include  in  each  species  the  plumages 
and  moults  of  both  sexes  from  season  to  season,  as  well  as  the 
changes  from  nestling  to  maturity,  under  separate  headings. 

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Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — Rare,  Vanishing  and  Lost 
British  Birds  ; Halifax  Naturalists  ; Journal  of  Experimental 
Biology  ; Journal  of  Ecology  ; Yorkshire  Spas,  etc.  ; Bird  Calls  ; 
List  ; Geological  Literature  ; Errata  ; An  Example  ; Omissions  ; 
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The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period,  with  Special  Reference 
to  Discoveries  in  Yorkshire  (illustrated) — Arthur  Smith  Woodward 
LL .D . , F.R.S. 

Bibliography  : — Papers  and  Records  relating  to  the  Geology  of  the 
North  of  England  (Yorkshire  excepted),  published  during  102^— 

T.  Sheppard,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.  ...  5 0 

In  Memoriam  C.  F.  George,  M.R.C.S.  (portrait)— T. S.  ...  ... 

Yorkshire  Hemiptera  in  1923 — James  M.  Brown,  B.Sc.,  F.L.S.,  F.E.S. 
Field  Notes  : — Deilephila  livornica  at  Normanton  ; White -breasted 
variety  of  Cormorant  at  Scarborough  ; Leeds  Natural  History 
Records  ; Pine  Marten  in  the  West  Riding 
Book  Notice 

News  from  the  Magazines  . . ...  ” * 

Northern  News 

Illustrations  99,  102,  107,  108,  no,  m,  113,  n4 

Plates  V.  and  VII.  J 4’ 


PAGE 


97-104 


IO5-X17 


I l8-I2X 

122-123 
12 


123-127 
I27 
, 126 
12 1 , 128 
6 


LONDON : 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 

And  at  Hull  and  York. 


Printers  and  Publishers  to  the  Y.  N.  U. 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 


For  particulars  apply  to 

The  Hon.  Secretaries,  The  University,  Leeds;  or  to 

The  Hon.  Treasurer , Mr.  E.  Hawksworth , Sunnyside,  Crossgates, 

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BOOKS  WANTED 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-1 
Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  23 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others 
Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II  -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855  • 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2ndser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914— 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XX Vj 
Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  part^  . 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith’s  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  111. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Woolhope  Club  Trans.  1877-80. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70 
Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Musem  1 -1  >.  > 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  V. 


DOTTEREL  ( Eudromias  morinellus ) 


Half  natural  size 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 


97 


RARE,  VANISHING,  AND  LOST  BRITISH  BIRDS.* 

We  remember  over  a quarter  of  a century  ago  being  fas- 
cinated by  a pamphlet  on  Lost  British  Birds  by  the  late 
W.  H.  Hudson,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  that  the  memory  of 
this  great  naturalist  will  be  kept  green  in  many  ways,  one 
of  which  is  the  production  of  the  present  publication,  which 
has  twenty- five  excellent  coloured  plates  by  the  well-known 
artist,  H.  Gronvold,  one  of  which  we  are  kindly  permitted 
to  reproduce  as  PL  V.  The  volume  originally  appeared  in 
1894,  but  in  its  present  form  is  a great  improvement.  The 
price  is  very  reasonable. 

HALIFAX  NATURALISTS. 

The  Halifax  Scientific  Society  has  recently  celebrated  its 
Jubilee  by  holding  an  exhibition,  which  was  open  for  in- 
spection by  the  general  public  for  a week,  and  lectures  were 
given  on  suitable  subjects  during  the  evenings.  Judging  from 
the  excellent  report  in  the  Halifax  Daily  Courier  the  effort 
was  thoroughly  successful,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  that  Halifax 
still  takes  its  prominent  part  in  the  scientific  history  of 
Yorkshire,  as  it  did  fifty  years  ago,  when  J.  W.  Davis,  Percy 
Sladon,  William  Cash  and  others  were  alive. 

JOURNAL  OF  EXPERIMENTAL  BIOLOGY. 

One  result  of  the  specialisation  in  scientific  research  has 
been  the  increased  number  of  valuable  publications  issued 
by  the  more  prominent  of  the  publishing  firms  throughout  the 
country.  Messrs.  Oliver  & Boyd  have  recently  issued  Part  I. 
of  The  British  Journal  of  Experimental  Biology,  the  Managing 
Editor  of  which  is  Dr.  F.  A.  E.  Crew,  of  the  Animals  Breeding 
Research  Department  of  the  University,  Edinburgh,  and  there 
is  a strong  Editorial  Board.  In  the  well-printed  and  well- 
illustrated  publication  of  over  150  pages,  the  following  mono- 
graphs appear  ‘ Studies  on  Internal  Secretion,  II.  : En- 

docrine Activity  in  Foetal  and  Embryonic  Life,’  by  L.  T. 
Hogben  and  F.  A.  E.  Crew  ; ‘ Studies  on  the  Comparative 

Physiology  of  Digestion,  I.  : The  Mechanism  of  Feeding, 

Digestion,  and  Assimilation  in  the  Lamellibranch  Mya,’  by 
C.  M.  Younge  ; * Parthenogenesis  in  the  Mollusc  Paludestrina 
jenkinsi,’  Part  I.,  by  G.  C.  Robson  ; ‘ Further  Data  on 

Linkage  in  Gammarus  chevreuxi  : and  its  Relation  to  Cytology,’ 
by  J.  S.  Huxley  ; ‘ Historical  Studies  on  the  Gonads  of  the 
Fowl,  I.  : The  Historical  Basis  of  Sex  Reversal,’  by  H.  B. 
Fell  ; and  ‘ Tissue  Culture  : A Critical  Summary,’  by  H. 
M.  Carleton.  The  titles  of  these  alone  give  an  impression 


* By  Douglas  Gordon.  London  : John  Murray,  ix.4-239  pp. 

7/6  net. 


1924  April  1 


G 


Notes  and  Comments. 


98 

of  the  far-reaching  influence  of  Experimental  Biology  in  these 
times.  We  should  like  to  congratulate  the  Editorial  Board 
upon  the  value  and  appearance  of  its  first  publication,  and 
trust  that  it  may  be  followed  regularly  by  others. 

JOURNAL  OF  ECOLOGY. 

The  Journal  of  Ecology  for  January,  under  the  editorship 
of  Professor  A.  G.  Tansley,  is  a substantial  volume,  and  con- 
tains a number  of  valuable  memoirs,  together  with  a summary 
of  recent  literature  by  W.  H.  Pearsall.  The  contributions 
are  : ‘ Phases  of  Vegetation  under  Monsoon  Conditions/  by 

W.  T.  Saxton;  ‘The  Hornbeam  (Carpinus  Betulus  L.)  in 
Britain/  by  Miller  Christy  ; ‘ Wilting  of  Plants  in  its  con- 
nexion with  Drought  Resistance/  by  N.  A.  Maximow  and 
T.  A.  Krasnosselsky-Maximow  ; ‘The  Influence  of  Manuring 
on  the  Weed  Flora  of  Arable  Land/  by  Katherine  Warington  ; 
and  ‘ The  Temperature  of  the  Surface  of  Deserts/  by  P.  A. 
Buxton,  though  particular  interest  attaches  to  Mr.  Miller 
Christy’s  monograph  on  The  Hornbeam,  in  which  he  points 
out  that  ‘ In  the  present  day,  owing  to  the  almost  complete 
disuse  of  the  Hornbeam  for  industrial  and  other  purposes, 
its  culture  (formerly  of  some  importance,  especially  in  France) 
is  neglected  almost  entirely.  Nurserymen  are  still  able  to 
supply  young  plants,  raised  from  seed,  for  the  planting  of 
game-coverts,  shelter  hedges,  and  the  like  ; but  that  is  about 
all/  Mr.  Miller  Christy’s  map  showing  the  approximate 
natural  range  of  the  Hornbeam  in  Britain  indicates  that  in 
his  opinion  this  area  is  round  London,  extending  as  far  as 
Suffolk  on  the  north  and  Hampshire  towards  the  west. 

YORKSHIRE  SPAS,  ETC.* 

Mr.  Smith  has  gathered  together  a tremendous  amount  of 
information  relating  to  the  folk-lore  of  streams  and  wells  in 
the  East  Riding,  and  has  had  the  valuable  co-operation  of  Mr. 
John  Nicholson,  of  Hull,  whose  knowledge  on  these  matters 
is  well  known.  Curious  legends  and  traditions  are  brought 
together,  information  is  given  of  the  marvellous  curative 
properties  of  some  of  the  waters,  which  we  can  understand 
when,  as  for  instance,  in  the  case  of  the  Filey  Spa,  the  dose 
was  / from  one  to  six  pints.’  There  are  illustrations  of  various 
kinds  in  the  book,  and  altogether  it  is  a very  readable  and 
valuable  contribution  to  the  subject  dealt  with.  If  we  could 
be  callous  enough  to  make  a criticism  it  would  be  that  we 
should  have  preferred  another  view  of  one  of  the  delightful 
springs  and  streams  of  the  East  Riding,  to  that  called  ‘ A 
Corner  of  the  Author’s  Study,’  which  appears  as  frontispiece. 


* ‘ Ancient  Springs  and  Streams  of  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire,’ 
by  W.  Smith.  London  : A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  186  pp.,  6/-. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments . 


99 


BIRD  CALLS. 

While  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  various  forms  of  bird 


calls  may  not  be  strictly  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  ideals  of  the 
field  naturalist,  the  fact  remains 
that  a naturalist  obtains  advan- 
tages by  use  of  some  of  these, 
and  it  is  interesting  to  find  from 
a prospectus  received  from 
Messrs.  Spratts  that  a large 
variety  of  these  is  on  sale.  The 
forms  used  for  some  of  these  are 
evidently  of  great  age,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  find  that  some  of 
them  have  not  altered  for  a con- 
siderable number  of  years.  The 
accompanying  illustrations, 
taken  from  the  catalogue*,  in- 
dicates the  variety  of  forms  in 
use. 

LIST. 


1.  — Owl  (boxwood). 

2.  — Wild  Goose  (nickel  and  teak). 

3.  — Pheasant,  Quail  (leather,  box- 

wood and  brass). 

4.  — Wood  pigeon  (boxwood). 

5. — Green  Plover  or  Pee-weet  (box- 

wood, with  screw  ends  and  tape 
stretch). 

6. — Hare  (boxwood,  metal  sounder). 

7.  — Wild  Duck  (boxwood,  screw 

bottom  and  sounder). 

8.  — Rabbit  (boxwood) . 

9 .  — Curlew  (boxwood , brass  cone ) . 

10. — Golden  Plover  (boxwood  or  ante- 

lope horn). 

11.  — Canada  Goose  (boxwood  or  lig- 

num vitae ) . 

12.  — Canada  Goose  (another  pattern). 

13.  — Ring  Plover  (lead  or  composi- 

tion ) . 

14.  — Partridge  (silver  or  nickel) . 

15.  — Red  Grouse,  Black-game  and 

Magpie  (metal). 

16.  — Jay  (metal). 

17.  — Green  Plover  or  Pee-weet  (York- 

shire pattern  metal). 

18.  — Snipe  (bone). 

19 .  — Partridge  (boxwood ) . 

20.  — Teal  (metal  and  horn). 


* These  can  be  obtained  from  Messrs.  Spratts  Patent,  24  and  25 
'Fenchurch  Street,  London,  E.C.3. 


1924  April  1 


100 


Notes  and  Comments. 


GEOLOGICAL  LITERATURE. 

What  is  described  as  ‘ Geological  Literature  added  to 
the  Geological  Society’s  Library  during  the  years  1915,  1916, 
1917,  1918,  and  1919,’  is  a volume  consisting  of  545  pages, 
which  is  supposed  to  be  a record  of  the  acquisitions  to  the 
Society’s  Library  during  those  years.  The  first  313  pages 
contain  the  list  of  the  literature  added,  which  averages  62 
pages  per  annum.  The  list  for  1912  contains  147  pages  ; 
1913,  130  pages  ; 1914,  106  pages  ; and  that  for  1920 

contains  123  pages,  so  that  there  has  been  an  apparent  con- 
siderable drop  in  the  production  of  geological  literature 
during  the  years  covered  by  the  present  volume,  which  can 
hardly  be  explained  as  entirely  due  to  the  war. 

ERRATA. 

Shortly  after  the  publication  a lengthy  list  of  Errata 
was  circulated,  from  which,  it  might  be  assumed,  that  while 
there  are  corrections  pretty  well  throughout,  there  are  appar- 
ently none  whatever  between  pages  192  and  314,  nor  between 
343  and  410,  whereas,  as  a matter  of  fact,  there  are  considerable 
numbers  on  these,  as  on  other  pages.  The  subject  index  also, 
which  occupies  pages  314  to  545,  is  mechanical  rather  than 
analytical.  However,  in  order  to  see  to  what  extent  this 
printed  record  of  geological  literature  compares  with  the 
actual  card  catalogue  in  the  Society’s  Library,  the  present 
writer  took  the  trouble  to  compare  the  entries  in  the  volume 
with  the  cards,  with  a result  clearly  indicating  that,  in  order 
to  be  anything  like  accurate,  a massive  supplementary  volume 
should  be  issued.  This  is  particularly  regrettable,  as  we 
believe  the  Society’s  anxiety  in  the  interests  of  economy  has 
resulted  in  a large  sum  of  money  being  wasted,  or  nearly  so, 
as,  if  this  printed  list  of  geological  literature  is  incomplete  it 
is  of  little  value  to  the  workers  for  whom,  presumably,  it  has 
been  prepared. 

AN  EXAMPLE. 

For  example,  under  ‘ T.  Sheppard  ’ are  twenty  entries  for 
the  five  years.  Two  of  these  are  dated  1906  and  1911  respec- 
tively, so  that  the  number  is  reduced  to  eighteen.  Of  these, 
six  refer  to  bibliographies  relating  to  the  Geology  of  the 
Northern  Counties  (Yorkshire  excepted)  which  appeared  in 
The  Naturalist,  though  the  bibliographies  of  Yorkshire  Geo- 
logy which  appeared  in  the  Yorkshire  Geological  Society’s 
Proceedings,  and  which  are  in  the  Society’s  own  card  catalogue, 
are  not  mentioned  in  this  printed  list.  Similarly,  there  are 
in  this  list  particulars  of  ten  obituary  notices  of  geologists, 
usually  of  a page  or  less  in  length,  separate  copies  of  which 
were  not  sent  to  the  Society,  whereas  what  are  referred  to 
elsewhere  as  important  memoirs  dealing  with  (a)  Martin 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


IOI 


Simpson,  of  Whitby,  and  his  numerous  valuable  contributions 
to  Palaeontological  Literature,  and  (b)  ‘ William  Smith,  his 
Maps  and  Memoirs,’  though  duly  entered  in  the  card  catalogue, 
are  entirely  ignored  in  the  Geological  Literature.  The  Smith 
Memoir,  dealing  with  the  Father  of  English  Geology,  in  its 
original  form  in  the  Yorkshire  Geological  Society’s  Proceedings 
and  in  the  re-issue  which  was  published  later,  contains  nearly 
200  pages,  together  with  numerous  plates  and  diagrams, 
and  the  Society  has  at  least  three  copies  on  its  shelves.  Yet 
even  this  does  not  appear  in  the  List  of  Geological  Literature . 

OMISSIONS. 

Eliminating  these  bibliographies  and  obituaries,  it  leaves 
two  items  to  this  writer’s  credit,  namely  an  abstract  of  a 
paper  on  * Geological  Maps,’  published  by  the  Society  itself, 
and  ‘ Yorkshire’s  Contribution  to  Science,’  a volume  published 
in  1916.  Actual  contributions  to  Geology,  such  as  a new 
species  of  Lima  from  the  Yorkshire  Chalk  ; new  records  of 
fossils  from  the  Quaternary  Deposits,  etc.,  are  ignored, 
although  these  are  duly  recorded  in  the  card  catalogue  in 
the  Society’s  Library.  This  card  catalogue  is  by  no  means  a 
complete  record  of  the  contributions  of  this  particular  indi- 
vidual which  are  possessed  by  the  Society,  but  some  of  these 
occur  in  periodicals  which  it  is  possibly  much  too  great  an 
undertaking  to  examine  ; but  surely  it  is  not  asking  too  much 
to  expect  that  a publication  for  which  the  Fellows  now  have 
to  pay  an  extra  charge,  should  at  least  conform  with  the  card 
catalogue  which  is  available  to  the  Fellows  and  presumably 
to  the  compiler  of  this  Geological  Literature. 

BRITISH  ASSOCIATION  WORK. 

The  British  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science 
has  issued  the  report  of  the  Conference  of  Delegates  of  Corres- 
ponding Societies,  held  at  the  Liverpool  meeting  in  September, 
1923,  66  pp.  Many  suggestions,  covering  a wide  range,  were 
recommended  to  the  Council  of  the  Association,  which  included 
assistance  to  local  scientific  societies  ; town  planning  ; care 
of  sites  of  historic  or  scientific  interest,  or  of  natural  beauty  ; 
and  an  objection  to  the  change  of  the  English  gallon  to  4 
litres,  pointing  out  that  as  a gallon  of  water  weighs  10  lbs., 
it  is  an  important  factor  in  physical  and  engineering  practice. 
In  addition  to  the  report  are  bibliographical  lists  of  papers 
published  in  the  year  1922  on  the  Zoology,  Botany  and  Pre- 
historic Archaeology  of  the  British  Isles.  These  are  very 
comprehensive,  including  even  the  shortest  notes,  and  will  be 
invaluable  for  reference.  The  writer  and  compiler  is  our 
indefatigable  member  and  editor,  Mr.  Thomas  Sheppard.— 
H.B.B. 


1924  April  l 


102 


Notes  and  Comments. 


ESSEX  BRONZE  IMPLEMENTS. 

As  Publication  No.  i,  the  Colchester  Museum  has  issued 
‘ Essex  Bronze  Implements  and  Weapons  in  the  Colchester 
Museum/  by  Charles  H.  Butcher  (12  pp.,  is.).  Emulating 
other  Museums,  the  Colchester  curator  has  reprinted  this 
pamphlet  from  the  Transactions  of  the  local  Antiquarian 
Society.  The  paper  includes  illustrations  of  a number  of 


Portion  of  Bronze  Founder’s  Hoard  from  Hatfield  Broad  Oak, 
showing  Spearheads,  Socketed  Hammer,  Caldron  Rings,  and  portions 
of  the  rim  of  a Bronze  Vessel. 


interesting  hoards  of  bronze  implements,  together  with  pal- 
staves, socketed  axes,  etc.,  one  of  which  we  are  permitted  to 
reproduce  herewith. 

YORKSHIRE  PHILOSOPHERS. 

The  annual  report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society, 
presented  recently,  contained  a record  of  activity.  The 
Committee  has  received  a collection  of  herbarium  specimens 
of  British  ferns,  and  marine  and  freshwater  algse,  collected  by 
the  late  William  Bean,  of  Scarborough,  and  presented  by  his 
son,  Mr.  Eugene  Bean.  Among  the  more  important  additions 
to  the  British  bird  collection  are  : White’s  Thrush,  shot  at 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


103 


Waplington  Manor,  near  Pocklington,  January,  1882  ; cases  of 
nesting  birds,  and  albino  and  other  varieties  of  different 
species  have  also  been  added. 

BIOLOGICAL  SCIENCES. 

Without  any  preliminary  blare  of  trumpets,  without  even 
an  editorial  note,  Vol.  I.,  Part  1,  page  1 of  the  Proceedings 
of  the  Cambridge  Philosophical  Society,  Biological  Sciences. 
(Cambridge  University  Press,  62  pp.,  12/6)  commences  in 
a business-like  way  with  F.  A.  Potts'  interesting  paper  on 
‘ The  Structure  and  Function  of  the  Liver  of  Teredo,  the 
Shipworm,’  which  is  much  more  comprehensive  than  the  title 
suggests.  Other  memoirs  are  ‘ The  Structure  and  Life- 
History  of  Lipotropha  n.g.,  a new  type  of  Schizogregarine, 
parasitic  in  the  Fat  Body  of  a Dipterous  Larva  (Systenus)/ 
by  D.  Keilin  ; ‘ The  Determination  of  the  Salt  Error  of 

Indicators  and  the  Accurate  Estimation  of  the  pYL  of  Solutions 
by  Colorimetric  methods,'  by  J.  T.  Saunders  ; ‘ The  Measure- 
ment of  the  Carbon  Dioxide  output  of  fresh  water  Animals 
by  means  of  Indicators,'  by  J.  T.  Saunders  ; ‘ Specific  Gravity 
as  a Factor  in  the  Vertical  Distribution  of  Plankton,’  by  D. 
Eyden  ; ‘On  the  Invasion  of  Woody  Tissues  by  Wound 
Parasites,’  by  F.  T.  Brooks  and  W.  C.  Moore  ; ‘ On  the  Struc- 
ture of  a Middle  Cambrian  Alga  from  British  Columbia  (Mar- 
polia  spissa,  Walcott),’  by  J.  Walton.  We  trust  this  valuable 
publication  will  meet  with  the  support  it  deserves. 

THRINAX  MIXTA  AND  T.  MACULA. 

In  a paper  on  the  Biology  of  the  above  species,  based 
upon  observations  made  upon  specimens  found  in  Durham 
(Proc.  University  of  Durham  Phil.  Sac Vol.  VI.,  p.  5), 
Mr.  A.  D.  Peacock  gives  new  features  of  the  distribution, 
life  history  and  biology  of  T.  mixta,  and  an  account  of  the 
life  history  and  biology  of  T.  macula  for  the  first  time.  The 
two  species  are  ‘ parallel  species,'  and  their  larvae  are 
differentiated  ; the  method  and  rationale  of  the  laying  of 
the  peculiar  eggs,  and  the  operation  of  burrowing  by  macula 
are  described  in  detail.  Both  species  may  defer  emergence 
for  a year  ; one  specimen  of  mixta  shows  signs  of  postponing 
emergence  for  two  years.  The  author  concludes  :• — ‘ Both 
species  are  arrhenotokously  parthenogenetic  ; the  result  is  at 
variance  with  v.  Rossum’s  findings  in  the  case  of  mixta. 

ROCK  SALT  IN  YORKSHIRE. 

The  Quarry  for  February  contains  Dr.  R.  L.  Sherlock's 
paper  on  ‘ British  Rock  Salt  Deposits,’  read  at  the  Liverpool 
meeting  of  the  British  Association.  In  this  he  states  ‘ Salt 
has  been  recorded  in  several  borings  in  Yorkshire,  and  notably 
at  Market  Weight  on.  The  section  of  this  boring  can  be 
correlated  in  a broad  way  with  the  Middlesbrough  succession. 


1924  April  1 


104  Notes  and  Comments. 

At  Market  Weighton  salt  occurs  at  two  horizons  in  the  Upper 
and  Middle  permian  marls  above  and  below  the  Upper 
magnesian  limestone.  If  the  permian  has  any  real  existence, 
then  Middlesbrough  and  Yorkshire  salt  are  permian  ; but  it 
happens  that  if  the  new  rocks  are  mapped  from  Nottingham 
northwards,  they  undergo  a lateral  change  and  at  the  same 
time  a great  thickening.  At  Nottingham  the  so-called 
Middle  permian  marl  is  the  base  of  the  bunter,  and  further 
north  the  Upper  magnesian  limestone  comes  in  as  a thin 
wedge  in  the  bunter,  ceases  to  be  recognisable  as  such,  and  by 
imperceptible  stages  the  Middlesbrough  succession  comes  on.’ 

RARE  PLANTS. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  London 
Mr.  A.  J.  Wilmott  exhibited  specimens  of  Myosotis  sicula 
Guss.,  discovered  by  him  in  Jersey  in  1922  ; of  Alchemilla 
pastor alis  Buser,  rediscovered  in  Teesdale  by  him  last  year  ; 
of  Alchemilla  glomerulans,  discovered  in  the  herbarium  of 
Rev.  J.  Roffey,  and  now  presented  to  the  Natural  History 
Museum  ; of  Pulmonaria  from  the  New  Forest,  which  he 
identified  with  P.  longifolia  (Bast.),  a West  European  species, 
and  not  as  formerly  with  P.  azurea  Bess.,  a species  of  Middle 
and  Eastern  Europe  ; of  the  British  Viola,  which  has  been 
incorrectly  named  V.  epipsila  Fr.,  but  which  may  be  the 
Portuguese  V.  Juressi  K.  Wein  ; and  of  the  rediscovered 
Geranium  purpureum  of  the  ‘ English  Botany  ’ which  he  has 
named  var.  Fosteri.  Various  points  of  interest  concerning 
them  were  indicated  with  the  help  of  additional  specimens. 

OCEANOGRAPHY. 

Dr.  Johnstone  has  produced  a charming  volume,*  which 
will  do  much  to  further  the  study  of  the  science  of  Oceano- 
graphy, in  connection  with  which  he  is  so  important  a pillar. 
‘ The  subjects  on  this  book  are  the  physical  phenomena  of  the 
Ocean  ; the  water  itself  ; the  foreshore  and  sea  bottom  ; the 
great  current  systems  ; the  tides  and  tidal  predictions. 
These  chapters  lead  up  to  a discussion  of  the  movements  of 
the  earth’s  crust  that  have  led  to  the  formation  of  the  great 
oceanic  abysses  and  the  continental  lands.  The  book  is 
intended  for  students  of  oceanography  in  general,  but  it  also 
supplies  the  material  necessary  for  a connection  between  the 
study  of  oceanography  on  the  one  hand  and  geology  and 
geography  on  the  other.’  There  are  some  excellent  illustra- 
tions, one  of  which  we  are  kindly  permitted  to  reproduce — 
Plate  VII. 


* ‘ An  Introduction  to  Oceanography,  with  Special  Reference  to 
Geography  and  Geophysics,’  by  James  Johnstone.  University  Press  of 
Liverpool,  xii.  + 35i  pp.,  15/-  net. 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  VII. 


Nu  I Is po  re  gravel 


Nerific: 
Null  spore  grave! 


Sand 


Manganese 'nodule 


Pelagic: 

(jlohigerina  ooje 


Parhone  of  whale 


Shark's  tooth 


Pelagic  ■ 
iolarfan  ooje 


Cosmic  spherule 


Typical  deep-sea  and  shallow-water  deposits.  The  shelly  and  nullipore 
gravels  are  reduced ; the  coral  sand,  pteropod  and  globigerina  oozes  are 
moderately  magnified ; the  radiolarian  and  diatom  oozes  are  highly  magni- 
fied. The  cosmic  spherule  is  highly  magnified  while  the  manganese  nodule, 
the  whale  earbone  and  the  shark’s  tooth  are  slightly  reduced. 


{Reproduced  from  “ An  Introduction  to  Oceanography .”  J.  Johnstone). 


195 


THE  ANIMALS  OF  THE  CARBONIFEROUS  PERIOD, 
WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO  DISCOVERIES 
IN  YORKSHIRE. 


BY  ARTHUR  SMITH  WOODWARD,  LL.D. , F.R.S. 


In  1878  the  late  Prof.  L.  C.  Miall  published  a most  interesting 
.account  of  the  animal  life  represented  by  fossils  in  the  Coal 
Measures.1  During  the  'seventies  and  the  next  decade  both 
he  and  the  late  James  William  Davis,  of  Halifax,  were 
actively  occupied  with  researches  especially  on  the  fishes  of 
the  Coal  period,  and  it  was  they  who  first  attracted  me  to 
pay  frequent  visits  to  Yorkshire.  With  Mr.  Davis  I traversed 
most  of  the  county  and  was  introduced  to  many  of  the  natur- 
alists of  his  time  ; with  him  I also  travelled  widely  on  the 
continent  to  study  the  collections  of  fossil  fishes  which  were 
helpful  in  the  investigations  in  which  we  were  both  interested. 
Miall  and  Davis,  however,  were  among  the  pioneers  who 
still  lacked  the  material  needed  for  the  due  appreciation  of 
the  fossils  with  which  they  were  dealing.  Miall,  indeed,  in 
1878,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  during  the  Coal  period 
* the  great  majority  of  the  principal  types  of  animal  life 
■existed,  just  as  distinct  from  each  other,  just  as  specialised 
in  their  structure  then  as  now.'  Davis  even  compared  some 
of  the  fish-remains  with  supposed  corresponding  structures 
in  one  of  the  most  specialised  groups  of  bony  fishes  of  the 
present  day.2  Subsequent  research  has  led  to  a very  different 
result.  The  more  we  learn  of  the  fossils,  the  more  we  realise 
the  distinctness  of  the  Carboniferous  fauna  from  any  that 
has  existed  in  later  times,  and  the  more  we  are  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  of  organic  evolution. 

During  recent  years  there  seems  to  have  been  less  activity 
in  collecting  from  the  Yorkshire  Coal  Measures  and  the 
immediately  underlying  formations,  and  I propose  in  this 
address  to  try  to  stimulate  renewed  interest  in  the  work. 
So  much  progress  has  been  made  elsewhere  that  it  is  now 
possible  to  formulate  many  problems  which  specially  need 
solution,  and  the  Carboniferous  shales  and  limestones  of 
this  county  are  as  hopeful  sources  of  material  as  those  of 
any  other  region.  We  need,  especially,  collections  from  the 
ironstone  nodules  and  other  concretions,  for  we  have  now 
among  such  fossils  not  only  well-preserved  hard  parts,  but 
also  many  impressions  of  soft  organs  which  we  never  expected 
to  see. 


1 In  Coal,  its  History  and  Uses,”  edited  by  Prof.  Thorpe  (London, 
1878),  pp.  110-163. 

2 Ann.  & Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  [5]  vol.  v (1880),  p.  349  ( Pleuracanthus ). 


1924  April  1 


ro6  The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period 

From  personal  experience  I can  only  refer  to  the  fishes 
and  higher  vertebrates,  but  any  review  of  recent  progress 
would  be  incomplete  without  at  least  a mention  of  some 
of  the  invertebrates.  Even  if  the  larger  groups  of  inverte- 
brates are  not  much  different  from  those  of  the  present  day,, 
the  relative  abundance  of  their  component  smaller  divisions 
is  strikingly  different  ; and  there  are  many  strange  annectant 
types  which  we  should  expect  to  find  in  a fauna  so  much  nearer 
in  time  to  the  origin  of  life.  The  Arthropods  are  particularly 
interesting.  Although  the  majority  of  the  Crustaceans 
remind  us  of  the  existing  open-ocean  and  deep-sea  shrimp- 
shaped My  sis,  many  are  much  more  primitive — much  more 
like  the  theoretical  common  ancestor — with  their  nearest 
modern  representative,  the  Syncarid  Anaspides , stranded  in 
the  remote  freshwaters  of  Tasmania  and  Australia.1  There 
are  also  the  aquatic  Arachnids,  such  as  Belinurus,  surviving 
from  a race  that  was  previously  much  more  flourishing,  but 
is  to-day  represented  only  by  the  king-crab  (Limulus). 
Scorpions  found  in  the  Coal  Measures  show  signs  of  having 
only  just  become  air-breathers.  Spiders  seem  to  have  been 
more  important  and  more  highly  developed  than  at  any  subse- 
quent period.2  A remarkable  collection  was  made  from  the 
nodules  of  the  Coal  Measures  near  Littleborough,  Lancashire r 
by  the  late  W.  H.  Sutcliffe,  and  similar  nodules  should 
be  well  examined  in  the  Yorkshire  Coal  Measures.  There  are 
many  curious  Centipedes  among  the  fossils,3  and  Insects  are 
especially  numerous.4  All  the  Insects  belong  to  the  lower 
groups  in  which  there  is  no  complete  metamorphosis,  and 
there  are  many  types  which  seem  to  foreshadow  existing  orders,, 
but  can  scarcely  be  referred  to  them.  The  very  abundant 
Cockroaches,  for  instance,  have  transparent  fore -wings,  and 
their  wing-neuration  is  comparatively  primitive.  Meganeura, 
with  many  of  the  characters  of  the  Dragon-flies,  is  the  largest 
Insect  known,  with  a span  of  wing  of  about  two  feet.  Most 
of  these  Insects  are  known  only  by  one  or  two  specimens, 
and  every  fragment  is  of  importance  for  the  study  of  them. 

Among  Carboniferous  fishes  it  was  formerly  supposed 
that  the  Sharks  and  Skates  (Elasmobranchii)  did  not  differ 
in  any  essential  respects  from  those  now  existing.  Later 
discoveries,  however,  have  proved  that  most  of  them  belong  to 
very  distinct  orders,  much  nearer  to  the  theoretical  common 


1 H.  Woodward,  Geol.  Mag.,  1908,  p.  385  ; W.  T.  Caiman,  Geol 
Mag.,  1911,  p.  488. 

2 R.  I.  Pocock,  “The  Terrestrial  Carboniferous  Arachnida  “ (Mon. 
Pal.  Soc.,  1910). 

3 H.  Woodward,  Geol.  Mag.,  1887,  pp.  1,  116. 

4 H.  Bolton,  “ Fossil  Insects  of  the  British  Coal  Measures  ’’  (Mon. 
Pal.  Soc.,  1919-20). 


Naturalist 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period.  107 

ancestors  than  any  Sharks  and  Skates  of  Mesozoic  and  later 
times.  Some  of  them  also  exhibit  structures  which  are  no 
longer  found  in  Elasmobranchs,  but  which  remind  us  of  higher 
sub-classes.  Of  the  latter  the  Acanthodians  and  the  Cratose- 
lachians  are  especially  noteworthy. 

The  Acanthodians  are  shark-like  fishes,  of  which  the 
numerous  scattered  fragments  in  the  Yorkshire  Coal  Measures 
are  well  worth  collecting.  They  attained  their  greatest 
development  and  variety  in  the  Upper  Silurian  and  Devonian 
periods  ; and  those  of  the  Carboniferous  are  either  much 
elongated,  almost  eel-shaped  (Acanthodes)  f or  compara- 
tively gigantic,  broad  and  stout  for  grovelling  in  the  mud 
(Gyr acanthus) . Each  fin,  except  the  caudal,  is  armoured 
with  a spine  in  front,  and  the  body  is  completely  covered 
with  very  regularly  arranged  shagreen,  which  has  an  unusually 

D 


Fig.  1. — Acanthodes  wardi  Egerton  ; English  Coal  Measures . 
Outline  of  fish  showing  spines  in  front  of  the  anal  (a) , dorsal  (d) , pectoral 
(p) , and  pelvic  (v)  fins.  About  one-quarter  natural  size. 

complex  microscopical  structure.  The  internal  skeleton  is 
unique  among  sharks  in  having  some  of  the  ordinary  cartilages 
sheathed  in  hard  plates  which  have  the  structure  of  dentine. 
We  already  know  a little  of  these  plates  in  the  earlier  Acan- 
thodians, but  those  of  the  Carboniferous  Acanthodes  and 
Gyracanthus  still  remain  to  be  found  and  studied.  Of  Gyra- 
canthus,  indeed,  we  know  only  the  familiar  pectoral  fin-spines, 
triangular  paired  spines,  and  shagreen,  which  are  common  at 
several  horizons  in  the  Yorkshire  Coal  Measures.  Some  com- 
paratively good  specimens  of  the  allied  genus  Gyracanthides 
from  the  Lower  Carboniferous  of  Australia  2 show  how  in- 
teresting this  fish  is  likely  to  prove  when  complete  examples 
are  met  with. 

The  Cratoselachians  have  only  just  been  discovered  in 
the  Lower  Carboniferous  of  Belgium,  and  they  are  known 
merely  by  one  good  specimen  ; 3 but  I mention  them  because 
some  of  the  problematical  calcified  plates  found  in  our  Carbon - 


1 J.  W.  Davis,  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc.  [2]  vol.  v (1894),  p.  249. 

2 A.  S.  Woodward,  Mem.  Nat.  Mus.  Melbourne,  no.  1 (1906),  p.  3. 

3 A.  S.  Woodward,  in  forthcoming  jubilee  volume  of  the  Geological 
Society  of  Belgium. 


1924  April  1 


io8 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period. 


iferous  rocks  may  belong  to  them.  In  the  roof  of  the  skull  of 
Cratoselache  there  are  symmetrically  arranged  hard  plates 
which  in  some  respects  remind  us  of  those  in  the  Devonian 
armoured  fishes  known  as  Arthrodira. 

The  Ichthyotomi,  or  Pleuracanth  sharks,  are  represented 
in  the  Yorkshire  Coal  Measures  by  several  kinds  of  spines 
and  teeth,  as  already  described  by  Davis.1  Complete  fishes 
are  known  only  from  the  Carboniferous  and  Permian  of  the 
European  continent2  and  from  the  Permo-Carboniferous  of 
Australia.3  They  are  as  distinct  from  all  modern  sharks  as 
the  two  other  groups  already  mentioned,  but  they  are  in- 


Fig.  2 .—A.  Gladoselache  fyleri  (Newberry)  ; Upper  Devonian, 
Ohio,  U.S.A.  Showing  fins  supported  by  parallel  bars  of  cartilage  as 
in  Ctenacanthus . Much  reduced,  after  B.  Dean.  B. — Pleuracanthus 
decheni  (Goldfuss)  ; Lower  Permian,  Bohemia.  Showing  paired  fins 
with  cartilages  fringing  a longitudinal  axis  ; and  the  supports  of  the 
median  fins  correlated  in  number  with  the  vertebral  arches.  Much 
reduced,  after  A.  Fritsch. 

teresting  in  another  way.  The  internal  skeleton  is  well- 
preserved,  and  shows  that  the  supports  of  the  median  fins 
— at  least  the  dorsal  and  caudal — correspond  in  number 
with  the  segments  of  the  vertebral  axis.  Theoretically,  we 
should  expect  this  correlation  in  the  earliest  fishes  ; in 
Pleuracanths  we  actually  find  it.  The  paddle-shaped  pectoral 


1 J.  W.  Davis,  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc.  [2]  vol.  iv  (1892),  p.  703. 

2 C.  Brongniart,  “ Etudes  sur  le  Terrain  Houiller  de  Commentry,  ” 
book  3 (1888). 

3 A.  S.  Woodward,  Mem.  Geol.  Surv.  N.  S.  Wales,  Palseont.  no.  10 
(1908),  p.  2. 


Naturalist 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period . 109 

fins  are  strengthened  by  cartilages  which  are  disposed  along 
a central  axis,  an  arrangement  from  which  the  modern  shark's 
fin  may  well  have  been  derived. 

Most  of  the  Acanthodians  seem  to  have  been  toothless, 
but  nearly  all  the  other  known  Carboniferous  Elasmo- 
branchii  have  powerful  teeth  strengthened  by  a compact  and 
even  overlapping  arrangement.  In  this  respect  they  differ 
from  the  majority  of  the  existing  Sharks  and  Skates,  in  which, 
when  the  teeth  are  pointed  or  cutting,  they  are  more  or  less 
loosely  fixed,  and  used  only  for  seizing  and  tearing.  Even 
if  they  did  not  feed  on  shell- fish,  the  Carboniferous  Elasmo- 
branchs  had  usually  to  depend  on  armoured  prey.  The  ganoid- 
scaled  Palaeoniscid  fishes  have  been  found  in  their  stomach. 
It  is,  therefore,  interesting  to  notice  that  the  teeth  are  often 
even  fused  together  to  give  strength,  or  inserted  in  the  sup- 
porting soft  tissue  with  very  deep  roots. 

The  fusion  of  Carboniferous  crushing  teeth  into  shell- 
shaped plates  was  noticed  more  than  half  a century  ago, 
and  the  unknown  Sharks  to  which  they  belonged  were  named 
by  Owen  the  Cochliodontidae.1  Davis  described  many  of  them, 
some  from  the  Coal  Measures,  the  Yoredale  Rocks,  and  the 
Carboniferous  Limestone  of  Yorkshire.2  They  were  naturally 
supposed  to  belong  to  Sharks  closely  related  to  the  existing 
Port  Jackson  Shark  {Cestracion) , which  has  rows  of  crushing 
teeth,  though  not  fused  together,  for  a diet  of  shell-fish. 
Later  discoveries  in  the  Lower  Carboniferous  of  Scotland, 
however,  have  proved  that  at  least  one  Cochliodont  {Deltop- 
tychius)  has  a dentition  and  an  armoured  head  very  different 
from  that  of  any  existing  Elasmobranch,3  and  both  those  and 
specimens  of  Helodus,  found  by  the  late  John  Ward  in  the 
Coal  Measures  of  Staffordshire,  suggest  that  the  Cochliodonts 
were  not  in  any  way  closely  related  to  Cestracion,  but  near 
the  ancestral  stock  from  which  Sharks  and  Chimaeroids  have 
subsequently  diverged.  Cestracion  agrees  with  all  other 
modern  sharks  in  having  a rapid  succession  of  teeth  which 
fall  away  from  the  outer  edge  of  the  jaw  as  they  are  replaced. 
The  Cochliodonts  must  have  had  not  more  than  six  or  seven 
teeth  in'  each  series  during  the  whole  of  the  individual  life- 
time, and  all  these  teeth  fused  into  the  rigid  plate  of  the  adult. 

The  deepening  of  the  root  of  the  tooth  is  seen  in  the 
Petalodontidae,  which  are  well  represented  in  the  Lower 
Carboniferous  of  Yorkshire  by  Petalodus  and  P etalorhynchus , 
in  the  Coal  Measures  by  Climaxodus 4 and  Ctenopty chins. 
These  must  have  been  skate-shaped  fishes,  as  shown  by  the 

1 R.  Owen,  Geol.  Mag.,  1866,  p.  59. 

2 J.  W.  Davis,  Trans.  Roy.  Dublin  Soc.  [2]  vol.  i (1883),  p.  327. 

3 A.  S.  Woodward,  Quart.  Journ.Geol.  Soc.,  vol.  lxxi  (1915),  p.  lxviii. 

4 A.  S.  Woodward,  Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,  vol.  lxxv  (1919),  p.  1. 


1924  April  1 


no 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period. 


Permian  Janassa } and  their  closely  compacted  teeth  form  a 
crushing  pavement.  There  cannot  have  been  more  than  seven 
or  eight  teeth  in  succession  in  each  series  during  the  individual 
lifetime. 

The  teeth  of  the  Cochliodontidse  and  Petalodontidae 
consist  of  a peculiar  cluster  of  tubules  of  dentine  directed 
at  right  angles  to  the  grinding  surface,  which  is  consequently 
pitted  when  the  superficial  layer  is  abraded.  In  this  respect 
they  agree  with  some  flattened  crushing  teeth  from  the  Lower 
Carboniferous,  of  which  the  commonest  are  named  Psam- 
modus  and  Copod  us.  These  teeth  must  also  have  belonged 


Fig.  3. — Edestus  newtoni  A.  S.  Woodward  ; Millstone  Grit, 
Brockholes,  near  Huddersfield.  Showing  enlarged  median  row  of  front 
teeth  fused  into  an  arch  hanging  out  of  the  lower  jaw.  About  one-third 
natural  size. 

to  Elasmobranchs,  in  which  there  was  a very  slow  and  scanty 
tooth-succession.  Indeed,  I think  the  Cochliodonts,  Petalo- 
donts,  Psammodonts,  and  Copodonts  should  be  grouped  into 
an  Order  which  I have  named  Bradyodonti  ("  slow  teeth  ”)1 2 
in  allusion  to  the  poverty  of  their  tooth-supply  as  compared 
with  that  of  modern  Elasmobranchs. 

There  were,  however,  some  Carboniferous  Elasmobranchs 
with  the  normal  modern  rapid  tooth-succession,  and  some 
had  each  tooth  replaced  at  least  150  times  in  the  individual 
lifetime.  This  is  known,  because  in  one  family,  that  of 
the  Edestidae,  some  of  the  teeth  do  not  fall  out  when  done 

1 O.  Jaekel,  Zeitschr.  Deutsch.  Geol.  Ges.,  vol.  li  (1899),  p.  259. 

2 A.  S.  Woodward,  Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  Sess.  133  (1921),  p.  34. 


Naturalist 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period.  hi 

with,  but  fuse  together  in  a spiral  outside  the  edge  of  the 
jaw.  Portions  of  these  spirals  have  been  known  for  many 
years,  but  their  nature  was  only  recognised  when  two 
specimens  were  discovered  respectively  in  the  Coal  Measures 
of  Iowa,  U.S.A.,1  and  in  the  Millstone  Grit  of  Brockholes, 
near  Huddersfield,2  which  showed  the  teeth  in  association 


' Fig.  4. — Diagrams  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  the  front  dental  arch 
of  the  Edestidae.  A —A  single  row  of  teeth  of  Protodus  scoticus 
(Newton),  from  the  Lower  Devonian  of  Scotland,  all  fused  into  a spiral, 
none  falling  out  when  done  with.  B. — Front  of  upper  (u)  and  lower  ( l ) 
jaws  of  Edestus  mirus  Hay,  from  the  Coal  Measures  of  Iowa,  U.S.A., 
showing  enlarged  front  teeth  fused  together  into  long  arches  which  fall 
away  at  intervals.  C. — A single  row  of  teeth  of  Helicoprion  bessonowi 
Karpinsky,  from  the  Permo-Carboniferous  of  Perm,  Russia,  showing 
all  the  teeth  of  a lifetime  fused  together  into  a spiral,  none  having  fallen 
away.  Teeth  being  formed  at  a,  in  use  at  b,  discarded  after  use  in  the 
spiral  c..  D. — Cross-section  of  the  lower  jaw  of  a modern  Shark,  show- 
ing a single  row  of  teeth,  being  formed  at  a,  passing  upwards  and 
outwards  to  be  in  use  at  b,  all  remaining  separate  and  falling  away 
when  done  with  at  q. 


1 O.  P.  Hay,  Proc.  U.  S.  Nat.  Mus.,  vol.  xlii  (1912),  p.  31. 

2 A.  S.  Woodward  & J.  Pringle,  Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,  vol.  lxxii 
(1916).  p.  1. 

1924  April  1 


1 12  The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period , 

with  part  of  the  jaws.  The  Yorkshire  specimen  is  especially 
important  because  it  demonstrates  for  the  first  time  the 
nature  of  the  large  fused  teeth.  It  now  appears  that  the 
teeth  of  one  row  (sometimes  a paired  row)  at  the  front, 
or  symphysis,  of  each  jaw,  become  greatly  enlarged, 
deepened  by  lateral  compression,  and  firmly  fixed  together 
by  the  clasping  of  the  roots.  In  at  least  one  genus,  Heli- 
coprion,1  the  enlarged  row  curves  into  a spiral  remaining 
throughout  life  just  outside  the  jaw  ; in  Edestus  and 
similar  genera,  the  arch  of  projecting  teeth  breaks  away 
at  intervals.  The  very  numerous  teeth  on  the  sides  of  the 
jaw  seem  to  have  been  arranged,  and  to  have  fallen  out 
regularly,  as  in  the  modern  Cestracion.  In  Helicoprion 
and  Edestus  the  large  front  teeth  are  compressed  to  a sharp 
edge  ; in  Campodus ,2  of  which  one  specimen  was  found  by  the 
late  Dr.  Wheelton  Hind  in  the  Millstone  Grit  of  Hardcastle 
Crags,  the  large  front  teeth  are  less  compressed  and  blunter. 
Nothing  is  known  of  the  trunk  and  fins  of  the  Edestidse,  but 
it  may  be  assumed  that  they  will  prove  very  different  from 
those  of  any  existing  Sharks. 

Even  the  Carboniferous  Elasmobranchs  with  the  dorsal 
fin-spines  named  Ctenacanthus  and  the  teeth  named  Cladodus, 
which  were  long  supposed  to  be  closely  related  to  the  existing 
Cestracion,  have  also  proved  to  show  no  such  affinities. 
Imperfect  fishes  of  this  kind  from  the  top  of  the  Devonian 
in  America  and  from  the  base  of  the  Carboniferous  in  Scotland, 
prove  that  they  had  much  more  primitive  paired  fins  supported 
by  parallel  rods  of  cartilage,  while  their  body-cavity  and 
internal  organs  extended  far  backwards  towards  the  tail3  as 
should  be  the  case  in  a primitive  member  of  the  group. 

A few  of  the  Carboniferous  Elasmobranchs  may  have  been 
of  a more  modern  type.  The  Lower  Carboniferous  Tristychius, 
indeed,  has  pectoral  fins  supported  by  two  basal  cartilages 
much  like  those  of  some  existing  sharks  ; and  its  dentition  is 
not  essentially  different  from  that  of  the  Mesozoic  and  later 
Cestracionts.4 

Some  Carboniferous  Elasmobranch  spines  are  still  prob- 
lematical. Listr acanthus,  for  example,  which  has  already 
been  found  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Dyson  in  a marine  band  in  the  Malt  by 
Colliery  near  Rotherham,  occurs  sometimes  in  clusters5  and 

1 A.  Karpinsky,  Verhandl.  Kais.-Russ.  Min.  Ges.  St.  Petersb.  [2] 
vol.  xxxvi  (1899),  p.  361  ; also  Bull.  Soc.  Oural.  Sci.  Nat.  Ekaterine- 
bourg,  vol.  xxxv  (1915),  p.  117. 

2 C.  R.  Eastman,  Bull.  Mus.  Comp.  Zool.  Harvard  Coll.,  vol.  xxxix 
(1902),  p.  58. 

. 3 B.  Dean,  Mem.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  vol.  ix  (1909),  pp.  232,  249.. 

4 See  forthcoming  paper  by  A.  S.  Woodward  in  Quart.  Journ.  Geol. 
Soc.,  1924. 

5 A.  S.  Woodward,  Geol.  Mag.,  1903,  p.  486. 


Naturalist 


The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period. 


suggests  that  the  fish  to  which  it  belonged  would  appear 
almost  as  if  it  were  covered  with  feathers.  It  is  a most 
curious  spine  with  frayed  edges,  and  it  would  be  especially 
interesting  to  discover  its  relationships. 

Among  higher  fishes  the  commonest  and  most  widely  spread 
Carboniferous  family  is  that  of  the  Pal'aeoniscidae.  These 
may  be  well  described  as  the  “ herrings  ” of  the  period.  Most 
of  them  are  represented  in  Yorkshire  only  by  scattered  scales 
and  bones,  but  at  least  one  fine  specimen  of  Acrolepis  hopkinsi 
is  known  from  the  Millstone  Grit  of  Hebden  Bridge.1 
Being  usually  covered  with  rhombic  (or  ganoid)  scales, 
which  are  united  by  peg-and-socket  joints,  the  Palaeoniscids 
were  originally  mistaken  for  extinct  allies  of  the  bony  pikes 
(Lepidosteidse),  which  are  ganoids  with  a bony  skeleton  re- 
stricted at  the  present  day  to  the  freshwaters  of  North 
America.  When,  however,  their  internal  skeleton  was  studied 


Fig.  5. — A Palaeoniscid  Fish , Rhadinichthys  ornatissimus  (Agassiz) 
from  the  Lower  Carboniferous,  Scotland.  After  R.  H.  Traquair. 


in  detail  by  the  late  Dr.  R.  H.  Traquair,2  he  recognised  that 
they  represent  a much  lower  grade  of  fish-life,  of  which  the 
modern  sturgeons  are  the  sole  survivors  in  existing  seas  and 
rivers.  The  sturgeons  have  long  been  regarded  as  among  the 
lowest  of  surviving  ganoid  fishes,  but  they  could  not  be 
understood  until  the  discovery  of  the  Palaeozoic  Palaeoniscidae 
and  the  Mesozoic  Chondrosteidae.  It  now  appears  that  they 
are  merely  the  senile,  overgrown,  and  degenerate  members  of  a 
race  which  at  the  end  of  Palaeozoic  times  played  a great  part. 
Like  the  Palaeoniscids,  the  sturgeons  have  a slightly  ossified 
internal  cartilaginous  skeleton,  without  vertebral  centra, 
but  with  a very  primitive  tail,  the  end  of  the  body  being 
produced  into  a slender  lobe  above  the  tail-fin  (heterocercal) 
not  shortened  up  (homocercal)  as  in  the  bony  pikes,  higher 


1 E.  D.  Wellburn,  Proc.  Yorks.  Geol.  & Polyt.  Soc.,  vol.  xiii  (1898), 
p.  398  ; R.  H.  Traquair,  “ Ganoid  Fishes  of  the  British  Carboniferous 
Formations.  Part  I.  Palaeoniscidae  ” (Mon.  Pal.  Soc.,  1877-1914), 
p.  109. 

2 R.  H.  Traquair,  op.  cit.  p.  34. 


1924  April  1 


H 


114  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period. 

ganoids,  and  bony  fishes.  The  parallel  rod-like  supports  of 
their  fins,  which  are  fewer  than  the  fin-rays,  are  also 
theoretically  primitive  in  arrangement,  and  there  are  other 
features  which  might  be  expected  in  the  earliest  true  fishes. 
We  now  need  more  information  about  the  internal  structure  of 
the  head,  so  that  it  is  specially  desirable  to  search  for 
uncrushed  specimens  in  ironstone  nodules.  Impressions  of 
the  semicircular  canals  of  the  ear,1  and  even  otoliths,2  have 
already  been  seen,  and  much  more  may  be  expected. 

Platysomus  and  its  allies,  forming  the  family  Platyso- 
midae,  are  merely  deep-bodied  Palaeoniscids  having  a small 
mouth  with  crushing  teeth.3 4  Mr.  J.  W.  Davis  found  fine  pieces 


^ Fig.  6. — A Platysomid  Fish,  Cheirodus  granulosus  (Young), 
from  the  English  Coal  Measures.  After  R.  H.  Traquair. 

of  Platysomus  forsteri  in  the  shale  of  the  Cannel  Coal  at 
Tingley. 

Only  one  small  fish  apparently  connecting  the  Palae- 
oniscids with  the  higher  ganoids  has  hitherto  been  discovered 
in  Carboniferous  rocks.  It  is  an  imperfect  specimen  found 
by  the  late  Mr.  Walter  Baldwin  in  the  Middle  Coal  Measures 
of  Sparth,  near  Rochdale,  and  seems  to  be  related  to  the 
Permian  AcentrophorusA 

When  Prof.  Miall  wrote  about  Carboniferous  animals  in 
1878,  he  was  most  interested  in  the  ancient  mud-fishes  or  Dipnoi 
(double -breathers)  which  still  survive  as  Ceratodus  in  the 


1 C.  R.  Eastman,  Iowa  Geol.  Surv.,  vol.  xviii  (1908),  p.  267. 

2E.  Hennig,  Sitzungsber.  Ges.  Naturf.  Freunde,  Berlin,  1915,  p.  52. 

3 R.  H.  Traquair,  Trans.  Roy.  Soc.  Edinb.,  vol.  xxix  (1879),  p.  343. 

4 E.  L.  Gill,  Ann.  & Mag.  Nat.  Hist.  [9]  vol.  xi  (1923),  p.  465. 


Naturalist 


Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period.  115 

rivers  of  Queensland,  Australia,  as  Protopterus  in  Africa, 
and  as  Lepidosiren  in  South  America.  They  were  well 
represented  during  the  Carboniferous  period  by  Ctenodus  and 
other  genera,  and  their  remains  occur  frequently  in  the 
Yorkshire  Coal  Measures.  The  tooth  to  which  the  name 
Ctenodus  was  first  given  by  Agassiz  is  in  the  Leeds  Museum. 
As  the  skull  in  the  Dipnoi  is  in  some  respects  more  like 
that  of  the  earliest  lung-breathers,  or  Amphibia,  than  the 
skull  in  any  other  fishes,  and  as  the  breathing-apparatus, 
other  soft  parts,  and  the  paddle-shaped  paired  fins  make  some 
approach  to  the  corresponding  structures  of  the  Amphibia,  the 
Carboniferous  Dipnoi  or  their  immediate  predecessors  were 
supposed  to  be  the  ancestors  of  the  Amphibia.  We  now  think 
that  the  peculiar  development  of  the  teeth  and  paired  fins 
makes  this  theory  untenable,  and  we  must  look  among  the  next 
group  of  fishes  for  the  more  probable  ancestors  of  lung- 


Fig.  7. — A Dipnoan  Fish,  Geratodus  forsteri  Krefft,  living  in  the 
rivers  of  Queensland. 


breathers.  The  Dipnoi  may  have  arisen  as  ' cousins,'  so  to 
speak,  of  the  latter,  but  since  Carboniferous  times  they 
have  never  advanced — they  have  merely  degenerated  into  the 
eel-shaped  fishes  which  now  represent  them  in  the  fresh- 
waters  of  Africa  and  South  America. 

The  next  group  to  which  I refer  is  that  of  the  Crossop- 
terygii  (fringe -finned),  which  also  have  paired  fins  in  the 
shape  of  paddles,  fringed  only  with  fin -rays.  They  could 
hardly  have  been  suspected  of  comprising  the  ancestors  of 
lung-breathers  if  they  had  been  known  only  by  their  two 
much-changed  survivors  in  the  freshwaters  of  Africa,  Polyp- 
terus  and  Calamoichthys.  Their  Devonian  and  Carbon- 
iferous representatives,  however,  resemble  the  earliest  known 
Amphibia,  the  Labyrinthodonts,  in  many  important  features. 
The  structure  of  one  of  them,  Megalichthys,  is  especially 
well  known  from  specimens  discovered  in  the  Yorkshire 
Coal  Measures  described  by  the  late  Prof.  Miall1  and  by 


1 Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,  vol.  xl  (1884),  p.  347  ; also  “ Description 
of  the  Remains  of  Megalichthys  in  the  Leeds  Museum  ” (Leeds  Lit.  & 
Phil.  Soc.,  1885). 


1924  April  i 


n6  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period . 

Dr.  Wellburn.1  We  still  wish  to  know  more  about  the  im- 
perfectly ossified  skull  and  the  cartilages  supporting  the  fins. 

The  skull  in  these  early  Crossopterygians  is  particularly 
interesting.  Although  among  fishes  they  make  the  nearest 
known  approach  to  the  next  higher  group  of  vertebrates, 
their  skull  remains  in  a condition  which  in  later  fishes  is 
passed  through  as  a temporary  stage  in  the  embryo.  Megal- 
ichthys  itself  demonstrates  this  fact  very  well,  though  we 
need  more  satisfactory  specimens  to  be  sure  of  all  the  de- 
tails. We  might  learn  much  by  making  transverse  sections 
of  uncrushed  examples.  The  skull  in  the  fossil  always 
tends  to  fall  apart  across  the  hinder  border  of  the  frontal 
bones,  where  there  was  evidently  a transverse  plane  of 
weakness.  Further  examination  shows  that  the  ossified 
basicranial  axis  only  extends  as  far  backwards  as  this  point. 


Fig.  8. — A Crossopterygian  Fish,  Megalichthys  hibberti  Agassiz, 
from  the  English  Coal  Measures.  After  E.  D.  Wellburn. 


which  is  probably  at  the  level  of  the  pituitary  body  beneath 
the  brain.  The  rest  of  the  skull  behind  must  have  had  as 
its  basal  axis  only  a forward  extension  of  the  notochord 
surrounded  by  partially  ossified  cartilage.2  This  is  almost 
exactly  the  condition  of  the  skull  in  the  embryo  of  a modern 
fish.3 

The  cartilages  supporting  the  short-lobed  paired  fins  of 
the  Devonian  and  Carboniferous  Crossopterygii  certainly 
make  a nearer  approach  to  the  four -toed  or  five-toed  limbs 
of  the  land  vertebrates  than  those  in  any  other  fishes,  but 
even  the  latest  attempts  to  correlate  the  elements  of  the 
one  with  those  of  the  other  are  not  altogether  satisfactory.4 
We  need  more  material,  especially  of  Lower  Carboniferous  age. 


1 Proc.  Yorks.  Geol.  & Polyt.  Soc.,  vol.  xiv  (1900),  p.  52. 

2 See  description  of  Devonian  Eusthenopteron  by  W.  L.  Bryant, 
Bull.  Buffalo  Soc.  Nat.  Sci.,  vol.  xiii  (1919),  p.  6 ; also  A.  S.  Woodward. 
Proc.  Linn.  Soc.,  Sess.  134  (1922),  p.  29. 

3 E.  S.  Goodrich,  in  Lankester’s  “ Treatise  on  Zoology,”  pt.  ix  (1909), 
p.  12. 

4 W.  K Gregory,  Ann.  New  York  Acad.  Sci.,  vol.  xxvi  (1915) , p.  363. 


Naturalist 


Animals  of  the  Carboniferous  Period.  117 

Prints  of  typical  four -toed  and  five-toed  feet  have  been  found 
in  the  Upper  Carboniferous  in  North  America.1 

The  real  resemblances  between  the  Crossopterygii  and  the 
Labyrinthodonts  are  seen  in  certain  features  in  the  head, 
of  which  the  significance  can  scarcely  be  mistaken.  The 
arrangement  of  the  powerful  conical  teeth  is  very  similar 
in  the  two  groups.  The  peculiar  structure  of  these  teeth  is 
also  much  the  same,  their  walls  being  infolded  to  a varying 
extent,  producing  in  cross-section  the  patterns  that  are 
usually  described  as  rhizodont,  dendrodont,  and  labyrintho- 
dont.  The  lower  jaw  in  each  group  consists  of  many  pieces 
arranged  in  approximately  the  same  way.  Some  of  the 
Crossopterygii  agree  with  the  Labyrinthodonts  in  having  a 
pineal  foramen  in  the  roof  of  the  skull.  Some  agree  in 
having  the  eye  surrounded  by  sclerotic  plates.  It  must  also 
be  added  that  the  Labyrinthodonts  are  more  fish-like  than 
any  later  Amphibians  in  having  their  head-bones  marked  by 
grooves  for  slime-canals,  and  in  sometimes  having  the  pectoral 
arch  suspended  from  the  back  of  the  skull  by  a post -temporal 
bone. 

Only  one  Labyrinthodont  appears  to  have  been  found  in 
the  Carboniferous  of  Yorkshire— Pholiderpeton  scutigerum 
from  the  Coal  Measures  of  Toftshaw,  near  Bradford,  now  in 
the  Bradford  Museum.2  These  animals  must,  however,  occur 
and  should  be  carefully  sought.  I have  often  wondered  why 
in  this  country  they  have  never  been  found  in  the  decayed 
tree-stumps,  like  those  in  which  the  late  Sir  J.  William 
Dawson  found  many  small  forms  trapped  in  the  Coal  Measures 
of  South  Joggins,  Nova  Scotia. 

Without  attempting  further  details,  I think  I have  said 
enough  to  show  the  interest  of  the  Carboniferous  fauna,  and 
the  desirability  of  renewed  efforts  to  collect  its  fossil  re- 
mains in  Yorkshire.  So  many  of  the  animals  are  still  known 
only  by  scattered  fragments,  that  we  need  specimens  which 
will  correlate  parts.  Several  of  the  fishes  exhibit  so  many 
features  which  we  should  theoretically  expect  to  find  in  the 
earliest  representatives  of  the  class,  that  we  want  more  speci- 
mens displaying  their  anatomy.  There  are  evidently  possible 
links  between  the  gill-breathing  fishes  and  the  lung-breathing 
amphibians,  and  for  these  we  should  make  careful  search. 
There  are  also  problems  of  distribution  in  the  various  marine 
and  estuarine  deposits  which  are  well  worthy  of  the  geologist’s 
attention. 


1 H.  T.  Martin,  Kansas  Univ,  Sci.  Bull.,  vol.  xiii  (1922),  p.  103. 
2T.  H.  Huxley,  Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.,  vol.  xxv  (1869),  p.  310. 


1924  April  1 


n8 


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Trans.,  1922,  pp.  182-183. 

Pringle,  J.  See  Lamplugh,  G.  W. 


Naturalist 


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Rastall,  R.  H.  Northern  Counties. 

The  Geology  of  the  Metalliferous  Deposits.  London,  pp.  xii.-j-5o8  ; 
noticed  in  Nat.,  December,  pp.  395-396. 

Rastall,  R.  H.  See  Hatch,  F.  H. 

Redmayne,  R.  A.  S.  Northern  Counties. 

The  Mineral  Industry  of  the  British  Empire  and  Foreign  Countries, 
War  Period.  Gypsum  (1913-1919).  31  pp. 

Redmayne,  R.  A.  S.  Cumberland. 

Graphite  (1913-1919).  57  pp. 

Redmayne,  R.  A.  S.  Northern  Counties. 

Iron  and  Steel  Statistics,  1919-1921.  43  pp. 

Redmayne,  R.  A.  S.  Northern  Counties. 

Coal,  Coke  and  By-Products  Statistics,  1919-1921.  135  pp. 

Rideout,  E.  H.  Cheshire. 

The  Soils  of  the  Wirral.  [abs.]  Journ.  Brit.  Assoc.  (Liverpool),  p.  94. 

Ridsdale,  H.  H.  See  Felton,  J.  R. 

Reed,  F.  R.  Cowper.  Cumberland. 

The  Subgenera  of  Lichas.  Geol.  Mag.,  October,  pp.  454-462. 

Reid,  David  Douglas  and  Gowers,  E.  A.  Northern  Counties. 

Royal  Commission  on  Mining  Subsidence.  Minutes  of  Evidence. 

October  15th,  22  pp.  ; October  16th,  11  pp, 

Russell,  John.  Northern  Counties. 

The  Influence  of  Geographical  Factors  on  the  Agricultural  Ac- 
tivities of  a Population.  Geog.  Teacher,  Spring,  pp.  7-18. 

Scott,  Dukinfield  H.  Northern  Counties. 

Studies  in  Fossil  Botany.  Yol.  2,  pp.  xvi.4-446,  3rd  ed. 

Sheppard,  T.  Yorks.,  Lines.  N. 

Handbook  to  Hull  and  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire.  (Museums 
Association),  pp.  546  ; Handbook  to  Hull  and  the  East  Riding 
of  Yorkshire.  (Sanitary  Institute),  pp.  540 
Sheppard,  T.  Northern  Counties. 

Bibliography — Papers  and  Records  relating  to  the  Geology  of 
the  North  of  England  (Yorkshire  excepted),  published  during 
1922.  Nat.,  February,  pp.  69-74. 

Sheppard,  T.  Lincolnshire  N. 

The  Immingham  ‘ Meteorite.’  Nat.,  October,  pp.  348-349. 

Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

Man  as  a Geological  Agent,  [abs.]  Rev.  de  Geol.  November,  pp.. 
760-762. 

Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

Gypsum  and  Anhydrite  ; and  Celestine  and  Strontianite.  tom.. 

cit.,  pp.  784-785. 

Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

Refractory  Materials.  Ganister  and  Silica -Rock.  Sand  for 
Open-Hearth  Steel  Furnaces.  Dolomite.  Resources  and 
Geology.  Fireclays,  tom.  cit.,  pp.  794-796. 

Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

Iron  Ores.  [Mem.  Geol.  Survey,  1919-1920  ; review  of].  Revue  de 
Geol.,  October,  pp.  710-712. 

Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

The  British  Rock -salt  Deposits,  [abs.]  Journ.  Brit.  Assoc.  ( Liverpool J 
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1924  April  1 


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Sherlock,  R.  L.  Northern  Counties. 

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Simmons,  W.  C.  See  Wedd,  C.  B. 

Sington,  Theodore.  Yorkshire,  Derbyshire,  Notts. 

The  Search  for  Petroleum  in  England.  Coll.  Guard.,  April  20th, 
p.  946-947. 

Singleton,  T.and  Jackson,  J.  Wilfrid.  Lancashire  N.  and  S. 

Shap  Granite  Boulders  in  Lancashire.  Lancs,  and  Ches.  Nat., 
February,  p.  81. 

Sinnatt,  F.  S.  Lancs,,  Cheshire. 

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Sinnatt,  F.  S.  See  Stopes,  M.  C. 

Smith,  B.  See  Wedd,  C.  B. 

Smith,  Stanley  and  Carruthers,  R.  G.  Northumberland. 

Special  Reports  on  the  Mineral  Resources  of  Great  Britain,  Vol. 
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Sollas,  W.  J.  Northern  Counties. 

Man  and  the  Ice-age.  [abs.]  Natrue,  February  3rd,  p.  169. 

Sollas,  W,  j.  Northern  Counties. 

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Stamp,  L.  Dudley.  Northern  Counties. 

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Vol.  XXVII.,  pp.  19-53. 

Stort,  T.  B.  Northumberland. 

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Strahan,  Aubrey.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

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Strahan,  Aubrey.  See  Carruthers,  R.  G. 

Travis  C.  B.  Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

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Watson,  D.  M.  S.  See  Gill,  E.  Leonard. 

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103-105. 


Naturalist 


Bibliography  : Geology  of  the  North  of  England.  121 

Walters,  R.  C.  Skyring.  Cheshire. 

Modern  Industries.  VI. — Salts,  Brines  and  Alkalis.  Discovery, 

December,  pp.  322-326. 

Walters,  R.  C.  Skyring.  Lincolnshire. 

Modern  Industries.  II. — Lime  and  Whiting  Manufacture  in  Lin  - 
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Lancashire  S.,  Cheshire. 

Wedd,  C.  B.,  Smith,  B.,  Simmons,  W.  C.,  and  Wray,  D.  A. 

The  Geology  of  Liverpool,  with  Wirral  and  part  of  the  Flintshire 
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Wilkinson,  L.  St.  G.  Cheshire. 

Water  Supply  of  Crewe,  [abs.]  Water,  March,  p.  104. 

Williams,  David.  Northern  Counties. 

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Williams,  David.  Lake  District. 

On  some  Lamprophyre  Dykes  of  the  North  of  England  (with 
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Wood  W.  O.  Durham. 

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Woodward,  Arthur  Smith.  Lincolnshire  N. 

On  a New  Fossil  Fish  (Anogmius  ornatus  sp.  nov.)  from  the  Lower 
Chalk  of  South  Ferriby,  Lincolnshire.  Nat.,  September,  pp. 
297-300. 

Woolacott,  David.  Durham,  North.,  Lake  District,  Yorks. 

On  a Boring  at  Roddymoor  Colliery,  near  Crook,  co.  Durham. 

Geol.  Mag.,  February,  pp.  50-62. 

Workman,  Mabel.  Northern  Counties. 

Petrology  of  the  Permian  Sandstones  of  the  Parbold  District. 

Proc.  Liverp.  Geol.  Soc.,  Vol.  XIII.,  Part  IV.,  pp.  208-322  ; [abs.] 
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I42-I43- 

Workman,  M.  Yorkshire,  Lancashire. 

The  Permian  Rocks  of  Skillaw  Clough,  [abs.]  Journ.  Brit.  Assoc. 
(Liverpool),  p.  31  ; Nat.,  October,  pp.  329-330. 

Wray,  D.  A.  See  Wedd,  C.  B. 

: o : 

The  Association  of  Economic  Biologists  recently  met  at  the  Leeds 
"University,  under  the  presidency  of  Prof.  V.  H.  Blackman.  Papers 
were  read  by  Mr.  G.  T.  Spinks,  Dr.  R.  C.  Knight,  Prof.  J.  H.  Priestley 
and  Dr.  W.  Robinson. 

We  gather  from  the  press  that  Mr.  W.  F.  Cutler,  of  Manitoba, 
is  in  search  of  the  ‘ Gigantossaurus  Africanus,’  which  is,  in  his  opinion, 
5,ooo,ooo  years  old,  that  it  is  probably  20  feet,  and  it  may  be  80  feet, 
long.  Next  year  presumably  it  will  be  8,000,001  years  of  age. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  London,  Mr.  H.  H. 
Pugsley  exhibited  specimens  of  an  undescribed  Statice  from  Pembroke- 
shire, which  he  proposed  to  name  5.  transwalliana  in  allusion  to  the 
-district  where  it  occurs.  It  was  found  growing  on  the  coast  in  company 
with  S.  binervosa  C.  E.  Sm.,  from  which  it  differs  in  its  much  dwarf er 
habit,  remarkably  narrow,  linear,  oblong  leaves,  and  very  dense  spikes 
of  small  flowers  with  stellate  corollas  only  half  as  large  as  those  of  5. 
binervosa. 


1924  April  1 


122 


3n  flDemoriam. 

C.  F.  GEORGE,  M.R.C.S. 

We  much  regret  to  hear  of  the  death  which  occurred  a little 
while  ago,  of  ‘ Dr.  George/  as  he  was  known  the  country  over, 
at  Kirton  Lindsey.  He  was  one  of  our  oldest  contributors, 
and  well  known  to  our  readers  for  his  illustrated  articles  on 


the  Mites  of  this  country,  which  at  one  time  appeared  regularly 
in  our  pages.  Previously  he  was  a frequent  contributor  to 
Hardwick's  Science  Gossip,  and  he  did  much  to  create  an 
interest  among  these  usually  neglected  organisms.  He  was  a 
constant  reader  and  critic  of  our  Journal,  but  old  age  combined 
with  an  accident  he  had  to  one  of  his  eyes  some  years  ago, 
prevented  him  latterly  from  carrying  on  his  researches. 

So  long  ago  as  1884  he  was  the  President  of  the  Postal 
Microscopical  Society,  and  in  The  Journal  of  Microscopy  and 
Natural  Science  for  January,  1885,  was  his  Presidential  Address 
which  dealt  with  his  connexion  with  that  Society  and  the  study 
of  Mites.  The  Society  was  formed  in  1873,  and  in  his  in- 


Naturalist 


Field  Notes. 


123 


teresting  address,  Dr.  George  referred  to  the  fact  that  he  was 
then  one  of  only  six  of  the  original  members.  His  slides  of 
mites  were  very  familiar  to  old-time  microscopists,  and  in 
our  journal  several  new  species  were  described,  one  of  which 
was  named  after  the  present  writer.  His  last  contribution 
to  The  Naturalist  appeared  in  June,  1916,  when  he  described 
a new  species  of  Trombidium,  giving  it  the  name  of  parvum . 
Many  of  his  type  specimens,  especially  his  more  recent  ones, 
he  presented  to  the  Hull  Museum  Collection,  and  they  have 
been  consulted  by  workers  in  this  particular  science  in  different 
parts  of  the  British  Islands. 

Dr.  George  was  always  fond  of  any  natural  history  subject, 
and  in  his  later  years  took  a keen  interest  in  his  garden  and 
in  bee-keeping.  Some  time  previously  he  had  excavated 
some  tumuli  in  the  Kirton  Lindsey  district,  the  Bronze-Age 
relics  from  which  are  now  in  the  Hull  Museum. 

We  extend  our  sympathy  to  his  daughters.—' T.S. 

: o : 

Deilephila  livornica  at  Normanton. — When  looking 
over  his  collection  after  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  South 
West  Yorkshire  Entomological  Society  at  Normanton  in 
January  last,  Mr.  H.  Lodge  pointed  out  to  the  members  a 
specimen  of  Deilephila  livornica  which  had  been  captured 
in  one  of  the  streets  of  that  town  quite  recently.— Geo.  T. 
Porritt,  March  4th,  1924. 

White  -breasted  variety  of  Cormorant  at  Scarborough. 

— During  a strong  south-easterly  gale,  about  a month  ago, 
a storm -tossed  and  much  bedraggled  Cormorant  sought  refuge 
in  the  harbour  at  Scarborough.  With  a damaged  wing  and 
lame  leg  it  was  unable  either  to  fly  or  to  dive  efficiently,  and 
finding  a sheltered  place  where  it  is  not  molested,  and  where 
food  is  not  too  scarce,  it  has  remained  up  to  the  date  of 
writing.  At  first  glance  the  white  throat  and  breast  seemed 
to  indicate  an  immature  bird,  but  careful  examination  with 
binoculars,  at  short  range,  shows  that  it  is  adult.  The  large 
size,  robust  build,  and  the  rich  metallic  gloss  upon  the  feathers 
of  the  wings  and  back  indicate  that  it  is  not  immature,  but 
an  old  bird  which  has  retained  the  white  under  parts  usually 
possessed  only  by  the  juveniles.  The  white  of  these  parts 
is  more  pure  than  the  greyish  white  tint  of  the  young  birds. 
The  bird  seems  to  possess  a curious  aversion  to  the  water, 
and  one  seldom  sees  it  swimming.  At  low  tide  it  hobbles 
about  the  mud,  picking  up  scraps  of  fish  refuse,  as  the  water 
rises  it  retreats  before  it,  until  it  reaches  the  top  of  the  harbour 
where  the  small  boats  are  moored.  Into  one  of  these  it  climbs, 
and  remains  there  until  the  tide  falls.  This  bird  was  still  in 
the  harbour  on  March  8th. — W.  J.  Clarke, 


1924  April  l 


124 


YORKSHIRE  HEMIPTERA  IN  1923. 


JAMES  M.  BROWN,  B.SC.,  F.L.S.,  F.E.S. 


The  recorder  is  indebted  to  the  Rev.  C.  Ash,  and  to  Messrs. 
M.  L.  Thompson  and  T.  B.  Kitchen  for  consignments  of 
specimens  from  their  respective  districts  for  determination, 
the  most  interesting  of  which  are  referred  to  in  the  following 
list. 

References 

f=New  to  the  County.  *=New  to  the  Vice-county. 
C.A.=Rev.  C.  Ash.  W.J.F. =W.  J.  Fordham. 

M.L.T.  = M.  L.  Thompson.  T.B.K. =T.  B.  Kitchen. 
Records  not  initialled  are  my  own. 

Heteroptera. 

Piezodorus  lituratus  F.  Skipwith  Common,  W.J.F.  ( The  Naturalist, 
1923,  p.  266).  Usually  described  as  plentiful  wherever  gorse 
flourishes.  It  seems  uncommon,  however,  in  Yorkshire,  the  only 
previous  record  dating  from  i860. 

Picromerus  bidens  L.  On  birch,  Allerthorpe,  W.J.F.  Skipwith 
Common,  C.A.  and  T.B.K. 

Zicrona  coerulea  L.  One  specimen,  Skipwith  Common,  W.J.F.  ( The 
Naturalist,  1923,  p.  266). 

Myrmus  miriformis  Fall.  Allerthorpe  Common,  T.B.K.,  *61.  This  is 
another  uncommon  species  in  Yorkshire,  it  having  been  recorded 
only  twice  before.  It  is  more  plentiful  in  southern  countries. 
It  should  be  looked  for  among  long  grass,  especially  in  healthy 
places . 

Scolopostethus  affinis  Schill.  Redcar,  M.L.T.,  *62. 

Gastrodes  ferrugineus  L.  Skipwith  Common.  The  only  recorded 
county  locality  up  to  the  present  for  this  species. 

Nabis  limbatus  Dahlb.  Skipwith,  C.A. 

N.  ferus  L.  Allerthorpe,  T.B.K.,  *61. 

Saida  orthochila  Fieb.  On  the  moors  at  Ringinglow,  near  Sheffield, 
f Piezostethus  cursitans  Fall.  Under  fir  bark,  Allerthorpe,  W.J.F. 

Acompocoris  pygmaeus  Fall.  On  firs,  Ringinglow. 

Microphysa  pselaphiformis  Curt.  One  on  the  trunk  of  an  elm,  Ecclesall 
Woods,  Sheffield,  and  ohe  by  beating  hawthorn,  Fulwood.  This 
is  a very  small  and  inconspicuous  insect,  and  is  likely  to  be 
commoner  than  at  present  appears. 

Stenodema  (Miris)  holsatum  F.  Wike,  T.B.K.  Generally  the  common- 
est member  of  the  genus  with  us,  but  this  year  it  has  been  scarce. 

Miris  (Leptopterna)  ferrugatus  Fall.  Middleton -in-Teesdale  and 
Greatham,  M.L.T.  Hazelhead. 

Bryocoris  pteridis  Fall.  Ftazelhead,  *63.  ( The  Naturalist,  1923, 

P-  343-) 

Phytocoris  dimidiatus  Kb.  Ecclesall  Woods.  Frequent  on  the  trunks 
of  Sycamore  trees,  where  its  colouration  harmonises  remarkably 
with  that  of  the  discoloured  bark. 

P.  pini  Kb.  Skipwith,  C.A.  and  J.M.B. 

P.  varipes  Boh.  Birley  Edge,  near  Wadsley  Bridge.  Unlike  most 
members  of  the  genus,  this  species  occurs  frequently  on  low  plants. 

Adelphocoris  ( Calocoris ) lineolatus  Goeze.  Redcar,  M.L.T.,  *62.  In 
recording  this  from  Bridlington  last  year,  mention  was  made 
that  it  would  probably  be  taken  elsewhere  on  Ononis. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Hemiptera  in  1923. 


125 


Calocoris  sex-guttatus  F.  Yaxm,  M.L.T.,  *62. 
fC.  voseo-maculatus  DeG.  Filey,  T.B.K.  An  interesting  addition 
to  the  county  list,  though  its  occurrence  might  have  been  expected 
as  it  has  been  taken  in  Northumberland,  Durham  and  Lincolnshire. 

C.  novegicus  Gmel.  ( bipunctatus  F.).  Skipwith,  C.A.  Yarm  and 
Bedale,  M.L.T.,  *62  and  *65. 

Lygus  pratensis  L.  Newton  (near  Pickering),  M.L.T.  Rievaulx  and 
Askham,  T.B.K.  Fulwood  (near  Sheffield). 

Macrolophus  nubilus  H.S.  Fulwood  and  Ecclesall  Woods,  the  only 
localities  noted  for  this  delicate  species  in  Yorks. 

•j -Globiceps  dispar  Boh.  One  specimen  among  grass  in  the  woods,  Wharn- 
cliffe.  Mr.  E.  A.  Butler  states  that  it  is  not  of  general  occurrence, 
being  noted  in  only  seven  English  counties . I can  now  add  two, 
having  taken  specimens  in  Yorks,  and  Derbyshire, 
f Heterocordylus  tibialis  Hahn.  On  gorse,  Birley  Edge  ; should  be 
plentiful  elsewhere. 

Psallus  variabilis  Fall.  Hazelhead. 

P.  varians  H.S.  Middleton-in-Teesdale,  M.L.T.,  *65. 

P.  falleni  Reut.  Hazelhead  and  Wharncliffe. 

Plagiognathus  arbustorum  F.  Tadcaster,  C.A.,  *64.  Middlesbrough, 
M.L.T.,  *62.  Birley  Edge. 

Homoptera. 

Ulopa  reticulata  Fab.  Ringinglow,  *63.  Under  ling,  plentiful,  and 
probably  widely  distributed. 

Megophthalmus  scanicus  Fall.  Fulwood. 

Euacanthus  interruptus  L.  Bramham,  T.B.K.,  *64. 

\Macropsis  rubi  Boh.  On  brambles,  Ecclesall  Woods,  Sheffield.  Mr 
J.  Edwards  was  good  enough  to  examine  one  of  my  specimens. 

Idiocerus  populi  L.  Millhouses,  Sheffield.  Fairly  plentiful  on  aspens. 

Acocephalus  albifrons  L.  Birley  Edge  and  Fulwood.  Plentiful  at  the 
roots  of  grass. 

A.  bifasciatus  L.  Bell-Hagg  (near  Sheffield),  and  Hazelhead.  Fairly 
common  under  ling. 

Deltocephalus  distinguendus  Flor.  The  f long -winged  form  of  this  species 
(commonly  entered  in  British  lists  as  D.  repletus)  occurs  occasion- 
ally. In  the  structure  of  the  aedeagus  it  is  identical  with  the 
short -winged  form  which  is  quite  common.  I have  taken  it  at 
Wharncliffe.  Mr.  J.  Edwards  examined  one  of  my  specimens, 
and  confirmed  the  determination. 

Athysanus  brevipennis  Kbm.  Bell-Hagg;  it  seems  to  prefer  heathy 
places. 

A.  lineolatus  Brulle.  Greno  Wood,  among  grass. 

\Alebra  albostriella  Fall.  var.  wahlbergi  Boh.  Ecclesall  Woods.  This 
variety  is  much  less  common  than  the  type  or  the  var.  fulveolce 
H.S. 

Dikraneura  flavipennis  Zett.  Skipwith,  *61. 

\Eupteryx  collinus  Flor.  Birley  Edge.  This  species  has  very  likely 
been  confused  with  E.  stachy dearum,  to  which  it  bears  a strong 
resemblance.  It  occurs  on  Labiates. 

E.  signatipennis  Boh.  Ecclesall  Woods,  on  Spirea  ulmaria. 

E.  concinna  Germ.  Greno  Wood,  on  oaks. 

Typhlocyba  crataegi  Dougl.  Greno  Wood. 

T.  geometrica  Schr.  Fulwood. 

fT.  plebeja  Edw.  This  is  one  of  the  unmarked  yellow  species,  the 
identity  of  which  can  only  be  determined  by  dissection  of  the 
aedeagus.  It  was  described  by  Mr.  Edwards  from  specimens 
taken  in  Nottinghamshire  (see  E.M.M.,  1914,  p.  169),  and  so* 
far  as  I know,  has  not  been  reported  since . I took  it  in  considerable 
numbers  on  elm  in  Ecclesall  Woods  during  July  last. 


1924  April  1 


126 


News  from  the  Magazines . 


Zygina  neglecta  Edw.  Greno  Wood,  sheltering  on  hawthorns. 

Cixius  similis  Kbm.  Skipwith.  Plentiful  on  birch. 

Rhinocola  ericae  Curt.  Skipwith,  *61.  Plentiful  under  ling. 

Aphalara  nebulosa  Zett.  Skipwith,  *61 . In  considerable  numbers  on 
Epilobium  angusti folium. 

Psyllopsis  fraxinicola  Forst.  Carter  Knowle,  Sheffield. 

Psylla  mali  Schm.  Burton  Agnes  (8/22),  *63.  Black-brook  (near 
Sheffield),  *61.  On  crab-apple. 

P.  sorbi  L.  Fulwood,  *62.  On  mountain  ash.  These  two  species 
are  much  alike,  and  are  closely  related.  (See  J . Edward’s  E.M.M. 
1918,  p.  113). 

P.  spartii  Guer.  Birley  Edge,  *63.  On  broom. 

Arytaena  genistae  Latr.  Birley  Edge.  On  furze. 

: o : 

Discovery  is  now  to  be  published  by  Messrs.  Benn  Bros. 

Dr.  Irvine  Masson  gives  ‘ The  Genesis  of  the  Royal  Society  ’ in  Nature 
No.  2832. 

F.  J.  Stubbs  refers  to  the  ‘ Night  Cry  of  the  Redwing,’  in  The  Essex 
Naturalist  issued  in  March. 

Colin  Matheson  contributes  ‘ Fish  Exhibits  in  Museums  ’ to  The 
Museums  Journal  for  March. 

A.  H.  Hoare  describes  ‘ Watercress  and  its  Cultivation,’  in  The 
Journal  oj  the  Ministry  oj  Agriculture  for  March. 

British  Birds  for  March  contains  a full  report  of  the  progress  of  its 
Bird  Marking  Scheme,  and  papers  on  the  Birds  of  Cumberland  and  the 
Isle  of  Man. 

Dr.  E,  A.  Cockayne  writes  on  ‘ A Somatic  Mosaic  or  Mutation  in 
Abraxas  grossulariata , ’ with  three  illustrations,  in  The  Entomologist's 
Record  for  February. 

In  Discovery  for  February,  R.  C.  S.  Walters  describes  the  ironstone 
deposits  at  Scunthorpe,  in  North  Lincolnshire,  with  a resume  of  the 
principles  involved  in  the  conversion  of  these  deposits  into  iron  and 
steel. 

Conquest  for  March  is  more  interesting  than  ever,  and  seems  to  carry 
out  the  ideals  dreamt  of  by  its  contemporary,  Discovery.  R.  I.  Pocock’s 
paper  on  ‘ The  Gorilla’s  Foot  ’ refers  to  a recent  discussion  on  this  in- 
teresting subject. 

The  Hastings  and  East  Sussex  Naturalist  (Vol.  3,  No. 6),  recently 
appeared,  and  contains  the  following  useful  local  contributions  : ‘ The 

Weeds  of  a St.  Leonard’s  Garden,’  by  T.  S.  Dymond  ; ‘ The  Ancestry 

of  William  Markwick,  ’ by  J . E.  Ray  ; ‘ A List  of  the  Birds  of  the  Hastings 
District,’  by  W.  Field  ; ‘ The  Heronry  at  Plashett  Wood,  near  Lewes,’ 
by  T.  Parkin  ; and  ‘ Notes  on  the  Local  Fauna,  Flora  and  Meteorology 
for  1922,’  by  W.  R.  Butterfield. 

The  South  Eastern  Naturalist  for  1923  (lxxxii.  +94  pp.),  besides 
details  of  the  Maidstone  Congress  and  of  the  work  of  the  Society  and  its 
Committees,  contains  the  Presidential  Address  of  Alex  Hill  on  ‘ Anti- 
podean Flora.’  We  note  with  regret  that  Mr.  H.  Norman  Gray  retires 
from  the  post  of  Hon.  Secretary  to  this  important  Society,  and  that 
his  place  will  be  taken  by  Mr.  E.  A.  Martin  and  an  Assistant  Secretary. 
The  South-eastern  Naturalist,  however,  is  to  have  a new  editor. 

Volume  LXXV.  of  the  valuable  Memoirs  of  the  Palceontographical 
Society  has  recently  appeared,  and  contains  a further  instalment  of  tee 
late  F.  W.  Harmer’s  monograph  on  Pliocene  Mollusca,  with  excellent 
illustrations,  dealing  with  the  difficult  genera  Trochus,  Turbo,  Tro- 
chocochlea,  Solariella,  and  numerous  other  univalves  from  the  British 
Pliocene.  In  addition  is  part  of  Dr.  L.  F.  Spath’s  monograph  on  The 
Gault  Ammonites,  a work  which  when  completed  will  be  of  considerable 
assistance  to  those  having  to  work  among  this  difficult  group. 


Naturalist 


127 


FIELD  NOTES. 

Leeds  Natural  History  Records.  — Several  new  or 
interesting  records  have  been  made  by  members  of  the  Leeds 
Naturalists’  Club  during  1923.  Mr.  R.  W.  Butcher  reports 
Archangelica  sylvestris  at  Woodlesford,  and  Mr.  W.  A.  Sledge 
obtained  Viola  calcar ea  (Greg.)  at  Hook  Moor  and  Ledsham 
Park.  Both  are  new  county  records.  On  the  Zoological 
side,  Messrs.  H.  Whitehead  and  E.  Percival  record  the 
following  Platyzoa,  those  asterisked  being  new  to  Britain. 
Rhynchodemus  terrestris,  Thorner  and  Roundhay  Park  (E.P.)  ; 
Planaria  polychroa  O.  Schm.,  Templenewsam  (E.P.)  ; P. 
alpina  Dana.,  Bolton  Woods  (H.W.)  ; * Microstomum  viride 
Bened.,  Headingley  (H.W.)  ; *M.  canum  Fuhr.,  Smithy 

Mills,  Meanwood  (H.W.)  ; Prorhynchus  stagnalis  Schultz., 
Adel  Bog  (H.W.)  ; Dalyellia  armigera  O.  Schm.,  Thorner 
(H.W.)  ; Rhynchomesostomum  rostratum  Mull.,  Thorner 
(H.W.)  ; *Castrada  viridis  Volz.,  Lawnswood  (H.W.).  In 
Conchology,  Mr.  Greezv  Fysher  reports  Vitrina  pellucida 
from  Sturdy  Bank,  Limnaea  truncatula  from  a dry  quarry 
near  Linton,  and  also  experiments  on  the  occurrence  of  the 
sinistral  form  of  Limnaea  peregra. — F.  Barnett. 

Pine  Marten  in  the  West  Riding. — Referring  to  Mr. 
R.  Fortune’s  note  (antea  94),  Mr.  T.  R.  Cockney  reported 
to  ‘ A Nature  Lover’s  Diary  ’ in  The  Yorkshire  Post  of  January 
17th,  that  in  November  last,  when  hunting  for  plants,  he 
was  so  fortunate  as  to  have  a close  view  of  a Pine  Marten 
on  Simon’s  Fell,  Ingleborough,  at  an  altitude  of  about  1800 
feet.  Simon’s  Fell  is  a spur  of  Ingleborough,  and  is  not  in 
Wharfedale.  I learned  from  Mr.  C.  F.  Procter  of  another 
Ingleborough  Pine  Marten,  which  I have  since  seen.  It 
is  in  the  small  public  library  in  the  village  of  Clapham,  and 
is  in  a very  faded  condition — in  fact,  the  whole  of  the  fur  is 
nearly  as  light  coloured  as  the  breast  patch.  It  was  captured 
just  over  forty  years  ago  on  Ingleborough,  where  its  presence 
was  unsuspected.  A party  was  engaged  digging  out  Foxes 
when  the  Marten  bolted.  Mr.  Harrison, who  for  many  years 
has  been  in  charge  of  Clapham  Cave,  was  one  of  the  party  ; 
but  I understand  it  was  a Mr.  Spence  who  actually  secured  it. — 
H.  B.  Booth,  Ben  Rhydding. 

: o : 

Vivarium  and  Aquarium  Keeping  for  Amateurs,  by  A.  E. 
Hodge.  London  : H.  F.  & G.  Witherby,  128  pp.,  5/-  net.  This  little 
volume  contains  the  practical  experiences  of  the  author  during  his 
thirty  years’  hobby,  consequently  his  hints  as  to  the  best  methods  of 
arranging  aquaria,  heating,  etc.,  are  likely  to  be  of  service  to  those 
similarly  interested.  The  book  is  illustrated  by  photographs  and 
sketches. 


1924  April  1 


128 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

Messrs.  Reid  and  Morton,  on  the  Geology  of  Ipswich,  we  are  relieved 
to  find,  refer  to  Ipswich  in  Queensland. 

The  death  is  announced  of  Henry  Keeping,  formerly  Curator  of  the 
Sedgwick  Museum,  Cambridge,  at  the  age  of  96. 

The  death  is  announced  of  Herbert  Campion  of  the  Entomological 
Department  of  the  British  Museum  (Natural  History). 

The  friends  of  Mr.  R.  Standen,  of  the  Manchester  Museum,  recently 
made  a present  to  him  on  the  occasion  of  his  70th  birthday. 

The  South-west  Yorkshire  Entomological  Society  sends  us  its  list 
of  officers  and  members,  and  excursion  arrangements  for  1924-1925. 

The  old  course  of  the  Thames  is  referred  to  in  a paper  by  Dr.  R.  L. 
Sherlock  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Geologists’  Association  for  February, 

Snakes,  frogs  and  toads  of  every  possible  variety  and  description 
appear  to  be  illustrated  and  described  in  Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All 
Countries,  Part  28. 

W.  G.  Sheldon  writes  on  Hedya  simplana,  one  of  the  rarest,  most 
local  and  most  beautiful  of  the  British  species  of  the  Tortricidae,  in  The 
Entomologist  for  March. 

Collections  of  freshwater  and  marine  algae,  and  ferns,  have  been 
presented  to  the  Museum  of  the  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society  by  Mr, 
Eugene  Bean,  of  Scarborough. 

W.  Lang  has  a paper  ‘ On  the  Apparently  Endogenous  Insertion  of 
Roots  of  Stigmaria,’  in  the  Memoirs  and  Proceedings  of  the  Manchester 
Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  recently  issued. 

Professor  J.  H.  Myres,  M.A.,  F.S.A.,  has  been  appointed  President 
of  the  Conference  of  Delegates  in  connexion  with  the  British  Association 
jMeeting,  which  will  be  held  at  Wembley  on  the  22nd  July. 

The  first  number  of  The  Scottish  Naturalist  for  the  year  (unfortunately 
described  as  ‘ Jan-Feb.’)  has  a new  cover — a clever  sketch  illustrating 
in  a few  lines  a typical  view  of  the  country,  with  its  fauna  and  flora. 

Plymouth  has  commenced  issuing  penny  ‘ Museum  Notes,’  the  first 
of  which  have  recently  been  received,  viz.,  I.,  The  Mammalia  (20  pp.)r 
II.,  Prehistoric  Man  (12  pp.).  The  pamphlets  are  anonymous,  but 
presumably  are  written  by  the  Curator,  Mr.  T.  V.  Hodgson. 

Nearly  a thousand  species  of  British  Fungi,  collected  by  the  late 
Sir  H.  C.  W.  Hawley,  have  been  presented  to  the  British  Museum  by 
Lady  Hawley.  The  same  institution  has  recently  received  the  late 
Canon  Theodore  Wood’s  collection  of  Coleoptera,  a gift  from  his  widow. 

The  Horniman  Museum  has  issued  a second  edition  of  its  interesting 
pamphlet  on  ‘ The  Evolution  of  the  Domestic  Arts — Part  II.  Basketry, 
Pottery,  Spinning  and  Weaving,  etc.’  (77  pages,  6d.).  It  is  written 
by  Dr.  Harrison,  and  is  an  admirable  history  of  the  subjects  mentioned. 

From  Charles  Janet  we  have  received  two  further  valuable  publica- 
tions, one  entitled  ‘ Le  Volvox, ' Deuxieme  Memoire,  1922  (66  pp.,  and 
numerous  interesting  illustrations)  ; the  other  ‘ Considerations  sur 
L’etre  vivant,  III.,  La  Characee  consideree  au  point  de  vue  orthobion- 
tique  ’ (54  pp.). 

We  regret  to  learn  that  Dr.  A.  Smith  Woodward,  a Past -President 
of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  retires  from  his  position  as  Keeper 
of  the  Department  of  Geology  at  the  British  Museum,  which  he  has 
held  since  1901.  It  will  come  as  a surprise  to  many  that  Dr.  Smith 
Woodward  has  reached  the  age  which  necessitates  retirement  in  a 
Government  Department.  At  the  same  time  we  are  satisfied  that  for 
some  years  he  will  continue  to  favour  us  with  important  contributions 
to  Palaeontological  Science  such  as  we  are  accustomed  to  receive  from 
his  pen.  With  many  others,  we  had  hoped  that  the  Doctor  would  have 
held  an  even  more  important  position  before  his  retirement  from  active 
Government  Service . 


Naturalist 


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No.  808 

No.  582  of  current  Series 


A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 

EDITED  BY 

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The  Museums , Hull ; 

AND 

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Contents 

Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — Bird  Life  throughout  the  Year  ; 
Prehistoric  Remains  ; A Practical  Handbook  of  British  Birds  ; 
British  Climate  ; A Greenland  Halibut  ; Science  and  the  Fishing 
Industry  ; The  Wrigglers  ; Frozen  Fingers  ; Petrography  of  the 
Trias  ; Migration  of  Eels  ; Dr.  Schmidt’s  Discoveries  ; The  Pre- 
glacial Humber  ; Geological  Exhibits  ; Mute  Swans  ; Ancient 
Man  in  North  America  ; The  Geological  Museum,  London 
Sandsend  Lichen  Records,  Yorks. — W.  E.  L.  Wattam  ... 

Vertebrate  Zoology  in  Yorkshire — E . Wilfred  Taylor  ... 

In  Memoriam  — Harry  Moore,  F.R.M.S. — G.  Howard 
Pennine  Peat  (illustrated)- — W . H . Burrell,  F.L.S . 

Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District — Wm.  Falconer,  F.E.S. 
Hepaticae  of  the  Carlisle  District — James  Murray 
Correspondence 

Field  Notes  : — A New  Yorkshire  Pseudo-Scorpi 
the  Hydroecia  nictitans  Group 

Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ... 

News  from  the  Magazines 
Northern  News 
Illustrations 

Plates  IX.  and  X.  

LONDON : 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 
And  at  Hull  and  York. 

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BOOKS  WANTED 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II  -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2ndser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp  ). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set), 
journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists'  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVj  . 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists'  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts)  . 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.(  1862. 

Smith's  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell's  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Woolhope  Club  Trans.  1877-80. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


The  Naturalist.  1924. 


Plate  IX. 


Kentish  Plovers  and  their  Nesting  Place. 

( From  case  in  British  Museum,  South  Kensington 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

BIRD  LIFE  THROUGHOUT  THE  YEAR.* 


129 


A volume  dealing  with  bird  life  has  been  published,  made 
attractive  by  providing  a number  of  artistic  illustrations,  each 
in  a dark  brown  border  and  mounted  on  stiff  lighter-brown 
paper.  These  are  principally  from  photographs  by  well-known 
naturalists,  or  from  paintings,  the  coloured  plates  of  nesting 
places  being  selected  from  the  cases  in  the  South  Kensington 
Museum,  which  presumably  form  better  * sitters  ’ than  the 
birds  and  nests  would  be  in  their  natural  surroundings.  There 
may  be  differences  of  opinion  as  to  this  method  of  illustrating 
popular  books  on  birds,  but  in  order  that  our  readers  may 
judge  of  the  quality  of  these  plates,  the  publishers  enable  us 
to  reproduce  one  of  them  herewith,  Plate  IX.,  though  in  this 
instance,  perhaps  the  fact  that  it  is  printed  on  a white  ground 
and  not  mounted  on  tinted  paper  does  not  give  quite  the  same 
effect  as  it  does  in  the  volume.  The  letterpress  by  Dr.  Salter 
treats  with  the  habits  of  birds  and  their  mode  of  life  as  known 
by  the  varying  seasons  of  the  year,  consequently  the  chapters 
appear  under  the  heads  of  the  different  months.  The  work 
originally  appeared  in  1917  and  is  now  reprinted. 

PREHISTORIC  REMAINS. 

The  North  Lonsdale  Field  Club  has  issued  Two  Reports 
dealing  with  the  finds  of  Prehistoric  Remains  in  the  Furness 
District  : I. — ‘ Report  on  some  objects  of  archaeological 

interest,  generally  relating  to  the  late  Celtic  period,  re- 
cently found  at  Low  Light  burn  Park,  U1  verst  on/  by  John 
Dobson,  President  of  the  North  Lonsdale  Field  Club,  and 
W.  G.  Atkinson,  Hon.  Curator  ; II. — ‘ Some  Prehistoric 
Implements  recently  found  in  Low  Furness/  described  by 
John  Dobson.  It  seems  that  a little  time  ago,  the  Ulverston 
Urban  Council  purchased  some  land  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
viding work  for  the  unemployed,  and  making  a lecreation 
ground  ; and  it  was  during  the  process  of  removing  the 
turf,  etc.,  that  the  objects  described  were  found.  While 
unquestionably  the  very  fine  perforated  adze,  and  other  speci- 
mens recorded,  are  of  particular  interest,  it  is  not  at  all  certain, 
particularly  in  view  of  the  illustrations,  that  many  of  the 
specimens  figured  are  what  they  seem.  The  Bronze  Saw  is 
clearly  a piece  of  comparatively  modern  metal,  which  for  some 
reason  or  other  has  been  cut  by  a chisel,  as  is  indicated  by  the 
guiding  line  referred  to  in  the  description.  The  engraved 
piece  of  bronze  is  surely  quite  modern  ; the  graver  made  of 
Encrinital  Limestone  seems  to  be  an  accidental  fracture,  and 


* By  John  H.  Salter.  London  : Swarthmore  Press  Ltd.,  40  Museum 
Street.  256  pp.,  12/6. 


1924  May  1 


I 


130 


Notes  and  Comments. 


to  say  that  the  * piece  of  slate  embedded  in  cement  'isa  ‘ tooth 
of  a Tribulum/  and  to  dilate  upon  the  method  of  grinding 
corn  in  Roman  times,  is  surely  going  a little  too  far.  Similarly 
the  twenty  small  beads  found  together  would  seem  to  be  from 
some  early  Victorian  dress.  The  same  doubt  exists  with 
regard  to  the  alleged  tools  for  ' decorating  Bronze  Age 
pottery/  etc.  The  authors  seem  to  have  been  unfortunate 
in  their  choice  of  referees. 

A PRACTICAL  HANDBOOK  OF  BRITISH  BIRDS. 

Messrs.  Witherby  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  com- 
pletion of  their  ‘ Practical  Handbook  of  British  Birds/  which 
has  now  been  appearing  serially  with  regularity  for  some  time. 
The  work  occupies  over  1500  pages  of  text,  350  text  figures, 
and  30  coloured  and  monochrome  plates,  and,  with  the  aid 
of  these,  the  volume  is  likely  to  serve  the  ordinary  needs  of 
Ornithologists,  so  far  as  British  birds  are  concerned,  for 
some  time  to  come.  We  are  informed  by  the  publishers 
that  the  complete  work  can  be  obtained,  suitably  bound,  for 
£4  IOS. 

BRITISH  CLIMATE. 

The  Spring  Number  of  The  Geographical  Teacher  is  a closely 
printed  volume  dealing  with  all  manner  of  subjects,  British 
and  foreign,  with  interleaved  advertisements,  etc.  To 
readers  of  The  Naturalist  probably  the  very  interesting  article 
on  ‘ British  Climate  in  Historic  Times/  by  Sir  Richard 
Gregory,  will  appeal  the  most,  although  the  greatest  amount 
of  space,  and  certainly  the  best  illustrated  article,  deals  with 
4 An  Ethno-geographical  essay  on  Basutoland.  ’ The  particular 
interest  to  us  in  connection  with  this  is  that  it  probably 
gives  an  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  hut  dwellings  which  were 
used  by  the  Ancient  Britons  in  this  country. 

A GREENLAND  HALIBUT. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  London 
‘ Mr.  J.  R.  Norman  exhibited  a specimen  of  the  Greenland 
Halibut  ( Reinhardtius  hippoglossoides) , a fish  apparently  new 
to  the  British  fauna.  The  specimen  was  caught  off  the  south 
coast  of  Ireland,  latitude  5 2°  30'  N.,  at  170  fathoms,  and  was 
sent  to  the  British  Museum  by  Professor  W.  M.  Tattersall, 
of  Cardiff.  Normally  an  arctic  and  sub-arctic  species,  it 
extends  southwards  on  the  western  side  of  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Grand  Banks  off  Newfoundland  (latitude  42°-5o°)  ; but 
on  the  eastern  side  it  does  not  extend  nearly  as  far  southwards, 
and,  according  to  Dr.  Smitt,  “ perhaps  not  much  south  of  the 
70th  degree  of  latitude.”  From  its  nearest  relative,  the  Common 
Halibut,  it  differs  especially  in  the  plumper  body,  larger 
mouth  and  stronger  teeth,  in  the  left  eye  being  on  the  upper 


Naturaii&t 


Notes  and  Comments. 


I3i 

surface  of  the  head  and  the  dorsal  fin  commencing  behind  it, 
and  in  being  coloured  on  both  sides.  In  the  young,  however, 
the  blind  side  is  colourless.  It  appears  to  be  a species  which 
is  in  process  of  discarding  the  habits  characteristic  of  the  order, 
and  has  regained  to  a certain  extent  its  original  symmetry. 
He  also  showed  a cast  of  the  head  of  another  specimen  of  the 
same  species*  stated  to  have  been  landed  at  Hull,  but  where 
it  was  caught  is  not  known.’ 

SCIENCE  AND  THE  FISHING  INDUSTRY. 

At  the  International  Fisheries  Exhibition  at  Leeds  a little 
while  ago,  Professor  J.  Stanley  Gardiner  gave  an  address  on 
4 The  Application  of  Science  to  the  Fishing  Industry,’  a copy 
of  which  has  been  kindly  sent  to  us.  In  this  he  states  : 
4 Neither  public  opinion  nor  trade  sentiment  is  ready  for 
the  utilisation  of  the  full  knowledge  that  science  has  accumu- 
lated about  the  lives  of  our  food  fishes.  When  that  time  comes 
it  will  be  seen  that  such  knowledge  is  very  great . Our  fishing 
grounds  will  be  farmed,  especially  those  of  the  North  Sea, 
where  we  shall  have  to  repeat  on  a gigantic  scale  Petersen’s 
successful  experiments  in  Danish  waters.  Shoals  will  be 
selectively  thinned.  Sexes  will  be  weeded  out  in  accordance 
with  the  needs  of  the  grounds.  Depleted  bottoms  will  be 
re-stocked.  Barren  grounds  will  be  planted  with  fish  food 
and  stocked.  Where  natural  forces  cannot  be  made  to  act 
in  these  respects  man  will  step  in  and  he  will  carry  and  plant 
iish  so  as  to  make  the  most  of  the  rich  “ pastures  ” of  the 
Dogger  and  elsewhere. — I am  venturing,  you  understand, 
to  sketch  what  may  seem  a quite  fanciful  picture  ; if  the  world 
goes  on  as  it  has,  it  must  come,  but  probably  most  of  us  will 
not  see  it. — It  is  a matter  of  surprise  to  me  to  see  how  much 
we  know,  and  the  answers  to  how  many  questions  may  be 
found  in  our  statistics,  when  I try  to  think  of  the  North 
Sea  as  a giant  farm  ; at  the  same  time  I am  afraid  to  think 
-of  all  we  shall  require  to  know. 

THE  WRIGGLERS. 

The  following  from  the  daily  press,  recently,  shows  that 
‘ our  special  correspondent  ’ has  broken  out  again ! ‘ Gorgeous 

caves,  hung  with  natural  draperies  of  purest  white  formations, 
and  believed  to  be  the  finest  example  of  cavern  beauty  in 
England,  will  probably  be  opened  to  the  public  on  the  slopes 
of  Ingleborough  (2373  ft.),  north-west  Yorkshire,  this  summer, 
by  blasting  away  thousands  of  tons  of  rock  which  now  make 
an  easy  access  impossible.  The  work,  which  will  begin  as  soon 
as  the  requisite  drilling  machinery  can  be  erected  at  the 
entrance  to  the  tunnel,  is  being  directed  by  Mr.  C.  F.  D. 
Long,  a geophysical  research  worker,  assisted  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Churchill.  The  present  entrance  is  made  by  crawling  through 


4924  May  1 


132 


Notes  and  Comments. 


a rocky  tunnel,  a mile  from  Ingleton,  for  a quarter  of  a mile. 
The  entrance  is  a slit  in  the  rock  not  more  than  18  inches  high, 
with  a roof  of  limestone  and  floor  of  hard  slate.  No  progress 
is  possible  unless  one  crawls  on  the  stomach,  the  low  and  un- 
even roof  preventing  any  arching  of  the  back.’ 

FROZEN  FINGERS. 

‘ After  perhaps  50  yards  of  wearisome  wriggling,  progress 
by  the  light  of  a candle  is  slower  and  more  painful,  as  water 
almost  fills  the  gallery.  Clutching  the  rocky  sides  with 
frozen  fingers,  one  flounders  along,  sometimes  slipping  into 
a deep  pool,  sometimes  crawling  along  over  a flat  ledge. 
Never  is  there  room  to  stand,  and  often  the  water  fills  the 
gallery  to  within  seven  or  eight  inches  of  the  roof.  One’s 
head  only  is  above  water,  with  the  body  dragging  along 
rugged  rocks  underneath.  Occasional  slips  plunge  the  candle 
into  the  water.  The  zig-zag  gallery  comes  to  an  end  about 
1000  ft.  from  the  entrance  and  runs  into  a chamber,  the  roof 
of  which  goes  up  to  a height  of  30  ft.  or  40  ft.  To  the  right 
is  the  wonderful  spectacle  of  a tributary  flowing  into  the  river 
from  the  roof,  the  clear  water  flashing  down  in  a column 
35  ft.  long.  The  river  in  the  bottom  circles  round  great 
boulders  of  imposing  shape,  and  at  length  the  canyon  is 
entirely  filled  by  the  river,  which  takes  one  out  of  his  depth 
within  two  yards  of  the  side.  This  underground  lake  stretches 
away  for  a distance  which  it  is  at  present  impossible  to  measure. 
It  is  because  of  the  many  requests  he  has  received  that  Mr. 
Long  has  decided  to  open  the  caves  to  the  public.  Electric 
light  will  be  installed.’  But  what  will  Mr.  Long  do  if  he 
has  to  walk  into  the  cavern  instead  of  floundering  and  slipping 
and  crawling  and  clutching? 

PETROGRAPHY  OF  THE  TRIAS. 

A paper  was  recently  read  on  * The  Petrography  of  the 
Triassic  Sandstones  of  South-west  Lancashire,’  by  Miss 
Stella  W.  Harris,  to  the  Liverpool  Geological  Society,  in 
which  she  stated  * The  area  examined  extends  from  Rufford 
on  the  north  to  Garston  on  the  south,  and  the  majority  of 
the  specimens  were  collected  from  the  Bunter  Pebble  Beds, 
which  are  the  most  widely  exposed.  The  most  common 
minerals  found  amongst  the  heavy  residues  were  tourmaline, 
zircon,  ilmenite,  anatase,  and  rutile.  Of  greater  interest  is 
the  discovery  of  monazite  and  topaz,  which  have  not  hitherto 
been  detected  in  the  local  Trias.  Garnets  are  very  rare, 
while  staurolite,  although  carefully  searched  for,  was  not  found, 
and  this  perhaps  constitutes  the  most  noteworthy  and  sig- 
nificant feature  of  the  mineral  assemblage,  and  distinguishes  the 
deposits,  markedly,  from  those  of  the  Midlands  and  South- 
west England.  A comparison,  on  the  other  hand,  with  samples 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


133 


from  the  Trias  of  the  Wirral  Peninsula  and  the  Vale  of  Clwyd 
revealed  a great  resemblance  between  them  and  those  of  the 
Lancashire  area,  and  some  similarity  was  also  observed  to 
specimens  from  Antrim  and  Arran.  After  a full  discussion 
of  the  possible  sources  of  origin  of  the  material,  Miss  Harris 
considers  that  the  mineral  content  of  the  Lancashire  sand- 
stones (leaving  out  of  account  the  coarser  material)  is  sug- 
gestive of  a north-western  origin,  although  there  may  have 
been  subsidiary  drainage  from  other  sources,  and  possibly 
some  communication  with  the  Midlands. 

MIGRATION  OF  EELS. 

In  Nature,  No.  2(832,  J.  T.  Cunningham  contributes  ‘ The 
Natural  History  of  the  Common  Eel,’  an  interesting  paper 
in  which  he  informs  us  that  ‘ a four-masted  schooner,  the 
Dana,  of  550  tons,  was  specially  fitted  out  for  the  purpose 
of  these  researches.  Expeditions  on  this  ship  were  made  in 
1920  and  1921,  and  large  numbers  of  the  larvae  were  collected 
at  different  positions  in  the  western  part  of  the  North  Atlantic. 
When  the  places  of  capture  were  plotted  out  according  to 
the  sizes  of  the  larvae  it  was  proved  that  all  those  less  than 
10  mm.  (-|  in.)  in  length  were  taken  in  the  middle  of  the 
Sargasso  Sea,  and  the  larger  sizes  at  increasingly  greater 
distances  from  this  region.  This  region  must  be  regarded, 
then,  as  the  spawning  place  of  the  European  eel.  It  extends 
from  200  to  30°  N.  Lat.  and  from  50°  to  65°  W.  Long.  In 
one  haul  of  two  hours’  duration  in  this  region  in  June,  1920, 
nearly  800  specimens  were  obtained,  the  largest  number 
being  24  mm.,  or  very  nearly  1 in.,  in  length.  These  are 
considered  to  be  in  their  first  year,  probably  hatched  a few 
months  earlier.  The  elvers  which  reach  the  coast  of  Europe 
are  calculated  to  be  three  years  old.’ 

DR.  SCHMIDT’S  DISCOVERIES. 

‘ The  depth  of  the  ocean  in  the  eel-spawning  area  is  from 
3000  to  4000  fathoms.  Dr.  Schmidt  concludes  from  his 
discoveries  that  the  fresh-water  eel,  which  lives  the  whole 
of  its  life  after  its  metamorphosis  in  inland  fresh  waters, 
but  is  hatched  and  developed  in  the  sea  and  returns  to  great 
depths  of  the  ocean  to  breed,  is  to  be  regarded  as  properly 
a marine  fish.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  good  evidence 
that  the  earliest  bony  fishes  were  evolved  in  fresh  water, 
and  some  of  the  more  primitive  forms,  such  as  the  carp  family, 
are  still  confined  to  rivers  and  lakes  ; few  of  them  live  ex- 
clusively in  salt  water.  Migration  from  river  to  sea  or  sea 
to  river  is  not  uncommon  among  these  more  primitive  fishes, 
as  for  example,  in  the  salmon  family.  Here  the  migration 
is  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that  of  the  eel  ; salmon  leaves 
the  sea  and  ascend  rivers  in  order  to  spawn,  and  go  down 


1924  May  1 


134 


Notes  and  Comments. 


to  the  sea  to  feed  and  grow.  The  Pacific  salmon  ( Oncorhyn - 
chus  yschawitscha)  offers  a case  almost  as  wonderful  as  that 
of  the  eel.  It  ascends  great  rivers  of  N.W.  America  and  N.E. 
Asia  to  distances  from  1000  to  more  than  2000  miles  from  the 
coast,  and,  like  the  eel,  spawns  only  once  and  then  dies/ 
THE  PRE-GLACIAL  HUMBER. 

In  recent  years  various  large  firms  have  published  house 
magazines,  under  various  titles,  and  in  this  way  we  have  seen 
The  Pelican , Mill-Stone , Brymay,  As  you  like  it,  and  others. 


each  of  which  contains  interesting  information  relating  to 
the  particular  trade  concerned.  Perhaps  the  most  generally 
interesting  of  these  is  Ours,  the  magazine  of  Reckitt’s,  which 
is  issued  monthly,  and  contains  over  50  pages  with  numerous 
illustrations.  The  Editor,  Mr.  J.  H.  Noble,  prepares  a 
record  of  various  addresses  given  to  the  Staff  Association,  and 
the  magazine  has  thus  been  occupied  for  some  time  by  a 
series  of  articles  dealing  with  the  story  of  the  East  Riding  of 
Yorkshire,  based  on  a course  of  lectures  given  by  the  present 
writer.  In  connection  with  this  a map  has  been  prepared 
which  is  reproduced  herewith,  and  shows  the  present  coastal 
line,  the  cliff  line  in  immediately  pre-glacial  times,  and  a 
suggestion  of  a still  much  earlier  cliff  line  when  the  Humber 
mouth  was  where  Withernsea  now  is. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


135 


GEOLOGICAL  EXHIBITS. 

There  have  recently  been  placed  on  exhibition  at  the 
Geological  Society’s  Rooms,  Burlington  House,  the  hammer, 
chisel  and  leather  map-case  used  by  G.  B.  Greenough,  the 
founder  and  first  president  of  the  Society.  The  hammer  is 
a serviceable  weapon,  the  handle  being  of  strips  of  baleen 
fastened  together.  The  chisel  is  encased  in  leather,  with  a 
loop  for  carrying,  and  the  map-case  is  as  much  as  any  ordinary 
person  would  care  to  carry.  In  addition,  two  quaint  gothic 
chairs  now  appear  on  the  platform  in  the  lecture  room.  These 
were  formerly  the  property  of  William  Smith,  the  father  of 
English  Geology. 

MUTE  SWANS. 

In  dealing  with  the  ‘ Early  History  of  the  Mute  Swan  in 
England,’  in  British  Birds  for  January,  Mr.  N.  F.  Ticehurst 
writes  ‘ it  is  certainly  a fact  of  some  significance  that  in  the 
tenth  century  Anglo-Saxon  Vocabulary  of  Archbishop  iElfric 
two  names  are  given  for  the  Swan  corresponding  to  the  Latin 
equivalents  cignus  and  olor.  One  of  these  must  have  been 
applied  to  the  Mute  Swan,  and  it  is  perhaps  more  probable 
that  an  indigenous  species  would  have  been  known  by  a 
distinct  name  than  a migrant.  East  Anglia  in  the  tenth 
century,  and  for  long  after,  would  have  afforded  the  largest 
areas  in  England  suitable  for  its  requirements,  while  at  the 
same  time  it  is  that  part  of  England  which  is  nearest  to  those 
of  western  Europe  (Denmark  and  S.  Sweden)  where  it  is  known 
to  be  indigenous.  All  the  evidence  goes  to  show,  moreover, 
that  it  was  in  this  part  of  England  that  it  afterwards  flourished 
in  greatest  numbers,  and  it  is  in  this  area  that  the  greater 
proportion  of  its  later,  written,  history  appertains,  while 
the  greater  simplicity  of  the  swan-marks  used  on  the  eastern 
side  of  Norfolk  suggests  very  forcibly  that  it  was  here  that 
the  earliest  domestications  of  the  species  was  effected.’ 

ANCIENT  MAN  IN  NORTH  AMERICA. 

We  learn  from  Nature,  No.  2827,  that  ‘ In  the  “ Bulletin 
of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  ” (December 
4th,  1923),  Dr.  William  K.  Gregory  and  Mr.  Milo  Heilman 
analyse  in  still  greater  detail  the  two  molar  teeth  attributed 
by  Prof.  H.  F.  Osborn  to  “ a new  and  independent  type  of 
Primate  ” — Hesperopithecus — which  existed  in  North  America 
during  Pliocene  times.  They  find  that  the  “ type  ” tooth  is, 
as  has  been  maintained,  a second  upper  molar  of  the  right 
side,  but  do  not  definitely  reject  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Gerrit 
Miller,  that  it  may  prove  to  be  a third  molar.  While  Dr. 
Gregory  sees  in  these  recently  found  fossil  teeth  a resemblance 
to  the  molar  type  of  the  gorilla  and  chimpanzee,  his  partner 
leans  towards  their  human  resemblances.  With  only  drawings 


1924  May  1 


136 


News  from  the  Magazines . 


to  guide  him,  Dr.  Smith  Woodward  (Nature,  June  10th,  1922, 
p.  750)  was  disposed  to  regard  the  type  tooth  not  as  that  of 
a primate  but  of  a carnivore — possibly  Hyaenarctos — and  he 
considered  that  the  tooth  had  the  characters  of  a lower  rather 
than  an  upper  molar.  In  their  present  paper  the  authors 
state  that  the  tooth  of  Hesperopithecus  differs  profoundly 
from  that  of  carnivores,  and  that  it  has  fundamental  points 
of  agreement  with  those  of  the  ape-man  group  of  primates. 
They  cite  altogether  ten  opinions,  all  of  them  different,  which 
experts  have  passed  as  to  the  nature  of  the  two  teeth  ascribed 
to  the  enigmatical  Hesperopithecus.  Prof.  Osborn  was  right 
when  he  wrote  in  Nature  (August  26th,  1922,  p.  283)  “ we 
must  seek  more  material  before  we  can  determine  its  relation- 
ship ” ; and  in  truth  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  teeth.’ 

THE  GEOLOGICAL  MUSEUM,  LONDON. 

For  a considerable  time  now  geologists  have  been  much 
inconvenienced  by  the  fact  that  only  portions  of  the  collect- 
ions in  the  Geological  Museum,  Jermyn  Street,  are  accessible, 
on  account  of  an  enormous  structure  in  the  building  said  to 
be  supporting  the  roof.  On  recently  visiting  the  Museum,  we 
found  that  the  building  was  entirely  closed,  and  consequently 
the  maps  and  specimens  we  wished  to  consult  were  not  avail- 
able, and  unfortunately  these  maps  do  not  occur  in  any  other 
Institution.  On  this  account,  therefore,  we  made  a fruitless 
journey.  In  order  to  avoid  doing  so  again  we  got  into  com- 
munication with  the  office  by  means  of  the  telephone,  and  were 
unable  to  ascertain  when  it  would  be  possible  for  anyone  to 
visit  the  building,  as  the  roof  is  not  safe,  and  consequently 
visitors  are  not  permitted.  Presumably  it  does  not  matter  if 
the  roof  falls  on  the  members  of  the  staff,  who  are  still  using 
the  building.  Surely  it  should  be  possible  for  the  public 
to  be  informed  of  the  probable  date  at  which  the  treasures  in 
the  museum  may  again  be  available*  ? 

: o : 

F.  M.  Wimshurst  describes  ‘ A New  British  Aphid  ( Macrosiphum 
galiophagum  nov.  sp.)  ’ in  the  Entomologist’s  Monthly  Magazine  for 
March . 

The  usual  valuable  1 Summary  of  Current  Researches  relating  to 
Zoology  and  Botany  (principally  invertebrata  and  cryptogamia) , 
Microscopy,  etc.,’  occurs  in  The  Journal  of  the  Royal  Microscopical  Society 
for  March. 

J.  H.  Smith  writes  ‘ On  the  Early  Growth  Rate  of  the  Individual 
Fungus  Hypha  ’ ; F.  Summers  contributes  ‘ The  Factors  Governing 
Bud  Formation  : a Chapter  of  Plant  Physiology  ’ ; and  Irene  M.  Allen 
describes  ‘ The  Cytology  of  Matthiola  incana  with  reference  to  the 
genetics  of  certain  cultivated  varieties,’  in  The  New  Phylologist  for  April 
23rd. 


* Since  we  made  a protest  in  the  press,  an  entrance  has  been  made 
from  Piccadilly. 


Naturalist 


137 


SANDSEND  LICHEN  RECORDS,  YORKS. 

ft 


W.  E.  L.  WATTAM. 


During  a holiday  sojourn  at  Sandsend  in  mid-August,  1923, 
I spent  many  enjoyable  hours  in  noting  the  lichen  flora  of  that 
portion  of  the  N.  Riding  of  Yorkshire  (V.C.  62)  from  the  village 
of  Dunsley,  northward  as  far  as  Kettleness.  Included  in  the 
appended  list  are  the  species  noted  during  a day  spent  on 
the  Sleights  Moor,  between  Grosmont  and  Beckholes.  Many 
species  are  enumerated  as  occurring  in  Mulgrave  Woods, 
but  it  must  not  be  assumed  that  these  extensive  woods  were 
thoroughly  investigated  for  lichens.  The  condition  governing 
the  ticket  of  admission  as  to  straying  from  the  paths  was 
strictly  obeyed,  and  thus  only  those  species  near  to  and  by 
the  side  of  the  main  road  and  some  of  the  footpaths  are  in- 
cluded. The  physical  features  in  general  are  so  excellent 
that  the  same  ground  traversed  during  a more  favourable 
period,  say  early  spring,  would  undoubtedly  enable  many 
additions  to  be  made  to  the  list. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  phases  of  the  lichen  flora 
observed  was  in  the  transition  which  was  taking  place  in  the 
greater  part  of  the  flora  of  the  extensive  old  quarry  workings 
on  the  coastal  side  about  opposite  to  Sandsend  Wyke,  to  the 
north  of  Sandsend  Station,  and  near  to  the  southern  end  of 
Kettleness  Tunnel.  The  peculiarity  of  this  quarry  floor, 
mostly  composed  of  silicious  debris  of  the  Lower  Estuarine 
Sandstone,  intermixed  with  a greyish  coloured  clay,  was  the 
area  dominated  solely  by  lichens,  which,  with  the  dwarf 
moss  Polytrichum  piliferum  Schrieb.,  evidenced  themselves  as 
the  pioneer  vegetation  of  this  particular  area,  the  more  pro- 
nounced when  was  noted  the  higher  types  of  flowering  plants 
which  clothed  the  steep  northern  and  southern  banks  of  the 
quarry,  and  which  latter  flora  was  typical  of  the  flora  of  the 
adjacent  cliff  tops.  Here  occurred  zones  of  pure  Cladina 
sylvatica  and  C.  uncialis  with  Parmelia  saxatilis,  P.  physodes, 
Platysma  glaucum  and  Lecidia  granulosa  overgrowing  and 
intermingling  with  the  before  mentioned  moss.  Where  a 
more  peaty  humus  had  accumulated  such  areas  were  con- 
trolled solely  by  Cetraria  aculeata  and  its  form  acanthella  with, 
in  a lesser  degree,  Cladina  sylvatica , Cladonia  alcicornis,  C. 
coccifera,  C . cervicornis  and  C . pyxidata.  At  the  basal  portion 
of  the  northern  embankment  occurred  large  patches  of  Peltigera 
canina  along  with  a little  Cladonia  alcicornis.  A further 
feature  of  interest  in  association  with  this  dominant  lichen 
growth  was  that  the  first  higher  types  of  vegetation  commenc- 
ing to  clothe  the  quarry  floor  were  of  a pure  heath  type, 


1924  May  1 


138  W 'attain  : Sandsend  Lichen  Records , Yorks. 

viz.,  Calluna  vulgaris,  Erica  tetralix,  E.  cinerea  and  small 
tufts  of  Festuca  ovina.  Thus,  taken  as  a whole,  the  vege- 
tation of  this  quarry  floor  was  of  a characteristic  moorland 
type.  A reference  to  the  Moorland  Map  in  Elgee’s  'Moor- 
lands of  North  Eastern  Yorkshire  ’ discloses  the  fact  that 
the  nearest  moors  due  west  of  the  quarry  workings  are  the 
Ugthorpe  and  Newton  Mulgrave  Moors,  roughly  distant  about 
four  miles,  while  the  Hutton  Mulgrave  and  Briscoe  Moors,, 
lying  in  a south-easterly  direction,  are  distant  about  one  and 
a half  miles. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  species  of  Lichens  noted  : — 

Lempholemma  confertum  Nyl.  Silicious  debris,  road  through  Mulgrave 
Woods. 

Collema  furvum  Ach.  Among  silicious  debris,  Sleights  Moor  ; roadside 
to  Goldsborough. 

C.  pulposum  Ach.  Among  silicious  grit  debris,  stream,  Grosmont 
Wood  ; Mulgrave  Woods. 

C.  cheilium  Ach.  Among  mosses,  wall  top  Lythe  Bank,  Sandsend  ; 
Castle  wall,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Leptogium  scotinum  Fr.  Silicious  stones  in  water  runnel,  Mulgrave 
Woods. 

Peltigera  canina  Hoffm.  Among  mosses  and  dead  grasses,  Grosmont 
Woods  ; Cliff  top,  Sandsend  ; Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  rufescens  Hoffm.  Among  mosses  on  boulders,  Mulgrave  Woods.  E 
praetextata  Floerke.  As  above. 

P.  spuria  Leight.  Among  mosses  on  boulders,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  polydactyla  Hoffm.  Among  mosses,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Pannaria  rubiginosa  Del.  in  Dub.  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Mulgrave 
Woods  ; Dunsley. 

Calicium  hyperellum  Ach.  Aged  oaks,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Sphaerophorus  coralloides  Pers.  On  silicious  boulders,  Sleights  Moor. 
Ramalina  farinacea  Ach.  Mountain  Elms,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

R.  fraxinea  Ach.  Aged  ash  boles,  Mulgrave  Woods  ; Dunsley. 

R.  scopulorum  Ach.  Silicious  stones  of  walls  facing  sea  at  Kettleness. 
Cetraria  aculeata'  Fr.  Extremely  common  on  peat,  Sleights  Moor  ; 
with  heath  associates,  cliff  top,  Sandsend  ; f.  hispida  Cromb,  and 
f.  acanthella  Nyl.  ; same  localities. 

Platysma  glaucum  Nyl.  On  aged  oaks,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave  Woods  ; 

on  silicious  stones,  cliff  top,  Sandsend. 

Evernia  furfuracea  Fr.  Aged  oaks  and  mountain  elms,  Grosmont  and 
Mulgrave  Woods  ; hawthorn  trees,  Goldsborough  ; Dunsley  ; 
f.  ceratea  Nyl.,  wall  tops,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

JParmelia  per  lata  Ach.  Apple  trees,  Sandsend  and  Dunsley  ; aged  oaks, 
Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  conspersa  Ach.  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Sandsend  and  Dunsley. 

P.  scortea  Ach.  Aged  oaks  and  palings,  Sandsend. 

P.  saxatilis  Ach.  Silicious  boulders,  oak,  ash,  mountain  elm,  and 
hawthorn  boles,  Mulgrave  and  Grosmont  Woods  ; apple  trees  and 
tiled  roofs  at  Sandsend  and  Goldsborough.  f.  furfuracea  Schser. 
Aged  oaks  and  mountain  elms,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  caperata  Ach.  Apple  trees,  Sandsend. 

P.  laevigata  Nyl.  With  heath  associates,  cliff  top,  Sandsend. 

P.  olivacea  Ach.  Aged  oaks,  Sandsend. 

P.  fuliginosa  Nyl.  Aged  oaks,  Grosmont  Woods  ; Sandsend  ; ash  boles, 
Goldsborough  and  Dunsley.  var.  laetevirens  Nyl.  Apple  trees, 
Sandsend  and  Dunsley. 


Naturalist 


Wattam  ;■  Sandsend  Lichen  Records,  Yorks. 


139 


Parmelia  physodes  Ach.  Oak,  ash,  elm,  Scot’s  pine,  Mulgrave  Woods  ; 
silicious  boulders,  Grosmont  Woods  ; on  ling  and  dwarf  bilberry. 
Sleights  Moor  ; f.  labrosa  Ach.  Aged  oaks,  ash,  and  Scot’s  pine, 
Mulgrave  Woods. 

Xanthoria  parietina  Th.  Fr.  Tiled  roofs  of  buildings  and  silicious 
stones  of  walls,  Sandsend,  Dunsley.  f.  virescens  Nyl.  Palings, 
Mulgrave  Woods  and  Dunsley. 

X.  pulverulenta  Nyl.  Aged  ash  and  oak  boles,  Mulgrave  Woods  and 
Dunsley. 

X.  tenella  Nyl.  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Sandsend. 

1 Squammaria  saxicola  (Poll).  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Kettleness, 
Grosmont  Woods  ; Churchyard  wall,  Lythe  ; Goldsborough, 
Sandsend,  Mulgrave  Woods,  Dunsley. 

Placodium  sympageum  Ach.  Lime  grouting  of  stones,  Lythe  Church. 

P.  flavescens  A.  L.  Sm.  Silicious  stones,  Sandsend,  Beckholes,  Dunsley. 

Callopisma  vitellinum  Sydow.  Silicious  stones  of  bridge,  Beckholes, 
and  of  walls  at  Sandsend,  Goldsborough,  Dunsley,  and  Mulgrave 
Woods. 

C.  citrinum  Koerb.  Mortar  of  walls,  Kettleness,  Beckholes,  Sandsend, 
and  Dunsley. 

Lecanora  irrubata  Nyl.  Wall  of  Lythe  Church,  Dunsley. 

L.  galectina  Ach.  Silicious  stones  of  Churchyard  wall,  Lythe  ; Dunsley. 

L.  dissipata  Nyl.  Grit  boulders,  Sleights  Moor. 

L.  dispersa  Nyl.  Silicious  stones,  Grosmont  Woods. 

L.  crenulata  Nyl.  Silicious  stones,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

L.  Hageni  Ach.  Aged  oaks,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

L.  varia  Ach.  Old  palings  and  gate-posts,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave 
Woods  ; Goldsborough  and  Dunsley. 

L.  pallida  Schaer.  Ash  and  sycamore  boles,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave 
Woods. 

L-  conizaea  Nyl.  Boles  of  larch  and  Douglas  fir,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

L.  symmicta  Ach.  Old  palings,  Sandsend,  Dunsley. 

L.  sulphurea  Ach.  On  silicious  stones.  Sleights  Moor. 

L.  polytropa  Schaer.  Silicious  stones,  Sleights  Moor. 

L.  atra  Ach.  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Kettleness,  Sandsend,  Dunsley 
and  Goldsborough. 

L.  parella  Ach.  Silicious  and  calcareous  stones,  Kettleness,  Sandsend, 
Goldsborough,  Dunsley  and  Lythe  Church. 

Aspicilia  %calcarea  Somm.  Walls  of  Lythe  Church. 

Acarospora  fuscata  Nyl.  Silicious  stones  of  walls,  Sandsend,  Beckholes. 

A.  smaragdula  Koerb.  Silicious  stones,  cliff  top,  Sandsend. 

A.  pruinosa  Jatta.  Aged  oaks  and  mountain  elms,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Pertusaria  globulifera  Nyl.  As  in  previous  species. 

P.  amara  Nyl.  Aged,  oaks,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  lactea  Nyl.  Aged  oaks  and  mountain  elms,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

P.  communis  D.C.  Aged  oaks,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave  Woods  ; Sand- 
send, Goldsborough,  and  Dunsley. 

P.  Wulfenii  D.C.  Aged  oaks  and  mountain  elms,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Baeomyces  rufus  D.C.  Among  mosses  in  chisel  chinks  of  stones  of  Lythe 
Churchyard  wall. 

Cladonia  alcicornis  Floerke.  On  peat,  Sleights  Moor  ; with  heath 
associates,  cliff  top,  Sandsend. 

C.  pyxidata  Fr.  Moss  covered  stumps  and  boulders,  and  dead  grass, 
Kettleness,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave  Woods,  Dunsley,  Sandsend. 

C.  fimbriata  Fr.  Among  mosses,  Kettleness,  Churchyard  wall  at  Lythe, 
Mulgrave  Woods. 

C.  gracilis  Hoffm.  Moss  covered  stumps,  Mulgrave  Woods.  Yar. 
chordalis  Floerke,  likewise. 

C.  cervicornis  Schaer.  On  peat,  with  heath  associates,  cliff  top,  Sands- 
end. 


1924  May  1 


140 


Wattam  : Sandsend  Lichen  Records,  Yorks. 


Cladonia  coccifera  Schaer.  With  heath  associates,  cliff  tops,  Kettleness 
and  Sandsend  ; humus  covered  boulders,  Mulgrave  Woods,  Dunsley . 
C.  digitataYLoftm.  Moss  covered  boulders,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave  Woods. 
C.  macilenta  Hoffm.  On  peaty  soil,  Grosmont  Woods,  and  wall  bases, 
Kettleness. 

C . flabelliformis  Wain.  Among  mosses  to  right  of  glen,  Mulgrave  Woods  ; 
also  var.  polydactyla  Wain. 

Cladina  sylvatica  Nyl.  With  heath  associates  cliff  top,  Sandsend  ; and 
on  Sleights  Moor. 

Cladina  uncialis  Nyl.  As  in  previous  species. 

Lecidia  lucida  Ach.  Sandstone  rock,  Dunsley. 

L.  quernea  Ach.  Aged  oaks,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

L.  coarctata  Nyl.  Silicious  stones,  Sandsend.  Var.  elacista  Cromb.  also. 
L.  granulosa  Schaer.  On  peat,  with  heath  associates,  Sleights  Moor  ; 
cliff  tops,  Sandsend. 

L.  uliginosa  Ach.  On  peat.  Sleights  Moor. 

L.  parasema  Ach.  Ash  boles,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

L.  subumbonella  Lamy.  Silicious  stones,  Sandsend,  Dunsley,  Kettleness. 
L.  contigua  Fr.  Silicious  stones  Grosmont  Woods,  Sandsend,  Golds- 
borough,  Dunsley.  Var.  platycarpa  Fr.  Goldsborough. 

L.  lithophila  Ach.  Silicious  boulders,  Dunsley,  Sandsend. 

L.  confluens  Ach.  Silicious  stones  of  walls  outside  Grosmont  Woods  ; 

Sandsend,  Goldsborough,  Dunsley. 

L.  rivulosa  Ach.  On  silicious  stones,  Sandsend. 

Mycoblastus  sanguinaria  Ach  (sterile) . Silicious  stones  of  wall,  Dunsley. 
Bilimbia  sabuletorum  Branth.  et  Rost.  On  dead  moss,  wall  tops,  Mul- 
grave Woods. 

Buellia  Parmeliarum  Oliv.  On  Platysma  glaucum,  Sandsend. 
Rhizocarpon  alboatrum  Th.  Fr.  Silicious  stones  of  bridge,  Mulgrave 
Woods. 

R.  viridiatrum  Koerb.  Calcareous  grit  stones,  Sandsend. 

R.  confervoides  D.C.  Silicious  boulders,  Beckholes. 

Opegrapha  saxicola  Ach.  On  silicious  boulders,  Grosmont  and  Mulgrave 
Woods  ; Walls  of  Lythe  Church. 

O.  varia  Pers.  Beech  trees,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

O.  vulgata.  Ash  trees,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

Polyblastia  intercedens  Loenur.  Amonst  mosses,  wall  tops,  Kettleness, 
Mulgrave  Woods. 

V err uc aria  maura  Wahl.  Maritime  boulders,  Kettleness  Bay. 

V.  mucosa  Wahl.  Maritime  boulders,  Kettleness  Bay. 

V.  muralis  Ach.  Silicious  stones,  walls,  Mulgrave  Woods. 

: o : 

A new  Yorkshire  Pseudo -scorpion. — On  several  oc- 
casions while  working  nests  of  the  Wood  Ant  ( Formica  rufa 
L.)  at  Barns  Cliff,  at  the  head  of  Harwooddale,  near  Scar- 
borough, I have  turned  up  specimens  of  the  pseudo-scorpion 
Chernes  scorpioides  Herm.  This  is  not  recorded  in  Mr. 
Falconer’s  list  of  Yorkshire  pseudo-scorpions  ( The  Naturalist, 
1916,  pp.  156-8,  191-3).  Among  many  other  myrmecophiles, 
especially  beetles,  were  the  Myriapod  Julus  pulchellus  Leach, 
the  Collembolan  Cyphodeirus  ( =Beckia ) albinos  Nic.,  and  the 
woodlouse  Porcellio  scaber  ; this  last  is  not  recorded  by 
Donisthorpe  ( British  Ants,  p.  262)  as  an  inhabitant  of  F. 
rufa  nests,  although  at  Barns  Cliff  it  is  quite  common. — Geo. 
B.  Walsh,  41  Gladstone  Street,  Scarborough. 


Naturalist 


I4I 


VERTEBRATE  ZOOLOGY  IN  YORKSHIRE. 

A meeting  of  the  Vertebrate  Section  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists' 
Union  was  held  in  the  Library  of  the  Leeds  Philosophical  Society  on 
Saturday,  February  16th,  Mr.  C.  F.  Procter  presiding.  The  Sectional 
Meeting  was  preceded  by  a meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and 
Eggs  Protection  Acts  Committee,  Mr.  W.  H.  St.  Quintin  being  in  the 
chair. 

A paper  was  read  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Wade  on  the  Fulmar  Petrel  which, 
he  stated,  was  the  most  northerly  of  the  British  Petrels,  having  a breeding 
range  that  was  almost  circumpolar.  Two  varieties  occur,  one  with 
white  and  one  with  gray  underparts,  the  latter  plumage  persisting  after 
maturity. 

A visit  to  St.  Kilda,  where  the  bird  has  for  ages  been  bound  up  with 
the  life  of  the  inhabitants,  was  next  described.  Here  the  Fulmar  nests 
in  great  numbers,  and  everything  on  the  Island  has  the  distinctive  and 
enduring  smell  of  this  bird.  The  favourite  nesting  sites  are  the  grassy 
slopes  on  the  cliffs,  and  the  breeding  grounds  are  divided  up  among 
the  different  families  living  on  the  island.  The  single  egg  is  laid  in  a 
hollow,  which  is  sometimes  lined  with  a little  grass,  and  if  the  egg  is 
taken  a second  is  not  laid.  Laying  commences  in  mid-May,  and  the 
period  of  incubation  is  six  weeks.  According  to  Macgillivray,  the 
islanders  used  to  collect  the  eggs  for  food,  and  Martin,  250  years  ago, 
stated  that  the  natives  used  to  keep  them  7 or  8 months  ‘ and  then  they 
became  appetising.’ 

The  present  day  custom  is  to  snare  one  of  the  birds  on  the  nest, 
knowing  that  the  other  will  carry  on  the  duties  of  incubation.  It  is 
generally  stated  that  the  Fulmar  will  desert  on  the  least  provocation, 
but  this  was  not  the  lecturer’s  experience.  After  a bird  has  been  snared 
it  is  held  between  the  knees,  head  downwards,  and  the  oil  is  squeezed 
out  of  its  body  and  collected  in  the  stomachs  of  gannets.  The  carcases 
are  carried  slung  over  the  shoulder  and  are  later  consumed  by  the 
islanders — even  though  Martin  stated  that  they  tasted  strongly  of  train- 
oil 

The  sheep  and  the  Fulmars  are  the  mainstay  of  the  inhabitants  of 
St.  Kilda,  and  the  gathering  of  the  young  birds  commences  on  August 
12th,  when  the  whole  population  turns  out,  and  many  lives  used  to  be 
lost  during  the  climbing.  Great  numbers  of  Puffins  used  also  to  be 
snared,  but  not  of  recent  years,  when  they  have  increased  enormously 
in  consequence. 

The  ejection  of  oil,  that  is  the  stomach  contents,  by  the  Fulmar  is 
deliberate  and  calculated  ; the  supply  is  usually  exhausted  after  three 
discharges,  and  is  thrown  to  a distance  of  about  three  feet.  Other 
peculiarities  of  the  bird  are  that  it  is  unusually  silent,  and  that  it  is  un- 
able to  stand  upright  on  its  feet.  In  the  autumn  it  follows  the  Herring 
shoals,  and  will  feed  ravenously  on  a dead  whale. 

In  1758  the  King’s  Sheriff  on  Faroe  deplored  the  spread  of  this  species 
to  his  domains,  in  the  following  words  ; ‘ but  now  he  has  set  his  ugly 

foot  on  my  Holm  of  Myggenaes  ....  nasty,  stinking  beast  ; why, 
even  his  egg  keeps  its  stench  for  years.  His  flesh  no  man  can  eat,  and 
if  you  sleep  in  a bed  in  which  even  a handful  of  his  feathers  has  been  put 
by  mistake,  you  will  leave  it  long  before  morning.’ 

This  species  has  extended  its  range  down  the  West  Coast  of  Ireland 
and  the  East  Coast  of  Scotland,  and  reached  the  Bempton  Cliffs  in  1919. 
There  it  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  will,  in  the  lecturer’s  opinion,  soon 
occupy  all  the  suitable  nesting  ground  on  the  Yorkshire  Coast. 

In  the  discussion  which  followed  the  paper,  surprise  was  expressed 
that  a bird  which  laid  only  a single  egg  should  be  one  of  the  most  numerous 
species  in  the  world. 

A paper  was  next  read  by  Mr.  W.  G.  Bramley  on  ‘ Bird  Legends.’ 


1^4  May  1 


142 


Vertebrate  Zoology  in  Yorkshire. 


Several  legends  were  related  dealing  with  the  Lapwing  and  Wood  Pigeon, 
and  also  the  legend  explaining  how  the  North  American  Woodpecker 
came  to  have  a red  head,  for  which  those  interested  are  referred  to 
Longfellow  in  ‘ The  Song  of  Hiawatha.’ 

Another  legend  related  to  the  time  when  all  the  birds  assembled 
together  to  choose  a king,  and  it  was  decided  that  choice  should  be  made 
of  the  bird  that  could  fly  the  highest.  All  started  to  fly  upwards,  until 
finally  all  were  outstripped  by  the  Eagle.  Finally,  when  the  Eagle  was 
too  exhausted  to  fly  higher,  a Wren  jumped  off  his  back,  where  it  had 
hidden,  and  fluttered  up  a few  feet  higher,  so  becoming  king. 

The  custom,  which  survived  until  recently,  of  hunting  a Wren  on 
certain  days  of  the  year,  was  attributed  in  Ireland  to  a Wren  having  once 
betrayed  an  Irish  force  to  their  enemies  by  tapping  on  a drum.  The 
same  custom  in  the  Isle  of  Man  was  attributed  to  a legend  which  states 
that  a beautiful  fairy  lured  all  men  to  follow  her  and  then  drowned  them, 
when,  to  escape  punishment,  she  changed  herself  into  a Wren  and  was 
doomed  by  a spell  to  assume  that  form  every  New  Year’s  Day. 

Legends  connected  with  the  Magpie  are  numerous,  and  according  to 
one  the  Wren  was  the  only  bird  that  could  build  a nest,  and  she  gave  a 
popular  lecture  on  the  subject.  One  by  one  all  the  other  birds  grew  tired 
of  listening,  but  the  Magpie  outstayed  the  others,  and  this  explains  the 
different  kinds  of  nests  built  by  different  species. 

There  is  a well-known  Yorkshire  rhyme,  relating  to  the  Magpie, 
which  runs  as  follows  : — 

‘ One  for  sorrow,  two  for  mirth, 

Three  for  a wedding,  four  a birth, 

Five  heaven,  six  is  hell, 

Seven  the  deil’s  ain  sel.’ 

Should  one  have  the  misfortune  to  encounter  the  latter  number,  how- 
ever, there  is  no  need  to  despair  if  one  remembers  to  make  seven  crosses 
in  the  ground,  cross  the  thumbs  and  say  : — 

‘ I cross  the  Magpie, 

The  Magpie  crosses  me. 

Bad  luck  to  the  Magpie, 

And  Good  Luck  to  me.’ 

In  the  discussion  following  the  paper,  reference  was  made  to  the 
many  superstitions,  connected  with  bird  omens,  believed  in  by  the 
Romans. 

At  the  evening  meeting  a paper  was  read  by  Mr.  F.  H.  Edmondson 
on  ' The  Work  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and  Eggs  Protection  Acts 
Committee.’ 

Prior  to  the  formation  of  this  Committee,  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  took  a general  interest  in  Bird  Protection,  but  in  1906  it  was 
decided  to  form  a separate  Committee,  under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr. 
W.  H.  St.  Quintin,  to  deal  only  with  this  matter.  The  lecturer  then 
proceeded  to  describe  the  work  done  since  that  date  : — 

The  Lapwing,  or  Green  Plover,  is  known  to  be  one  of  our  most 
useful  birds,  but  has  been  much  reduced  in  numbers  in  the  past  owing 
to  the  systematic  collection  of  its  eggs,  and  the  dangers  to  which  it  is 
■exposed  in  the  shooting  season. 

In  1920  the  Committee  obtained  protection  throughout  the  whole 
year,  both  for  the  bird  and  its  egg,  with  the  result  that  a gratifying 
increase  in  its  numbers  had  been  observed  in  several  districts. 

The  Merlin,  known  and  much  prized  as  the  Ladies’  Hawk  in  the  days 
of  Falconry,  generally  nests  on  the  ground  and  is  confined  to  the  Pennine 
ridge,  the  Wolds  and  the  Cleveland  Moors.  Of  late  years  it  has  suffered 
heavily  at  the  hands  of  the  keepers  of  the  Grouse  Moors.  By  obtaining 
the  interest  of  the  estate  owners  and  the  sympathy  of  the  keepers,  much 


Naturalist 


Vertebrate  Zoology  in  Yorkshire. 


143 


has  been  done  to  protect  this  game  little  Falcon,  which  now  successfully 
rears  its  young  where  formerly  it  had  no  chance  of  doing  so. 

The  Peregrine  Falcon  was  also  much  prized  by  Falconers  in  the 
past,  and  many  eyries  were  scattered  about  in  the  craggy  parts  of  the 
county.  At  the  present  time  not  more  than  half  a dozen  pairs  attempt 
to  nest  annually  in  the  county.  During  the  nesting  season  local  watchers 
are  appointed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  eyrie,  and  are  paid  by  results, 
the  results  being  confirmed  by  a member  of  the  Committee. 

The  Norfolk  Plover  is  another  species  with  a very  precarious  footing 
in  the  county,  chiefly  through  the  cultivation  of  its  old  breeding  haunts. 
A few  pairs  still  nest  annually  in  the  county  and  are  protected  by  a 
keeper  to  whom  a small  sum  is  paid  each  year. 

In  certain  areas  a more  general  protection  is  possible,  and  this 
applies  to  Hornsea  Mere,  where  one  half  of  the  lake  is  strictly  preserved 
during  the  breeding  season,  by  a paid  watcher  who  allows  no  interference 
with  the  birds  breeding  there,  which  include  the  Sedge  and  Reed  Warbler, 
Great  Crested  Grebe,  Mallard,  Pochard  and  Tufted  Duck. 

A regular  watcher  is  also  employed  during  the  nesting  season  at 
Spurn  Point,  where  numerous  Ringed  Plover  and  one  of  the  only  two 
Yorkshire  colonies  of  the  Lesser  Tern  nest. 

In  these  areas  notices  are  posted  exhibiting  appropriate  warnings 
to  the  public,  and  everything  possible  is  done  to  protect  those  birds, 
which,  if  left  to  themselves,  would  be  in  danger  of  disappearing  from  the 
county  as  breeding  species. 

The  intention  is  to  extend  rather  than  diminish  this  work  in  the 
future,  if  the  necessary  funds  are  forthcoming.  To  this  end  a set  of 
popular  slides  has  been  lent  and  given  to  the  Committee,  and  accredited 
Societies  can,  by  arrangement  with  the  lecturer,  obtain  the  loan  of  the 
slides  and  lecture,  and  usually  the  services  of  a lecturer,  on  undertaking 
to  pay  a small  fee  or  to  make  a collection  towards  the  funds  of  the 
Committee. 

The  final  paper  was  read  by  Mr.  R.  Chislett  on  ‘ The  Status  and 
Distribution  of  the  Birds  of  Shetland.'  The  lecturer  first  described  the 
islands,  which  are  small  in  extent,  so  that  all  parts  are  within  a few 
miles  of  the  sea,  and  showed  photographs  of  Lerwick,  the  capital,  and 
of  typical  hamlets.  The  islands  are  much  intersected  by  ‘ Voes.’  or 
arms  of  the  sea,  and  harbour  many  interesting  species  of  birds. 

A few  pairs  of  Ravens  nest  on  the  cliffs,  and  the  Hooded  Crow  and 
Starling  are  numerous.  The  Finches  are  represented  by  the  House 
Sparrow  and  the  Twite. 

Among  the  smaller  birds  the  Common  Bunting,  Skylark,  Meadow 
and  Rock  Pipits,  Wheatear,  Wren  and  Swallow  were  observed.  The 
hawks  were  represented  by  the  Merlin  and  Kestrel,  and  the  ducks  by 
the  Mallard,  Red  Breasted  Merganser  and  the  Eider,  in  considerable 
numbers. 

The  Heron,  Gannet,  Cormorant  and  Shag,  Fulmar  Petrel,  Manx 
Shearwater  and  Great  Northern  Diver  were  seen,  and  nests  were  found 
of  the  Red  Throated  Diver. 

The  Rock  Dove  was  the  only  species  of  pigeon  noted,  but  the  waders 
were  well  represented  by  the  Ringed  Plover,  Golden  Plover,  Oyster 
Catcher,  Dunlin,  Red-necked  Phalarope,  Whimbrel,  Curlew  and  Sand- 
piper ; a few  Turnstones  were  also  seen. 

Of  sea-birds,  the  Arctic  Tern,  Black -headed,  Common,  Herring, 
Greater  and  Lesser  Black-backed  Gulls  were  seen,  and  also  the  Arctic 
and  Great  Skua,  the  Razorbill,  Common  and  Black  Guillemot  and  Puffin. 

The  lecturer’s  notes  were  in  almost  every  case  supplemented  by  a 
fine  series  of  photographs  representing  much  patient  work. 

After  the  discussion  votes  of  thanks  were  accorded  to  the  Lecturers 
and  the  Lantern ist. 

E.  Wilfred  Taylor. 


1924  May  1 


144 


3n  flDemoriam. 

HARRY  MOORE,  F.R.M.S. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Harry  Moore  took  place  in  the  early  hours 
of  Saturday  morning,  February  9th.  He  was  a native  of 
Rotherham,  and  born  in  1845  ; educated  at  the  old  British 
School,  and  commenced  life  as  a pattern  maker.  In  1891 
he  was  appointed  the  first  Curator  of  the  Rotherham  Museum, 
a position  he  held  till  two  years  ago,  when  he  resigned  through 
failing  health. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Sheffield  Microscopical  Society- 
now  the  Sorby  Scientific  Society — he  held  the  position  of 
Hon.  Secretary.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Rotherham 
Naturalists’  Society,  holding  several  offices,  including  Presi- 
dent ; he  was  elected  a member  of  the  Quekett  Microscopical 
Club  in  1901.  He  was  a good  botanist  and  microscopist. 
Rotifers  claiming  his  special  attention  ; during  his  illness 
he  asked  many  times  to  be  lifted  up  to  look  at  this  very  in- 
teresting group  of  animals.  He  was  laid  to  rest  on  Tuesday, 
February  12th,  in  the  Rotherham  Cemetery. — G.  Howard. 

: o : 

Yorkshire  Species  of  the  Hydroecia  nictitans  group. — 

The  discovery  of  Hydroecia  paludis  and  H.  lucens  by  Mr.  H. 
Maxwell  Stuart,  at  Everingham,  last  year,  may  have  called 
to  mind  to  the  readers  of  this  journal  that  I had  a note  under 
the  above  heading  in  The  Naturalist  so  long  ago  as  June, 
1910  (p.  217).  At  that  time  the  only  species  of  the  group 
we  knew  as  occurring  in  Yorkshire  was  the  common  Hydroecia 
nictitans,  but  I was  then  convinced  that  probably  the  three 
others,  which  had  recently  been  differentiated  from  nictitans, 
would  be  found  if  looked  for.  After  thirteen  years,  two  of 
them  have  been  run  to  earth,  but  crinanensis , which  one  would 
have  expected  to  have  been  the  first  to  have  been  turned  up, 
is  still  a desideratum  to  our  List.  It  has  been  found  in  the 
adjoining  county  of  Lancashire,  I believe  in  several  localities, 
and  the  object  of  this  note  is  to  urge  our  county  lepidopterists 
to  try  to  find  it  this  year.  Its  larva  feeds  in  the  stem,  just 
above  the  root,  of  the  yellow  flag  (Iris  pseudacorus) , and  should 
be  looked  for  in  any  locality  where  this  plant  grows  freely 
(Askern,  Askham  Bogs,  and  many  others)  ; the  larva  at  the 
end  of  May  and  in  June,  and  the  moth  at  ragwort  flowers  in 
August. — Geo.  T.  Porritt,  Elm  Lea,  Dalton,  Huddersfield, 
April  5th,  1924. 

■ : o : 

The  Cambridge  University  Press  will  shortly  publish  a small  book 
of  ‘ Descriptive  Labels  for  Botanic  Gardens,’  by  Mr.  H.  Gilbert  Carter, 
the  object  of  which  is  to  give  information  as  well  as  pleasure  to  as  many 
people  as  possible. 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  X. 


Photo  by  C.A  .C. 


Peat  Organisms. 


I45 


PENNINE  PEAT.* 


W.  H.  BURRELL,  F.L.S. 


PLATE  X. 

During  the  past  eight  years,  in  association  with  Mr.  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  much  time  has  been  given  to  the  study  of  upland 
peat,  with  the  object  of  gaining  first-hand  knowledge  of 
the  evidence  it  affords  of  its  origin  in  time  and  in  structure. 
Attention  has  been  paid  to  the  living  carpet,  distinguishing 
between  those  plants  that  by  their  tufted  habit  and  dominance 
over  large  areas,  play  a prominent  part  as  peat  formers, 
and  those  subordinates  which  are  adapted  to  moor  conditions 
and  add  their  debris  to  the  mass,  but  which  play  a minor 
part  in  building  up  deep  peat,  or  the  local  dominance  of 
which  may  even  indicate  its  wastage.  The  peat  has  been 
examined  throughout  its  depth  (up  to  io  feet)  in  turbaries, 
or  by  digging,  or  by  cutting  into  natural  exposures  in  hags 
and  drainage  channels,  over  an  extensive  area  of  the  Yorkshire 
Pennines,  including  Arkengarthdale  noo  ft.,  Askrigg  Common 
1600  ft.,  Broomhead  Moor  1200  ft.,  Cowling  Moor,  Dovenanter 
and  Keasden  1000  ft..  Fountains  Fell  1500 — 2100  ft., 
Moughton  Fell  1000  ft.,  Pen-y-Ghent  1500  ft.,  Simon  Fell 
2000  ft.,  Stake  Fell  1900  ft.,  Whernside  2000  ft.,  Widdale 
Fell  1800  ft.,  Wissenden  Moor  1500  ft.  For  comparison,  the 
succession  vegetation  of  an  overgrown  tarn  resting  on  a bed 
of  shell  marl  at  1200  ft.,  and  the  lowland  peat  of  Austwick 
Moss,  400  ft.,  have  been  studied.  The  linking  up  of  past 
with  present  has  been  attempted  by  noting  the  process  of 
decay  of  recent  vegetation  on  the  moors,  and  the  condition 
from  year  to  year  of  a series  of  pools  left  by  peat  cutters  on 
Austwick  Moss.  Special  attention  has  been  given  to  the  sub- 
soil ; moor  pan  occurs  generally,  in  sand  (absent  from  clay), 
as  a thin  metallic  layer,  averaging  in  the  district  about  one- 
eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness  ; it  forms  a sharp  line  of  de- 
marcation between  an  upper  purple-grey  layer,  about  three 
inches  in  thickness,  full  of  vegetable  debris,  which  leaves  a 
colourless  siliceous  residue  when  the  organic  matter  is 
destroyed  by  heat,  and  the  bright  coloured  ferruginous  mass 
below  into  which  roots  have  penetrated  only  where  the  pan 
layer  is  defective.  Professor  Gilligan  examined  this  subsoil 
in  a swallow  hole  near  the  summit  of  Moughton  Fell  (The 
Naturalist,  1918,  pp.  311  and  331),  and  expressed  the  opinion 
that  it  was  detrital  material  from  grit  and  sandstone,  carried 
by  melt-water  into  a depression,  that  existed  in  pre-glacial 


* Vide  ante,  fol.  11. 


1924  May  1 


K 


146 


Burrell : Pennine  Peat. 


times.  His  mineralogical  analysis  showed  that  the  whole 
assemblage  of  rock  fragments  and  mineral  species  was  such 
as  could  have  been  derived  from  grits,  sandstones  and  shales 
of  the  Carboniferous  system,  with  some  additions  from  older 
rocks  of  the  district  ; the  purple-grey  soil  above  the  pan  had 
the  same  mineralogical  constitution  as  the  buff  sand  below, 
except  that  it  had  been  bleached. 

Peat  investigation  has  received  much  attention  in  the 
Geological  Department  of  Leeds  University.  Miss  Elsie 
Whitaker,  M.Sc.,  whose  successful  field  work  at  Foulsike 
Moss,  Harwooddale,  Thorne  Moor,  etc.,  was  rewarded  with  a 
Research  Fellowship,  obtained  new  evidence  of  pine,  birch 
and  hazel  beneath  the  peat  ; it  is  regrettable  that  her  thesis 
has  not  been  made  available  by  publication  ; her  method  of 
working  at  minute  organisms,  with  high  power  lenses,  im- 
pressed us  as  likely  to  yield  good  results,  if  the  evidence 
could  be  correctly  interpreted,  and  we  have  developed  this 
side  of  the  work  in  addition  to  field  observations. 

The  difficulties  that  beset  the  palaeontologist  were  emphasised 
by  Sir  Joseph  Hooker,  when  he  suggested  that  the  sweepings 
of  the  floor  of  a herbarium,  after  a good  case  of  rejecting  bad 
specimens  from  a heap  of  plants,  should  be  given  to  the  fossil 
botanist,  to  see  what  he  would  make  of  the  disjecta  membra  ; 
on  the  other  hand  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  analyst 
relies  upon  the  microscope  for  the  detection  of  adulteration 
in  finely  powdered  drugs  and  spices  ; certain  spores,  pollen 
grains,  seeds,  plant  tissues,  chitinous  remains  of  insects, 
crustaceans,  etc.,  show  an  extraordinary  resistance  to  decay, 
and  may  suffice  for  a reconstruction  of  the  type  of  life  of  the 
moor  ; their  requirements  and  their  associates  at  the  present 
time  are  known,  and  this  recognisable  debris  of  the  peat 
may  be  discreetly  used  to  visualise  the  past. 

Some  characteristic  features  of  the  Yorkshire  moors  may 
here  be  briefly  given  ; over  great  areas  they  are  now  dominated 
by  cotton  grass,  forming  almost  unbroken  stretches  of  white 
tassels  in  early  summer  and  ruddy  herbage  in  winter  ; or  by 
ling,  the  purple  moors  of  late  summer  ; rushes  and  mosses 
are  locally  abundant  in  swampy  places  caused  by  drainage 
from  the  water-logged  mass  ; bracken,  bilberry,  moor  grasses 
and  other  gregarious  species  may  assert  themselves,  while 
here  and  there,  in  doughs  and  sheltered  places,  natural  birch, 
pine  and  oak  or  mixed  plantations  may  occur.  Close  ob- 
servation of  the  living  carpet  shows  that  the  moor  surface 
is  not  so  level  as  at  first  sight  appears  ; low  places  which 
may  be  dry  in  summer,  become  spongy  mossy  pools  in  wet 
seasons  ; the  tufted  habit  of  the  dominant  plant  raises  small 
hillocks,  between  which  one  steps  in  dry  weather  for  a firm 
foot -hold,  but  which  form  convenient  steppings  in  winter  for 


Naturalist 


Burrell  Pennine  Peat. 


147 


crossing  the  wetter  places  ; this  hummocky  growth  influences 
the  subordinate  vegetation,  providing  peat  flashes  for  semi- 
aquatics  and  drier  stations  that  are  colonised  by  plants  less 
tolerant  of  excessive  moisture  in  the  growing  season.  Local 
differences  in  the  moor  carpet  are  greatly  influenced  by 
drainage,  rainfall  and  altitude  ; where  the  hills  reach  general 
cloud  level,  or  where  rainfall  exceeds  thirty- five  inches 
per  annum,  peat  may  be  accumulating  at  the  present  time. 
How  great  the  variation  in  rainfall  may  be  has  recently 
been  emphasised  by  -Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead,  in  the  Huddersfield 
district,  where  he  has  directed  attention  to  the  steadily 
increasing  precipitation  in  a south-westerly  direction,  from 
'less  than  thirty  inches  at  Dewsbury,  to  sixty  inches  per  annum 
near  the  county  boundary  within  easy  walking  distance. 
Rainfall  statistics  quoted  by  W.  G.  Smith  and  W.  M.  Rankin 
(‘  Geographical  Distribution  of  Vegetation  in  Yorkshire/ 
Geog.  Journ.,  1903),  indicate  a steadily  increasing  rainfall 
westwards,  from  twenty-four  inches  at  York  to  sixty-one 
inches  at  Arncliffe  in  Littondale.. 

The  following  summary  is  based  partly  on  field  observa- 
tions and  partly  on  micro  examination  of  peat  samples,  after 
treatment  by  the  alkali  process  detailed  by  Mrs.  E.  M.  Reid, 
B.Sc.,  in  Journ.  Linn.  Soc . , .XXXVIII.,  454.  To  indicate 
frequency  ‘general’  denotes  presence  in  at  least  75%  of 
the  samples,  ‘ frequent  * 50%,  ‘ occasional  ’ 25%,  ‘ infrequent 
10%,  ‘ rare  ’ 5%.  We  are  indebted  to  Dr.  W.  G.  Smith 
'for  help  with  the  seeds. 

Potentilla  silvestris  Neck.  Infrequent,  seeds  recognised. 

P.  palustris  Scop.  Infrequent,  seeds  recognised. 

■Calluna  Erica  DC.  Occasional,  leaves,  twigs,  flowers,  capsules  and 
seeds  ; the  seed  coat  is  not  well  preserved,  often  reduced  to 
fragments.  Tetrad  pollen,  frequent  in  the  subsoil  and  through- 
out, may  be  derived  from  several  ericaceous  plants  or  from 
crowberry. 

.Erica  Tetralix  L.  Rare,  in  subsoil  and  throughout,  seeds  and  leaves 
recognised. 

Betula  alba  L.  Woody  debris  occasional;  seeds  and  periderm  tissue 
have  been  recognised  throughout  the  peat  ; the  pollen  is  in- 
distinguishable from  that  of  hazel,  but  the  type  is  one  of;  the 
most  constantly  occurring  organisms.  A definite  birch  layer  has 
been  seen  in  many  places  over  the  whole  district  from  400  ft. 
altitude  on  Austwick  Moss  to  1950  ft.  on  Greensett  Moss,  Whern- 
side. 

Corylus  Avellana  L.  Twigs  and  fruits  have  been  seen  in  dried  peats 
carted  from  Cowling  Moor  ; the  pollen  has  not  been  distinguished 
from  birch  ; no  other  debris  has  been  recognised  as  possibly 
belonging  here. 

■Quercus  Robur  L.  Oak  logs  are  occasionally  reported  and  have  been 
seen  in  situ  on  Cowling  Moor.  No  debris  has  been  recognised. 

_ Pinus  sylvestris  L.  Wood,  leaves,  cones  and  seeds  were  sent  from 


a 924  May  1 


148 


Burrell : Pennine  Peat. 


Broomhead  Moor,  but  we  have  not  personally  seen  them  in  situ  ; 
pine  pollen  is  frequent  throughout,  most  plentiful  in  the  subsoil 
and  near  base  of  peat. 

J uncus  squarrosus  L.  Occasional,  seeds  recognised  ; the  outer  seed 
coat  is  rarely  preserved. 

/.  conglomeratus  L.  Seeds  frequent,  most  abundant  in  subsoil,  where- 
many  hundreds  have  been  seen.  In  subsoil  from  Simon  Fell  one 
hundred  and  twenty  seeds  were  counted  in  ten  micro  mounts. 

J.  lampocarpus  Ehrh.  Seeds  infrequent. 

Eviophorum  vaginatum  L.  General,  fruits  rarely  preserved. 

Carex  sp.  Fruits  occasional  in  subsoil  and  throughout  ; sometimes 
in  abundance. 

Molinia  ccerulea  Moench.  Rarely  recognised. 

Polypodium  vulgare  L(?)  Fern  capsules  occasional  throughout.  A 
spore  agreeing  in  sculpture  and  size  with  that  of  common  polypody 
is  frequent,  in  quantity,  in  the  subsoil  and  throughout.  The- 
perfect  state  of  preservation  of  this  spore,  together  with  other 
minute  bodies  such  as  spores  of  Sphagnum,  or  pollens  of  birch 
and  calluna  types,  needs  special  mention  ; they  are  in  general 
merely  empty  sacs,  resistence  to  decay  being  often  restricted  to- 
a particular  layer  of  tissue,  not  necessarily  the  outermost  layer. 
Difficulties  arise  from  this,  as  in  the  case  of  J uncus  squarrosus 
seeds,  which  are  rarely  present  in  a natural  state,  the  inner 
coat  with  a totally  different  areolation  being  the  tissue  that  is- 
most  durable. 

Sphagnum.  General,  in  subsoil  and  throughout.  5.  cymbi folium,  S .. 
papillosum  and  5.  cuspidatum  have  been  recognised  by  leaves, 
stems,  capsules  and  spores. 

Poly  trichum  commune.  Frequent  in  subsoil  and  throughout  ; small 
pockets  of  this  moss  are  often  recognisable  in  the  field  ; leaves,, 
stems,  <£  inflorescences,  capsules  and  calyptras  identified. 

Rhacomiirium  lanuginosum . Seen  once  from  Fountains  Fell. 

Aulacomnium  palustre.  Occasional. 

Hypnoid  Mosses.  Occasional,  entire  plants  rarely  seen,  more  frequently" 
separate  leaves  ; the  species  include  Hypnum  cupressiforme , H . 
loreum,  H.  splendens,  H.  squarrosum.  Mr.  H.  N.  Dixon,  M.A.„ 
has  kindly  examined  some  of  this  material. 

Carbonised  Plant  Remains.  Black  friable  remnants  of  small  herbage- 
occasional  in  the  subsoil  and  throughout.  In  two  cases  the 
quantity  of  more  solid  charcoal  suggested  hearths. 

Fungus.  Hyphae,  spores  and  sclerotial  tissues  are  general  in  the  subsoil. 
and  throughout.  Mr.  A.  A.  Pearson  and  Miss  E.  M.  Wakefield 
have  kindly  examined  slides  ; teleutospores  of  Puccinia  sp.,  and 
spores  possibly  belonging  to  black  moulds  were  noted  by  them, 
but  no  definite  conclusions  as  to  genera  could  be  reached.  This, 
section  of  the  flora  offers  little  help  in  the  enquiry. 

Entomostracka.  Valves  of  Daphne  type,  disjointed  hairs  and  other- 
debris  frequent.  Small  flask-shaped  bodies  first  detected  by  Miss 
Whitaker,  were  afterwards  recognised  by  Mr.  Robert  Gurney, 
M.A.,  as  the  spermatophores  of  Copepods.  We  are  indebted  to 
Mr.  Gurney  for  examining  some  treated  peat  from  Askrigg  Common 
he  reported  extraordinary  numbers  of  Cladoceran  shells  and 
identified  with  reasonable  certainty  Alonella  nana,  A.  excisa ,. 
and  possibly  A . rustica  ; also  numbers  of  Chydorus  which  might 


Naturalist 


Burrell : Pennine  Peat. 


149 


be  C.  ovalis,  but  it  was  impossible  to  be  sure.  The  Alonellas  and 
Chydorus  are  species  Mr.  Gurney  finds  most  commonly  in  his 
district  in  moss  round  the  edges  of  the  Broads.  Alonella  rustica, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  a species  characteristic  of  ‘ lime  free  ’ water, 
but  he  was  not  sufficiently  sure  of  the  identification  to  attach 
much  importance  to  it. 

Other  Animal  Debris.  Mites.,  beetles,  jaws  and  limbs  of  many  insects 
and  larvse,  pupa  cases,  egg  cases,  etc.,  occur  generally  ; some 
large  spore-like  bodies  (Fig.  a,  b,  e,  f)  which  have  not  been  iden- 
tified, may  belong  here.,  but  the  material  has  not  been  worked  by 
an  expert  zoologist. 

The  following  conclusions  have  been  drawn  from  the 
evidence  : — 

1.  The  peat  of  the  Yorkshire  Pennines  has  been  laid 
down  in  relatively  recent  times,  under  climatic  conditions 
similar  to  those  now  existing  ; recognisable  debris  represents 
a mere  fraction  of  the  whole  life  of  the  moors,  but  it  indicates 
a type  similar  to  that  now  existing.  Lamination  of  the  peat 
has  not  in  any  case  suggested  periods  of  varying  climate  ; 
there  is  no  evidence  of  a sequence  of  events  such  as  an  unbroken 
sheet  of  sphagnum  giving  place  to  cotton  grass  and  heather 
periods  ; no  evidence  has  been  found  of  dwarf  birch,  bearberry, 
willows  and  other  arctics  that  occur  in  Scottish  peats  : the 
several  species  are  distributed  in  the  thickness  of  the  peat, 
just  as  they  occur  in  the  living  carpet  to-day  ; large  plano- 
concave pockets  of  sphagnum  indicate  ancient  swamps  that 
have  been  dominated  and  ultimately  filled  by  it  ; the  more 
general  distribution  of  this  and  other  mosses  shows  that  they 
have  been  always  there  as  subordinate  species  in  the  moor 
community. 

2.  The  widespread  occurrence  of  birch  as  a definite 
layer,  and  of  birch,  hazel,  pine  and  oak  locally,  support 
the  opinion  now  generally  accepted,  that  the  Pennines  were 
formerly  more  or  less  covered  with  scrub  ; the  trees  are 
natural  associates  on  poor  soils  ; pine  and  birch  type  pollens, 
found  throughout  the  peat,  often  when  no  woody  residue  is 
present,  further  suggest  that  after  the  destruction  of  the 
timber,  trees  persisted  throughout  the  intervening  time  on 
screes,  in  sheltered  doughs  and  near  lines  of  drainage  at 
lower  altitudes,  whence  wind-borne  pollen  could  be  distributed, 

3.  The  importance  of  cotton  grass  cannot  be  too  strongly 
stated  ; it  is  often  recognisable  in  mass  in  situ,  and  its  dis- 
organised tissues  are  present  everywhere. 

4.  If  the  spore  has  been  correctly  identified,  common 
polypody  has  persisted  on  the  moors  throughout  the  peat 
phase,  probably  in  those  better  drained  places  that  have 
carried  timber  with  its  attendant  flora.  It  is  not  a common 
fern  of  the  moors  now,  although  it  is  reported  at  1520  ft.  on 
Greygarth  Fell  (£  Flora  of  West  Lancashire,'  p.  334). 


1924  May  1 


i5o 


Burrell : Pennine  Peat. 


It  is  a matter  of  interest  to  find  that  crowberry  does  not 
appear  in  the  summary  ; it  is  locally  plentiful  on  the  moors* 
now,  and  has  been  reported  as  well  represented  in  British 
peats  by  stems  and  seeds  ; excepting  that  its  pollen  may  be 
included  in  the  tetrads,  nothing  has  been  seen  that  could  be 
placed  here. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATE  X. 

FIG. 

a — Stalked  capsules,  perhaps  of  animal  origin,  each  about  -04  mm. 
diam. 

b and  e — Surface  and  profile  views  of  spore-like  body,  -09  mm.  diam. 

c— A recent  copepod  (M or  aria  sarsi ) from  Norfolk,  showing  sperm- 
atophore  in  situ. 

d— Spermatophore  from  peat,  -07  mm.  long, 
f — Warted  spore-like  body,  -03  mm.  diam. 

g — Two  views  of  Polypody  spore  (?)  *06  mm.  long,  showing  profile- 
and  flattened  base. 

h — Sphagnum  spore,  -02  mm.  diam. 
i — Tetrad  spore,  *036  mm.  diam. 
j— Pollen,  not  recognised, 
k — Pollen,  Birch  type,  -02  mm.  diam. 

1 — Pine  pollen,  *05  mm.  wide, 
m and  n — Fungus  spores, 
o— Leaf  of  Sphagnum  papillosum. 
p— Seed  and  utricle  of  Car  ex  sp.,  2 mm.  long, 
q — Leaf  of  Rhacomitrium  lanuginosum,  3 mm.  long, 
r — Calluna  seed,  *5  mm.  long, 
s — Juncus  lampocarpus  seed,  -5  mm  long, 
t — J.  conglomeratus  seed,  -5  mm.  long. 

VL—J.  squarrosus  seed,  inner  coat,  -8  mm.  long. 

v — J.  squarrosus  seed,  outer  coat  ruptured  showing  thick  walled  cells - 
w — Birch  seed,  i-8  mm.  long. 

x- — Periderm  of  Birch,  the  cells  are  *02  to  -08  mm.  long, 
y — Epidermis  of  cotton  grass  leaf. 

The  measurements  are  intended  only  to  show  approximately  the 
size  of  the  highly  magnified  objects.  A good  deal  of  variation  is  found 
in  different  specimens,  due  to  state  of  maturity  and  other  causes. 

: o :■ 

There  is  a memoir  on  Alfred  Russel  Wallace,  with  portrait,  in  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society , Biological  Series,  No.  B67. 

In  consequence  of  the  author’s  proofs  of  the  Diptera  notes  in  our 
last  issue  having  gone  astray,  the  following  corrections  should  be  made 
by  those  interested  : page  84,  line  11,  T . atricanda  = T . atricauda  ; 

line  23,  Biblios  = Bibios  ; lines  34,  39  and  43,  Crinicanda  = Crinicauda  ; 
line  48  and  page  85,  line  1,  alpinnm  = alpium  ; page  85,  line  3,  to  forms* 
=two  forms  ; line  17,  R.  albihorta  = R.  albohirta. 


Naturalist 


i5* 

PLANT  GALLS  OF  THE  HUDDERSFIELD  DISTRICT. 

WM.  FALCONER,  F.E.S., 

Waterloo,  Liverpool. 


In  consequence  of  my  removal  from  the  county  of  broad  acres 
in  May  last,  my  investigation  of  the  plant  galls  of  the  above 
district,  begun  in  1917,  came  to  an  end.  The  results  achieved 
are  recorded  below.  Mr.  S.  L.  Mosley,  as  before,  has  com- 
municated to  me  the  particulars  of  his  finds,  and  given  me  the 
opportunity  to  examine  a small  collection  of  galls,  containing 
some  local  examples,  in  the  Huddersfield  Museum  at  Ravens- 
knowle  ; all  these  are  distinguished  by  his  initials.  Flies 
were  bred  out  of  many  kinds.  A large  proportion,  however, 
being  hymenoptera,  either  parasitic  or  inquiline,  were  sent  to 
the  British  Museum  for  identification,  but  nothing  further 
has  been  heard  of  most  of  them.  Other  emergents  were  quite 
unexpected  and  previously  unknown  in  such  circumstances — 
the  beetle,  Homalota  trinotata  Kr.,*  and  the  moth,  Chryso- 
clista  aurifrontella  Haw.  f 

Counting  as  separate  forms  those  produced  by  the  same  agent 
on  different  species  of  plants,  but  not  on  different  parts  of  the 
same  plant,  the  number  for  the  district  now  reaches  a total  of 
296.  Several  of  those  noted  in  the  preliminary  list  J have 
since  been  found  to  be  generally  distributed  and  often  plentiful 
where  the  host  plants  occur,  and  others  also  more  widely  dif- 
fused, but  less  general.  Some  obtained  later  were  first  occur- 
rences for  the  county,  but  part  have  been  forestalled  in 
publication.  Perrisia  anglica  K.,  P.  trachelii  WachtL,  and 
Atrichosema  aceris  K.,  still  stand  as  the  only  records  for  the 
North  of  England  ; P.  floriperda  F.  L.,  P.  nervicola  K., 
Rhabdophaga  iteobia  K.,  P.  aparines  K.,  P.  brassicce  Winn., 
P.  cerastii  Binnie,  P.  raphanistri  K.,  P . schlectendali  K., 
P.  vaccinivorum  K.,  Eriophyes  atrichus  Nal.,  E.  paderineus 
Nal.,  E.  tuberculatus  Nal.,  E.  pilosellce  Nal.,  CEcidium  grossu- 
laricB  Gmel.,  as  records  for  Yorkshire  ; while  for  P.  acercrispans 
K.,  P.  populeti  Rubs.,  Rhopalomyia  tanaceticola  Karsch., 
P.  gal&obdolontis  Winn.,  Asterodiaspis  quercicola  Bche.,  and 
Coniothyrium  fuckelii  Sacc.,  there  is  one  other  county  record 

List. 

Coleopteron  (3  forms ) . 

Ceuthovrhynchus  pi  euro  stigma  Marsh.  On  Brassica  campestris,  by  the. 
River  Calder,  Bradley.  On  Sinapis  arvensis,  field  between 
Kirkheaton  and  Gawthorpe  Green.  On  swedes,  below  Castle 
Hill,  near  Mollicar  Woods. 


* The  Naturalist,  August,  1920,  p.  248. 
f Ibid,  January,  1922,  p.  44. 

I Ibid,  May,  1918,  pp.  166-8. 


1924  May  l 


152 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 


Lepidoptera  (2  forms). 

Argyresthia  goedartella  Linn.  Greenfield,  Mr.  Buckley  ; alder  catkins, 
near  the  Canal,  Slaithwaite. 

Chrysoclista  aurifrontella  Haw.  Swollen  nodes  of  Betula  alba,  Honley 
Old  Wood,  several  examples,  1919  and  1920.  One  obtained  later, 
March,  1921,  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  be  bred  out.  The  gall 
and  insect  were  submitted  to  Mr.  G.  T.  Porritt,  who  sent  the 
latter  to  an  authority,  who  seems  to  have  appropriated  it.  Both 
were  intended  for  presentation  to  the  Huddersfield  Museum. 

Hymenoptera  (54  forms). 

Isosoma  depressum  Walker.  On  sheep  fescue  grass,  Dalton  Bank,  Castle 
Hill,  Crosland  Moor,  and  Holme  Moss,  S.  L.  M.  ; Cook’s  Study, 
near  Holm  firth,  W.  E.  L.  Wattam  ; Honley  Old  Wood  ; Wilberlee 
and  Bottoms  Wood,  Slaithwaite. 

I.  graminicola  Gir.*  On  creeping  couchgrass,  New  Mill,  lane  above 
Mag  Wood  (Armitage  Bridge),  below  Beaumont  Park,  Slaithwaite, 
Bradley,  Brighouse,  Batley,  etc.,  not  uncommon. 

Cryptocampus  ater  Jur.  On  Salix  caprea  and  drier ea,  Drop  Clough  in 
plenty.  On  S.  caprea,  Honley  Old  Wood. 

C.  venustus  Zadd.  On  5.  caprea  and  aurita,  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaithwaite), 
Drop  Clough,  Hall  Heys  Wood  (Crosland  Edge)  and  Honley  Old 
Wood. 

C.  medullarius  Htg.j  On  S.  pentandra,  Dean  Head,  Scammonden. 
First  reported  for  the  district  by  Mr.  Inchbald. 

Pontania  proxima  Lep.  On  5.  alba,  cinerea,  caprea,  fragilis,  viminalis 
and  aurita,  widely  diffused  and  plentiful. 

P.  salicis  Christy.  On  S.  caprea  and  cinerea,  Drop  Clough  (Marsden)  and 
Emley,  but  not  in  any  quantity. 

P.  pedunculi  Htg.  On  5.  cinerea  and  caprea,  mainly  the  former,  Drop 
Clough.  On  5.  cinerea,  Cat’s  Clough,  Millshaw,  near  Holmfirth, 
Thorncliff  Farm  (Emley).  On  S.  aurita,  Slaithwaite. 

The  next  32  entries  on  oak.  The  asterisks  (**)  denotes  the  forms  of 
which  the  alternate  generations  (if  such  there  be)  have  not  been 
noted. 

Andricus  curvator  Htg.  In  the  old  lane  leading  out  of  Honley  Old  Wood 
to  Wilshaw,  Hall  Heys  Wood,  Pike  Lowe  (Holmfirth),  Broad  Oak 
and  Gunthwaite,  near  Denby  Dale,  in  plenty. 

A . curvator  f . collaris  Htg.  The  old  lane  leading  out  of  Honley  Old  Wood, 
and  Hall  Heys  Wood,  in  abundance. 

A.  gemmatus  Adler.  Mollicar  Woods,  probably  the  example  previously 
recorded  as  A.  autumnalis,  was  this  gall  in  an  advanced  state. 

A.  gemmatus  f.  corticis  Linn.  Drop  Clough,  Hall  Heys  Wood,  both  new 
and  old. 

A.  trilineatus  Htg.  Drop  Clough,  Sun  Dean,  Sinking  Wood  (New  Mill), 
Boothroyd  Wood,  Lepton  Great  Wood,  and  Shrogg  Lane,  Kirk- 
heaton.  A.  inflator  of  the  first  list  should  be  assigned  to  this. 

A.  trilineatus  f.  radicis  Fab.  Butternab  Wood  and  Lepton  Great  Wood, 
S.  L.  M.  ; Hall  Heys  Wood,  Drop  Clough,  and  Spring  Wood 
(Netherton ) . 

A . pilosus  Adlr.  On  male  catkins,  Stockgate  Quarry  (Honley  Old  Wood) 
and  Lepton  Great  Wood. 

A . pilosus  f . fecundator  Cam.  Widely  distributed  and  common,  and  more 
plentiful  some  years  than  others. 

**A  . testaceipes  Htg.  In  midribs  and  petioles  of  leaf.  Lower  and  Upper 
Butternab  Wood,  Sun  Dean,  Wilshaw,  Honley  Old  Wood,  Spring 


* The  Naturalist,  January,  1922,  p.  45,  and  March,  p.  84. 
f Ibid,  August  and  September,  1922,  p.  250. 


Naturalist 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District.  153 

Wood  (Netherton)  and  near  Armitage  Bridge  ; Kirkheaton  ; 
Coxley  Valley,  Skelmanthorpe. 

Andricus  nodi f ex  Kieff.  ‘ A small  elliptical  gall  on  midrib.’  Spring 
Wood  (Netherton ) . 

[A.  lucidus  Htg.  Whitley  Woods,  f British  Galls,’  S.  L.  M,  This  was 
doubtless  A.  solitarius  Fonsc.J 

A . solitarius  Fonsc.  Wherever  there  are  groups  of  oak  trees. 

A.  ostreus  Gir.  General  and  plentiful.  Leaves  are  sometimes  so  loaded 
as  to  be  bent  and  reddened  above,  becoming  very  conspicuous. 

A.  albopunctatus  Sch.  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome)  and  Lower  Butternab 

Wood.  In  fluctuating  quantity,  plentiful  in  1918,  but  less  so 
since,  or  not  noted. 

Biorrhiza  pallida  Oliv.  ‘Oak  Apple.’  Holme  Moss  Plantation,  S.L.M.  ; 
Hall  Heys  Wood,  Butternab  Wood,  Lanyard  Wood  (Kirkburton) 
and  Whitley  Woods. 

B.  pallida  f.  aptera  Bose.  Oak  roots.  Cawthorn,  Mr.  Charlesworth  ; 

Lepton  Great  Wood. 

**Trigonaspis  megaptera  Panz.  Whitley  Woods  — Huddersfield  of 
‘ British  Galls,  S.  L.  M.’  ; Hall  Heys  Wood. 

A euroterus  albipes  Schr.  Single  examples,  Lower  Butternab  Wood  and 
Sun  Dean. 

JV.  albipes  f.  Iceviusculus  Schr.  Butternab  Wood,  S.  L.  M.  ; Lower 
Butternab  Wood,  Sun  Dean  and  Boothroyd  Wood. 

A.  baccarum  Linn.  On  the  leaves.  Hag  Wood  (Honley),  S.  L.  M.  ; 

Bottoms  Wood  and  the  Spa,  Slaithwaite,  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome). 
A.  baccarum  f.  lenticularis  Oliv.  Common  in  woods  in  a wide  area 
around  Huddersfield. 

[A.  bicolor  Htg.  f.  fumipennis  Htg.  Sun  Dean,  S.  L.  M.  I have  not 
found  this  gall  in  the  district,  nor  seen  a dried  specimen,  although 
specially  looked  for,  only  the  last  named  ; stands  therefore  in  need 
of  confirmation.  Neither  has  its  alternate  generation  been  seen.] 
A.  vesicator  Schl.  Near  Skelmanthorpe,  in  a field  hedge,  and  Honley 
Old  Wood. 

A.  vesicator  f.  numismatis  Oliv.  Butternab  Wood,  S.  L.  M.  ; Lower 
Butternab  Wood,  Sun  Dean,  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaithwaite). 

A.  aprilinus  Gir.  Said  by  Adler  to  be  the  sexual  generation  of  A . ostreus. 

Whitley  Woods,  Butternab  Wood,  Sun  Dean  and  Mollicar  Woods. 
Bryophanta  verrucosa  Schl.  On  buds  and  leaves.  Lower  Butternab 
Wood  and  Smith  Wood  (Storthes). 

D . verrucosa  f . divisa  Htg.  Butternab  Wood,  S.L.M.  ; Lower  Butternab 
Wood,  Sun  Dean,  Drop  Clough,  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite), 
Hall  Heys  Wood,  Whitley  Woods,  Banks  Wood  (Emley). 

B>.  taschenbergi  Schl.  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite),  Butternab  Wood, 
Sun  Dean,  Honley,  Upper  Stones  Wood  (Shepley),  Storthes  Hall 
Woods,  Mollicar  Wood,  etc. 

J).  taschenbergi  f.  folii  Linn.  Plentiful  throughout  the  district,  more  so 
in  some  years  than  others. 

D.  disticha  Htg.  Abundant  throughout  the  district. 

■Cynips  kollari  Htg.  Mollicar  Woods,  S.  L.  M.  ; Bottoms  Wood  and 
Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite),  Butternab  Wood,  Thunder  Bridge, 
Honley  Old  Wood,  Storthes  Hall  Woods,  Deffer  Wood  (Cawthorn) 
and  Banks  Wood  (Emley). 

‘Cynips  spec.  Houard,  No.  1210.  See  The  Naturalist,  August,  1921,  p. 

270.  Storthes  Hall  Woods  in  plenty,  and  Honley  Old  Wood. 
Blennocampa  pusilla  Linn.  On  dog  rose,  Woodsome  Lees,  1910,  S.  L.  M. 
Rhodites  rosce  Klug.  Throughout  the  district,  but  not  anywhere  in 
quantity. 

R.  eglanterice  Htg.  On  wild  roses,  Kirkburton,  Lepton,  Ainley  Place 
(Slaithwaite),  Sun  Dean,  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome),  Hey  Wood 
(Honley),  Pike  Lowe  (Holm firth),  Deffer  Wood. 


1924  May  1 


154  Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 

Xestophanes  brevitarsus  Thoms.  On  tormentil,  Lepton,  * British  Galls/' 
S.  L.  M. 

X.  potentillce  Ritz.  On  cinquefoil,  Cotton’s  Mill  dam  and  goit,  Hoyle- 
house,  plentifully. 

Aulacidea  pilosellce  Kieff.  On  Hieracium  piVo sella,  Wilberlee  and  Thurs- 
tonland.  At  the  latter,  a rough  field  immediately  on  left  of  the 
Brockholes  entrance  to  the  railway  tunnel. 

Diptera  (i  12  forms). 

Ferrisia  filicina  Kieff.  On  bracken,  widely  distributed  in  the  district,, 
and  plentiful  where  it  occurs. 

Anthomyia  signata  Brschk.  On  male  fern,  Ainley  Place  Bottoms  and 
Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite ),  Drop  Clough,  Honley  Old  Wood, 
Banks  Wood  (Emley).  On  bracken,  wood  near  Brockholes. 

Taxomyia  taxi  Inch.  On  yew,  Storthes  Hall  gardens,  Hey  Wood, 
Woodsome,  Fixby,  Kirkheaton,  S.  L.  M.  ; Deffer  Wood  near 
Cannon  Hall,  abundant,  and  Cawthorn. 

Chlovops  tceniopus  Mgn.  On  cultivated  barley,  field  at  Whitby  Wood 
Bottoms,  fairly  numerous. 

Oscinis  frit  Linn.  On  oats,  field  at  Dalton,  Huddersfield. 

Mayetiola  ventricola  Rubs.  On  Molinia  ccerulea,  Slaithwaite  Moor,  Drop 
Clough,  and  by  canal  at  Seller’s  Clough  (Marsden),  abundant. 

Perrisia  marginem-torquens  Winn.  On  S',  fragilis  and  viminalis,  widely 
distributed  and  common. 

Rhabdophaga  rosaria  H.  Low.  On  S.  caprea  and  cinerea,  mostly  the 
former.  Barret  Clough  and  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaithwaite),  canal 
bank  near  Marsden,  and  near  Hoylehouse,  Drop  Clough,  Honley 
Old  Wood,  Wilshaw,  Armitage  Bridge,  Dogley  Mill  dam,  Lower 
Butternab  Wood.  On  S.  aurita,  Honley  Old  Wood  and  Bottoms 
Wood. 

R.  iteobia  Kieff.  On  S.  caprea,  bushes  on  waste  ground  between  Slaith- 
waite and  Holthead. 

R.  salicis  Schrk.  On  S.  caprea  and  cinerea,  Drop  Clough,  not  in  any 
quantity. 

R.  saliciperda  Duf.  On  S.  caprea,  Drop  Clough.  As  the  last. 

R.  nervorum  Kieff.  On  S.  caprea,  Drop  Clough,  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaith- 
waite), Honley  Old  Wood,  Hall  Heys  Wood.  On  S.  repens  and. 
aurita,  Honley  Old  Wood. 

R.  karschi  Kieff.  On  S.  repens,  Honley  Old  Wood,  one  plant,  several 
years  in  succession. 

R.  terminally  H.  Low.  On  S.  fragilis,  Kirkheaton,  Gawthorpe  Green, 
Fleming  House  Lane  (Huddersfield),  Banks  Wood  (Emley); 
Coxley  Valley. 

Iteomyia  caprece  Winn.  On  S.  caprea,  and  S.  cinerea,  aurita,  Drop  Clough,, 
by  the  river  at  Golcar,  Houses  Hill,  Whitley  Woods,  Gawthorpe 
Green,  Shepley  Mill  dam  and  Cat’s  Clough,  Millshaw. 

I.  caprece  var.  major  Kieff.  On  5.  cinerea  and  caprea.  Drop  Clough. 
On  S.  cinerea,  by  river  at  Golcar  ; Kirkheaton. 

Contarinia  populeti  Rubs.  On  the  aspen,  numerous  examples,  Thunder- 
Bridge.  The  other  Yorkshire  record,  Askham  Bog. 

Harmandia  tremulce  Winn.  On  the  same  at  the  same  place,  abundant, 
upwards  of  forty  on  some  of  the  leaves. 

Massalongia  rubra  Kieff.  On  birch,  Sun  Dean,  Beaumont  Park,  Fixby,. 
Honley  Old  Wood,  Storthes  Hall  Woods,  plentiful. 

Semudobia  betulce  Winn.  On  birch,  Beaumont  Park. 

Contarinia  betulina  Kieff.  On  birch,  plentiful.  Drop  Clough,  Sun  Dean, 
Fixby,  Beaumont  Park,  Mollicar  Woods,  Spring  Wood  (Netherton). 
Honley  Old  Wood,  Wilshaw,  Storthes  Hall  Woods,  Deffer  Wood,. 
Cat’s  Clough,  Millshaw. 


Naturalist 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 


155 


Contarinia  betulicola  Kieff.  On  birch,  Sun  Dean,  Spring  Wood,  Honley 
Old  Wood. 

Cecidomyia  spec.*  On  birch,  slight  but  distinct  lateral  swellings  of  the 
internodes  of  the  twigs,  larva  yellow,  tinged  with  red,  especially 
at  the  extremities,  solitary.  Honley  Old  Wood. 

Stictodiplosis  corylina  F.  Low.  On  hazel,  Lepton  Great  Wood. 

Arnoldia  quercicola  Kieff.  On  oak,  Storthes  Hall  Woods,  Butternab 
Wood,  Whitley  Woods. 

Macrodiplosis  volvens  Kieff.  On  oak,  Lower  Butternab  Wood,  usually 
higher  up  in  the  tree  than  the  next. 

M . dryobia  F.  Low.  On  oak,  Ellen  Springs  and  Thurstonland,  S.  L.  M.  ; 
Barrett  Clough,  (Slaithwaite),  Beaumont  Park,  Butternab  Wood,. 
Brockboles,  Sun  Dean,  Lepton  Great  Wood,  Whitley  Woods, 
Coxley  Valley. 

Perrisia  libera  Kieff.  On  oak,  Barrett  Clough,  Shaw  Carr  Wood  (Slaith- 
waite), Drop  Clough. 

Cecidomyia,  spec.  Bagnall  and  Harrison,  deformed  acorns,  larvae  gre- 
garious, yellow,  Boothroyd  Wood,  Storthes  Hall. 

Hartigiola  annulipes  Htg.  On  beech,  Ellen  Springs,  S.  L.  M.  ; Waller 
Clough  and  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaithwaite),  Beaumont  Park,  Carr 
Wood  (Woodsome),  Honley,  Honley  Old  Wood,  Spring  Wood, 
Brockholes,  Kirkburton,  Storthes  Hall  Woods,  Nortonthorpe, 
Cannon  Hall  Park,  Banks  Wood  (Emley). 

Oligotrophus  ulmi  Kieff.  On  wych  elm,  Ainley  Place  Bottoms,  Bottoms 
Wood  (Slaithwaite),  Almondbury,  Hopton  Mills,  Kirkburton, 
Mollicar  Woods. 

Perrisia  urticce  Perr.  On  nettle,  generally  distributed  and  plentiful. 

P.  persicarice  Linn.  On  Polygonum  amphibium,  Gawthorpe  Mill  Goit 
and  Cawthorn,  S.  L.  M. 

Atydiplosis  rumicis  H Low.  On  sheep  sorrel,  Barrett  Clough  (Slaith- 
waite) and  by  River  Calder  at  Bradley. 

Contarinia  floriperda  F.  Low.  On  bladder  campion,  canal  side  at  Bradley 
and  railway  embankment  at  Blakestones  (Slaithwaite). 

C.  steinei  Karsch.  On  red  campion,  Banks  Wood  (Emley),  Tanyard 
Wood  (Kirkburton). 

Perrisia  lotharingice  Kieff.  On  mouse-ear  chickweed,  buds  and  leaves, 
canal  bank  at  Golcar,  in  a field  between  Smithy  Mill  and  Mag 
Wood  (Brockholes),  and  below  Honley  Old  Wood. 

P.  cerastii  Binnie.  On  the  same'Varley  Road,  Slaithwaite,  on  an  earth- 
covered  wall. 

P.  traili  Kieff.  On  upright  buttercup,  Ainley  Place,  Wilberlee  and 
Meal  Hill  (Slaithwaite),  Helme,  Skelmanthorpe,  Nortonthorpe, 
Cannon  Hall  and  Clayton  West.  On  creeping  buttercup,  Wilberlee 
and  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite). 

P.  ranunculi  Bremi.  On  R.  acris,  in  a field  near  Helme  Vicarage,  and 
by  the  stream  between  Kirkheaton  and  Gawthorpe  Green. 

Pliorbia  brassicce  Bcke.  On  cabbage  and  turnip,  Upper  Slaithwaite. 

Perrisia  brassicce  Winn.  On  B.  campestris,  by  Calder  at  Bradley,  two 
plants . 

P.  raphanistri  Kieff.  On  wild  radish,  field  at  Storthes  Hall. 

Cecidomyia  spec.  On  swede,  base  of  leafstalk  swollen,  Bradley,  S.  L.  M„ 

Perrisia  ulmarice  Bremi.  On  meadow  sweet,  generally  distributed  and 
common  where  the  plant  occurs. 

P.  engstfeldi  Rubs.  On  the  same.  Drop  Clough,  in  a very  wet  spot  by 
the  stream  ; by  pond  near  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome). 

P.  tortrix  or  sodalis  F.  Low.  On  blackthorn,  larvae  white.  Hall  Heys 
Wood  (Crosland  Edge). 


* The  Naturalist,  January,  1922,  p.  44. 

1924  May  1 


156  Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 

Perrisia  rosarum  Hardy.  On  wild  roses,  Huddersfield,  S.L.M.  ; Ainley 
Place  and  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite),  Helme,  Carr  Wood 
(Woodsome),  Almondbury,  Farnley  Tyas,  Thunder  Bridge, 
Armitage  Bridge,  Holmfirth,  Banks  Wood  (Emley),  Skelman- 
thorpe  and  Defter  Wood. 

P.  plicatrix  H.  Low.  On  Rubus  spp.,  Ainley.  Place  Bottoms  (Slaith- 
waite), Kirkheaton,  Mollicar  Woods,  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome), 
Honley  Old  Wood,  Wilshaw. 

P.  aucuparice  K.  On  mountain  ash,  tree  at  Healey  House,  on  opposite 
of  road  to  Honley  Old  Wood. 

P.  cratcegi  Winn.  Abundant,  wherever  there  are  hawthorns. 

P.  anglica  Kieff.  On  cowberry,  in  Sykes’s  plantation  near  the  top  of 
Wholestone  Moor  overlooking  Outlane,  S.  L.  M. 

P.  vaccinivorum  Kieff.  On  bilberry,  two  plants,  Barrett  Clough  (Slaith- 
waite ) . 

Asphondylia  mayeri  Lieb.  Broom  pods,  Sun  Dean,  several  bushes  in 
plenty,  and  within  railway  railings,  Lower  Butternab  Wood. 

Perrisia  trifolii  F.  Low.  On  white  clover,  Emley,  S.  L.  M.  ; Ainley 
Place,  Wilberlee,  canal  bank  at  Linthwaite,  Bradley,  Hall  Heys 
Wood  Lane,  Thorpes  (Almondbury)  and  Farnley  Tyas. 

Cecidomyia  spec.  On  red  clover,  stem  thickened,  bent  and  reddened, 
waste  ground  near  Old  Toll  Bar  in  Varley  Road,  Slaithwaite. 

Perrisia  lathyricola  Rubs.  On  meadow  vetch  ling,  several  places  about 
Slaithwaite  and  Marsden,  Helme,  Bradley. 

P.  lathyri  Kieff.  On  the  same,  river  bank  at  Bradley  ; and  Slaithwaite. 

P.  vicice  Kieff.  On  bush  vetch,  Denby  Dale,  Slaithwaite,  Meltham, 
New  Mill,  Ramsden  Clough  (Holmfirth),  Farnley  Tyas,  Nell 
Lane  (Emley).  On  tufted  vetch,  by  the  River  Calder  at  Bradley. 

P.  loticola  Rubs.  On  Lotus  major,  by  the  roadside,  Lezzer  Lane  and 
Nell  Lane,  Emley  ; roadside  ditch  between  Cannon  Hall  Gates 
and  Jowett  House  Farm. 

Tecidomyia  spec.  On  the  same,  stem  thickened  at  apex,  bent  and 
reddened,  flower  aborted,  Barrett  Clough,  Slaithwaite. 

Perrisia  schlechtendali  Kieff.  On  tuberous  bitter  vetch,  Pinfold  Lane, 
on  a rough  bank  in  a field  by  the  roadside  near  Barrett  Clough 
(Slaithwaite ) . 

P.  thomasiana  Linn.  On  broad-leaved  limes,  Cannon  Hall  Park,  near 
the  Hall. 

Contarinia  tiliarum  Kieff.  On  limes,  petioles,  midribs,  flowers,  stems, 
twigs  and  floral  peduncles,  Lockwood,  Stocksmoor,  S.  L.  M.  ; 
Slaithwaite,  Blackmoor  foot,  Beaumont  Park,  Fixby,  Ravens - 
knowle.  Cannon  Hall  Park. 

Perrisia  serotina  Winn.  On  Hypericum  perforatum,  Fenay  Bridge,  since 
gone,  but  abundant  at  Kirkburton. 

P.  affinis  Kieff.  On  Viola  riviniana,  fields  by  path  between  Boggart 
Lane  and  Ainley  Place  (Slaithwaite),  near  Tanyard  Wood  (Kirk- 
burton), Houard,  No.  4286  ; by  roadside  to  Meltham  near  Crosland 
Hall,  Houard,  No.  4283. 

P.  epilobii  F.  Low.  On  rose  bay  willowherb,  Beaumont  Park,  S.  L.  M. 

Macrolabis  corrugans  F.  Low.  On  hogweed.  Hall  Heys  Wood,  Farmley 
Tyas,  Whitley  Woods,  sewage  works  at  Bradley. 

Perrisia  acercrispans  Kieff.  On  maple  in  a hedge,  Roydhouse,  Almond- 
bury, by  the  stream  from  Mollicar  Woods.  Other  Yorkshire 
record,  Thorne’r. 

(To  he  continued). 


Naturalist 


HEPATIC^  OF  CARLISLE  DISTRICT. 


157 


JAMES  MURRAY  (KELSICK,  WIGTON  ) . 


I am  not  aware  that  the  Hepaticae  of  this  district  have  hitherto 
been  listed.  Several  of  the  plants  are  not  cited  for  Cum- 
berland (V.C.  70)  in  the  Census  Catalogue,  and  these  are 
here  indicated  by  an  asterisk. 

Marchantia  polymorpha  Linn.  Common  on  damp  walls,  rocks,  etc., 
as  at  Spa  Well,  Wreay  and  Wetheral. 

Aneura  pinguis  (Linn.)  Dum.  On  wall  at  St.  Ninian’s  Well. 

*A . multifida  (Linn.)  Dum.  Roadside  ditch  near  Baldwinholme, 
associated  with  Fissidens  taxifolius  Hedw. 

Metzgeria  furcata  (Linn.)  Dum.  Not  uncommon  on  trees  at  Harker 
and  Wreay. 

Pellia  epiphylla  (Linn.)  Corda.  Harker,  near  a spring,  and  on  damp 
shady  bank  at  Prior  Rigg. 

P.  Fabbroniana  Raddi.  On  wall,  St.  Ninian’s  Well. 

Blasia  pusilla  Linn.  On  wet  clay  by  roadside  near  Moorhouse. 

*Fossombronia  pusilla  (Linn.)  Dum.  On  moist  clay  bank  at  Cummers- 
dale,  with  fruit. 

Aplozia  crenulata  (Sm.)  Dum.  On  sides  of  ditches  in  Orton  Woods. 

A.  riparia  (Tayl.)  Dum.  On  stones  in  river  in  Wreay  Woods,  and 
on  rocks  near  river  in  Gelt  Woods. 

Lophozia  ventricosa  (Dicks.)  Dum.  Peaty  hedge  banks  and  among 
mosses  at  Orton. 

*L.  porphyroleuca  (Nees.)  Schiffn.  Orton. 

L.  quinquedentata  (Huds.)  Gogn.  Moist  shady  ground,  Orton  Woods. 

L.  Floerkii  (W.  and  M.)  Schiffn.  On  rocky  bank,  Wreay  Woods. 

*L.  Floerkii  var.  Naumanniana  Nees.  On  peaty  soil,  Orton  Woods. 

Plagiochila  asplenioides  (Linn.)  Dum.  Common.  Grinsdale  Ghylls, 
Wreay,  Woodbank,  Wetheral. 

P . asplenioides  var.  major  Nees.  On  hedge  bank  opposite  Cummersdale 
Railway  Station. 

P.  spinulosa  (Dicks.)  Dum.  Rocky  bank  near  the  waterfall,  Wreay 
Woods. 

Lophocolea  bidentata  (Linn.)  Dum.  Common.  Wreay,  Orton  and 
elsewhere. 

L.  cuspidata  Limpr.  On  rotting  tree  stumps,  Wreay  Woods  .and  King- 
moor. 

L.  heterophyllla  (Schrad.)  Dum.  Abundant  on  the  north  wall  of 
Carlisle  Castle. 

Cephalozia  bicuspidata  (Linn.)  Dum.  Common  and  very  variable. 
On  decaying  wood  at  Cummersdale,  Orton,  Wreay,  etc. 

C.  Lammersiana  (Hub.)  Spruce.  Wet  peaty  ground,  Todhills  Moss. 

C.  connivens  (Dicks.)  Lindb.  Wet,  peaty  soil  and  among  Sphagnum 
at  Orton. 

Nowellia  curvijolia  (Dicks.)  Mitt.  Netherby. 

Cephaloziella  byssacea  (Roth.)  Warnst.  Mixed  with  Eurhynchium 
myosuroides  Schp.  on  a stone  near  Wreay. 

Calypogeia  Trichomanes  (Linn.)  Corda.  On  wet  ground,  Durdar,  Orton, 
Kingmoor. 

C.fissa  (Linn.)  Raddi.  Roadside  near  Belle  Vue. 

*C.  arguta  Mees  et  Nont.  In  a roadside  ditch  between  Belle  Vue  and 
Bunker’s  Hill. 

Lepidozia  reptans  (Linn.)  Dum.  Sandstone  rocks  . in  shade,  Wreay 
Woods.  Plentiful. 

*L.  trichoclados  K.  Mull.  Orton. 


1924  May  1 


158  Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 

Diplophy llum  albicans  (Linn.)  Dum.  Our  commonest  Hepatic.  Newby 
Cross,  Belle  Vue,  Wreay,  Gelt,  etc. 

Scapania  undulata  (Linn.)  Dum.  On  a stone  in  a stream  near  Baldwin  - 
holme. 

5.  curta  (Mart.)  Dum.  Mixed  with  a Lophozia  at  Orton. 

Frullania  Tamarisci  (Linn.)  Dum.  Plentiful  in  Wreay  Woods  on 
trunks  of  oak  and  sycamore.  , 

F.  dilatata  (Linn.)  Dum.  On  an  ash  tree  at  Cummersdale,  and  on  a 
stone  gate  post  near  Newby  Garden  Village. 

: o : 

CORRESPONDENCE 

Sir. — In  my  paper  on  Tisoa  siphonalis  {The  Naturalist,  January, 
1924,  p.  7),  after  the  locality  St.  Jerome,  I added  [‘  near  Marseilles.’] 
Following  some  correspondence  on  the  subject,  Professor  Cuenot  now 
tells  me  that  the  St.  Jerome  from  which  the  specimen  came  was  in  the 
Department  of  Ain.  Kindly  permit  me  to  publish  this  correction. — 
F.  A.  Bather,  British  Museum  (Natural  History),  London,  S.W.7. 

: o : — - 

Canaries,  by  C.  A.  House,  ‘ The  world-famous  Expert,  Judge  and 
Journalist.’  London  : ‘ Cage  Birds,’  54  Fetter  Lane,  257  pp.,  10/6 

net.  A perusal  of  some  of  the  illustrations  in  this  volume  reminds 
us  of  the  story  of  the  Scotsman  on  first  seeing  a giraffe,  who  exclaimed 
‘ I don’t  believe  it.’  And  a mere  naturalist,  familiar  only  with  the 
birds  of  the  country-side,  on  seeing  some  of  the  extraordinary  results 
of  ‘ fancy  ’ breeding  might  wonder  whether  the  ‘ hump-backed,’ 
‘ crested,’  and  even  ‘ Yorkshire  Greens  ’ are  really  like  the  illustrations. 
We  suppose  they  must  be,  as  they  are  the  handiwork  of  H.  Norman,  the 
well-known  ‘ Cage  Birds  ’ artist.  The  author  himself  tells  us  that 

‘ there  is  no  work  which  covers  the  ground and  there  is  no  work 

that  is  so  up  to  date.’  Certainly  everything  likely  to  interest  those 
‘ in  the  Fancy  ’ seems  to  occur  in  the  volume  : whether  it  be  the  shape 
of  a perch,  the  preparation  of  a medicine  cupboard,  or  the  treatment 
of  an  egg-bound  hen.  Naturalists  will  find  in  the  book  much  food  for 
thought  on  the  subject  of  variation.  There  are  numerous  suitable  illus- 
trations. 

Elementary  Crystallography,  by  J.  W.  Evans  and  G.  M.  Davies. 

JLondon  : Thomas  Murby  &-Co.,  134  pp.,  7/6  net.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  treatises  yet  produced  on  the  subject  of  elementary 
•crystallography,  and  should  appeal  strongly  to  university  and  other 
students  who  desire  scientific  information  in  this  fascinating  branch  of 
mineralogy.  The  authors  are  fully  conversant  with  the  difficult  sections 
usually  encountered  by  the  beginner  in  his  study  of  crystallography, 
and  several  of  these  have  been  dealt  with  admirably.  The  mathematical 
side  of  the  subject,  important  though  it  is,  has  not  been  emphasised  to 
a too  technical  degree,  and  the  symbols  employed  in  the  conventional 
motation  are  clearly  explained.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  publication  of 
this  volume  it  was  almost  impossible  for  a student  to  obtain  a compre- 
hensive idea  of  crystallography  without  first  having  to  consult  the  more 
advanced  textbooks  on  the  subject,  a task  which  is  especially  tedious 
for  a beginner.  In  ‘ Elementary  Crystallography,’  however,  the  subject 
is  presented  in  a concise  and  scientific  manner,  simple  and  convincing 
diagrams  are  plentiful  throughout  the  text,  and  each  section  of  the  book 
is  followed  by  well-chosen  suggestions  for  practical  work.  Although  the 
treatise  is  founded  upon  a series  of  lectures  delivered  to  students  preparing 
for  the  Intermediate  Examinations  of  the  University  of  London,  it  can 
certainly  be  read  with  advantage  for  the  higher  examinations.  The 
book  is  well  arranged  and  has  a complete  index. — G.S. 


Naturalist 


159 


NEWS  FROM  THE  MAGAZINES. 

The  new  editor  of  The  Avicultural  Magazine  is  Lord  Tavistock. 

British  Birds  for  April  contains  a record  of  a number  of  bones  of 
starling  in  Roman  burial  vases  in  Hereford. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor  figures  and  describes  ‘A  Columnar  Form  of  Zero- 
phila  virgata  in  The  Journal  of  Conchology  for  March. 

The  Irish  Naturalist  for  February  is  almost  entirely  occupied  by 
‘ Notes  on  Irish  Hymenoptera  Aculeata,’  by  A.  W.  Stelfox. 

Four  obituary  notices  of  Museum  officials  appeared  in  The  Museums 
Journal  for  March,  the  ages  being  78,  78,  93  and  96  respectively. 

O.  W.  Richards  describes  ‘ The  Mating  Habits  of  Certain  Species 
of  Micropteryx,  ’ in  The  Entomologist’ s Monthly  Magazine  for  February. 

Mr.  John  Ritchie  writes  on  ' Preservation  of  Zoological  Specimens 
in  Fluid  to  preserve  their  natural  colour,’  in  The  Museums  Journal  for 
February. 

‘ General  Hints  on  the  Housing  and  Feeding  of  Birds,  their  Purchase 
.and  Care,’  is  the  title  of  an  article  in  Vol.  I.,  No.  1,  of  the  Fourth  Series 
of  The  Avicultural  Magazine . 

So  long  ago  as  1667  ‘ Mr.  Hooke  reported  [to  the  Royal  Society] 
that  the  air  had  lately  been  so  thick  about  London  that  he  had  not  been 
.able  to  see  [certain]  stars.  ( Nature , March  22nd.) 

E.  A.  Cockayne  illustrates  some  curious  ‘ Teratological  Legs  in 
Eepidoptera, ’ and  C.  Hofer  refers  to  ‘ The  Variation  in  Larentia  (Thera) 
qariata  Schiff.,’  in  The  Entomologist’s  Record  for  March. 

Among  many  interesting  papers  in  The  Journal  of  the  Chemical 
Society,  recently  issued,  are  p = Bromophenyltrimethylammonium  Per- 
halides  ; Reduction  Products  of  the  Hydroxyanfhraquinones  ; and 
Chloronitrobenzines  and  Thiocarb amides . 

We  learn  from  The  Journal  of  Botany  that  ‘ the  discontinuation  of 

the  Cambridge  British  Flora  has  been  definitely  decided  upon it 

cannot  be  said  that  the  cumbrous  and  expensive  Cambridge  publication 
could  ever  supply  the  want  that  has  so  long  been  felt.’ 

No.  1 of  the  new  series  of  La  Feuille  des  Naturalistes  has  recently 
appeared.  This  publication  was  founded  by  Adrien  Dollfus  about 
half  a century  ago,  and  we  do  not  seem  to  have  seen  it  for  some  time. 
The  r.ew  Editors  are  Professor  M.  Molliard  and  E.  Rabaud. 

The  New  Phytologist  for  February  contains  ‘ The  Fundamental  Fat 
Metabolism  of  the  Plant,’  by  j.  H.  Priestley;  ‘The  Factors  governing 
Bud  Formation,’  by  F.  Summers  ; and  ‘ The  Effect  of  Carbon  Dioxide 
on  the  Tropic  Reactions  of  Helianthus  Stems,’  by  R.  E.  Claprnan,  W. 
R.  I.  Cook  and  Miss  N.  L.  Thompson. 

According  to  The  Yorkshire  Herald,  Dr.  Collinge,  of  the  Yorkshire 
Philosophical  Society’s  Museum,  York,  has  been  to  Manchester  in  order 
to  examine  the  scheme  there  adopted  for  the  development  of  museums 
in  connection  with  education,  and  it  is  hoped  that  as  a result  his  museum 
will  follow  the  example  of  the  museum  at  Manchester,  and  incidentally 
•of  many  others  in  this  county. 

In  a note  on  Maglemose  harpoons  in  Man  for  April  [?  April  1st], 
we  learn  ‘ It  is  probable  that  the  upper  levels  of  Chaleux,  Martinrive  and 
Montaigle  have  a more  or  less  Maglemose  complexion  ; a bone  with 
punctuated  design,  and  microliths  that  are  not  truly  Tardeno'sian, 
as  at  Hull  ’ ! It  is  stated  that  these  harpoons  were  ‘recently  found 
in  Yorkshire,’  which  is  not  correct. 

The  Essex  Review , No.  128,  records  that  during  a drought  one  of  the 
parishes  had  a deep  well  sunk.  ‘ The  well  having  been  dug,  the  large 
heap  of  earth  which  had  come  out  of  it  was,  by  common  consent,  voted 
an  eyesore,  which  ought  to  be  removed.  A parish  meeting  was  ac- 
cordingly held and  at  last  it  was  proposed,  and  unanimously 

carried,  that  they  should  dig  a larger  hole  and  bury  it.’ 


1924  May  1 


i6o 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

We  learn  from  the  press  that  ‘ A Bittern  has  been  recently  seen  and 
shot  at  Flaxton.’ 

The  Leeds  University  is  to  receive  the  collection  of  Mosses  and 
Hepatics  made  by  the  late  W.  Ingham. 

‘ Present  and  Future  Problems  of  Metallurgy  ’ is  the  title  of  the 
Third  Sorby  Lecture,  by  Dr.  W.  Rosenhain. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Malacological  Society,  Mr.  Tomlin  showed 
Avion  subfuscus,  a new  record  for  East  Sussex. 

•Curious  forms  of  reptiles,  fish  (and  particularly  sharks),  appear  in 
Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries , Part  XXIX. 

We  have  received  the  Preliminary  Programme  of  the  Fourth  Inter- 
national Conference  on  Soil  Science,  to  be  held  in  Rome,  May  I2th-i9th, 
1924. 

The  death  is  announced  of  Prof.  M.  M.  Hartog,  whose  writings  on 
biological  subjects  at  one  time  frequently  appeared  in  many  scientific- 
publications. 

We  understand  from  the  publishers  that  Latter’s  ‘ Elementary 
Zoology,’  referred  to  in  The  Naturalist  for  December  last,  is  now  issued 
in  two  parts  ; the  first,  chapters  1 — 7,  at  4/6,  and  the  second,  the  re- 
mainder of  the  volume,  at  8/6. 

The  Proceedings  of  the  Malacological  Society  (Vol.  XV.,  Pt.  V.) 
contain  A.  S.  Kennard’s  Presidential  Address  on  ‘ The  Holocene  Non- 
Marine  Mollusca  of  England.’  Part  VI.  contains  ‘ Masculine  De- 
ficiences  in  the  British  Vertigininae,’  by  H.  Watson. 

Nature  is  giving  a series  of  extracts  of  ' Early  Science  at  the  Royal 
Society.’  Under  the  date  of  1684  we  read  : ‘ It  was  said  that  at 
Brocklesby,  in  Lincolnshire,  there  were  sycamores  planted  in  Henry 
VII. ’s  time  which  are  bigger  than  any  trees  in  the  lordship,  though 
the  leaves  were  as  small  as  the  common  maple.’ 

We  presume  the  writer  of  the  following  advertisement  in  the  press- 
recent  ly,  hopes  to  get  a Tutankhamen  tomb — or  is  it  Maglemose  harpoons- 
he  is  after?  — ‘3500  year  old  burying  place  of  an  early  Briton,  near 
London.  Owner  will  welcome  expert  assistance  in  necessary  excavation 
and  investigation  ’ ; and  will  share  the  proceeds. 

Among  the  many  interesting  illustrations  appearing  in  Part  XXX. 
of  Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries  is  one  from  a photograph 
‘ taken  off  the  Bahamas,  showing  a twenty-two  foot  Devil-fish  towing 
a twenty-five  foot  motor  boat  at  a speed  of  ten  miles  an  hour.  Three 
harpoons  were  fixed  in  the  broad  back  of  the  fish,  and  at  the  time  the 
photograph  was  taken  the  monster  had  already  towed  the  heavy  launch 
many  miles  and  was  still  swimming  strongly.’ 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Rotherham  Naturalists’  Society  was 
held  recently,  when  the  Secretary,  Mr.  R.  Stewart,  reported  an  ex- 
ceptionally satisfactory  year  of  progress.  A number  of  excursions 
had  been  held  in  the  neighbourhood,  immediately  following  each  of 
which  was  an  exhibit  in  the  Rotherham  Museum  of  wild  flowers  and  pond 
life.  Special  attempts  have  been  made  to  cater  for  the  needs  of  the 
Junior  Naturalists’  Societies  connected  with  the  local  schools.  The 
Rev.  W.  Dyer  was  re-elected  President. 

We  have  received  Bulletin  Nos.  n and  12  of  the  Bureau  of  Bio- 
Technology  from  Messrs.  Murphy  & Sons.  The  papers  are:  Acetifying 
Bacteria°;  The  Red  Mould  of  Barley  and  Malt  ; Brewery  Flies  ; Sup- 
pression of  Insects  Pests  ; Five  Bed  Bugs  ; Comparison  of  Three 
Commercial  Brands  of  Lead  Arsenate  ; Use  of  Emulsified  Oils  as- 
Ovicides  ; and  a Further  Note  on  the  Carnivorous  Habits  of  Tachycines 
asynamorus.  The  Bulletin  is  well  produced  and  well  illustrated,  and 
our  Hon.  Secretary,  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason,  is  responsible  for  much  of  the 
scientific  matter. 


Naturalist 


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AND 

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H.  Pearsall 


Contents  s— 

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Hebridean  Memories  ; Irish  Sea  Herring  Fishej 
Divining  ; Bore-holes  re-divined  ; Bronze 
Bather  ; Doncaster  Scientific  Society  ; Doncasrt 
and  Art  ; An  Aquarium  de  Luxe  ; Irish  i 
Desmids  ; Kimmeridge  Clay  Zones  ; Timber. 

Re -Colonisation  of  a Woodland  Flora  after  Burning- 

Neocomian  Ammonites — T.S.  

New  Speeton  Ammonites— L . F.  Spath,  D.Sc.,  F.G.S. 

The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe— R.  W . Butcher 
Yorkshire  Naturalists  and  Geologists  at  Earby — W . 

D .Sc.,  and  F . A . Mason,  F .R.M .S . 

Yorkshire  Carboniferous  Goniatites— IF.  5.  Bisat 
Popular  Natural  History  Books 

In  Memoriam  (with  portraits: — Arnold  T.  Watson,  F.L.S. 

Henry  Cusack  Wingfield  Hawley,  Bart.;  J.  W.  Boult 
Correspondence  Separaton  of  the  Sexes  of  the  Chaffinch  in  Winter 
Field  Notes  : — Curious  Site  for  a Rook’s  Nest  (illust.) ; Grouse  Wandering 
in  Harrogate  ; Yorkshire  Hippoboscid  Flies  ; Rare  Yorkshire  Fungi 
Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ... 

News  of  the  Magazines 
Northern  News  ... 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  164,  167,  174,  177,  185 

Plates  VIII.  and  XI. 


es  in  the  Fields  ’ ; 

: Witchcraft  qnd 

pie*;  t>i.^F^4924 

Museum  ; Nature 
.Glacier  ; West’s 


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BOOKS  WANTED 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24.  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II  -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2ndser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micro  logy  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq-.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXV) . 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3.  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV..  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on 
North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-27 
Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts)  . 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith’s  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell's  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70, 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Huh 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  XI 


TUB  CRADLES  OF  TWO  HAWTHORN  SAWFLY  GRUBS. 

The  cocoons  are  brown,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long1. 
They  are  very  noticeable  in  the  hedges  during  winter. 


i6r 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

‘ LITTLE  NURSERIES  IN  THE  FIELDS . ’ * 

By  the  aid  of  large  type  and  plenty  of  * leads/  the  author 
of  this  book  has  produced  a heavy  volume,  but  it  is  of  more 
interest  than  the  usual  popular  history  book  from  the  fact 
that  it  deals  largely  with  the  aspects  of  natural  history  not 
generally  dealt  with.  The  frontispiece,  for  instance,  is  an 
excellent  coloured  illustration  of  ‘ The  Cradles  of  two  Haw- 
thorn Sawfly  Grubs/  and  there  are  photographs  of  oak  galls, 
eggs  of  frog,  meadow  grasshoppers,  and  numerous  other 
common  objects  not  usually  found  in  books  of  this  sort.  The 
photographs  are  mostly  by  the  author.  An  idea  of  the 
excellence  of  the  frontispiece  can  be  gathered  from  its  re- 
production on  the  accompanying  plate  (PI.  XI.),  for  which 
we  are  indebted  to  the  publishers. 

HEBRIDEAN  MEMORIES,  f 

The  well-known  popular  writer  on  bird  life  in  the  present 
volume  reproduces  some  charming  photographs  of  birds  in 
their  natural  surroundings,  and  of  the  rugged  scenery  char- 
acteristic of  the  area  with  which  he  deals.  His  book  is  in 
four  sections,  namely,  Spring  Memories  ; Summer  Memories 
Autumn,  Winter  and  other  Memories  ; and  Some  Birds  of 
the  Hebrides  ; and  while  wild  life  generally  is  his  theme,, 
he  has  special  chapters  on  the  Whooper  Swan,  Ptarmigan, 
Twite,  Dunlin,  Lesser  Tern,  Common  Gull,  Short -eared  Owl, 
and  Hen  Harrier.  The  illustrations  form  a very  valuable 
part  of  the  book. 

IRISH  SEA  HERRING  FISHERIES. 

The  Port  Erin  Biological  Station  is  issuing  a series  of  special 
publications,  No.  i of  which  (50  pp.,  2/6)  is  before  us.  It  is 
entitled  ‘ A Short  History  of  the  Irish  Sea  Herring  Fisheries 
during  the  Eighteenth  and  Nineteenth  Centuries/  and  is  by 
W.  C.  Smith,  the  Curator  of  the  Port  Erin  Station.  Mr. 
Smith  deals  largely  with  the  Herring  Fisheries,  for  which 
the  Isle  of  Man  was  formerly  principally  responsible,  and 
points  out  that  so  long  ago  as  1610  * the  Legislature  passed  a 
law  enforcing  a close  time  for  herrings,  from  1st  January  till 
the  5th  July,  within  nine  miles  of  the  shore,  and  prohibiting 
the  shooting  of  the  nets  before  sunset.  This  was  observed 
by  the  local  fishermen  till  about  1823,  when  boats  from 
other  parts  of  the  Kingdom  began  to  exploit  the  fishery,  and 
their  crews,  it  was  declared,  broke  the  law,  a proceeding  not 
punishable  apparently  in  the  case  of  fishermen  belonging  to 


* By  Marian  H.  Crawford.  London  : The  Religious  Tract  Society, 
270  pp.,  7/6  net. 

f By  Seton  Gordon.  London:  Cassell  & Co.  xii.  + i8o  pp.  15/- 
net. 


1924  June  1 


L 


i62 


Notes  and  Comments. 


the  United  Kingdom,  over  whom  the  Manx  Legislature  had 
no  jurisdiction.  The  bad  example  of  the  Britishers  was 
naturally  followed  by  the  Manx  fishermen  themselves,  and 
the  law  was  allowed  to  become  a dead  letter/  This,  and 
many  other  interesting  incidents,  are  reported  in  the  volume, 
and  we  must  congratulate  the  author  upon  the  thoroughness 
in  which  he  has  carried  out  his  investigations. 

WITCHCRAFT  AND  DIVINING. 

It  is  interesting  to  find  that  in  the  twentieth  century 
there  still  remain  among  us  those  who  believe  in  luck,  witch- 
craft and  water-divining.  According  to  The  Yorkshire  Post 
the  Deputy-chairman  of  the  Huddersfield  Waterworks  Com- 
mittee states  that  ‘ geologists  know  well  what  are  the  most 
likely  districts  for  (sic)  which  to  obtain  water,  but  (according 
to  Mr.  Sykes)  they  are  unable  to  say  exactly  where  or  in  what 
direction  these  underground  rivers  go.  At  this  point  the  water- 

diviner  comes  in He  uses  an  aluminium  twig  instead 

of  an  ordinary  tree  twig,  and  by  doing  so  claims  to  possess 
knowledge  by  which  he  can  estimate  both  the  strength  and 
the  depth  of  the  stream.  His  methods  are  interesting.  He 
holds  the  two  ends  of  the  twig  between  the  finger  and  thumb 
of  each  hand,  and  walks  with  the  “ Y v end  of  the  twig  in 
front  of  him.  When  he  arrives  at  a position  where  the  under- 
ground water  is,  the  twig  goes  down.  He  then  goes  further  on, 
and  returns  with  the  twig  as  before,  and  the  action  of  the  twig 
becomes  the  same  before  he  arrives  at  the  original  position, 
and  half-way  between  the  two  positions  marked  is  the  centre 
of  the  underground  flow.  Some  members  of  the  party  when 
he  was  “ divining  ” were  naturally  somewhat  dubious  of 
his  ability  to  discover  water.  Thereupon  he  placed  the  twig 
in  the  hands  of  one  of  them,  and  asked  him  to  re-walk  over 
the  ground  previously  traversed.  The  result  was  that  no 
effect  was  felt  by  the  bearer.  He  next  placed  one  hand  on 
one  wrist  and  another  hand  on  the  other  wrist  of  the  gentleman 
walking  backwards  with  the  twig  still  in  his  hand.  When 
he  got  to  the  point  where  the  first  mark  had  been  made  by 
the  diviner,  a strong  electrical  shock  went  through  each  of  the 
wrists  of  the  hearer  of  the  twig  and  the  twig  went  down  as  before / 
BORE-HOLES  RE-DIVINED. 

‘ Acting  on  these  assumptions,  the  Waterworks  Com- 
mittee had  eight  bore-holes  made'.  The  diviner  commenced 
divining  from  a point  near  Deerhill  Reservoir,  and  went 
alongside  the  quickly  rising  hill  which  backs  up  to  the  Wessen- 
den  Valley,  and  in  the  space  of  about  a mile  he  discovered 
eight  different  bore-holes.  Later,  going  down  a stream  which 
•runs  through  part  of  the  moorland,  a very  remarkable  fault 
was  found  at  a point  near  to  where  the  bore-holes  had  been 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


163 

sunk.  At  this  point,  therefore,  he  re-divined  for  the  bore- 
holes, and  found  that  the  whole  eight  were  within  a distance 
of  little  more  than  50  yards,  so  that  the  boring  has  been 
done  and  the  water  is  to  be  conducted  either  by  pumps  or 
from  a natural  flow  into  the  catch-dyke  close  by.  Thanks  to 
the  new  discovery,  the  Huddersfield  Corportaion  are  intending 
to  make  a great  sanitary  improvement.  Nearly  15,000  tub 
closets  exist  in  the  town,  and  the  Corporation,  under  pressure 
from  the  Ministry  of  Health,  propose  to  convert  them.  For 
this  purpose  an  extra  three-quarter  of  a million  gallons  of 
water  a day  are  required.  About  half  of  this  quantity  must 
come  from  the  biggest  reservoir,  that  at  Blackmoorfoot,  but 
the  drain  upon  this  reservoir  is  so  great  that  they  are  desirous 
of  increasing  the  supply.  Happily  there  is  no  fear  of  any 
shortage.’  We  suppose  the  fun  will  begin  when  the  Govern- 
ment auditors  refuse  (as  is  their  practice),  to  sanction  the 
payment  of  the  ‘ diviner’s  ’ fee  ! 

BRONZE  PEOPLE  ! 

In  The  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Torquay  Natural 
History  Society , recently  received,  is  an  abstract  of  a paper  on 
‘ Bronze  and  the  Bronze  People  ’ (sic),  by  H.  D.  Acland. 
He  states  f Different  races  and  different  “ cultures  ” spread 
over  the  world,  especially  Europe.  Various  types  of  stone 
implements  and  dolichocephalic  and  brachycephalic  races 
who  buried  their  dead  in  long  barrows  or  round  barrows. 
The  Bronze  people  were  the  brachycephalic  (round-headed) 
people.  The  two  races  can  be  differentiated  also  by  the 
character  of  their  interments.  The  dolichocephalic  (the 
long-headed)  race  were  users  of  stone  implements  and  buried 
their  dead  by  inhumation.  The  Bronze  people  burned  their 
dead.  The  two  races  can  also  be  distinguished  by  their 
pottery.  Lord  Abercromby  in  his  great  work  has  traced  the 
remains  of  this  culture  over  a great  part  of  Europe.  Only 
one  specimen  has  been  recorded  so  far  in  Ireland.  The  beaker 
folk  may  have  been  slightly  earlier  than  the  Bronze  culture. 
The  beaker  folk  seem  to  have  invaded  England  in  two  streams  : 
one  from  the  East,  the  other  from  the  South  by ‘way  of  Ar- 
morica.’ These  ideas  seem  somewhat  antiquated.  It  is 
well  known  that  skulls  of  almost  any  shape  can  be  obtained 
from  Bronze -age  barrows  [not  Bronze  barrows  !],  and  it  was 
by  no  means  the  rule  for  the  Bronze-age  people  to  burn  their 
dead,  whatever  the  ' Stone  men  ’ may  have  done. 

DR.  F.  A.  BATHER. 

We  gather  from  The  Times  that  Dr.  F.  A.  Bather,  F.R.S., 
who  is  well-known  to  our  readers,  has  been  appointed  by  the 
Trustees,  Head  of  the  Geological  Department  of  the  British 
Museum  (Natural  History),  South  Kensington,  in  succession 

1924  June  1 


164 


Notes  and  Comments . 

to  Dr.  Smith  Woodward  who  has  sent  in  his  resignation  to 
take  effect  on  his  attaining  his  60th  year  at  the  end  of  May. 
This  appointment  ensures  there  being  no  interregnum  with 
regard  to  this  particular  position,  and  we  trust  that  this 
commonsense  practice  will  be  adhered  to  in  the  future. 

DONCASTER  SCIENTIFIC  SOCIETY. 

An  interesting  account  of  the  early  history  of  the  Doncaster 
Scientific  Society  has  been  prepared  by  our  contributor,  Mr. 
M.  H.  Stiles,  one  of  the  two  surviving  founders  of  that  Society, 
which  dates  back  to  1880,  about  the  time  when  so  many  similar 
societies  in  different  parts  of  the  country  had  their  origin. 
He  deals  with  the  various  stages  through  which  the  society 


M.  H.  Stiles.  F.  Milner. 

Founders  of  the  Doncaster  Scientific  Society. 

has  passed.  Much  space  naturally  is  devoted  to  the  important 
part  played  by  the  late  H.  H.  Corbett,  to  whose  memory  a 
brass  tablet  has  been  placed  in  the  Museum. 

DONCASTER  MUSEUM. 

In  connection  with  the  formation  of  the  Doncaster  Museum 
this  Society  had  much  to  do.  Of  this  Mr.  Stiles  states  ‘ In 
order  to  gain  an  idea  of  the  methods  adopted  in  other  towns,, 
some  of  the  Committee  visited  the  Museums  of  Sheffield  and 
Hull,  and  eventually  arranged  with  Mr.  Thos.  Sheppard,  of 
the  Hull  Museum,  to  inspect  Beechfield,  and  to  advise  the 
Committee  as  to  the  best  means  of  adapting  the  building  for 
their  purpose.  Mr.  Sheppard  drew  up  a valuable  report, 
which  he  read  to  the  Corporation  and  others  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  the  scheme,  and  thus  the  matter  was  definitely 
launched,  the  Museum  being  formally  opened  by  the  Mayor 


Naturalist 


ttfe  ! U 


Notes  and  Comments. 


165 

(Councillor  Halmshaw),  on  March  23rd,  1910.  In  the  first 
place,  Dr.  Corbett  was  asked  to  be  the  Hon.  Curator,  a post 
for  which  he  was  eminently  fitted,  and,  with  the  help  of  an 
intelligent  caretaker,  he  acted  until  the  appointment  of  a 
permanent  Curator  Even  after  this  he  rendered  most  valuable 
service,  continuing  his  interest  until  his  death.' 

NATURE  AND  ART. 

From  their  experiences  in  the  field,  nature  lovers  are 
probably  better  qualified  to  appreciate  beautiful  pictures 
than  most  people,  as  the  eye  of  the  naturalist  is  trained  to 
see  the  best.  In  these  circumstances,  we  have  no  hesitation 
in  drawing  the  attention  to  two  volumes  recently  issued  by 
the  House  of  Cassell,  both  being  written  by  our  friend,  Mr. 
E.  Rimbault  Dibdin,  formerly  Director  of  the  Walker  Art 
Gallery,  Liverpool.  The  first  is  entitled  ‘ Thomas  Gains- 
borough, 1727-1788  ' (168  pp.,  9!  ins.  x 12J  ins.,  15/- net),  and 
contains  seven  chapters  dealing  with  Early  Life  at  Sudbury  ; 
Youthful  Life  in  London  ; Marriage  and  Return  to  Suffolk  ; 
Married  Life  ; Life  at  Bath  ; Portraits  painted  at  Bath  ; 
Gainsborough  in  London.  Quite  apart  from  the  human 
interest  attached  to  the  life  story  of  this  great  artist,  the 
volume  will  be  prized  by  many  for  the  excellence  of  the  re- 
productions of  some  of  the  more  famous  of  his  works.  The 
colouring  of  these  is  as  near  perfection  as  we  can  expect  to 
attain.  The  two  pictures,  each  called  ‘ The  Watering  Place/ 
will  particularly  appeal  to  our  readers.  Smaller  in  size,  but 
equally  well  written  is  ■ George  Frederick  Watts,  1817-1904/ 
by  the  same  author  and  the  same  publishers  (94  pp.,  5/-  net). 
Here  also  we  have  some  wonderful  reproductions  of  Watts’ 
more  famous  pictures,  and  we  should  like  to  congratulate  Mr. 
Dibdin  upon  the  story  he  has  written. 

AN  AQUARIUM  DE  LUXE. 

The  newly-constructed  aquarium  at  the  Zoological  Society 
of  London's  Gardens  is  an  excellent  and  instructive  place. 
High  praise  is  due  to  Dr.  Mitchell  for  having  planned  and 
carried  out  a difficult  and  laborious  enterprise,  which  required 
much  thought  and  anxiety.  The  aquarium  is  situated  under- 
neath the  Mappin  Terraces  and  consists  of  95  tanks  of  varying 
sizes,  which  now  contain  a remarkable  collection  of  fish, 
turtles,  molluscs,  crustaceans,  echinoderms,  anemones  and 
other  marine  invertebrata.  The  hall  is  quite  dark  so  that  all 
the  tanks  are  perfectly  lighted  by  daylight  or  electricity 
from  above,  and  every  moving  thing  is  seen  in  its  full  beauty 
and  perfection.  Mr.  Boulenger  must,  indeed,  be  pleased 
with  his  results  after  so  much  anxiety  shared  with  his  chief, 
and  the  admirable  background  and  surroundings  speak  well 
for  the  artistic  skill  of  Miss  Procter.  As  something  like 


1924  June  1 


i66 


Notes  and  Comments. 


£54,000  has  been  spent  on  the  exhibit,  the  fee  for  admission 
(one  shilling)  is  additional  to  the  entrance  fee  to  the  Gardens. 
And  as  it  is  a first-class  show,  no  one  will  be  churlish  enough 
to  object,  especially  when  he  realises  that  the  upkeep  will 
reach  nearly  £5000  per  annum. 

IRISH  SEA  GLACIER. 

The  Proceedings  of  the  Llandudno , Colwyn  Bay  and  District 
Field  Club * contain  an  interesting  paper  on  ‘ The  Story  of 
the  Boulders  on  the  Old  Colwyn  Beach/  by  Mr.  S.  S.  Platt. 
This  is  accompanied  by  a map,  prepared  by  the  author,  which 
we  are  permitted  to  reproduce  herewith  (p.  167).  This  shows 
the  direction  of  the  various  ice-streams  and  the  way  in  which 
the  boulders  at  Colwyn  have  found  their  way  thither.  They 
come  (a)  from  S.W.  Scotland  (Criffel,  Galloway,  Creetown, 
Dalbeattie  and  Moffatt)  ; ( b ) the  English  Lake  District  ; 

(1 c ) St.  Bees  and  Penrith  Districts  ; (d)  Furness  ; ( c ) Antrim 
Coast  and  Irish  sea-bed  adjoining  ; (/)  Irish  Sea  bed  between 
Anglesea  and  North  Flintshire.  The  author  carefully  sum- 
marises the  various  records  of  different  rocks  which  have 
reached  the  Colwyn  area,  and  his  paper  certainly  adds  an  in- 
teresting chapter  to  the  story  of  the  Ice  Age  in  the  British  Isles. 
wests’  desmids. 

Our  older  readers  will  remember  the  enthusiastic  interest 
taken  in  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  by  the  late  W. 
West,  and  how  our  knowledge  of  diatoms  and  desmids  was 
increased  by  his  researches.  Subsequently  his  son,  George  S. 
West,  who  eventually  became  Professor  of  Botany  at  Birming- 
ham, was  of  considerable  assistance  to  his  father  in  his  work, 
and  these  joint  authors,  excellent  alike  in  the  thoroughness  of 
their  work  and  in  the  beauty  of  their  drawings,  contributed 
four  magnificent  monographs  on  the  British  Desmidiacese, 
which  were  published  by  the  Ray  Society.  The  unfortunate 
decease  of  both  these  workers  left  that  magnificent  piece 
of  work  unfinished,  but  much  material  in  a more  or  less  com- 
plete state  remained  behind,  in  addition  to  which  there  were 
numerous  beautiful  drawings  by  Professor  West.  The  Ray 
Society  eventually  secured  the  services  of  Dr.  Nellie  Carter,  a 
former  student  under  Professor  West,  and  after  a lapse  of 
eleven  years  she  has  isssued  the  fifth  volume  to  this  memorable 
work,  albeit  thabshe  is  inconveniently  situated  at  the  present 
time,  being  an  Assistant  at  the  Botanical  Gardens  at  Missouri. 
In  her  preface,  Dr.  Carter  states  ‘ To  the  Department  of 
Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  at  London  the  writer  is 
indebted  for  a grant  which  enabled  her  to  spend  an  uninter- 
rupted year  at  the  work,  and  she  is  also  indebted  to  Dr.  G. 
T.  Moore  who  allowed  her  to  complete  it  during  the  tenure 

* Vol.  IX.,  1919-23,  56  pp.,  2/6. 

Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


167 


1924  June  1 


i68 


Notes  and  Comments. 


of  a Fellowship  at  the  Missouri  Botanical  Garden.’  The 
present  volume  contains  167  plates,  with  descriptions,  and 
an  excellent  index  to  the  five  volumes.  On  looking  through 
the  list  of  localities  given  to  many  of  the  species,  we  observe 
numerous  favourite  Yorkshire  collecting  grounds  which  were 
visited  by  the  authors. 

KIMMERIDGE  CLAY  ZONES. 

In  The  Geological  Magazine  for  April,  Mr.  E.  Neaverson 
writes  on  ‘ The  Zonal  Nomenclature  of  the  Upper  Kimmeridge 
Clay.’  * The  ammonites  of  the  Upper  Kimmeridge  Clay, 
for  long  known  by  the  comprehensive  name  Ammonites  biplex 
have  been  identified  in  recent  years  with  the  Russian  form 
Ammonites  pollasianus  d’Orb.,  and  its  allies.  A detailed 
investigation,  however,  discloses  that  the  English  ammonites 
have  no  direct  relation  with  the  Russian  forms,  and  are  pro- 
bably of  later  geological  age.  The  Upper  Kimmeridge  fauna 
is  rich  in  ammonites  ; so  far  twenty-five  species  have  been 
described  (in  MS.)  by  the  present  writer,  and  these  are  dis- 
tributed among  eight  genera,  of  which  six  are  new.’  The 
author  then  suggests  five  zones,  viz.,  pallasioides,  rotundum, 
and  pectinatus  ; the  other  two  ‘ cannot  be  named  until  the 
ammonites  are  figured.’ 

TIMBER. 

By  the  aid  of  forty-one  plates,  one  of  which  (PI.  VIII.)  we 
are  able  to  present  to  our  readers,  Mr.  H.  Stone  has  produced  a 
work  for  the  benefit  of  advanced  students  interested  in  Timber  .* 
By  numerous  photographic  illustrations  of  micro-  and  macro- 
structures of  wood,  he  brings  forcibly  before  his  readers  the 
merits  and  demerits  of  the  different  species,  and  also  has  an 
interesting  chapter  on  Timber  Diseases  and  the  ways  in  which 
various  woods  are  attacked  by  parasitic  and  other  enemies. 
The  thoroughness  with  which  the  subject  is  dealt  with  can  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  that  his  chapters  are  headed  : — Details 
of  Grosser  Structure  ; The  Surface,  Smell,  Taste  and  Contents  ; 
The  Tissues  ; The  Pores  or  Vessels  ; The  Wood-fibres  and  the 
Rays  ; The  Soft -Tissue  or  Parenchyma  ; The  Pith  ; The 
Mechanical  Properties  of  Wood  ; Resistance  to  Strain  ; 
Resonance  and  Conductivity  of  Sound  ; Absorption  and 
Shrinkage  ; Figure  ; Callus  ; Defects  ; Decay  and  Dura- 
bility ; Laboratory  Practice.  The  author  is  evidently  not  a 
believer  in  waste,  as  while  his  pages  measure  5J  ins.  by  8 ins., 
the  part  actually  occupied  by  type  measures  4 ins.  by  7 ins. 
Most  authors  would  have  produced  a volume  of  twice  the  size 
with  this  same  material. 


* ‘ A Text-book  of  Wood/  by  Herbert  Stone.  London  : W.  Rider 
& Son.  vii.4-240  pp.,  21/-  net. 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  VIII. 


Figs.  1 & 2.  Portion  of  branch  of  Evergreen  Oak,  the  rays  of  which  are  indicated  by  the 
coarse  spindle-shaped  grooves. 

Fig.  3.  Section  of  Birch  showing  borings  of  the  larvae  of  Agromyza  carbonaria. 

Fig.  4.  Piece  of  Mahogany  riddled  by  Teredo  navalis. 


169 

RE -COLONISATION  OF  A WOODLAND  FLORA 
AFTER  BURNING. 


W.  G.  TOWN. 


A disastrous  fire,  in  1921,  in  Peckett  Wood,  Hebden  Bridge, 
destroyed  nearly  all,  in  many  places  quite  all,  the  ground 
vegetation.  In  the  most  exposed  parts  of  the  wood,  i.e., 
near  the  rocky  summit,  and  places  thinly  populated  by  trees, 
the  fire  has  done  most  damage,  only  the  blackened  and  charred 
remains  of  stems  and  roots  remaining. 

Among  the  early  arrivals  were  a few  patches  of  mosses. 
One  of  the  first  to  appear  was  Ceratodon  purpureus,  in  isolated 
patches  on  the  burnt  soil.  While  this  moss  forms  large 
colonies  on  the  Peckett  roadside,  and  its  general  habitat  is 
on  sandy  peat,  I did  not  expect  it  on  burnt  soil.  The  moss 
usually  found  on  this  habitat  is  Funaria  hygrometrica,  but 
it  was  entirely  absent  here.  The  next  moss  found  was 
Tetraphis  pellucida — gemmiforme  type,  and  may  not  be  a 
new  arrival.  This  moss  also  occurred  on  decaying  plants 
on  the  rock  ledges  and  under  trees,  where  the  soil  was  little, 
if  at  all,  burnt.  The  very  few  plants  to  be  seen  apparently 
persisted  through  the  fire.  A third  moss,  at  present  not 
verified,  was  found  in  one  or  two  small  patches  at  the  summit 
of  the  wood  on  the  most  exposed  burnt  soil.  This  is  undoubt- 
edly a new  arrival,  it  was  in  good  condition  and  colonising  the 
burnt  earth  fairly  well.  On  the  sheltered  rock  ledges  was  the 
hepatic — Lepidozia  reptans — the  only  hepatic  located  so  far, 
and  is  somewhat  scarce.  This  may,  owing  to  its  position,  be 
a survival. 

Turning  now  to  the  higher  plants,  the  Rose-bay  Willow 
Herb,  Epilobium  angusti folium,  was  found  well  up  the  hillside 
on  the  burnt  soil,  and  in  isolated  patches.  The  seed  of  this 
plant  must  have  been  carried  from  the  roadside  below  soon 
after  the  fire,  and  germinated.  This  plant  usually  extends 
its  area  by  a creeping  perennial  rootstock,  but  the  plants 
found  were  too  far  away  from  the  roadside  for  this  means  of 
propagation  to  have  been  the  cause  of  their  appearance. 
Another  plant,  quite  common  on  the  adjacent  land  above  the 
wood,  the  Sheep’s  Sorrel,  Rumex  Acetosella,  was  found  colon- 
ising the  burnt  soil  at  the  summit  of  the  wood.  I also  found 
the  Wood  Sage,  Teucrium  Scorodonia  and  Lamium  purpureum 
in  good  form  and  in  bloom.  I think  Teucrium  Scorodonia 
was  a new  arrival,  as  it  occurred  only  on  very  burnt  soil, 
but  in  the  case  of  Lamium  purpureum  these  colonies  seemed 
too  well  grown  and  too  large  to  be  new  arrivals,  and  occur  on 
soil  not  badly  burnt . What  few  patches  remain  of  the  Heather, 


1924  June  l 


170 


Neocomian  Ammonites. 


were  very  apparently  survivals,  and  occur  only  on  the  sheltered 
rock  ledges.  In  most  cases  Rubus  fructicosus  was  burnt  to 
a cinder,  but  in  one  or  two  instances  the  rootstock  had  escaped 
injury  and  fresh  buds  could  be  seen.  Pteris  aquilina,  and 
Scillia  nutans  seemed  to  have  escaped  in  some  cases,  owing 
to  their  deep-seated  roots  and  bulbs,  and  made  fair  growth 
last  year.  V accinium  Myrtillus  was  scarce,  and  only  found 
on  rock  ledges  on  good  humus,  the  soil  here  had  not  been  burnt ; 
these  must  rank  as  survivals. 

The  trees,  mostly  Oaks,  were  recovering  fairly  well.  In 
the  spring  they  were  in  good  bud,  and  later  in  full  leaf.  Under 
the  trees  the  fire  had  not  damaged  the  soil  to  any  great  extent, 
and  grasses  occur  fairly  well  ; one,  I believe  a Festuca, 
and  abundant  on  the  adjacent  fields,  is  making  its  way  along 
the  summit  of  the  wood.  . The  seed  seems  to  have  germinated 
on  the  burnt  soil,  and  may  be  a new  arrival.  Owing  to  the 
very  wet  season,  Protococcus  is  clothing  the  rocks  well,  and  a 
small  quantity  of  a Lichen,  probably  a Cladonia , was  also  seen. 
I only  located  one  species  of  fungi,  and  this  Mr.  S.  Fielding 
kindly  names  as  Polyporus  repandi. 

In  some  portions  of  the  wood  are  a few  seedling  oaks, 
with  two,  three  and  four  leaves,  also  a few  young  Blackberry 
plants. 

: o : 

NEOCOMIAN  AMMONITES. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  intensive  study  of  a particular 
fossil  group,  reference  may  be  made  to  a paper  by  Dr.  L.  F. 
Spath  in  The  Geological  Magazine  for  February,  ■ On  the, 
Ammonites  of  the  Speeton  Clay  and  the  Sub-divisions  of  the, 
Neocomian/  With  regard  to  the  Speeton  Clays,  Dr.  Spath 
follows  Judd  ( Q.J.G.S. , 1868)  in  using  the  Ammonites  for 
zonal  purposes,  although  Lamplugh  (Q.J.G.S.,  1889),  owing 
to  the  relative  paucity  of  Ammonites,  adopted  the  more 
frequent  Belemnites  as  a basis  for  classification  of  the  beds. 
On  this  point  Dr.  Spath  writes  ‘ The  modern  refinement  in 
stratigraphical  and  palaeontological  nomenclature,  and  the 
additional  knowledge  of  the  last  thirty  years,  necessitated  a 
revision  of  the  Speeton  sequence  ; but  this  revision  would 
have  been  impossible  without  the  study  of  the  splendid 
collections  accumulated  by  Mr.  C.  G.  Danford  and  Mr.  G.  W. 
Lamplugh,  F.R.S.  To  the  latter  I am  particularly  indebted 
for  continuously  placing  at  my  disposal  his  unrivalled  know- 
ledge of  the  succession,  and,  in  the  course  of  many  discussions, 
both  before  and  after  my  visit  to  Speeton,  criticizing  my 
views.  The  section,  unfortunately,  still  represents  the  “ huge 
mess,”  so  vividly  described  by  Mr.  Sheppard,  though,  with 


Naturalist 


Neocomian  Ammonites. 


171 

sufficient  patience,  all  the  beds  can  be  examined  “ in  place,” 
in  view  of  Mr.  Lamplugh’s  excellent  accounts.  If  I follow 
Professor  Judd  in  pinning  my  faith  to  ammonites,  not 
belemnites,  it  may  be  explained  as  the  natural  prejudice  of 
a specialist.  There  may  be  a very  marked  change  in  the 
belemnite  fauna  at  all  the  sectional  boundaries,  as  Mr. 
Danford  stated,  but  even  Stolley’s  minute  researches  on  the 
North  German  belemnite  successions  did  not  enable  him  to 
zone  the  Aptian  of  that  country.  For  from  an  examination 
of  my  table  of  Aptian  zones  it  will  be  seen  that  the  fauna 
of  e.g.  Ahaus  is  later  than  the  deshay esi  horizon  (subzone  of 
Cheloniceras  hamhrovi  in  Spath,  p.  147)  and  earlier  than  the 
fauna  with  Parahoplites  schmidti  and  Sanmartinoceras  traut- 
scholdi  (aschiltaensis  subzone  of  my  table).  Nor  did  Stolley 
discover  the  absence,  in  North  Germany,  of  probably  the 
whole  of  the  Lower  and  the  lower  part  of  the  Upper 
Gault . ’ 

Dr.  Spath,  in  his  microscopic  examination  of  the  difficult 
species  of  Ammonoidea  from  Speeton  and  the  Lincolnshire 
Neocomians,  finds  that  his  predecessors  have  made  very  many 
erroneous  determinations  leading  to  unsound  classification 
and  zoning.  This  is  usually  the  case  when  one  worker  de- 
votes his  energies  to  one  particular  group,  and,  doubtless, 
in  the  future  even  Dr.  Spath’s  conclusions  may  need  revision  : 
in  this  way  finality  seems  almost  beyond  hope. 

Unquestionably  Dr.  Spath’s  work  will  have  added  to  our 
knowledge  of  the  palaeontology  of  these  ammonites,  and  for 
this  we  must  be  grateful,  albeit  the  number  of  workers  must 
necessarily  narrow  as  time  goes  on*.  A quarter  of  a century 
ago  the  present  writer  could  identify  any  of  the  usual  ammon- 
ites found  at  Speeton,  and  he  believes  correctly,  so  far  as 
our  knowledge  then  went.  After  a further  twenty-five  years’ 
acquaintance  with  the  literature  which  has  since  accumulated 
on  the  subject,  he  now  hesitates  very  much  to  attach  a name 
to  a single  specimen  ! And  Dr.  Spath  will,  I know,  appre- 
ciate the  position  when  we  say  that  his  paper  does  not  simplify 
matters  for  us,  especially  in  the  absence  of  descriptions 
and  illustrations  of  the  new  species  enumerated.  These,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  will  eventually  appear  in  the  Monographs  of  the 
PalcBontographical  Society,  where  a valuable  instalment  of 
Dr.  Spath’s  memoir  on  the  Gault  Ammonoidea  has  recently 
been  published.  In  the  meantime  the  species  indicating 
the  different  zones  are  enumerated  by  Dr.  Spath  in  a manner 
which  puts  his  paper  out  of  the  reach  of  the  amateur,  and 
can  only  be  grasped  by  a fellow-specialist,  though  this,  it 
may  be  held,  does  not  make  it  scientifically  of  less  value. 
For  example,  the  following  is  a description  of  the  palaeontologi- 
cal features  of  one  of  the  divisions  in  the  B.  series  at  Speeton  : 


1924  June  l 


172 


N eocomian  Ammonites. 


‘ B (top  and  upper).  Callizoniceras ? (“  Desmoceras  ”)  sp.n. 
(hoyeri  group)  Pseudosaynella  plana  (Phillips  non  Mantell). 
Aconeceras  nisoides  (Sarasin)  v.  Koenen  and  spp.  juv.  Para - 
hoplitoides  fissicostatus  (Phillips).  P.  aff.  tenuicostatus  (v. 
Koenen).  P.  bodei  (v.  Koenen).  P.  sp.n.  ( Iceviusculus 
group).  Ancyloceras  sp.n.  aff.  pingue  (v.  Koenen).  A.?  sp. 
nov.  ? Hemicrioceras  sp.  nov.  (rude  group).  Par ancylocera^s 
bidentatum  (v.  Koenen).  P.  scalare  (v.  Koenen).  P.  ? sp.n. 
aff.  cegoceras  (v.  Koenen).  Toxoceratoides  royeri  (d’Orb.)  v. 
Koenen.  T.  aff.  royeri  (d’Orb.).  T.  cf.  plicatus  (v.  Koenen). 
T.cf.  fustiformis  (v.  Koenen,  pars).  T.  seminodosum  (Roemer) 
T.  cf.  cequicingulatum  (v.  Koenen).  T.  rotundus  (Phillips, 
non  Helicoceras  rotundum  Sowerby  sp.).  T.  rotundus  (Bean 
MS.  non  Phill.).  T.  obliquatum  (Young  & Bird).  T.  sheppardi 
sp.  nov.  (“  Ham.  attenuatus  ” Phillips,  i,  25).  T.  ? cf. 
trispinosum  (v.  Koenen,  pars).  Leptoceras  cf.  parvulum 
Uhlig.’ 

The  terrific  multiplication  of  names  by  the  specialist  is 
presumably  essential,  but  it  is  exceedingly  confusing  to  the 
stratigrapher  and  even  to  the  palaeontologists  other  than  a 
small  handful  of  ‘ ammonite-men.’  We  thought  we  had  done 
well  to  master  Pavlow’s  usage  of  ‘ Hoplites,’  ‘ Polyptychites,’ 
Olcostephanus  ’ and  a few  other  generic  terms.  But  now 
Hoplites  ’ alone — formerly  lumped — quite  conveniently  as 
Amm.  noricus — is  split  up  into  four  or  five  genera,  each  with 
its  group  of  species.  And  at  present  (and  presumably  for 
some  time  to  come)  these  names  must  remain  as  names  only, 
unless  anyone  happens  to  be  immersed  in  the  special  literature, 
or  to  have  access  to  the  specimens  labelled. 

In  view  of  a recent  statement*  by  eminent  palaeontologists 
that  the  Lower  Gault  is  absent  at  Speeton,  it  is  to  be  noted 
that  Dr.  Spath  recognises  ‘ Lower  Gault  ’ Ammonites  from 
the  top  marls.  When  doctors  disagree  how  is  the  poor  amateur 
to  decide  ? 

By  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  Spath,  who  has  kindly  assisted 
in  the  determination  of  some  of  the  more  difficult  species 
from  the  Speeton  series,  we  are  able  to  publish  for  the  first 
time  photographs  of  some  of  the  new  species  he  has  recently 
described,  and  we  must  thank  him  for  the  recognition  he  has 
given  to  recent  workers  on  the  Speeton  Clay  by  naming 
certain  species  after  them  ; in  this  way  names  have  been 
given  in  honour  of  Pavlow,  Stolley,  Lamplugh,  Danford, 
Stather  and  T.  Sheppard.  Upon  these  Dr.  Spath  kindly 
supplies  the  following  note. — T.S. 


* Kit  chin  and  Pringle,  Geol.  Mag.,  May,  1924. 


Naturalist 


173 


NEW  SPEETON  AMMONITES. 

L.  F.  SPATH,  D.SC.,  F.G.S. 

The  first  example  was  labelled  * Ammonitis  hys'trix  ? ’ and 
marked  ‘ a good  specimen  of  a rather  rare  species  ; * but  Prof. 
Pavlow’s  later  label  is  ‘ Crioceras  or  Ancycloceras  sp.  indit.’ 
The  second  specimen,  in  all  characters,  and  in  mode  of 


Figs,  i,  2. — Paracrioceras  statheri  Spath.  Side  and  peripheral 
views  ( x 2 ) of  a specimen  from  Speeton,  ‘ Zone  B,  lower  part,’  in  Mr. 
Lamplugh’s  Collection. 

Figs.  3,  4. — Paracrioceras  statheri  Spath.  Side  and  peripheral 
views  ( x 2 ) of  a fragment  in  the  British  Museum  (Nat.  Hist. ) from  Speeton 
(Bean  Collection,  No.  89105a). 

Figs.  5,  6. — Toxoceratoides  sheppardi  Spath.  Side  and  peripheral 
views  ( x 2 ) of  a fragment  from  ‘ B top,  Speeton,’  in  Mr.  Lamplugh’s 
Collection. 

preservation,  agrees  with  the  holotype  in  the  Yorkshire 
Museum  (Phillips’s  Crioceras  beani,  pi.  I.,  fig.  28,  non  Young 
and  Bird),  and  a specimen  in  the  Museum  of  Practical  Geology 
(No.  22236,  Mr.  Danford’s  Collection)  that  came  from  ‘ C 
top,’  Speeton.  Another  example,  in  Mr.  Lamplugh’s  collection 
is  labelled  ‘ C4,  beach,’  so  that  the  range  of  Peracrioceras 
statheri  apparently  is  from  Upper  C into  Lower  B,  like  that 
of  e.g.,  Craspido discus. 


1924  June  1 


174 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


Toxoceratoides  sheppardi  is  a later  (Aptian)  form,  and  is 
more  hamitoid  in  its  character  than  the  other  Speeton  forms 
recorded.  The  figured  example  was  associated  with  Paran- 
cyloceras  bidentatum,  P.  scalar e (v.  Koenen),  and  Toxocera- 
toides sp.  ind.  (royeri  group).  The  form  figured  by  v.  Koenen 
as  Ancyloceras  fustiforme  (pi.  xil.,  figs.  4,  5,  9 non  7.  Toxo- 
ceratoides of  fustiformis  v.  Koenen,  pars,  in  Spath,  1924,  p. 
78)  is  probably  close  to  T.  sheppardi,  but  it  shows  a distinctly 
trituberculate  straight  shaft.  The  original  of  Phillips’s  fig. 
25  of  pi.  I.  Hamites  attenuates  ’ non  Sowerby)  does  not 
appear  to  be  in  the  Yorkshire  Museum,  and  the  figure  is 
diagrammatic,  so  that  the  resemblance  of  T.  sheppardi  to 
Hamites  attenuatus  had  to  be  relied  on  in  its  identification 
with  Phillips’s  form. 

: o : 

Fifty  Years  in  Madagascar,  by  James  Sibree.  London  : George 
Allen  & Unwin,  Ltd.,  359  pp.,  12/6  net.  Mr.  Janies  Sibree  is  not  a 
beginner  in  the  way  of  writing  books,  and  his  ‘ Naturalist  in  Madagascar  * 
was  a particularly  successful  volume.  In  the  present  book  he  deals 
very  largely  with  Missionary  work,  but  among  the  pages  are  many 
interesting  facts  relating  to  the  great  island  in  which  he  lived  for  so 
many  years.  The  natural  history  of  the  island  having  been  dealt  with 
so  thoroughly  in  his  previous  volume,  the  subject  is  rather  neglected 
here,  but  the  information  he  gives  about  the  people,  their  houses,  religion 
and  so  on,  is  well  worth  perusal. 

Downland  Pathways,  by  A.  Hadrian  Allcroft.  London  : Methuen 
& Co.,  xi.-j-.292  pp.,  7/6  net.  This  author  is  already  well-known  as  an 
archaeologist  for  his  admirable  volume  on  ‘ The  Earthworks  of  England.’ 
His  knowledge  of  the  Sussex  Downs  and  of  their  various  archaeological 
and  other  treasures  is  unrivalled.  Whether  describing  the  remains  of  a 
prehistoric  fortress,  a mediaeval  castle,  or  modern  parks  and  pleasure 
grounds,  he  is  equally  at  home,  and  his  pleasant  style  will  make  his 
volume  popular  throughout  the  country,  though  of  course  particularly 
appealing  to  those  in  the  south.  In  the  series  of  twenty -four  chapters 
he  deals  with  Lewes,  Wilmington  Hill,  The  Devil’s  Dyke,  Steyning, 
Bignor,  Chichester,  Selsey  and  many  other  well-known  places.  The 
book  is  well  illustrated,  and  though  portions  of  it  have  perviously 
appeared,  it  is  a welcome  addition  to  our  knowledge  of  Sussex  topography. 

The  English  Catalogue  of  Books  for  1924,  giving  in  one  alphabet, 
under  author  and  title,  the  size,  price,  month  of  publication,  and  publisher 
of  books  issued  in  the  United  Kingdom.  London:  The  Publishers’ 
Circular,  Ltd.,  414  pp.,  15/-'  net.  This  volume  contains  the  Eighty - 
seventh  Yearly  Record  of  books  published  in  the  United  Kingdom  for 
1923.  The  Editor,  we  presume,  is  Mr.  R.  B.  Marston,  the  Editor  of 
The  Publishers’  Circular,  gives  some  interesting  statistics  relating  to 
the  works  published.  From  these  we  gather  that  under  ‘ Science,’  a 
total  of  678  volumes  appeared  in  1923,  compared  with  597  during  the 
previous  year,  so  that  the  output  of  scientific  work  seems  fairly  regular. 
Fiction  reaches  2487,  Juvenile  1048,  History  515,  Philosophy  319,  and 
so  on.  The  Editor’s  method  of  preparing  his  lists  is  helpful  to  the 
naturalist;  thus,  under  Biology,  or  Birds,  Kearton,  or  Witherby,  one 
sees  at  once  the  work  accomplished  in  a year  so  far  as  separately  published 
volumes  are  concerned.  A directory  of  publishers  appears  at  the  end, 
together  with  English  Agents  of  American  and  Canadian  firms.  The 
book  is  indispensable  to  librarians. 


Naturalist 


i75 


THE  PLANKTON  OF  THE  RIVER  WHARFE. 


R.  W.  BUTCHER. 


During  1921  and  1922,  periodical  collections  have  been  made 
of  the  plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe.  The  samples  were 
taken  by  allowing  the  water  to  flow  for  thirty  minutes  through 
a net  (100  meshes  to  the  inch)  at  Harewood  Bridge.  Note 
was  also  made  of  the  hardness,  turbidity,  temperature  and 
level  of  the  water  above  a fixed  mark.  The  results  are  given 
in  Table  I.  and  in  Fig.  1.  The  hardness  of  the  water  was 
estimated  in  the  field  with  soap  tablets,  and  the  comparative 
turbidity  was  obtained  by  observing  the  depth  at  which  a 
pin  on  the  end  of  a rod  became  invisible. 

Table  I. 


Date. 

Tem. 

oC. 

Hardness 
in  degrees. 
(Clark) . 

Water 

level 

in  inches. 

Rainfall 

previov 

at  Harewood. 

in  inches 
is  week 

at  Burnsall. 

Turbidity 
in  inches 
(see  above; . 

2- 

1-21 



8 

38 

. . 

10 

5- 

2-21 

— 

10 

23 

0-45 

0-19 

20 

5- 

3-21 

— 

11 

13 

0-77 

0*41 

25 

3- 

4-21 

10 

12 

4 

0-83 

0-26 

30 

30- 

4-21 

16 

11 

3 

0-22 

0-42 

36 

27- 

5-21 

16 

11 

2 

0-15 

0-05 

35 

12- 

7-21 

21 

11 

0 

0-05 

0-09 

24 

20- 

8-21 

18 

10 

3 

0-14 

0-39 

30 

2- 

9-21 

12 

8 

36 

2*38 

1-50 

18 

. 16- 

9-21 

13 

11 

5 

1 *27 

0-84 

20 

16- 

10-21 

12 

8 

6 

0-46 

0-24 

28 

2- 

12-21 

6 

9 

36 

0-10 

0-21 

10 

3- 

1-22 

4 

11 

13 

3-36 

1-53 

17 

10- 

2-22 

2 

10 

5 

0-88 

0-41 

25 

10- 

3-22 

4 

11 

9 

1-82 

0-88 

20 

26- 

3-22 

3 

10 

4 

0-68 

0-32 

30 

23- 

4-22 

8 

12 

3 

0-13 

0-42 

22 

7- 

5-22 

10 

12 

2 

0-16 

0-11 

30 

21- 

5-22 

12 

11 

2 

0-56 

0-41 

30 

, 22- 

6-22 

14 

10 

3 

013 

0-25 

36 

17- 

7-22 

12 

11 

5 

0-68 

1-06 

20 

8- 

8-22 

11 

8 

41 

1-93 

2*67 

11 

20- 

8-22 

12 

10 

6 

0-66 

0-19 

27 

20- 

9-22 

10 

10 

8 

2-17 

1-63 

20 

24- 

10-22 

7 

9 

2 

0-17 

0-31 

22 

11- 

12-22 

2 

9 

11 

0-16 

0-14 

19 

1 ■ 

Topography. — The  Wharfe  has  its  origin  on  the  mountain 
limestone,  flows  over  this  for  several  miles,  then  over  mill- 
stone-grits and  alluvia,  until  it  reaches  Harewood  Bridge. 
Unlike  the  rivers  in  the  south  of  the  county  (the  Aire,  Calder 
and  Don),  it  is  little  polluted,  the  only  towns  of  size  above 
Harewood  being  Otley  and  Ilkley,  although  much  of  the 


B24  Jun  1 


176  Butcher  : The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe. 

drainage  area  is  cultivated.  The  most  important  tributary 
is  the  Washburn,  which  is  a stream  flowing  over  the  millstone 
grits,  and  passing  through  the  Leeds  Corporation  reservoirs. 
There  are  no  other  streams  of  importance. 

Nature  of  Plankton. — The  composition  of  the  plankton 
will  be  seen  in  Table  II.,  and  its  relation  to  the  main  physical 
factors  is  shewn  in  Fig.  1.  The  amount  of  plankton  is  small, 
more  than  2 cc’s  has  never  been  collected  at  one  time,  and 
frequently  there  is  much  less.  There  is  always  a certain 
amount  of  debris,  especially  in  flood  times,  and  this  prevents 
any  quantitative  records  of  plankton  being  sufficiently  ac- 
curate to  be  of  value.  The  plankton  consists  of  Diatoms 
most  abundantly,  Protococcales,  two  genera  of  Myxophycese 
— Oscillatoria  and  Merismipedia — and  a few  Desmids.  Only 
the  most  characteristic  species  are  given  in  the  table,  casual 
individuals  are  not  mentioned. 

Main  Periodicity  of  Plankton. — From  November  to 
February  the  number  of  diatoms  is  very  small,  and  repre- 
sented chiefly  by  Melosira  varians  and  Navicula  viridula,  then 
there  is  a steady  increase  to  a maximum  from  the  end  of 
April  to  May  ; Navicula  viridula , Synedra  Ulna,  Amphora 
ovalis,  Fragilaria  virescens,  Diatoma  vulgare  all  being  very 
abundant,  but  Melosira  varians  only  occasional.  A rapid 
decrease  follows  in  June,  and  afterwards  the  number  remains 
about  the  same  till  the  following  spring.  The  Protococcales 
are  abundant  from  June  to  October  and  almost  absent  for  the 
rest  of  the  year. 

Oscillatoria  is  abundant  in  May  and  June,  but  individuals 
are  seen  throughout  the  year.  Desmids  appear  at  two  periods. 
Gonatozygon  monotaenium,  some  species  of  Closterium  and 
Cosmarium  are  present  in  the  summer  maximum  of  Pro- 
tococcales, and  Closterium  Ehrenbergii  and  Cl.  moniliforme 
again  appear  in  the  winter  months.  The  general  nature  of 
the  plankton  is  thus  similar  to  the  results  obtained  by  other 
workers — Fritsch  (1  and  2),  Kofoid  (4),  West  (7). 

Modification  of  Main  Periodicity . — The  periodicity  in- 
dicated above  is  subject  to  small  changes  brought  about  by 
various  environmental  factors. 

{a)  Temperature. — Variations  of  temperature  have 
usually  been  suggested  as  bringing  about  algal  periodicity, 
but  reference  to  Fig.  1 will  show  the  period  of  high  tem- 
peratures comes  soon  after  the  spring  maximum  of  Diatoms, 
and  appears  to  have  little  definite  relation  to  the  summer 
maximum  of  Protococcales,  and  the  accompanying  slight 
changes.  Compare,  for  instance,  Sept.  2nd  and  Sept.  16th, 
1921- — there  is  only  one  degree  difference  in  temperature, 
but  the  plankton  consists  abundantly  of  Diatoms  and  Pro- 
tococcales in  the  former  instance,  and  Diatoms  only,  in 


Naturalist 


Butcher : The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharf e , 


177 


Fig.  1. 


1924  June  1 


M 


Table  II. — Composition  of  Plankton. 


« I 8 


I ° 
O 
I o 


I I 


I o o 8 
I o o g 


I ° 

O !h 
I CJ 


I 8 


I - I 


I I 


I ° 

o 
I o 


I ° I I I I I ° 8 I irl  I I 


I -I'M  m 


I I I 


1 I I I 11  I I I I I I 


I I 


I I I I 


I!  8 I 


I b I 


I ° 

o o 
I o 


CJ  | U I I 

o o 
O 1 O I-  I 


I ° 

o 
I o 


I 8 I § I I K 


I 8 I b S]  II 


o cj 

o o o 
o o 


I b 


UNI 


^ ^ r s I 

o o H 
O O U I 


■ Kniii 


p 1 1 


I I % I 


8 I 


o a 

CJ  CJ 
O CJ 


I I 


I I 


I I 8 


I I I I I I I 8 I II  I I 


I I 


II  I I I I I 


I I 


CJ  I 

o 

a l 

o I 


8 HI  I b 8 


I I I 


I I II  I I I I I I II ■ I 


I I 


I I 


I I I I I1 1 I 


M-nnSfl  m 


I 8 


88  111 


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I a 


l I II  H l 


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P 
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s s 


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^ O O ^ 05 


I I 


I I 


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m 
1 1 


1 1 


1 1 


1 1 


1 1 


O I 

o 

o I 


a I 


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I I 


o o 
o o 
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I I 


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o g ° o o 


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o o o 


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to 


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PQ 


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55  o ts  § k>  U 

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fee 

55  s ^ S .g  2 ^ 

° ^ kS  <0  ? S 

-^,-g  PS  ttt  Sp  <» 

^2  "55  .2.  ^ 

(S  ® !v  'a.'' 

-g  "§  *2  ^ -S 


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O 55 


hi  Ps  O Co  Co  Co  Co 


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55  §5  55 

. to  § 

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O O ^ 


Note  : — The  appromixate  frequencies  used  in  the  above  table  are  those  of  Fritsch  and  Rich.  (3.) 
ccc = very  common  = 100  r = occasional  = 5 

cc  = common  = 30  rr=rare  = 2 

c =frequent  = 10  rrr  = very  rare  = 1 


Table  II— Composition  of  Plankton. 


Date— 

1921 

Date — 1922. 

List  of  Species. 

2/1 

5/2 

3/4  29/5 

12/7 

20,8 

2,9 

16,9  16,10  2,12 

3/1 

10/2 

10/3 

26/3 

23/4 

7/5  : 

21/5  22/6 

17/7  : 

20/8  : 

20/9  24/10 

11,12 

Tabellaria  fenestraia  Kutz.  va 

r 

rr 

_ 

_ 

_ 

_ 

_ 

r 

c 

asterionelloid 

— 

— 

— 

T.  flocculosa  Kutz. 
Melosira  varians  Ag . ... 

ccc 

«c 

? 

- 

- 

- 

rr 

- 

c 

cc 

rr 

ccc 

cc 

ccc 

CCC 

cc 

Meridian  circulate  Ag.  ... 
Dialoma  vulgare  Bary. 

- 

CCC 

-- 

- 

- 

rr 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Jg 

cc 

ccc 

ccc 

Ccc 

3 

z 

cc 

z 

z 

- 

D.  hiemale  Lyng. 

D.  anomalum  W.  Smith. 

z 

- 

cc 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

l 

“ 

ccc 

cc 

ccc 

C 

_ 

— 

C 

Fragilaria  virescens  Ralphs 

— 

rrr 









— 

rr 

c 

ccc 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

F.  capucina  Des 

Synedra  Ulna  Ehr. 

- 

cc 

- 

11 

- 

- 

r 

- 

rr 

rr 

ccc 

ccc 

- 

cc 

rr 

cc 

S.  acus  Kutz 

rr 

C 





rrr 

c 

— 

— 

— 

— 

rr 

Asterionella gracillima  Han. 

— 

— 

nr 





rr 

rr 

rrr 

Ceratoneis  acus  Kutz . ... 







rr 

— 

c 

Cocconeis  Pedieulus  Ehr. 

— 

— 

cc 

ccc 

Navicula  viridula  Kutz. 

N.  pygmaea  Kutz. 

Pinnularia  subsolaris  Grun. 

Stauroneis  anceps  Ehr. 

Gyrosigma  attenuatum  Kutz. 

i- 

Rhoicosplienia  curvata  Kutz.  . 

c 

Gomphonema  acuminata  Ehr . 
Cymbella  aspera  Ehr . ... 

ir 

rn- 

- 

f 

z 

nr 

"rr1 

rr 

rrrrr 

3 

z 

— 

z 

— 

- 

C.  turgida  Greg 

ccc 

Amphora  ovalis  Kutz.  ... 

Bacillaria  paradoxa  Gmel. 

— 

' 

r 

' ~~ 

t — *r— 


Nitzschia  subtitis  Grurt. 
Cymatopleura  solea  Breb. 
Sirurella  dentata  Schum. 
S.biseriata  Breb. 


Oscillatoria  tenuis  Ag.  ... 
Merismipedia  glauca  Ehr. 


Tetraspora  gelalinosa  Vauch  .. 
Pediastrum  Boryanum  Turp.  .. 

Chlorella  vulgaris  Bey 

Sceneiesmus  quadricanda  Turp. 
S.  bijugatus  Kutz.  ...  .. 

S.  obliquus  Turp.  

S.  acutiformis  Schro 

Ankistrodesmus  falealus  Ralfs  .. 
Pandorina  morum  Bory . 

Eudorina  elegans  Ehr 

Volvox globator  Ehr. 


Closterium  moniliforme  Bory.  . 

Cl  Ehrenbergii  Menegh. 

Cl.  Dianae  Ehr . ... 

Cl.  acerosum  Schrank.  ...  " 

Cosmarium  sp . 

Gonatozygon  monotaenium  De  Bary 


Note  : The  appromixate  frequencies  used  : 
ccc=very  common^ 
cc  --  common . 30 
c=frequent  = 10 


i8o  Butcher  : The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe. 

small  quantity,  in  the  latter.  Pearsall  (6)  has  recently 
pointed  out,  as  instanced  by  Melosira  granulata,  that  many 
organisms  may  occur  abundantly  at  any  temperature.  The 
above  results  confirm  this  view. 

(b)  Turbidity. — This  also  indicates  the  amount  of  free 
floating  matter  and  the  light  intensity.  Generally  speaking, 
turbidity  is  great  during  the  flood  periods,  due  to  the  amount 
of  debris  washed  into  the  river,  and  small  when  the  river 
is  normal  or  low.  The  Wharfe  at  Harewood  is  normally  a 
clear  river  in  which  it  differs  from  the  Thames  and  the  Cam. 
Hence  important  differences  in  turbidity  occur  at  the  same 
time  as  the  important  changes  in  water-level  and  are  in- 
separable from  it. 

(c)  Water  Level. — As  seen  in  Fig.  i,  the  water  level 
has  a very  marked  influence  on  the  plankton.  When  the 
river  is  high  Diatoms  are  always  present  in  great  numbers. 
This  is  very  well  shown  by  comparing  the  summers  of  1921, 
which  was  a dry  year,  and  1922,  which  was  wet  (cf.  Table  III.). 
In  the  former  from  May  to  September  the  Diatoms  are  very 
scarce  and  Protococcales  abundant,  while  in  the  latter  year, 
though  Protococcales  are  again  plentiful,  Diatoms  are  always 
common.  A collection  made  on  September  2nd,  1921,  showed 
abundant  diatoms  and  fewer  Protococales.  This  was  im- 
mediately after  two  days  heavy  rainfall. 

Water  level  is  correlated  with  other  changes  as  well  as 
turbidity  indicated  above. 

(i.)  Current. — At  a given  point  on  a river,  current  is 
directly  proportional  to  the  height  of  the  river.  It  has  been 
shown  by  Fritsch  (1)  and  Kofoid  (4)  that  a strong  current 
decreases  the  quantity  of  plankton.  There  is  also  a change 
in  nature  as  well  as  a change  in  amount  to  be  considered. 

(ii.)  Rainfall. — Heavy  rainfall,  which  brings  about 
floods,  means  that  larger  quantities  of  debris  are  washed  into 
the  river  by  its  feeders,  from  ponds,  and  from  littoral  algae. 
This  view  is  to  some  extent  confirmed  by  the  increase  of  such 
diatoms  as  Synedra  Ulna,  Amphora  ovalis  and  Bacillaria 
paradoxa.  On  the  other  hand,  floods  never  appear  to  increase 
the  number  of  species  of  Protococcales,  even  when  the  flood 
comes  in  the  middle  of  the  summer  maximum  (cf.  September 
2nd,  1921),  while  the  species  of  Closterium  appear  to  be  con- 
nected only  with  the  winter  floods.  Oscillatoria  tenuis 
appears  in  the  river  in  small  masses  of  mud  at  the  time  when 
this  is  breaking  up  in  ponds  and  giving  place  to  the  spring. 
Conjugatae.  Here  is  a definite  example  of  a ‘ wash  in.' 

{To  be  continued ). 


Naturalis  t 


i8x 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS  AND  GEOLOGISTS 
AT  EARBY. 


W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S., 
Hon.  Secretaries. 


The  Union’s  first  Excursion  of  the  year  was  held  in  conjunction  with  the 
Yorkshire  Geological  Society,  at  Earby,  during  Easter  week-end,  April 
19th  to  2 1st.  This  combination  demanded  an  almost  exclusively 
geological  programme,  and  as  the  arrangements  of  this  were  in  the  hands 
of  Messrs.  W.  S.  Bisat  and  John  Holmes,  the  demand  was  adequately  met. 
Several  Members  arrived  on  the  preceding  Thursday  evening,  including 
the  leaders  named  above,  Mr.  W.  B.  Wright,  Chief  Officer  of  the 
Lancashire  Section  of  H.M.  Geological  Survey,  and  Mr.  Tonks,  also  of 
the  Geological  Survey. 

The  excursion  to  Barnoldswick,  Weets  Hill,  Gill  Beck,  and  Rough  Lea 
were  organised  with  definite  objects  in  view,  and  these  are  fully  dealt 
with  in  the  report  of  Mr.  Bisat,  printed  below.  A popular  account  of  the 
week-end  investigations  appeared  in  the  Yorkshire  Post,  April  22nd,  1924. 

A series  of  evening  discussions  proved  to  be  a valuable  feature  of  this 
Meeting,  and  although  Mr.  Bisat  makes  reference  to  them  in  his  notes, 
preliminary  mention  here  may  serve  to  emphasize  their  importance. 
Mr.  Bisat  refers  to  Mr.  Wright’s  masterly  treatment  of  Wegener’s  hypo- 
thesis of  continental  drift,  but  one  could  not  help  feeling  that  it  was 
a ‘ Wright  and  Wegener  ’ theory  that  was  being  so  lucidly,  and  at  the 
same  time  so  charmingly  placed  before  Mr.  Wright’s  audience,  and  that 
the  workability  of  the  hypothesis  had  substantially  gained  by  the 
apparently  unconscious  collaboration. 

Mr.  Bisat  characteristically  witholds  any  mention  of  his  own  contri- 
bution of  a lantern  lecture  on  ‘ The  Carboniferous  Goniatites  of  the 
North  of  England,’  except  to  acknowledge  his  indebtedness  to  others. 
No  other  geologist  could  have  given  such  a detailed  account  of  the 
Goniatites  and  their  distribution,  because  Mr.  Bisat  dealt  with  facts, 
the  collection  and  correlation  of  which  are  the  products  of  his  own  work 
in  the  field  and  in  the  laboratory.  More  authorative  than  our  comments 
on  this  subject  are  the  words  of  Mr.  Wright,  who  pointed  out  at  the  close 
of  the  address  that  ‘ Members  had  been  privileged  to  witness  the  con- 
summation of  a research  which  marked  one  of  the  greatest  advances  in 
geological  science  made  during  the  last  fifty  years.’  Appreciative 
remarks  were  also  made  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Waddington,  S.J .,  of  Stoneyhurst 
College,  who  has  himself  spent  many  years  in  the  study  of  the  goniatite 
fauna  of  the  neighbourhood. 

On  April  21st,  a General  Meeting  was  held  at  Headquarters  under  the 
Chairmanship  of  Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead,  M.Sc.,  at  which  Sectional  reports 
were  rendered  by  the  Chairman,  Messrs.  Butterfield,  Fysher,  Jno.  Holmes, 
Mason,  and  Winter.  At  this  Meeting  the  Union  had  the  pleasure  of 
welcoming  members  of  the  Haworth  Ramblers’  Society  who  had  spent 
the  day  in  the  district,  and  particulars  of  their  excursion  and  its 
attendant  incidents  were  recounted  by  Mr.  Jonas  Bradley.  Votes  of 
thanks  were  unanimously  accorded  to  Messrs.  Bisat  and  Holmes,  and  to 
the  landowners  who  had  so  kindly  and  readily  granted  permission  for 
access  to  their  estates.  A resolution  protesting  against  the  decision  of 
the  Ordnance  Survey  to  discontinue  distribution  of  the  quarter  sheets 
6-in.  maps  was  adopted,  and  the  Hon.  Secretaries  instructed  to  convey 
this  to  the  proper  authorities.  Eight  new  Members  were  elected,  and  the 
affiliation  of  the  Honley  Naturalists’  Society  was  confirmed. 


1924  June  1 


i82 


YORKSHIRE  CARBONIFEROUS  GONIATITES . 


W.  S.  BISAT. 


The  geological  section  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  time  examining 
the  goniatite  succession  in  the  Bowland  Shales  and  Sabden  Shales.  As  a 
preliminary  to  the  report  on  the  results  attained  it  is  perhaps  desirable 
to  indicate  broadly  the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  of  these  zones. 
While  the  succession  of  life  forms  is  on  the  whole  now  quite  well  known, 
there  are  certain  gaps  in  our  knowledge  which  it  is  desired  to  elucidate. 
There  is  a more  or  less  complete  succession  of  goniatites  from  the  top 
of  the  Pendleside  Limestone  to  the  Lower  Coal  Measures,  but  gaps  not 
yet  filled  in  divide  our  sequence  into  three  very  unequal  parts.  From 
above,  downwards,  we  have  : — 

(3)  A complete  succession  from  the  Halifax  Hard  Bed  down  through 
the  main  mass  of  the  Grits  (including  the  Kinderscout)  into  the 
upper  portion  of  the  Sabden  Shales,  as  far  down  as  the  base  of 
the  Rough  Lee  section  ( proteum  zone).  The  individual  zones 
are  well  known  in  almost  complete  detail,  and  many  have  been 
proved  to  extend  over  wide  areas. 

(2)  A small  succession  in  the  middle  and  lower  part  of  the  Sabden 
Shales,  best  seen  at  Gill  Beck,  near  Cowling,  and  elsewhere  in 
Airedale,  and  with  other  exposures  at  Todmorden  and  Edale. 
These  beds  are  not  joined  us  definitely  to  (2)  and  (1),  but  must 
lie  between  the  two  divisions. 

(1)  The  broad  sequence  of  forms  found  in  the  Bowland  Shales,  first 
pointed  out  by  Hind,  which  has  required  considerable  modifica- 
tion as  the  result  of  a more  restricted  use  of  specific  names, 
but  in  which  it  cannot  be  said  that  an  adequate  conception  of 
these  zones  is  yet  to  hand.  This  arises  in  part  from  the  poorness 
of  the  exposures,  partly  from  the  bad  state  of  preservation  of 
the  shale  specimens,  and  to  some  extent  is  due  to  the  very  in- 
adequate collecting  that  has  been  done.  As  a result  it  is  not  yet 
known  in  many  cases  which  features  are  constant  and  which  merely 
of  local  value.  Father  Waddington’s  careful  work  at  Dinckley 
is  of  the  greatest  help,  but  the  section  at  that  locality  does  not 
extend  down  to  the  Pendleside  Limestone,  and  is  therefore  not 
tied  in  at  the  base. 

It  is  known,  for  instance,  that  G.  crenistria  occurs  both  in  the  Mountain 
Limestone,  also  at  the  top  of  the  Pendleside  Limestone,  and  higher  in 
the  beds  is  still  present  at  Dinckley,  but  the  zone  of  this  fossil  is  evidently 
a thick  one,  and  includes  many  remarkable  forms  and  ornament  variants 
which  probably  have  time  value,  but  the  true  sequence  of  which  is  un- 
known. The  same  remark  applies  to  striatum  and  spirale. 

During  this  excursion  the  exposures  seen  were  practically  all  in 
divisions  (1)  and  (2)  above,  particular  attention  being  paid  to  obscure 
horizons,  and  the  following  results  may  be  recorded,  working  from  the 
lowest  zone  seen  upwards  : — 

Salterforth  railway  cutting  shows  steeply  inclined  beds  of  Pendleside 
Limestone,  the  top  beds  of  which  dip  below  rail  level  at  the  229^  mile 
post.  Eleven  yards  east  of  this  (approximately  20  feet-25  feet  above  the 
limestone)  is  a thin  (i-in.)  black  limestone  containing  goniatites,  frag- 
ments of  Posidonomya  becheri  and  other  lamellibranchs.  Two  good 
goniatites  of  the  crenistria  genus  were  extracted,  differing  widely  in  their 
adult  form  and  ornament.  The  more  unusual  one  is  a stout  form  having 
the  typical  crenulate  striae  in  youth,  but  in  the  adult  developing  trans- 
verse costae  of  considerable  strength  with  intermediate  close  weak  spiral 
striae.  This  is  apparently  the  ornament  of  an  inner  layer  of  the  test. 
The  umbilicus  is  rather  wide,  and  a suture  of  the  usual  crenistria  type  is 


Naturalist 


Bisat  : Yorkshire  Carboniferous  Goniatites . 183 

seen.  The  specimen  suggests  affinities  with  falcatus  (Rolmer,  1850), 
subreticulatum  (Freeh.)  or  even  Pericyclus  kochi  (Holzapfel,  1889),  a 
species  which  in  Germany  occupies  the  zone  below  crenistria  (H.  Schmidt, 
CentvalblaU  f.  Min.,  1923,  p.  741).  The  specimen  is  not  unlike  those 
from  the  shales  in  the  stream  at  the  south-west  end  of  Hill  Skelterton. 
The  other  specimen  from  the  Salterforth  band  is  a compressed  form  and 
has  a shallow  constriction,  probably  the  last,  at  20  mm.  diameter.  The 
specimen  shows  no  trace  of  the  transverse  cost®  of  the  first  mentioned 
specimen.  Both  specimens  differ  considerably  from  the  Dinckley  crenis- 
trias  seen  by  the  writer,  and  may  be  from  a lower  zone. 

The  spiv  ale  zone  was  seen  in  a shale  scar  on  the  south  side  of  Kelbrook, 
the  spiral  striae  being  closer  than  in  the  Dinckley  form,  and  nearer 
typical  spiv  ale. 

The  pseudobilingue  beds  were  well  seen  in  the  gulley  on  the  north-west 
shoulder  of  Weets  Hill,  and  contain  two  or  three  other  badly  preserved 
goniatites  of  uncertain  affinities.  This  zone  was  again  seen  in  Elslack 
Brook,  and  rather  abundant  fish  remains  found  in  it. 

The  shale  section  adjoining  the  fault  at  Warley  Wise  Bridge,  Gill  Beck , 
was  visited,  and  continued  to  yield  badly  preserved  specimens  of  unusual 
character,  belonging  to  three  or  more  species.  The  beds  are  evidently 
very  low,  and  may  lie  between  the  Pendle  Grit  and  the  Sabden  Shales. 

The  higher  beds  in  Gill  Beck  (above  Stonehead  Farm)  have  yielded 
to  Mr.  Holmes  two  well  defined  zones,  the  lower  one  containing  a mixture 
of  bisulcatum,  nuculum  sp.  nov.  ( = Pericyclus  impressus  Hind,  Geol. 
Mag.,  1918),  and  a cadicone  species  of  striolatum- like  character.  Both 
these  zones  contain  at  least  one  good  limestone  band  with  well  preserved 
goniatites.  A loose  limestone  block  in  the  stream  close  to  the  outcrop 
of  the  upper  zone  contained  typical  strongly  ribbed  diademas  of  the  same 
type  as  at  Swartha  Gill,  and  no  doubt  from  the  same  horizon.  This 
is  a highly  important,  because  wide-spread,  zonal  fossil,  but  though  its 
position  is  approximately  known,  its  exact  relation  to  the  other  zones 
remains  tantalisingly  uncertain.  The  Rough  Lee  beds  were  visited 
and  the  five  zones  exposed  there  were  demonstrated  by  Mr.  Holmes. 

The  evening  discussions  were  of  great  general  interest.  Mr.  Wright 
favoured  the  members  present  with  a short  but  masterly  resume  of  the 
Wegener  hypothesis  of  drifting  continents,  and  considerable  discussion 
followed.  The  writer  gave  a lecture  on  Carboniferous  goniatites,  illust- 
rated by  lantern  slides  principally  from  Mr.  Stiles'  admirable  photo- 
micrographs. The  members  present  and  the  writer  in  particular  were 
greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Hartley  for  providing  and  manipulating  the 
lantern  and  accessories  ; also  to  Mr.  Tonks  for  the  loan  of  his  fine  section 
of  the  Millstone  Grit  in  Lancashire. 

In  opening  the  discussion  on  the  Ice  Age  and  Early  Man,  the  writer 
suggested  the  desirability  of  reconstructing,  or  attempting  to  reconstruct, 
from  the  scattered  Quaternary  deposits  of  Yorkshire  some  comprehensive 
picture  of  the  succession  of  events  from  the  beginning  of  the  Ice  Age  to 
the  advent  of  Neolithic  man  and  the  Pennine  peat.  Deposits  requriing 
grouping  and  correlating  include  : — • 

The  preglacial  (or  possibly  pre-New  Ice)  mammalian  deposits  known 
from  Sewerby,  Raygill,  etc.,  and  the  Sewerby  and  Hessle  beaches. 

The  high  level  gravels  of  the  Calder,  of  Brough,  Holme-on-Spalding 
Moor,  and  the  ' interglacial  ’ high  level  beds  of  Kirmington. 

The  New  Ice  moraines  and  assocaited  lake  phenomena. 

The  patches  of  Old  Ice  boulder  clays  seen  at  Balby,  Bentley  Colliery, 
Tickhill,  etc. 

The  Vale  of  York  gravels  at  Heck  and  Doncaster,  and  the  Vale  of 
York  warps. 

The  early  flint  implements  of  the  Pennines  and  the  Wolds,  with  a 
comparison  of  type  and  matrix. 


1924  June  1 


184 


Popular  Natural  History  Books. 


The  submerged  forest  bed. 

Dr.  Rowe  described  the  great  amount  of  careful  work  which  had  been 
done  in  the  Bradford  district  by  local  collectors  of  the  Pennine  flints. 
Mr.  Jno.  Holmes  exhibited  and  described  a series  of  flint  implements 
and  a flint  hammer  stone  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Cowling,  and  pointed 
out  that  these  implements  were  known  from  Derbyshire  to  Wharf edale. 
Dr.  Woodhead  described  and  illustrated  by  photographs  the  detailed 
scientific  work  being  done  by  Mr.  Buckley  in  the  excavation  of  old  work- 
shop sites  on  the  moors  around  Huddersfield.  He  stated  that  these  sites 
always  underlie  the  peat  and  contain  implements  of  Tardenoisian  age, 
whilst  scattered  implements  of  Neolithic  type  occur  a little  way  up  in 
the  peat.  Mr.  Wright  pointed  out  that  the  occurrence  of  tree  remains 
at  the  base  of  the  peat,  and  the  exposed  position  of  the  workshop  sites 
suggested  a more  genial  climate  than  at  the  present  day,  and  instituted  a 
comparison  in  time  between  this  Pennine  industryand  the  Azilian  raised 
beach  of  Iban,  which  was  contemporary  with  the  ‘ climatic  optimum.’ 
Mr.  Tonks  pointed  out  that  Major  Collins  is  doing  similar  work  on  the 
Wharfedale  hills  to  that  of  Mr.  Buckley  near  Huddersfield,  and  Mr. 
Beaumont  mentioned  that  flint  implements  are  of  general  occurrence  on 
the  hilltops  of  the  Rishworth  area. 

( To  be  continued ). 

: o : • 

POPULAR  NATURAL  HISTORY  BOOKS. 

There  has  recently  appeared  an  interesting  number  of  new  volumes 
dealing  with  the  more  popular  side  of  natural  history,  which  is  some 
indication  that  there  is  a growing  demand  for  works  of  this  character, 
as  already  the  booksellers’  shelves  are  fairly  well  stocked.  Our  Birds’ 
Nests  and  Eggs , and  How  to  know  them , by  E . F . Daglish . London: 
Thornton  Butterworth,  Ltd.,  127  pp.,  4/-  net.  This,  the  sixth  of  the 
< How  to  know  them  ’ series,  may  be  of  some  interest  to  beginners  in 
identifying  the  more  striking  of  the  common  birds’  eggs,  but  as  most 
of  the  plates  are  in  black  and  white,  even  an  expert  would  experience 
difficulty  in  identifying  the  species  by  means  of  the  photographs  alone. 
For  example,  the  four  eggs  on  Plate  II.  and  the  five  on  Plate  III.  might 
very  easily  be  photographs  of  the  eggs  of  the  ordinary  hen.  The  few 
coloured  plates  are  better.  The  birds  are  dealt  with  under  the  heads  of 
eggs,  nesting  period,  nests,  and  remarks.  W.  H.  Hudson  : a Portrait, 
by  Morley  Roberts.  London  : Nash  & Grayson,  xiv.+32o  pp.,  16/- 
net.  This  handsome  volume  is  a readable  account  of  the  life  of  one  of 
our  most  popular  naturalists,  and  contains  various  incidents  in  the  life 
of  this  Sussex  writer,  and  a photograph.  In  the  eighteen  chapters 
the  author  gives  many  interesting  stories  and  reminiscences,  and  there  is 
a good  index.  From  a specimen  of  the  late  W.  H.  Hudson's  manuscript  it 
seems  that,  in  common  with  other  naturalists,  his  handwriting  was 
neglected.  Birds  in  London,  by  W.  H.  Hudson.  London  : J.  M. 
Dent  & Sons,  xii.4-251  pp.,  6/-  net.  This  is  the  second  edition  of 
Hudson’s  well-known  work,  which  has  probably  already  been  read  by 
most  of  our  readers,  but  in  its  present  form  will  no  doubt  be  welcome. 
The  type  and  illustrations  are  good,  and  we  recommend  the  book  as  a 
very  acceptable  present  to  anyone  interested  in  natural  history,  whether 
young  or  old.  The  Clever  Little  People  with  Six  Legs,  by  Hallam 
Hawksworth.  London  : Chas.  Scribner’s  Sons,  294  pp.,  7/6  net. 
Under  this  title  the  author  describes  various  forms  of  insects,  and  under 
such  headings  as  ‘ In  the  Wonderland  of  Pigmy  People  ’ ; ‘ How  the 
Lilliputians  Keep  Halloween  ' ; ‘ New-Year  Calls  on  a Few  First 
Families  ’ ; ‘ Washington’s  Birthday  and  the  Insect  Republics,’  he 
describes  the  life  history  of  the  more  familiar  American  insects.  The 
stories  are  admirably  written  and  will  appeal  to  the  young  reader. 


Naturalist 


3n  HDemoriain. 


ARNOLD  T.  WATSON,  F.L.S. 
(1846-I924). 


We  regret  to  record  the  death  of  an  old  and  respected  member 
of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union,  and  a prominent  citizen 


of  Sheffield,  in  the  person  of  Arnold  T.  Watson,  who,  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  was  the  local  representative  of  the  Union 
in  Sheffield,  and  for  many  years  had  been  of  assistance  to 
the  officials. 

Mr.  Watson  joined  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists'  Union  in 


1924  June  1 


i86  In  Memoriam  : Sir  Henry  Cusack  Wingfield  Hawley. 

1885,  and  besides  acting  as  Local  Treasurer,  he  has  served  on 
the  Marine  Biological  and  other  committees,  and  for  some 
time  was  of  service  on  the  Executive  Committee. 

In  Sheffield  he  took  a prominent  part  in  the  work  of  the 
Literary  and  Philosophical  Society,  The  Sorby  Scientific: 
Society,  and  many  other  organisations  where  his  learning  and 
affability  were  of  great  service.  For  a long  time  he  held  the 
position  of  Assay  Master  at  Sheffield,  and  had  a thorough 
knowledge  of  all  matters  relating  to  the  assaying  of  silver, 
and  gave  delightful  lectures  upon  the  subject. 

As  a microscopist  he  was  known  throughout  the  country,  and 
he  took  part  in  the  Dredging  Expeditions  of  the  Liverpool 
Marine  Biological  Association. 

He  specialised  in  the  study  of  marine  annelids,  and  wrote 
a number  of  important  papers  on  that  subject.  At  the  Hull 
Meeting  of  the  British  Association  he  exhibited  a number  of 
objects  relating  to  his  favourite  study,  and  has  since  presented 
specimens  of  these  exceptionally  interesting  organisms  to  the 
Municipal  Museum  at  Hull.  He  was  a familiar  figure  at 
the  British  Association  Meetings,  where  hi*s  enthusiasm  and 
sincerity  were  much  appreciated. — T.S. 


SIR  HENRY  CUSACK  WINGFIELD  HAWLEY,  Bart. 

(1876-1923). 

We  regret  to  record  the  death  of  Sir  Henry  Hawley,  Bart. 
Formerly  he  was  a regular  attendant  at  the  Fungus  Forays  of" 
the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  and  took  a keen  interest  in 
the  work,  but  his  removal  from  Lincolnshire  to  Sussex  in  1914 
prevented  him  from  attending  the  Yorkshire  Forays  after 
that  date. 

He  served  during  the  war  and  was  wounded. 

He  was  a member  of  the  British  Mycological  Society  and 
of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  and  served  as  referee  for 
Pyrenomycetes  for  the  latter  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
was  particularly  interested  in  this  branch  of  the  subject,  and 
had  been  at  work  upon  a monograph  thereon  for  many  years, 
but,  unfortunately,  this  is  not  sufficiently  complete  for 
publication.  His  manuscripts  and  botanical  collections  have 
been  presented  to  the  British  Museum  (Botanical  Department) 
by  Lady  Hawley. 

He  is  present  in  the  photograph  group  taken  at  Sandsend 
in  1914  on  the  occasion  of  a presentation  to  the  late  Charles 
Crossland  (see  The  Naturalist  for  that  year,  page  385). 

Sir  Henry  read  for  the  Bar,  and  became  a member  of 
the  Society  of  the  Inner  Temple.  He  was  of  an  exceedingly 

Naturalist: 


In  Memoriam  Notices. 


187 


1924  June  1 


Boult. 


i88 


In  Ntemoriam  : J . W.  Boult. 

retiring  disposition,  but  his  knowledge  was  always  available 
to  anyone  interested  in  his  particular  subject. 

J.  W.  BOULT  (1847-1924). 

The  death  is  announced  of  J.  W.  Boult,  of  Hull,  usually 
known  as  the  * Stonemason  Naturalist,’  at  the  age  of  77. 
Boult  was  a typical  naturalist  of  the  old  school,  taking  a 
keen  interest  alike  in  butterflies,  moths,  land  and  fresh- 
water mollusca,  and  plants.  He  had  been  a member  of  the 
various  natural  history  societies  in  Hull  from  the  early 
’eighties,  and  was  proud  of  the  fact  that  he  prepared  his  own 
specimens  and  exhibited  them  in  well-made  cabinets.  He 
was  formerly  employed  by  the  Hull  Corporation  as  a working 
stonemason,  and  no  doubt  his  fondness  for  outdoor  life  had 
much  to  do  with  the  fact  that  he  lived  to  the  age  that  he  did. 
Some  years  ago  Boult’s  entomological  collection  was  purchased 
by  the  Leeds  University,  but  he  immediately  began  collecting 
again,  and  has  left  behind  large  collections  of  local  land, 
fresh-water  and  marine  shells,  insects,  and  flowering  plants. 
His  specimens  were  always  attractive  from  the  neat  way  in 
which  they  were  prepared  and  exhibited. 

Some  years  ago  he  prepared  a List  of  Micro-Lepidoptera 
of  the  Hull  District,  printed  in  The  Transactions  of  the  Hull 
Scientific  and  Field  Naturalists  Club  for  1903,  and  the  same 
volume  contains  an  appreciative  account  of  his  work  from 
the  pen  of  Mr.  J.  F.  Robinson.  To  the  Editor  of  these 
Transactions  we  are  indebted  for  permission  to  reproduce  the 
block.— T.S. 

: o : 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

SEPARATION  OF  THE  SEXES  OF  THE  CHAFFINCH  IN  WINTER. 

Sir. — Referring  to  The  Naturalist  for  Oct.,  1922,  p.  333,  owing  to  vast 
flocks  of  Chaffinches,  which  visited  this  district  last  autumn  and  remained 
ior  a considerable  time,  I had  special  opportunities  of  acquainting  myself 
with  facts  on  this  question.  The  flocks,  which  I visited  at  frequent 
intervals  for  a considerable  period,  varied  from  a few  hundreds  to  several 
thousands,  and  I can  be  quite  sure  the  vast  majority  of  the  flocks  in  every 
instance  were  male  birds  ; certainly  not  more  than  ten  per  cent. , probably 
not  more  than  five  per  cent.,  w~ere  females.  It  has  never  been  my  lot 
to  see  in  this  district  a flock  of  Chaffinches  in  winter  or  autumn  composed 
exclusively  of  females.  Some  assert  that  cocks  keep  to  the  high  ground 
and  the  females  follow  the  valleys  in  autumn  and  winter,  but  this  does 
not  apply  to  this  district.  Whatever  diversity  may  exist  among 
naturalists  relative  to  this  separation  of  Chaffinches  in  winter,  I think 
it  cannot  be  denied  that  this  takes  place  over  a large  area  of  its  distribution 
in  some  parts  of  Europe  and  Britain.  Last  summer  a nest  of  the  Chaffinch 
was  found  in  Bingley  Wood  ; the  eggs  were  of  a unicolorous  blue  colour, 
this  being  the  second  occurrence  in  this  district  of  smiliar  eggs.  The 
other  was  found  in  Goit  Stock  Wood  nearly  forty  years  ago. — E.  P. 
Butterfield,  Bank  House,  Wilsden,  March  15th,  1924. 


Naturalist 


189 


FIELD  NOTES. 

Curious  Site  for  a Rook’s  Nest. — Two  Rooks  have 
built  their  nest  on  a church  spire  at  Boston  Spa  ; from  a 


distance  it  looks  as  if  someone  had  decorated  the  spire  with  a 
huge  mop.  It  is  an  exceedingly  clever  bit  of  bird  engineering, 
and  one  wonders  how  they  managed  to  get  the  first  sticks  to 
remain  in  position. — R.  Fortune. 

Grouse  Wandering  in  Harrogate. — On  Easter  Monday 
a cock  grouse  was  seen  wandering  down  Victoria  Road, 
Harrogate.  He  eventually  flew  away  in  an  easterly  direction. 
Why  he  wandered  from  the  moors  at  this  time  of  the  year  is 

1924  June  1 


igo 


Field  Notes. 


somewhat  difficult  to  understand.  He  was  evidently  lost, 
for  his  flight  took  him  away  from  the  moors,  which  lie  in  a 
W.  by  N.W.  direction. — R.  Fortune.- 

Yorkshire  Hippoboscid  Flies. — Stenopteryx  hirundinis 
L.  is  common  and  widely  distributed  in  the  Scarborough 
district  on  Sand  Martins  and  House  Martins  ; Lipoptena 
cervi*  L.  has  been  sent  to  me  by  Mr.  A.  Gordon,  of  Helmsley, 
from  the  red  deer  in  Duncombe  Park  ; Melophagus  ovinus*  L. 
(the  common  sheep  ked  ’) — Mr.  Cheetham  informs  me 
that,  curiously  enough,  this  common  parasite  has  not  been 
definitely  entered  on  our  Yorkshire  list,  although  it  must 
be  widely  distributed  ; I have  records  from  Hull,  Middles- 
brough, Richmond,  Scarborough,  Pickering  and  Helmsley. 
An  account  of  these  three  insects  occurs  in  the  * Cambridge 
Natural  History,  Insects,  Part  II.,’  pp.  518-520. — Geo.  B. 
Walsh,  Scarborough. 

Rare  Yorkshire  Fungi. — Mr.  Frank  Barnett,  of  the  Leeds 
Naturalists’  Field  Club,  recently  handed  to  me  a leaf  of  Allium 
oleraceum  collected  by  him  in  July  last  in  Weetwood  Lane, 
Leeds,  which  was  infected  by  a ' rust’  fungus.  On  examination 
I found  it  to  be  Uromyces  ambiguus  Lev.  in  the  teleutospore 
condition,  a fungus  which  is  somewhat  rare,  and  apparently 
unrecorded  in  this  country  on  the  present  host  plant  (A.  olera- 
ceum). I sent  specimens  to  Mr.  W.  B.  Grove,  M.A.,  of 
Birmingham,  who  confirmed  the  identification  and  also  the 
fact  that  this  is  the  first  record  of  the  occurrence  of  the  fungus 
on  A . oleraceum  in  this  country.  There  is  only  one  previous 
record  of  the  species  for  Yorkshire  (The  Naturalist,  March,  1912, 
p.  91),  as  follows  : ‘ Mid.  W.  on  A llium  Scorodoprasum,  Ripon, 
July,  1911,  communicated  by  W.  West  to  W.  B.  Grove, 
Birmingham  University.  Only  recently  recorded  for  Britain 
from  Clare  Island.  There  is  a bit  in  the  late  Dr.  Plowright’s 
herbarium  now  at  the  above  University,  gathered  by  Rev. 
J.  E.  Vize,  without  date  or  locality.’  The  host  plant, 
A . oleraceum  has  been  verified,  and  has  since  been  collected 
in  the  same  spot  where  no  other  species  of  Allium  occurs. 
Mr.  Barnett  also  kindly  gave  me  a ‘ smut  ’ fungus  occurring 
on  a leaf  of  Colchicum  autumnale  at  Barwick-in-Elmet,  near 
Leeds,  in  June  last  year.  This  is  Urocystis  Colchici  Schlecht. 
There  are  two  previous  Yorkshire  records  of  this  fungus 
(see  Massee  and  Crossland’s  Yorkshire  Fungus  Flora,  page 
209),  as  follows  ‘ Mid.  W.  York.,  1880,  collected  by 
J.  A.  Wheldon,’  and  N.W.  Coverdale,  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  Excursion,  June,  1916  (see  The  Naturalist,  pp.  299-300). 
- — T.  B.  Roe,  Leeds. 

: o : 

B.  Morley  contributes  ‘ Notes  on  Melanism  in  the  West  Riding  of 
Yorkshire  ’ to  The  Entomologist  for  May. 


Naturalist 


X9i. 

NEWS  FROM  THE  MAGAZINES. 

The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  April  contains  papers 
■on  the  ‘ Hoary  Peppermint,  Lucerne.’ 

‘ The  Protection  of  Nature  in  Britain  ’ is  the  title  of  the  leading 
article  in  Nature  for  April  19th,  and  should  be  widely  read. 

British  Birds  for  May  contains  ‘ A Study  of  the  Robin  by  means  of 
marked  birds,’  ‘ The  Status  of  the  Water-Pipit  in  England,’  and  ‘ A 
Swallow’s  Method  of  Feeding  Young  with  Flies.’ 

Discovery  is  one  of  the  few  papers  which  constantly  enjoys  the  services 
of  a new  editor.  Mr.  R.  J.  V.  Pulvertaft,  recently  appointed,  retires, 
and  at  the  moment  Mr.  H.  B.  C.  Pollard  holds  the  position. 

The  Scottish  Naturalist,  No.  146,  shows  an  increasing  number  of 
records  of  the  bittern  in  that  country  recently.  Dr.  James  Ritchie  also, 
illustrates  and  describes  a Pilot  Whale  stranded  in  the  Forth. 

‘ Nomenclature  of  Grasses  and  Clovers,’  by  Prof.  R.  G.  Stapledon  ; 
'*  The  Home  Range  of  Wild  Animals,’  by  H.  M.  Batten  ; and  ‘ The  Food 
and  Feeding  Habits  of  the  Blackbird,’  by  Dr.  W.  E.  Collinge,  are  among 
many  papers  appearing  in  The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for 
May. 

In  Man  for  May,  A.  S.  Barnes  and  J.  R.  Moir  inform  us  that  S.  E. 
Glendenning  and  Hazzledene  Warren  are  ‘ in  the  cart.’  This  reminds 
us  that  for  the  second  time  Mr.  J . R.  Moir  resigns  his  position  as  a Fellow 
of  the  Geological  Society.  What  we  always  wondered  was  why  he 
became  a Fellow. 

We  notice  from  The  Athenaeum  that  a Librarian  and  Curator  with 
' considerable  experience  ’ is  required  for  Chelmsford,  at  a salary  of 
£230,  rising  by  £10  to  £300.  The  University  of  Liverpool  requires  an 
Assistant  Librarian,  ‘ languages  essential,’  for  £200,  rising  to  ^245. 
Many  hall  porters  are  better  off  ! 

Among  the  contents  of  Archceologia  Aeliana,  recently  published, 
are  papers  on  ‘ Local  Roman  inscribed  Stones,’  by  R.  G.  Collingwood 
and  R.  C.  Bosanquet  ; ‘ Seals  of  Northumberland  and  Durham,’  by  C. 
H.  H.  Blair  ; ‘ Notes  on  the  Manors  of  Shipley,  Brandon  and  Branton,’ 
by  J . C.  Hodgson,  and  an  obituary  notice  of  Robert  Blair,  by  J . Oxberry. 

We  have  received  the  first  number  of  a new  magazine,  The  Amateur 
Aquarist  (8  pp.,  6d.).  It  is  edited  by  Mr.  A.  E.  Hodge,  F.Z.S.,  and  is 
devoted  to  the  study  of  Aquatic  life.  The  first  article  is  on  ' The  History 
Aquaria,’  by  E.  G.  Boulenger.  There  are  notes  on  ‘ The  Cradle  of  Life,’ 
by  the  Editor  ; ‘ The  Silver  Water  Beetle  ’ ; ‘ Trout-breeding  Ex- 
periences,’ etc. 

The  Journal  of  the  Northants  Natural  History  Society  and  Field  Club 
appears  with  its  customary  regularity,  and  the  parts  forming  Volume 
XXII.  are  occupied  largely  by  ‘ The  Geology  of  the  Northampton  Sands  ’ 
and  ‘The  River  Systems  of  the  County,’  by  the  Editor,  Mr.  Beeby 
Thompson.  In  addition  are  various  useful  notes  on  fossils,  mammals, 
birds,  insects,  and  plants,  as  well  as  historical  notes  and  the  valuable 
meteorological  tables,  all  of  distinct  local  interest. 

In  The  Oologists’  Record  for  March  we  learn  that  the  sale  at  Messrs. 
Stevens’  Auction  Rooms  recently,  of  the  Elwes  collection,  was  something 
of  a surprise  to  many  people.  ‘ That  a man  who  had  so  persistently 
deprecated  the  taking  of  rare  British  eggs  should  have  possessed  so  many 
British  taken  eggs  of  White-tailed  Eagle  and  a set  of  Bearded  Tit’s  eggs, 
taken  in  Norfolk  as  recently  as  1914,  struck  many  people  as  being 
somewhat  incongruous.  We  do  not  see  why  collectors,  however  eminent 
— we  can  think  of  no  better  word — cannot  be  satisfied  with  foreign 
taken  sets  of  such  species  as  the  Bearded  Tit.  A time  will  doubtless 
come  when  collectors  will  be  ashamed  of,  rather  than  proud  of,  British 
taken  eggs  of  such  species.’ 


1924  June  1 


192 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

The  death  is  announced  of  Prof.  G.  A.  Grenville  Cole,  of  Dublin,  one 
of  our  most  brilliant  and  fascinating  writers  on  geological  and  allied 
subjects. 

The  Scarborough  Town  Council  propose  to  take  over  the  Scarborough 
Museum  ; in  this  way  one  of  the  few  remaining  privately-owned  museums 
will  become  public  property. 

It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  the  red  ‘ sea-dragons  ’ on  the  plate 
accompanying  Part  32  of  Animals  of  All  Countries , could  ever  have  been 
seen  by  any  artist  in  his  sober  moments. 

The  Hull  Daily  Mail  for  May  13th  reproduces  a photograph  of  ‘ A 
Cuckoo’s  Nest.’  As  the  note  truly  says,  ‘ a cuckoo’s  nest  is  not  often 
seen,  and  a photograph  of  the  bird  in  the  nest  is  even  more  rare.’ 

Volume  XXV.  of  The  Journal  of  the  Chester  and  North  Wales 
Archceological  and  Historical  Society  is  entirely  occupied  by  ‘ The  Siege  of 
Chester,  1643-1646,’  by  the  late  R.  H.  Morris,  edited  and  completed  by 
P.  H.  Lawson. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  recent  Annual  Pilgrimage  of  the  Gilbert  White 
Fellowship  to  Selborne,  a Memorial  Seat  was  enveiled.  Dr.  Martin, 
who  spoke,  recorded  that  the  Fellowship’s  memorial  was  unpretentious. 
Apparently  the  amount  of  subscriptions  received  had  been  very  disap- 
pointing. 

Professor  J.  L.  Myres,  M.A.,  F.S.A.,  will  give  an  address  to  the 
meeting  of  the  Corresponding  Societies’  Committee  of  the  British 
Association,  to  be  held  at  Wembley  on  July  22nd  in  connection  with  the 
Museums  Association,  and  he  will  take  for  his  subject  ‘ The  Protection 
of  Sites  of  Historic  and  Scientific  Interest.’ 

We  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post,  May  8th,  1924,  that  ' A male  pine 
marten  was  trapped  on  Tuesday  in  a covert,  tw;>  miles  from  Workington. 
The  presence  there  of  a creature,  which  clings  precariously  to  the  moun- 
tain fastnesses  in  the  Lake  District,  is  inexplicable.  It  had  to  travel 
through  a country  in  which  there  are  collieries,  iron  and  steel  works,  and 
iron  ore  mines.’ 

The  Belfast  Natural  History  and  Philosophical  Society  has  issued  a 
commemorative  volume  (212  pages)  in  celebration  of  its  Centenary. 
It  contains  a history  of  the  Society  from  its  earliest  days,  with  repro- 
ductions of  photographs  of  its  founders  and  principal  members  ; a list 
of  scientific  papers  contributed  by  the  members  ; a list  of  donors  to  the 
Museum,  etc.  We  do  not  like  the  advertisements,  usually  set  up  in 
very  crude  type,  with  which  the  volume  opens. 

Judging  from  the  frequency  of  the  press  reports,  the  people  who 
are  excavating  what  is  apparently  a typical  Roman  site  at  Folkstone, 
have  secured  the  services  of  an  imaginative  press  correspondent.  After 
telling  us  that  the  discovery  is  ‘ one  of  the  most  important  ever  made 
in  British  Archaeology,’  we  find  a long  paragraph  headed  ‘ Crucified 
Man,’  this  being  on  the  strength  of  a bone  being  found,  which  is  thought 
to  be  human,  through  the  middle  of  which  is  ‘ a clean  hole  the  size  of 
a thick  nail  ’ ! 

We  learn  from  the  press  that  ‘ The  Scarborough  Corporation  has 
decided  to  purchase,  at  a cost  of  £6000 , Londesborough  Lodge  and  grounds 
in  the  Crescent,  overlooking  the  South  Bay.  The  house  was  formerly  the 
property  of  the  Earl  of  Londesborough.  The  property  will  be  used  to 
house  the  Harrison  collection  of  foreign  curios  and  wild  animals.  The 
late  Colonel  Harrison,  of  Brandesburton,  the  famous  big  game  hunter, 
built  up  the  collection  and  bequeathed  it  to  Scarborough.  It  is  the 
largest  collection  of  its  kind  in  the  world.’  The  collection  was  not 
‘ bequeathed  ’ to  Scarborough,  as  it  was  offered  by  the  widow  to  at  least 
two  other  Yorkshire  museums.  ‘ The  largest  collection  of  its  kind  in 
the  world  ’ is  also  hardly  correct. 


Naturalist 


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who  would  be  informed  concerning  customs  and  beliefs  of  a far-off 
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A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 


JULY,  1924. 


No.  810 

No.  584  of  current  Series 


EDITED  BY 

T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F 

The  Museums, 

AND 

T.  W.  WOODHEAD, 

Technical  College 
WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS 

G.  T.  PORRITT, 
JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc. 


Contents  s— 

PAGE 

Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — Yorkshire  ; Kent’s  Cavern  ; 
Sabre-toothed  Tiger  ; Where  are  they  now?  ; Pennine  Microliths  ; 

General  Conclusions  ; A Discovery  ; More  ‘ Discoveries  ’ ; Harmonic 
Raised  Beaches  ; The  Ilkley  Sculpturings  ; Wolf-fish  ; Broadcasting 
Nightingales  ; Darlington  Naturalists  ; Egg  Collectors  ; Founders 
of  Oceanography  ; Derbyshire  Naturalists  ; The  Physical  Training  of 


Girls  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  193-200 

Further  Notes  upon  the  Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat 

(illustrated) — Mildred  Hinchliff  and  J . H . Priestley...  ...  ...  201-209 

Field  Notes  : — Nesting  of  the  Lesser  Spotted  Woodpecker  at  Bradford  ; 

Osprey  at  Scarborough  ; Last  of  the  Red  Deer  of  Bolton  Abbey  ...  210 

The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe — R.W.  Butcher  ...  ...  ...  211-214 

Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District — Wm.  Falconer,  F.E.S.  ...  215-218 
New  Yorkshire  Records  of  Hemiptera — Geo.  B.  Walsh,  B.Sc.  ...  219-223 

Correspondence  : — Lichen  Nomenclature  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  223 

Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  214 

Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...209,223 

Northern  News  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  224 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  197 

Plates  XII.  and  XIII. 


LONDON: 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 

And  at  Hull  and  York. 

Printers  and  Publishers  to  the  Y.N.U. 


Price  1/6  net.  Prepaid  Subscription  15/-  per  annum 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 


COMMITTEE  OF  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  RESEARCH. 


A meeting  of  the  above  Committee  will  be  held  in  the  Botanical  Depart- 
ment, Leeds  University,  on  July  15th,  at  7 p.m.,  to  consider  the  further 
development  of  the  Rivers  Investigation  in  Relation  to  Pollution. 

C.  A.  CHEETHAM, 

The  University,  Leeds. 


BOOKS  WANTED. 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II. -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie's.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2nd  ser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol  ) . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micro  logy  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVI. 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV..  XVI. , XXIII. 

Naturalists'  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869.  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts). 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith’s  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16.  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


The  Naturalist,  1924, 


Plate  XII, 


A Street  in  York. 


*93 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

YORKSHIRE.* 

Under  this  title  a sketch  book  by  Fred  Taylor,  R.I., 
with  a preface  by  Sir  Lawrence  Weaver,  K.B.E.,  has  been 
published.  It  contains  a coloured  frontispiece  showing  a 
street  of  York,  presumably  with  reflections  of  the  setting 
sun,  and  a large  number  of  Mr.  Taylor’s  well-known  and 
excellent  sketches  of  many  of  the  beauty  spots  of  our  county. 
There  are  also  coloured  views  of  Knaresborough  and  Scar- 
borough. It  forms  a useful  record  of  many  of  the  natural 
features  as  well  as  of  the  monastic  buildings  of  the  county. 
Sir  Lawrence  Weaver  states,  * Scarborough  and  Harrogate, 
Ilkley  and  Robin  Hood’s  Bay  are  words  that  ring  with  health 
and  persuade  to  holiday.  Mr.  Taylor’s  art  has  opened  fifty 
enchanting  doors  to  the  shire  of  broad  acres ; surely  we  shall 
be  wise  to  follow  where  he  beckons  ! ’ As  Plate  XII.  we  are 
kindly  permitted  to  reproduce  the  above-mentioned  beautiful 
frontispiece. 

KENT’S  CAVERN. 

Mr.  Harford  J.  Lowe  has  a useful  note  on  ‘ The  Excavation 
Products  of  Kent’s  Cavern  and  their  Distribution  ’ in  the 
recently  issued  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Torquay 
Natural  History  Society.  It  appears  that  probably  the  first 
geological  discovery  in  the  cave  was  made  by  Mr.  J.  Northmore 
in  1824,  while  searching  for  evidence  of  Mithra -worship. 
His  specimens,  however,  were  stolen,  but  subsequently, 
between  1825  and  1829,  excavations  were  made,  revealing 
bones,  teeth,  skulls  and  horns  of  mammals,  with  shaped 
flints  and  human  remains. 

SABRE-TOOTHED  TIGER. 

Dr.  Buckland  was  consulted  in  1825,  and,  no  doubt, 
specimens  he  obtained  went  to  the  Oxford  University  Museum. 
There  are  notes  on  the  disposal  of  teeth  of  the  sabre-toothed 
tiger,  and  of  the  22  of  the  36  implements  found.  The  general 
collection,  according  to  the  MacEncry  notes,  which  are  still 
preserved,  comprised  : ‘ 100  jaws  of  the  Hyaena  and  900 
single  teeth  ; Wolf,  few  specimens,  one  magnificent  skull  ; 
Fox-jackal,  20  specimens;  Ursus  cultridens  (Machairodus) , 
5 teeth  ; Bear,  innumerable,  thousands  of  teeth  in  floor  of 
bear’s  den  ; Horse,  great  numbers  of  teeth,  8 portions  of  jaws  ; 
Rhinoceros,  enormous  quantities  of  bones,  400  enumerated 
teeth  ; Elephant,  36  perfect  teeth,  2 tusks,  60  in  all,  6 
adults,  4 very  old  ; Irish  Elk,  a dozen  antler  or  horn  specimens 
Flints,  60.’  Some  of  these  went  to  Cuvier,  in  Paris,  others 
to  the  British  Museum,  still  others  to  the  Torquay  Society’s 
collections. 

* Advertising  Dept.,  L.  & N.E,  Rly.,  York. 

192*4  July  I 

N 


194 


Notes  and  Comments . 


WHERE  ARE  THEY  NOW? 

In  six  manuscript  volumes  which  are  still  preserved  is  a 
record  of  details  of  the  discovery  of  over  7000  specimens,  and 
of  the  disposal  of  many  of  them.  From  this  we  learn  the 
following  list  of  places  to  which  objects  were  distributed  : 

‘ Bath  Royal  Literary  and  Scientific  Institution,  40  specimens. 

Brighton  Free  Library  and  Museum,  58. 

Cambridge,  Woodwardian  Museum,  49. 

Essex  and  Chelmsford  Museum  and  Nat.  Hist.  Society,  59. 

Exeter,  Albert  Memorial  Museum,  209. 

Hull,  Royal  Institution,  41. 

Leeds  Philosophical  and  Literary  Society,  77. 

Liverpool  Free  Library  Museum,  67. 

Manchester,  Owen's  College  Museum,  81. 

Oxford  University  Museum,  54. 

Paris,  Jardin  des  Plantes  Museum,  30. 

Taunton,  Somersetshire  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Society,  132. 

Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  Anatomical  Museum,  24. 

Washington,  Smithsonian  Institution,  U.S.A.,  30. 

York,  Yorkshire  Literary  and  Philosophic  Institution,  46. 

Dublin,  Trinity  College,  96. 

Edinburgh  University  Museum,  89/ 

PENNINE  MICROLITHS . 

From  Mr.  F.  Buckley  we  have  received  a privately-printed 
pamphlet  (7  pp.)  entitled  ‘ A Microlithic  Industry  of  the 
Pennine  Chain.  Related  to  the  Tardenois  of  Belgium.'  In 
this  the  author  figures  and  describes  a series  of  flint  and  chert 
' gravers  * and  ‘ tools  ' from  near  Marsden,  Yorkshire.  He 
has  consulted  the  Abbe  H.  Breuil,  Messrs.  J.  Hamal-Nandrin, 
E.  Rahir  and  L.  Lequeux,  as  well  as  several  English  geologists 
and  botanists.  But  we  are  not  convinced  ! A very  careful 
perusal  of  his  pamphlet  still  leaves  us  wondering  what  evidence 
there  is  that  there  is  any  connexion  whatever  between  the 
Pennine  finds  and  those  of  Belgium  ! Nor  are  we  able  to 
understand  what  makes  Mr.  Buckley  consider  that  one  of  the 
materials  used  for  the  manufacture  of  these  so-called  tools 
is  ‘ a hard  grey  Lincolnshire  flint/  He  is  a clever  man, 
indeed,  who  can  distinguish  between  a Lincolnshire  and 
Yorkshire,  or  even  foreign  flint,  especially  when  ‘ generally 
patinated  white/ 

GENERAL  CONCLUSIONS. 

However,  we  will  give  the  author's  own  words  under  the 
above  heading,  albeit  we  cannot  see  that  the  evidence  is 
satisfactory  : ‘ We  seem  to  have  in  these  three  habitation 

sites  a glimpse  at  that  development  of  the  Belgian  Tardenois 
industry,  which  has  been  so  carefully  worked  out  on  Belgian 
sites  by  M.M.  E.  Rahir  and  L.  Lequeux.  It  can  hardly  be 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


195 


hoped  that  we  should  be  able  to  trace  the  development  of  this 
industry  here,  where  the  occupation  was  neither  so  regular 
nor  so  continuous.  But  we  are  able  to  note  in  our  own  little 
series  the  predominance  at  first  of  the  truncated  blade,  which 
later  on  develops  towards  a crescentic  or  triangular  form. 
On  the  other  hand  there  is  no  appreciable  approach  at  any 
stage  to  the  peculiarly  pointed  blades  and  triangles  which  we 
have  been  used  to  associate  with  our  special  Pennine  Chain 
industry.  That  industry  has  a development  within  this  area 
all  its  own.  There  may  have  been  an  ultimate  approximation 
between  the  two  industries,  but  it  is  yet  to  find/ 

A DISCOVERY. 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  the  ways  in  which  various  publica- 
tions appear.  From  a circular  we  have  recently  received  we 
gather  that  a journal,  recently  announced  as  defunct,  but  since 
resuscitated,  is  now  supported  by  Sir  J.  J.  Thomson,  O.M., 

F. R.S.  ; Sir  F.  G.  Kenyon,  K.C.B.,  F.B.A.  ; Prof.  A.  C. 
Seward,  F.R.S.  ; Prof.  R.  S.  Conway,  F.B.A.  ; C.  H.  K. 
Marten,  Esq.  ; Prof.  W.  L.  Bragg,  F.R.S.  ; E.  Bullough,  Esq., 
M.A.  ; M.  P.  Charlesworth,  Esq.,  B.A.  ; Prof.  G.  A.  Cole  [now 
deceased]  ; The  Rev.  D.  H.  S.  Cranage,  Litt.D.  ; Prof.  A. 
Dendy,  F.R.S.  ; E.  M.  Fallaize,  Esq.  ; Miss  F.  R.  Gray  ; 
Col.  H.  G.  Lyons,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  ; Dr.  W.  H.  Maw  ; Prof. 
Edith  J.  Morley  ; Lieut. -Col.  C.  S.  Myers,  M.D.  ; Mrs. 

G.  V.  Ormsby  ; George  Peverett,  Esq.  ; W.  G.  Rushbrooke, 
Esq.,  LL.M.  ; A.  S.  Russell,  Esq.,  M.C.,  D.Sc.  : Prof.  A.  C. 
Smithells,  F.R.S.  ; H.  R.  Tedder,  Esq.  ; Sir  James  Yoxall. 
With  this  galaxy  of  talent  surely  success  is  assured,  but, 
notwithstanding,  we  are  informed  that  ‘ in  order  to  ensure  the 
continuation  of  this  periodical,  the  Trustees  require  a sum  of 
not  less  than  £500  /0  meet  existing  liabilities  and  the  expenses 
of  administration  for  the  next  four  years.' 

MORE  ‘ DISCOVERIES.’ 

With  four  lines  of  headings  in  various  sized  types,  and  with 
the  usual  preface  ‘ What  is  regarded  by  many  geological  and 
archaeological  experts  as  one  of  the  most  important  discoveries 
made  during  the  present  century,’  nearly  a column  is  occupied 
recently  in  an  important  provincial  paper,  and  we  are  in- 
formed that  ‘ The  discovery  upon  which  Mr.  Mann  has  been 
engaged  for  many  years,  relates  to  a slight  veer  in  the  meridian 
line.  It  will  bring  about  a revolution  in  many  sciences,  and 
all  astronomical  and  geodetic  calculations  will  have  to  be 
readjusted  on  account  of  the  fact,  and  Mr.  Mann  has  had  his 
theory  mathematically  proved  beyond  doubt  that  the  datum 
line  which  hitherto  was  supposed  to  be  practically  stationary 
is  of  a vacillating  nature. 


3.924  July  1 


196 


Notes  and  Comments. 


HARMONIC  RAISED  BEACHES. 

Mr.  Mann  tells  us  that  ‘ One  circuit  of  the  earth  and  one 
oscillation  of  the  crust  occurred  every  8,800  years,  and  was 
the  cause  of  the  changes  in  the  relative  level  of  the  land  and 
sea.  The  amplitude  of  the  oscillation  was  gradually  de- 
creasing and  hence  there  was  a succession  of  raised  beaches 
and  river  terraces  and  of  submerged  surfaces  and  buried  river 
channels  all  ranged  in  harmonic  sequence.  The  rate  of  motion 
of  the  wave  having  been  successfully  measured,  it  was  now 
possible  to  give  an  absolute  chronological  valuation  of  all 
pre-historic  periods  such  as  the  various  phases  of  the  palaeo- 
lithic age,  and  to  assess  the  age  further  of  the  geological 
periods.  This  wave  motion  round  the  earth,  hitherto  un- 
recognised, seemed  to  be  common  to  all  members  of  our  solar 
system  as  well  as  to  those  of  other  solar  systems.  It  was  one  of 
two  motions  which  seemed  to  be  inherent  in  all  congregations 
of  gravitational  matter,  small  and  large,  including  the  atom, 
the  recently  discovered  internal  mechanics  of  which  demon- 
strated that  point.’ 

THE  ILKLEY  SCULPTURINGS . 

Further,  ‘ Mr.  Mann  states  that  Ilkley  Moor,  in  Yorkshire 
was  probably  the  richest  district  in  England  in  astronomical 
markings.  The  Swastika  rock  there  had  long  been  discussed, 
but  the  curious  carvings  upon  it  had  remained  an  enigma. 
By  means  of  the  application  of  certain  keys,  however,  he  was 
now  able  to  read  the  rock  in  the  most  precise  manner.  The 
Swastika  cut  upon  the  rock  represented  the  sun’s  annual  path 
in  the  heavens  so  accurately  that  it  demonstrated  incontro- 
vertibly  that  those  who  cut  the  design  about  2,000  B.C.  were 
fully  cognisant  of  the  inequalities  in  the  sun’s  motion,  the 
discovery  of  which  was  usually  attributed  to  Hipparchus^ 
but  was  now  known  to  have  been  common  knowledge  before 
his  day.  The  cups  and  winding  channel  in  Fylfot  (or  Swastika 
form)  carved  on  the  rock  at  Ilkley  demonstrated  by  the  most 
ingenious  manner  that  ancient  sculptors  portrayed  the  in- 
equalities of  the  sun’s  motion.  For  instance,  the  measure- 
ment of  the  medial  line  from  the  equinox  to  the  north  point 
of  the  summer  solstice  was  94 J days,  not  a.  quarter  of  365  daysV 
and  from  that  point  to  the  autumn  equinox  another  92 \ days,, 
or  in  all  187  days.’  Notwithstanding  all  our  journalistic 
friends  tell  us,  we  still  think  that  the  riddle  of  the  Ilkley 
rock  carvings  remains  unsolved,  and  we  fail  to  see  what  bear- 
ing they  have  upon  our  raised  beaches,  submerged  surfaces,, 
and  the  chronology  of  prehistoric  periods.. 

wolf -fish  .. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  editor  of  Hutchinson’s  Animals . 
of  All  Countries  and  to  the  British  Museum  (Nat.  Hist.)  for 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


197 


permission  to  reproduce  the  accompanying  two  illustrations  of 
the  Wolf-fish,  a well-known  species  in  the  northern  seas.  It 


attains  a length  of  four  feet,  and  is  celebrated  for  its  biting 
powers  and  the  tenacity  of  its  hold.  The  photograph  of  the 
skull  shows  the  strong  conical  teeth  in  the  front  of  the  mouth 


and  the  blunt  crushing  teeth  behind.  The  Wolf- fish  feeds 
chiefly  upon  crustaceans  and  molluscs,  but  is  also  fond  of 
star-fishes.  It  is  a Blennioid,  which  order  includes  the  Blen- 
nies,  Wolf-fishes,  Kelp-fishes,  Gunnels,  Cusk -eels,  etc.,  a large 


Notes  and  Comments. 


198 

and  varied  group  of  fishes  that  differ  from  the  Percoids  in 
having  the  pelvic  fins,  when  present,  inserted  close  together 
on  the  throat,  or  in  one  family  between  the  branches  of  the 
lower  jaw,  and  the  soft  rays  of  the  pelvic  fins  reduced  in 
number,  never  more  than  four. 

BROADCASTING  NIGHTINGALES. 

We  learn  from  The  Animal  World  that  ‘ everyone  was 
interested  in  the  recent  statement  of  Captain  Eckersley,  that 
during  the  spring  his  company  hoped  to  broadcast  the  song 
of  the  nightingale.  It  is  proposed,  he  says,  to  travel  by 
motor  car  into  the  heart  of  Oxfordshire,  where  the  nightingale 
is  a fairly  common  bird,  and  with  a microphone  and  a small 
transmitting  set,  record  the  nightingale’s  song  at  some  point 
in  the  near  vicinity  of  a trunk  telephone  line  where  it  would 
be  put  on  to  the  studio  at  London,  and  from  there  broadcasted 
throughout  the  country.  We  hope  that  the  effort  will  be 
successful,  and  that  it  will  be  followed  by  many  others  of  a 
similar  kind.  Why  stop  at  the  nightingale  ? People  may  be 
induced,  in  this  way,  to  think  a little  more  about  our  wild 
birds  than  they  now  do,  and  this  new  interest  will  surely  be 
for  the  benefit  of  the  birds  as  well  as  for  the  public.  The 
person  who  has  learned  to  appreciate  the  song  of  a wild  bird 
is  not  likely  to  wish  to  imprison  that  bird  in  a small  cage.’ 

DARLINGTON  NATURALISTS. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Darlington  and  Teesdale 
Naturalists’  Field  Club  was  held  recently,  when  excellent  pro- 
gress was  reported.  The  financial  statement  submitted  by 
the  Treasurer  (Mr.  R.  H.  Sargent)  showed  a balance  in  hand 
of  £17.  Mr.  Nowers,  the  Secretary,  reported  that  the  past 
year  had  been  most  successful.  The  chief  event  had  been  the 
removal  to  premises  in  the  Friends’  Meeting  House,  Skinner- 
gate,  a step  which  had  been  justified  by  a considerable 
increase  in  attendance.  Eight  excursions  had  been  arranged , 
lectures  had  been  held,  specimens  had  been  presented  to 
their  museum,  and  several  books  had  been  presented  to 
the  library.  Thirty  new  members  had  been  elected,  and 
this  left  the  total  at  138.  Mr.  R.  Luck,  the  President, 
made  an  interesting  address.  He  was  not  a specialist  in  any 
branch  of  the  club’s  work,  and  his  only  claim  to  the  position 
was  a great  love  of  Nature.  The  objects  of  the  club  were- 
threefold.  First,  to  provide  a meeting  place  for  those  in- 
terested in  natural  history  ; secondly,  to  foster  a love  of 
Nature  ; and  thirdly,  to  participate  in  a natural  history 
survey  of  this  country.  So  far  they  had  chiefly  considered 
the  botanical  and  geological  branches,  but  he  hoped  that  some 
members  would  now  do  something  to  advance  their  work 
on  the  ornithological  and  entomological  sides.  The  other 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


199 


officers  were  elected  as  follows  : — Vice-Presidents,  Messrs.  W. 
R.  Wooler  and  J.  B.  Ord  ; Treasurer,  Mr.  R.  H.  Sargent 
(re-elected)  ; Hon.  Secretaries,  Mr.  J.  E.  Nowers  and  Miss 
Nowers  ; Librarian,  Mr.  J.  Broadhead  ; Curators,  Messrs. 
E.  O.  Sibson  and  C.  P.  Nicholson  ; Sectional  Leaders,  Messrs. 
H.  D.  Pritchett,  R.  H.  Sargent,  W.  Hodgson,  J.  B.  Ord,  T. 
Sinclair  and  C.  P.  Nicholson.  Members  of  Council,  Dr.  S.  G. 
Mostyn,  Miss  Snaith,  and  Messrs.  J.  Bowker,  H.  Whalley, 
R.  Borrow,  and  F.  Young  ; Auditor,  Mr.  E.  Dover. 

LGG  COLLECTORS. 

In  The  Oologists’  Record,  Vol.  III.,  No.  3,  is  an  article  on 
‘ The  Wild  Bird  Protection  Bill,  1923/  by  B.  N.  Carter.  He 
states,  ‘ Surely  it  is  not  the  opinion  of  the  authors  of  the  Bill 
that  all  egg  collectors  are  such  unreasonable  creatures.  Have 
they  (the  authors)  never  taken  an  egg?  How  many  of  our 
experts  (past  and  present)  have  commenced  when  boys  by 
taking  the  egg  of  a Hedge  Sparrow?  How  many  of  them 
would  have  followed  this  up  if  they  had  had  the  opportunity 
of  adding  thereto?  Did  the  authors  of  our  beautiful  works 
on  birds  and  birds’  eggs,  such  as  the  Rev.  F.  O.  Morris,  H.  L. 
Meyer,  H.  E.  Dresser,  and  many  others,  never  take  an  egg? 
Is  it  not  a fact  that  many  of  the  best  collections  eventually 
find  their  way  to  the  museums  ? There  is  no  object  in  placing 
every  collector  on  a black  list  simply  because  a few  may  have 
abused  their  position.  There  would  appear  to  be  several 
serious  omissions  in  the  Bill,  which  does  not  take  cognizance  of, 
or  define,  a blown  egg  or  an  addled  egg.  It  is  seriously 
suggested  that  a person  should  be  fined  £5  for  taking  an 
addled  egg?  The  idea  is  absurd.  Taking  another  point. 
My  only  clutch  of  Landrails  is  one  which  was  taken  when  the 
bird  was  killed  by  a mowing  machine.  Is  a person  to  be 
prosecuted  and  run  the  risk  of  being  involved  in  a possible 
penalty  of  £45  because  he  preserved  such  a clutch,  instead  of 
leaving  the  eggs  to  rot  in  the  nest,  or  be  sucked  by  the  first 
Magpie  or  Weasel  discovering  them?’ 

FOUNDERS  OF  OCEANOGRAPHY.* 

Anything  from  the  pen  of  Sir  William  Herdman  is  always 
welcome  from  the  freshness  of  its  style,  the  originality  of 
its  matter,  and  the  soundness  of  its  scientific  information. 
Few  people  have  bene  fitted  from  the  work  of  the  Founders  of 
Oceanography  more  than  this  author,  hence  his  chapters 
on  the  Earliest  Founders  of  Oceanography,  Edward  Forbes, 
Sir  C.  Wyville  Thomson,  Sir  John  Murray,  Louis  and  Alex- 
ander Agassiz,  and  the  Prince  of  Monaco  are  peculiarly  wel- 
come. Sir  William  tells  us  that  ‘ the  book  is  really  based 

* And  their  Work,  by  Sir  William  A.  Herdman.  London  : E. 

Arnold  & Co.  xii.4-340  pp.  21/-  net. 


1924  July  l 


200 


Notes  and  Comments. 


upon  a course  of  about  twenty  public  lectures  given  in  the 
winter  of  1919-20,  while  I held,  for  the  first  year,  the  newly 
established  Chair  of  Oceanography  in  the  University  of  Liver- 
pool. The  purpose  of  the  lectures  was  to  put  before  my 
colleagues  and  students  what  I regarded  as  the  scope  and 
nature  of  this  new  university  subject,  and  to  interest  the 
public  of  Liverpool  in  the  deeper  knowledge  of  the  seven 
seas  that  mean  so  much  to  that  great  port,  by  giving  ex- 
amples of  the  phenomena  and  some  explanation  of  the  methods 
of  investigation  of  the  problems  of  the  ocean.'  It  is  well 
illustrated  by  portraits  of  the  great  men  whose  work  is  de- 
scribed, and  by  photographs  of  marine  life  and  the  methods 
of  studying  it. 

DERBYSHIRE  NATURALISTS. 

The  Journal  of  the  Derbyshire  Archceological  and  Natural 
History  Society,  No.'XLVI.,  is  particularly  valuable,  though 
the  archaeology  of  the  county  receives  most  attention.  F. 
Williamson  contributes  a useful  ‘ Glossary  of  Words  used 
by  the  Derbyshire  Lead  Miners  during  the  past  250  years  ’ ; 
there  are  several  short  notes  dealing  with  stone,  bronze  and 
iron  (Viking)  axes  ; H.  C.  Hayward  gives  notes  on  the 
‘ Lepidoptera  of  Repton,  1923  ’ ; and  N.  H.  Fitzherbert 
contributes  ‘ Ornithological  Notes  for  Derbyshire,  1923/ 

THE  PHYSICAL  TRAINING  OF  GIRLS.* 

This  most  interesting  book  deals  with  a vital  subject  in 
a vigorous  manner.  It  contains  helpful  suggestions  as  to  the 
merits  and  shortcomings  of  the  Swedish  System  of  Physical 
Training,  and  the  need  for  extension.  Great  stress  is  given 
to  the  necessity  for  accurate  knowledge  of  the  human  body, 
and  the  tendency  in  schools  to  neglect  the  laws  of  physiology, 
and  overstrain  girls  in  the  gymnasium.  There  is  a long 
chapter  devoted  to  Eurythmics  and  their  value— musical, 
physical  and  as  general  training,  as  well  as  the  value  of 
singing  in  physical  development.  A particularly  interesting 
chapter  refers  to  Mrs.  Diana  Watts;  this  will  appeal 
especially  to  those  who  have  had  the  opportunity  of  seeing 
and  hearing  her.,  and  the  new  school  of  training  which  is 
being  developed  by  Miss  Atkinson,  and  which  is  probably 
one  of  the  , systems  of  the  future,  is  here  described  at  length  ; 
the  author’s  references  to  hockey  are  very  severe,  and  will 
probably .-.mpet  with  disapproval  from  a number  of  Game’s 
Mistresses  in  our  schopis:,  though  probably,  this  is  anticipated. 
There  are  eight  full  page  illustrations  which  are  excellent. 

,,r  • „„  t - ' 

* Mary  A.  Johnstone,  B.Sc.,  F.L.S.,  London  : Sidgwick  & Jackson, 
120  pp.,  3/6  net.  ' ; 


Naturalist 


The  Naturalist,  1924.  Plate  XIII. 


Untouched  photographs  of  serial  sections  across  root  of  a sterile  seedling  of  Calluna  at  point  of  origin 
of  a laterial  root.  End. — Cells  of  the  endodermis,  with  black-stained  suberin  lamella.  F.c.c. — Fat- 

containing  cells  at  base  of  meristem  of  lateral  root.  Fatty  contents  black  with  osmic  acid,  sections 

otherwise  unstained. 


201 


FURTHER  NOTES  UPON  THE  VASCULAR  PLANTS 
CHARACTERISTIC  OF  PEAT. 

MILDRED  HINCHLIFF  AND  J.  H.  PRIESTLEY, 

Botanical  Department,  The  University  of  Leeds. 

PLATE  XIII. 

In  connexion  with  the  demonstration  of  work  in  progress 
upon  peat  and  peat  vegetation  included  in  the  exhibit  made 
by  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  at  the  Hull  Meeting  of 
the  British  Association,  a brief  report  was  made  (6)  of  some 
observations  upon  the  characteristic  anatomy  of  the  plants 
growing  upon  peat.  Attention  was  drawn  to  the  fact  that 
fat -impregnated  layers  were  exceptionally  well  developed  in 
all  these  plants,  the  cuticle  thickening  on  the  young  shoot 
whilst  the  stem  is  also  characterised  by  the  early  development 
of  a secondary  endodermis.  Within  this  layer  further  fat- 
impregnated  layers  usually  form  at  an  early  date  in  the  shape 
of  cork  and  all  the  superficial  tissues  outside  the  secondary 
.endodermis,  being  cut  off  from  supplies  of  sap,  wither  and 
disintegrate,  and  contribute  to  the  fine  vegetable  debris  so 
characteristic  of  a peat  moor. 

The  fatty  substances  accumulating  in  this  characteristic 
manner  in  the  shoot  are  probably  largely  formed  as  bye- 
products  in  the  constructive  metabolic  processes  proceeding 
at  the  growing  points,  especially  the  apical  meristem  of  the 
root  ; released  later  from  the  differentiated  tissue  they  travel 
in  the  vascular  system  and  migrate  along  the  permeable 
walls  of  the  shoot  until  they  deposit  in  cuticle  or  endodermis 
(5).  The  fatty  deposits  in  the  walls  of  the  cork  cells  may 
be  bye-products  formed  by  the  synthetic  activity  of  the 
meristem  (phellogen)  which  gives  rise  to  the  cork  (7  and  8). 
It  would  follow  then  that  the  plants  growing  upon  peat  may 
be  characterised  by  a special  metabolism  which  release  an 
unusual  quantity  of  fatty  products  in  the  differentiating 
tissues.  It  was  pointed  out  in  the  previous  note  that  this 
type  of  metabolism  might  have  selective  value  for  the  plants 
of  a peat  habitat  where  the  roots  are  notoriously  under  an- 
aerobic conditions,  [Clements  (1)]  as  the  conversion  of  carbo- 
hydrate into  fatty  acid  admits  of  the  release  of  energy  without 
drawing  upon  atmospheric  oxygen.  It  was  not  intended  To 
suggest,  however,  as  has  been  assumed  by  one  friendly  critic 
(12),  that  when  these  plants  were  growing  in  other  habitats 
in,  which  oxygen  has  free  access  to  the  root  , systems  that  the 
metabolism  of  the  plant  should  change  fundamentally. 

It  is  assumed  that  whenever  the  plants  of  the  peat  may  be 
found  growing  in  other  habitats  their  methods  of  metabolism 
will  remain  unaltered,  and  as  a result  accumulations  of  fat 


1924  July  1 


202  Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat. 

occur  that  similarly  affect  the  development  of  the  tissue' 
systems.  Such  a method  of  metabolism,  however,  would 
seem  to  render  the  plant  particularly  suitable  for  growth  in 
a peat  habitat,  and,  indeed,  to  judge  from  the  widespread 
prevalence  of  these  structural  features  amongst  the  plants  of 
the  Yorkshire  peat  moors,  it  would  seem  that  in  this  case 
plants  without  this  peculiarity  of  growth  are  excluded  from 
the  habitat,  either  by  the  direct  effect  of  the  stringent  edaphic 
and  climatic  conditions  or  by  these  aided  by  the  competitive- 
action  of  the  typical  peat  plants. 

That  these  peat  plants  retain  their  structural  character- 
istics when  grown  under  other  conditions  is  well  exemplified 
in  plants  of  Calluna  vulgaris  and  Nardus  stricta,  supplied  to 
us  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Pearsall,  which  were  taken  from  a welD 
developed  society  of  these  plants  flourishing  on  well-aerated 
stream  gravels  where  the  PH  of  the  water  supply  is  6-8  to 
6*3  and  that  of  the  soil  approximately  5-6.  Comber's  test 
(2)  shows  these  soils  to  be  rich  in  dissolved  mineral  bases. 

The  structure  and  growth  of  these  plants,  together  with 
their  high  fat  content,  is  in  all  respects  similar  to  that  of  the 
same  species  of  plants  growing  in  deep  acid  peat. 

Experimental  Cultures. 

Certain  culture  experiments  have  been  carried  out,  with 
the  object  of  determining  to  what  extent  the  calcium  content 
of  the  culture  solution  influences  the  growth  of  peat  plants. 
Seedlings  of  Calluna  vulgaris,  with  healthy  root  and  shoot 
development,  and  height  of  shoot  averaging  half  an  inch, 
were  transplanted  from  deep  moorland  peat  to  well-washed 
coarse  sand  in  glazed  pots.  The  plants  were  watered,  through 
glass  tubes  reaching  to  the  base  of  each  pot,  with  culture 
solutions  identical  in  respect  of  their  dissolved  inorganic 
salts,  but  varying  in  dilution,  and  in  the  amounts  of  calcium 
salt  present.  The  sand  was  kept  in  a moist  condition,  and 
undue  evaporation  prevented  by  glass  bells  with  open  necks.. 

At  the  same  time,  numbers  of  germinating  seeds  of  Calluna 
vulgaris  were  similarly  cultured.  These  were  in  all  cases 
not  yet  free  from  the  seed-coat,  nor  were  the  seeds  yet  free 
from  the  fruit  and  the  persistent  calyx  of  the  flower. 

The  cultures  lasted  from  June  16th,  1922,  to  February 
23rd,  1923,  during  which  time,  very  little  growth  in  length 
of  shoot  occurred. 

The  number  of  plants  per  pot  was  four  to  six.  In  all, 
six  different  culture  solutions  were  used,  the  number  of  plants 
per  culture  solution  varying  from  four  to  ten. 

A table  giving  the  observed  effects  of  the  various  culture 
solutions  follows,  the  numbers  used  applying  to  the  character 
of  the  culture  solution  and  to  the  group  of  plants  affected  by 


Naturalist 


Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat. 


203 


it.  The  effects  are  broadly  indicated  by  such  signs  of  health 
as  growth  in  length  of  shoot  and  root,  development  of  lateral 
branches,  greenness  of  shoot,  while  discoloration,  lack  of 
growth,  and  attack  of  the  plant  by  fungus,  with  subsequent 
death,  are  taken  as  signs  of  deficient  vitality  under  the  con- 
ditions of  culture. 

The  culture  solutions  contained  the  following  proportions 
of  molecular  solutions  of  magnesium  sulphate,  potassium -di- 
hydrogen phosphate,,  calcium  nitrate  and  sodium  bi-carbonate„ 
in  cubic  centimetres  per  litre  of  culture  solution  made  up 
in  distilled  water. 


No.  1 

No.  2 

No.  3 

No.  4 

No.  5 

No.  6 

MgSO, 

18 

18 

18 

9 

9 

9 

KHoP04 

15 

i5 

15 

7 4 

7i 

7 2. 

NaHC03 

10 

ro 

ro 

5 

5 

5 

Fe  ... 

trace 

trace 

trace 

trace 

trace 

trace 

CaNO.3 

2 cc 

10  cc 

20  cc 

1 cc 

5 cc 

10  cc 

The  state,  of  the  plants,  both  as  regards  root 
development,  is  broadly  indicated  below  : — 


Relatively  \ 
healthy  f 
Unhealthy 
Dead 


July.  1922 
1,  2,  4,  5 
3>  6 


Oct.  1922 

U 4>  5 

2,  3,  6 


Jan.  1923 

U 4>  5 
2 

3>  6 


and  shoot 

Mar.  1923 

4>  5 
1 

2,  3>  6 


The  general  conclusion  drawn  from  these  observations 
was  that  solutions  containing  low  proportions  of  calcium 
salts  were  more  favourable  to  the  growth  of  Calluna  vulgaris 
under  the  conditions  of  experiments,  than  were  those  of 
relatively  high  concentrations.  Plants  watered  with  culture 
solutions  2,  3,  6,  obviously  succumbed  more  readily  than  the 
rest  to  any  detrimental  influences.  Since  plants  watered  with 
culture  solutions  1,4  and  5 were  relatively  healthy,  and  growing 
throughout  the  experiment,  it  was  not  thought  that  the  con- 
centration of  the  inorganic  salts  other  than  calcium,  was  a 
limiting  factor. 

In  the  shoot,  the  first  unhealthy  signs  were  reddening  of 
the  base  of  the  green  stem,  and  of  the  lowest  leaves  of  the  shoot * 
In  the  germinating  seedlings,  the  hypocotyl  was  distinctly 
red,  and  the  leaves  a dark  green,  contrasting  with  the  fresh 
green  of  those  germinating  under  field  conditions.  Some 
growth  in  length  of  shoot  occurred  in  all  cases,  while  lateral 
shoots  made  some  growth  in  certain  cases.  In  the  cases  of 
plants  watered  respectively  with  culture  solutions  2,  3 and 
6,  especially,  the  red  discoloration  was  followed  by  blackening 
of  leaves  and  shoots,  the  leaves  becoming  discolored  by  degrees, 
from  the  tip  of  each  leaf  downwards  towards  the  base.  The 
growth  of  the  shoots  was  obviously  arrested,  the  growing 


1924  July  1 


204  Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat. 

tips  becoming  yellow,  then  brown.  In  the  case  of  plants 
watered  with  solutions  3 and  6 a conspicuous  growth  of  fungus 
hyphae  completely  covered  the  plants  at  the  end  of  the  experi- 
ment, while  a green  growth  of  alga  covered  the  surface  of  the 
sand  in  2,  3 and  6. 

In  the  roots,  the  changes  at  the  end  of  the  experiment 
were  marked.  The  young  roots  in  the  germinating  and  young 
plants  were  white  and  transparent.  In  all  cases,  these  changed 
in  colour  to  yellow  or  brown.  This  discoloration  together 
with  lack  of  lateral  development,  and  a production  of  thin, 
wiry,  twisted  and  matted  roots  was  most  marked  in  the 
plants  of  numbers  3 and  6 cultures.  In  culture  4,  the  roots, 
though  yellow-brown,  seemed  well-developed  and  fairly 
healthy.  These  results,  indicating  an  inhibition  of  root  and 
shoot  development  in  culture  solutions  of  marked  calcium 
content  are  comparable  with  those  obtained  by  M.  C.  Rayner 
(9,  10,  11 ) for  seedling  grown  on  calcareous  soils,  whose 
water  extract  had  a faintly  alkaline  reaction.  These  were 
contrasted  with  the  normal  development  of  root  and  shoot 
in  a heavy  loam  soil  on  clay-with-flints,  with  a neutral 
reaction. 

The  effect  of  calcium  upon  the  process  of  differentiation 
proceeding  just  behind  the  apical  meristem  has  been  considered 
elsewhere  [(13)  loc.  cit.  p.  124].  One  important  factor  is  un- 
doubtedly the  deposit  of  insoluble  pectates  and  soaps  of 
calcium  that  takes  place  in  the  middle  lamella  as  the  complex 
nature  of  the  cell  wall  changes,  when  the  cell  ceases  to  be 
meristematic  and  vacuolates,  and  distends,  upon  its  addition  to 
the  permanent  tissue  systems  of  the  plant.  Now  if  peat 
plants  are  characterised  by  an  abnormal  quantity  of  fatty 
acid,  released  as  the  result  of  the  synthetic  metabolism  of 
the  growing  point,  one  result  may  well  be  that  in  the  presence 
of  sufficient  supplies  of  calcium,  a block  of  insoluble  calcium 
soaps  is  produced  which  hinders  further  supplies  to  the 
meristem.  It  is  from  this  standpoint  that  we  are  inclined  to 
interpret  the  observed  fact  that  the  plants  characteristic  of 
peat  are  almost  invariably  incapable  of  healthy  growth  in  a 
soil  containing  relatively  high  proportion  of  calcium.  From 
this  standpoint  an  opportunity  to  examine  the  rhodedendrons 
reported  as  characteristic  of  calcareous  soils  would  be  greatly 
appreciated.  The  typical  rhododendron  will  not  grow  in  a 
soil  rich  in  lime,  and  structurally  shows  the  usual  features 
characteristic  of  peat  plants  and  explained  by  an  abundance 
of  fats  released  in  metabolism.  Mr.  R.  J.  D.  Graham,  of 
the  Botany  School  at  Edinburgh,  has  kindly  examined  some 
rhododendrons  described  as  characteristic  of  calcareous  soils, 
and  reports  that  the  same  structural  features  are  present  in 
them,  although  their  less  compressed  growth  habit  had  sug- 


NaturaHst 


Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat.  205 

gested  possibly  a slower  accumulation  of  fat.  The  point 
obviously  deserves  closer  examination,  bearing  in  mind  that 
from  this  standpoint  a calcareous  soil  is  not  a soil  containing 
a definite  amount  of  calcium,  but  a relatively  high  proportion 
of  this  kation  as  compared  with  kations  (potassium,  sodium 
and  magnesium)  which  form  relatively  soluble  soaps  with 
fatty  acids. 

Dr.  Rayner  has  published  a very  full  account  of  the  calci- 
fuge  habit  in  Calluna  (9,  11),  and  she  has  also  shown  the 
obligate  dependence  of  this  species  upon  a mycorrhizal  fungus 
(10).  Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  M.  C.  Rayner  we  have 
been  able  to  examine  the  anatomy  of  seedlings  of  Calluna 
grown  in  pure  culture,  free  from  mycorrhiza,  and  their  examina- 
tion leads  to  an  interesting  suggestion  as  to  the  parallel  effects 
produced  by  the  presence  of  excess  calcium  and  by  the  absence 
of  any  mycorrhiza  in  stunting  the  growth  and  development  of 
Calluna.  The  seedlings  were  fixed  in  Flemming’s  stronger 
solution  so  that  fat-impregnated  walls  are  stained  black 
with  osmic  acid,  and  in  the  photograph  the  microtomed  section 
has  not  been  stained  in  any  manner  so  that  the  fat -impregnated 
wall  of  the  secondary  endodermis  appears  black,  whilst  a 
striking  feature  is  the  accumulation  of  fat  in  the  cells  at 
the  base  of  the  meristem  of  the  abortive  secondary  root.  The 
suggestion  is  irresistible  that  this  accumulation  of  fat  may 
account  in  part  for  the  lack  of  further  development  on  the 
part  of  this  root  meristem.  Furthermore,  as  development  takes; 
place  in  the  presence  of  the  mycorrhizal  fungus,  the  further 
suggestion  follows  that  the  growth  of  the  meristem  under 
normal  conditions  may  be  facilitated  by  the  removal  of  the 
excess  of  fatty  acids  as  a result  of  the  digestive  activity  of 
the  mycorrhizal  fungus.  If  this  fungus,  in  addition,  pene- 
trated the  vascular  system  of  the  root,  its  presence  would 
probably  be  fatal,  but  ability  to  digest  fat  does  not  mean 
ability  to  digest  and  penetrate  a suberin  lamella,  which  con- 
sists mainly  of  fats  condensed  and  oxidised  to  a structurally 
firm  layer,  not  easily  pierced  and  very  resistant  to  hydrolysis. 
The  fungus  may,  therefore,  live  on  in  the  cortex,  ramifying 
in  intercellular  spaces  as  well  as  penetrating  the  cells,  but 
fail  to  penetrate  into  the  vascular  system  on  account  of  the 
suberin  lamella  around  each  cell  of  the  secondary  endodermis. 

The  Fats  of  the  Seed. 

During  an  examination  of  the  germinating  seeds  of  Calluna. 
vulgaris  from  deep  peat,  it  was  noticed  that  the  earliest  roots 
showed  a marked  fat  content  in  the  cells  of  the  vascular 
strand.  Such  seedlings  were  mounted,  while  still  attached 
to  the  seed,  and  stained  with  Sudan  III.  The  roots  at  this 
stage  were  white,  colourless  and  branching  freely.  The 


1924  July  I 


206 


Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat. 


whole  of  the  vascular  strand  stained  a deep  red,  whilst  the 
meristematic  cells  of  lateral  root  initials  were  also  stained. 
The  contents  of  the  seed  were  apparently  stained  a deep  red, 
though  this  stain  was  somewhat  disguised  by  the  tough  yellow 
seed-coat. 

It  was,  therefore,  decided  to  make  an  investigation  into 
the  quantity  and  nature  of  the  fats  contained  in  the  ripe  seeds 
of  some  peat  plants,  since  the  problem  of  their  metabolism 
involves  a consideration  of  the  reserve  food  materials  which 
are  utilised  during  germination. 

Mature  seeds  of  Calluna  vulgaris , Empetrum  nigrum  and 
V accinium  macrocarprum , were  carefully  separated  from  their 
fruits,  and  were  thoroughly  washed,  ground,  and  dried  to 
constant  weight  in  a steam  oven  at  50 0 C.  The  fats  were 
then  extracted  for  more  than  four  hours  with  pure,  hot 
chloroform  in  a Soxhlet  apparatus,  with  ground  glass  joints. 

The  resulting  fat  extracts  were  distilled  under  reduced 
pressure  and  gave  oils  golden  brown  in  colour  in  the  case  of 
Calluna  and  Vaccinium,  and  a greenish  yellow  in  Empetrum. 
The  weight  of  fat  extracted  from  all  these  seeds  was  a high 
proportion  of  the  dry  weight  of  the  seeds  taken,  whilst  the 
high  iodine  numbers,  as  given  in  the  following  table,  indicate 
the  unsaturated  state  of  the  acids  composing  the  fats. 


Weight  Of 
seed  used. 

Calluna  vulgaris  8*54  grms. 
Empetrum  nigrum  10-38  ,, 

V accinium 

macrocarprum  24-44  >> 


Average  weight  of  Iodine  Refractive 

fat  in  seed.  numbers.  Index  (at  16°C) 

42-5%  132  1-4965 

10-0%  139  1-4915 

22-7%  143  1-4858 


The  iodine  values  were  estimated  by  Wij’s  method,  three 
separate  estimations  being  made  with  each  oil  under  the  same 
standard  conditions.  They  indicate  a large  proportion  of 
unsaturated  linkages  in  the  fatty  acids  present,  which  means 
a capacity  for  oxidation  in  air..  It  is  significant  that,  when 
a thin  film  of  any  one  of  the  oils  was  exposed  to  the  air  for  a 
iew  days,  it  dried  to  a firm,  elastic  film,  whilst  a greater 
depth  of  fat  became  covered  with  a dry  ‘ skin.'  This  pro- 
perty, together  with  the  high  iodine  values,  suggests  that 
the  extracted  fats  were  ‘ drying  oils/  These,  owing  to  their 
•containing  glycerides  of  acids  of  the  linoleic  and  linolenic 
series,  readily  undergo  oxidation  in  the  air  to  a firm,  elastic 
varnish.  The  figure  given  for  V accinium  macrocarprum  may 
perhaps  prove  ultimately  to  have  an  economic  interest.  This 
iruit  is  grown  very  considerably  in  the  United  States  and  the 
drying  oil  obtainable  from  the  seed  may  ultimately  give 
the  seed  some  value  as  a bye-product  in  some  process  in  which 
the  cranberry  fruit  is  pulped  for  utilization  upon  a large 
.scale. 


N aturalxst 


Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat.  207 

The  occurrence  of  a plant  with  a large  fat  content  in  its 
tissues,  from  the  earliest  stages,  together  with  a seed  con- 
taining a high  percentage  of  fat  is  striking.  The  question 
arises  as  to  whether  the  two  things  are  causally  connected. 
Little  is  known  of  the  utilisation  of  storage  fats  by  the  plant 
embryo  during  germination,  or  of  the  fat  metabolism  in 
plants.  There  is  little  evidence  for  the  translocation  of  oils 
as  such,  from  seed  to  growing  tissue,  though  Schmidt  held 
the  view  that  such  translocation  of  oils  was  possible.  His 
view  was  based  on  his  statement  that  less  fatty  acid  is  present 
in  germinating  oily  seeds,  than  would  be  expected  if  the 
fat  were  hydrolysed  before  translocation. 

The  work  of  Schmidt,  Green,  Le  Clerc  du  Sablon,  summar- 
ised by  Haas  and  Hill  (3)  has  shown  that,  through  the 
activity  of  lipase,  hydrolysis  of  the  fats  of  oily  seeds,  such  as 
Heliantkus  and  Ricinus,  occurs  during  germination.  Free 
tatty  acid  and  glycerine  thus  occur,  and  sugars  are  detected 
as  the  fat  is  hydrolysed.  It  is  not  known  how  carbohydrates 
arise  from  oil,  but  it  is  regarded  as  possible,  [Leathes  (4)] 
that  in  both  animals  and  plants,  such  a change  does  occur. 
Von  Fiirth  found  certain  changes  in  the  oil  of  sunflower  and  of 
Ricinus  seeds  during  germination.  An  increase  occurred  in 
the  saponification  value,  accompanied  by  a lowering  of  the 
iodine  and  acetyl  vaLues.  The  former  change  indicates  a 
formation  of  lower  fatty  acids  from  more  complex  acids, 
whilst  the  latter  changes  indicate  that  cleavage  has  occurred 
by  the  unsaturated  linkages,  and  by  the  hydroxylated  carbon 
atoms. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  availability  of  the  fats  for 
respiratory  purposes,  little  precise  information  is  available. 
The  presence  of  fatty  acids  is  associated  with  the  possibility 
of  the  splitting  off  of  carbon  dioxide  in  the  absence  of  oxygen. 
This  may  account  for  the  occurrence  of  these  plants  in  badly 
aerated  soils.  Godlewski  found  that  the  energy  of  respiration 
of  oily  seeds  was  much  greater  than  that  of  starchy  seeds  when 
germinated  under  reduced  oxygen  pressure. 

Whilst  the  available  data  then  do  not  permit  the  as- 
sumption that  the  unsaturated  fats  present  in  such  seeds  as 
Calluna  are  directly  responsible  for  the  early  deposit  of  a 
secondary  endodermis  on  the  seedling,  it  is  obviously  highly 
probable  that  these  facts  are  causally  connected.  On  the 
other  hand  in  the  germination  of  a seedling  from  an  oily  seed 
it  does  not  of  necessity  follow  that  unsaturated  fatty  acids 
present  in  the  seed  reserve  will  find  their  way  on  to  the  walls 
of  the  tissues  during  development.  Thus  the  germination 
of  seedlings  of  Linum  usitatissimum  L.,  and  Ricinus  communis 
L.,  has  been  examined  from  this  standpoint.  Both  these 
plants  have  an  extremely  high  percentage  of  fat  in  their  seeds 


1924  July  1 


208  Vascular  Plants  Characteristic  of  Peat. 

and  the  iodine  value  of  linseed  oil  shows  a similar  degree  of 
unsaturation  to  that  found  in  the  oils  of  the  peat  plant  seeds,, 
but  the  seedlings  show  none  of  the  fat  deposits  of  the  peat 
plants/they  are  in  fact  remarkably  clear  of  fats  and  have  no 
secondary  endodermis. 

Summary. 

(1)  Peat  plants  are  characterised  by  a metabolism 
which  releases  exceptionally  large  quantities  of  fatty  sub- 
stances in  the  differentiating  tissues.  These  substances  form 
fat  deposits,  cuticle,  secondary  endodermis,  etc.,  which 
characterise  the  structure  and  growth  habit  of  these  plants. 

(2)  Species  of  plants  with  this  metabolism  always  possess 
it  wherever  they  grow  ; their  possession  of  it  renders  them 
suitable  for  growth  on  the  badly  aerated  soil  of  Yorkshire 
peat  moors  from  which  other  plants  are  excluded. 

(3)  Experimental  cultures  confirm  the  view  that  high 
proportions  of  calcium  in  the  soil  are  inimical  to  the  growth 
of  plants  with  such  metabolism,  the  reason  is  probably  that 
the  tissues  just  behind  the  growing  point  become  choked  up 
with  insoluble  calcium  soaps. 

(4)  Dr.  Rayner’s  experiments  show  that  Calluna  seed- 
lings are  unable  to  grow  in  pure  culture  free  from  mycorrhiza. 

Anatomical  examination  shows  the  lateral  growing  points 
in  the  roots  of  such  plants  similarly  blocked  with  fatty  deposits,, 
and  leads  to  the  suggestion  that  the  fungus  may  facilitate 
growth  by  removing  these  fat  accumulations. 

(5)  Seeds  of  peat  plants  contain  high  proportions  of 
fatty  reserves  of  a relatively  high  degree  of  unsaturation.. 
These  reserves  may  be  connected  with  the  early  production 
of  fat  impregnated  layers  such  as  the  secondary  endodermis r 
in  the  seedling  of  Calluna. 

REFERENCES. 

1.  Clements,  F.  E.,  ‘ Aeration  and  Air  Content.’  Cam.  Inst.r 

Washington,  1921. 

2.  Comber,  N.,  ‘A  Qualitative  Test  for  Sour  Soil.’  Journ.  Agr. 

Science,  X.,  pp.  420-424,  1920. 

3 . Haas  , P . , and  Hill  , T . G . , ‘ Chemistry  of  Plant  Products . ’ London  „ 

I.,  1921  ; II.,  1922. 

4.  Leathes,  J.  B.,  ‘The  Fats.  Monographs  on  Biochemistry.”  . 

London,  1910. 

5 Priestley,  J.  H.,  ‘The  Fundamental  Fat  Metabolism  of  the 
Plant.’  New  Phytologisi,  23,  1924. 

6.  Priestley,  J.  H.,  and  Hinchliff,  Mildred,  ‘ The  Physiological 

Anatomy  of  the  Vascular  Plants  characteristic  of  Peat.'  The- 
Naturalist,  pp.  263-268,  1922. 

7.  Priestley,  J.  H.,  and  Woffenden,  Lettice  M.,  ‘The  Causal 

Factors  in  Cork  Formation.’  New  Phylologist,  21,  pp.  252-268, 
1922. 

8.  Priestley,  J.  H.,  and  Woffenden,  Lettice  M.,  ‘ The  Healing 


Naturalist  - 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


209 

of  Wounds  in  Potato  Tubers.’  Ann.  App.  Biol.,  10,  pp.  96-115, 
1923. 

9.  Rayner,  M.  C.,  ‘ The  Ecology  of  Calluna  vulgaris.’  New  Phytol., 
12,  pp.  59-76,  1913. 

10.  Rayner,  M.  C.,  ‘ Obligate  Synthesis  in  Calluna  vulgaris.’  Annals 
of  Botany,  29,  pp.  97-130,  1915. 

n.  Rayner,  M.  C.,  ‘ The  Ecology  of  Calluna  vulgaris — II.’  ; ‘ The 

Calcifuge  Habit.’  Journ.  of  Ecology , 9,  pp.  60-74,  1921. 

12.  T(ansley),  A.  G.,  Journal  of  Ecology,  10,  pp.  250-251,  1922. 

13.  Tupper-Carey,  R.  M.,  and  Priestley,  J.  H.,  ‘ The  Composition 

of  the  Cell-Wall  at  the  Apical  Meristem  of  Stem  and  Root. ’ Proc. 
Roy.  Soc.,  95  B.,  pp.  109-131,  1923. 

: o : 

The  Seasons  in  Wood  and  Valley,  by  E.  M.  Williams.  London  : 
Duckworth  & Co.,  244  pp.,  6/-  net.  This  is  a series  of  well-written  essays 
under  the  headings  of  the  various  months,  by  a nature  enthusiast  who  is 
evidently  as  familiar  with  the  wild  life  in  the  fields  as  he  is  friendly  with 
various  pets. 

The  Natural  History  of  Crystals,  by  A.  E.  H.  Tutton.  London  : 
Kegan  Paul,  Trench,  Trubner  & Co.,  Ltd.,  xiL  + 287  pp.,  15/-  net.  This 
volume  is  based  on  that  dealing  with  crystals  published  in  the  well- 
known  International  Scientific  Series  twelve  or  thirteen  years  ago,  but 
in  consequence  of  more  recent  researches  by  Professor  Bragg  and  others, 
the  whole  method  of  the  study  of  crystallography  has  been  altered. 
As  a consequence  the  work  is  entirely  re-written.  There  are  numerous 
photographs,  diagrams,  and  other  illustrations  in  the  present  work, 
and  in  the  twenty-two  chapters  the  author  seems  to  have  touched  upon 
every  possible  aspect  of  the  subject,  and  also  provides  a useful  glossary  of 
technical  terms.  To  quote  only  a few  of  these  chapters,  namely,  ‘ The 
Prescient  Work  of  Abbe  Hairy  ’ ; ‘ The  Seven  Styles  of  Crystal  Archi- 
tecture ’ ; ‘ How  Crystals  are  Described  ’ ; ‘ The  Simple  Law  limiting 
the  Number  of  possible  forms  ’ ; ‘ How  a Crystal  grows  from  a Solution  ’ ; 

‘ The  Distribution  of  Crystal  Faces  in  Zones,  and  the  Mode  of  Constructing 
a Plan  of  the  Faces  ’ ; ‘ The  Reflecting  Goniometer  ’ ; * The  Work  of 
Eilhardt  Mitscherlich  and  his  Discovery  of  Isomorphism,’  gives  an  idea 
of  the  character  of  the  work.  Students  unquestionably  will  find  the 
volume  meeting  all  their  requirements. 

A Popular  Geology,  by  William  Platt.  The  Sheldon  Press,  118 
pp.,  2/6.  This  type  of  ‘popular  ’ book  should  be  discouraged  rather 
than  recommended.  In  England  there  is  no  dearth  of  excellent  elementary 
text -books  in  geology.  As  a ‘ popular  ' geology,  however,  the  book 
under  review  fails.  It  is  written  generally  in  the  first  person,  innumerable 
questions  are  asked  in  the  text,  and  tiresome  anecdotes  are  included. 
The  reader  is  thus  bored  before  he  has  a chance  to  be  interested.  The 
tectonics  of  the  eastern  counties  have  been  simplified  remarkably  by  the 
author,  as  we  read  that  ‘ Yorkshire  has  been  submerged  four  times  under 
the  sea,  coming  up  again  after  each  submergence,  to  be  submerged  again 
in  later  ages.’  The  map  on  p.  41  is  very  misleading,  as  it  indicates, 
chalk  as  the  ‘ surface  rock  ’ covering  the  whole  of  East  Yorkshire  from 
Spurn  to  Filey.  In  his  description  the  author  has  ignored  the  presence 
of  Boulder  Clay  in  this  area,  and  we  fear  he  would  have  to  walk  a long  way 
along  the  coast  from  Spurn  northwards  before  he  encountered  ‘ a great 
mass  of  chalk.’  Glacial  clays  are  referred  to  later  on,  however,  as  we 
read  ‘when  a builder  is  digging  the  foundations  of  a house  he  will  find, 
a foot  under  the  clay,  a huge  block  as  big  as  a dining  table  ....  the 
builder  will  be  glad,  for  on  such  a rock  he  can  build  any  house,’  and  so  on. 
— G.S. 


1924  July  1 


O 


210 


FIELD  NOTES. 

BIRDS . 

Nesting  of  the  Lesser  Spotted  Woodpecker  at  Brad- 
ford.— On  May  29th,  1922,  Master  Jeff.  Gamble  obtained 
four  eggs  from  a hole  in  a tree  in  the  grounds  of  ‘ Thornfield/ 
Frizinghall,  Bradford,  which  proved  to  be  those  of  the  Lesser 
Spotted  Woodpecker,  a rare  bird  in  this  district.  I have  to 
thank  Mr.  M.  Malone  for  obtaining  full  data  and  a sight  of 
the  eggs.  I am  also  indebted  to  Mr.  Atten  for  having  first 
brought  it  to  our  knowledge.  Mr.  Atten  says  that  he  has 
seen  the  Lesser  Spotted  Woodpecker  in  Northcliffe  Wood, 
Shipley,  which  is  within  two  miles  of  the  site  where  it  nested 
at  Frizinghall. — H.  B.  Booth,  Ben  Rhydding. 

Osprey  at  Scarborough. — On  April  30th  and  May  1st 
a fine  Osprey  in  mature  plumage  visited  the  neighbourhood 
of  Oliver’s  Mount  and  the  Mere  at  Scarborough.  On  both  days 
it  was  seen  on  several  occasions  to  take  a fish  out  of  the  Mere 
and  fly  with  it  to  a tree  in  the  wood  near  by,  where  the  prey 
was  speedily  devoured.  While  on  the  branch  of  a Scots  Pine 
in  the  wood,  on  the  second  day  of  its  visit,  the  bird  was  con- 
tinually harried  by  a pair  of  Carrion  Crows,  to  which  its  pres- 
ence seemed  to  be  objectionable,  but  of  their  presence  very 
little  notice  was  taken.  Mr.  W.  J.  Clarke  and  I watched  the 
bird  for  an  hour  on  May  1st  through  powerful  binoculars, 
and  were  delighted  to  observe  the  graceful  curves  it  made 
whilst  flying  above  the  water  on  the  look-out  for  prey.  Since 
the  above  dates  nothing  has  been  heard  of  it  in  the  district, 
and  it  is  hoped  the  bird  has  passed  on  to  its  nesting  grounds 
in  safety. — -T.  N.  Roberts,  Scarborough. 

— : o : — 

MAMMALS. 

Last  of  the  Red  Deer  of  Bolton  Abbey. — When  it 
was  decided  to  do  away  with  the  herd  of  Red  Deer  at  Bolton 
Abbey,  in  1921  ( The  Naturalist,  1922,  pp.  370-371),  two 
stags  escaped  from  the  Deer  Park.  For  nearly  three  years 
they  have  lived  a free  life  in  the  wild  surrounding  fells,  and 
have  defied  all  attempts  to  capture  or  to  shoot  them.  During 
the  very  cold  weather  of  February  last  they  risked  coming 
into  the  valley  for  food,  when  they  were  followed  to  their 
hiding  place  by  their  tracks  in  the  snow  and  were  shot.  This 
brings  to  an  end  a fine  herd  of  Red  Deer  which  many  believed 
to  have  been  the  lineal  descendants  of  the  native  wild  deer 
which  lived  in  a feral  state  in  this  district  ; infused  with 
fresh  blood  by  stags  brought  from  Scotland  from  time  to  time. 
To  the  local  lover  of  Nature  it  is  a great  loss.  The  cutting 
down  of  expenses  is  said  to  be  the  reason. — H.  B.  Booth,  Ben 
Rhydding. 


Naturalist 


Monthly  Rainfall  for  River  Wharfe. 


21 1 


THE  PLANKTON  OF  THE  RIVER  WHARFE. 


R.  W.  BUTCHER. 


(' Continued  from  page  186). 
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-These  figures  have  been  kindly  supplied  by  the  British  Rainfall  Association.  (10.) 


212  Butcher  : The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe. 

There  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  the  Protococcales  are 
washed  in  in  a similar  way,  as  the  floods  never  increase  the 
number  of  these  organisms.  Tetraspora  gelatinosa  probably 
has  its  origin  in  the  tributaries  of  the  upper  part  of  the  river 
basin  where  it  is  abundant  in  May  (cf.  Report  of  Botanical 
Section  (9)). 

These  facts  suggest  that  there  is  not  only  a washing  in 
effect  to  be  considered,  but  also  some  influence  which  sorts 
out  the  species  which  are  carried  into  the  stream,  favouring 
particularly  several  species  of  Diatoms. 

(iii. ) Chemical  Changes. — An  indication  of  the  effect 
of  rainfall  on  the  composition  of  the  water  is  shown  in  Table 
IV.,  the  data  being  kindly  supplied  by  the  West  Riding 
Rivers  Board.  These  figures  do  not  exactly  coincide  with 
the  time  of  my  observations,  but  they  are  sufficient  indication 
of  the  nature  of  the  change  brought  about . 


TABLE  IV. 

Composition  of  River  Wharfe  at  Pool. 


Date. 

Rainfall 

previous  previous 
2 days.  week. 

Nitrates. 

Organic 

nitrogen. 

Oxygen  absorbed  from 
N/80  permanganate 
in  4 hrs.  at  26‘7°C. 

Total  hard- 
ness in 
terms  of 
CaC03 

4-  3-21 

0-64 

0-69 

•03 

0-74 

0-07 

8-1 

3-  6-21 

0-00 

0-11 

•01 

0-48 

0-14 

13-3 

2-  9-21 

1-09 

2-38 

•04 

0-76 

0-69 

9-1 

2-12-21 

0-04  ! 

0-10 

•06 

0-44 

0-30 

12-7 

The  chief  points  to  note  are  that  the  amount  of  nitrates 
shews  seasonal  variation  being  low  in  the  summer,  and  that 
abundant  rainfall  increases  the  amount  of  nitrates  and  organic 
nitrogen  and  decreases  total  hardness.  Oxygen  absorption 
appears  to  be  seasonal  and  not  dependent  on  floods.  As 
pointed  out  by  Pearsall  (5),  this  increase  of  nitrates  during 
flood  periods  should  favour  an  increase  of  those  organisms, 
such  as  Diatoms,  that  favour  a water  rich  in  nitrates.  Here 
is  evidently  an  additional  factor  to  consider,  that  coincides 
with  the  washing  in  from  the  back-waters,  and  will  increase 
the  predominance  in  the  river  of  the  group  most  influenced 
by  this  factor,  namely,  the  Diatoms. 

Factors  Influencing  the  Main  Periodicity. — It  remains 
yet  to  consider  the  main  periodicity  ; the  spring  maximum  of 
Diatoms  and  the  late  summer  maximum  of  Protococcales. 
Since  this  appears  to  be  seasonal,  sunshine,  temperature,  and 
available  food  will  be  the  chief  factors. 

1.  The  Diatom  Maximum. — This  comes  at  a time  when 
nitrates  are  abundant  and  before  the  brightest  part  of  the 


Naturalist 


Butcher : The  Plankton  of  the  River  Wharfe.  213 

year.  A plentiful  supply  of  food  will  mean  rapid  growth, 
and,  if  there  be  no  flood,  available  food  will  decrease  in  geo- 
metrical progression.  Hence  the  decrease  of  Diatoms  will 
be  very  rapid,  due  to  the  using  up  of  the  available  food. 
This  sudden  decrease  is  shown  well  in  the  dry  summer  of  1921. 
The  supply  of  oxygen  may  also  be  a limiting  factor,  but  the 
Wharfe  is  a rapid  river  in  its  upper  course,  and  the  water  is 
apparently  well  aerated.  There  is,  likewise,  always  a good 
supply  of  organic  matter.  Here  again  temperature  does 
not  appear  to  have  much  influence,  as  the  diatom  maximum 
comes  some  time  before  the  temperature  maximum. 

The  diatom  periodicity  can  be  divided  into  two  portions, 
the  early  Melosira  phase  from  November  to  March  and  a 
Synedra-Diatoma  phase  from  March  onwards. 

What  decides  this  succession  of  genera  is  not  shown  in 
the  results  of  this  investigation. 

2.  The  Protococcales  Maximum. — This  comes  at  the 
time  of  high  temperature  and  most  abundant  sunshine  : it 
was  more  marked  in  the  bright  year  of  1921  than  in  the  wetter 
year  of  1922,  when  the  maximum  was  later  and  not  so  great. 
Available  carbon  dioxide  is  doubtless  also  a factor.  Re- 
ference to  Table  IV.  will  show  the  hardness,  in  terms  of 
CaC03  is  greatest  during  the  Protococcales  Maximum,  and  so, 
available  food  may  again  be  regarded  as  an  important  factor. 
Amount  of  sunshine  also  affects  assimilation,  and  the  time 
when  sunshine  is  greatest  coincides  with  the  Protococcales 
Maximum.  It  is  difficult  to  decide  what  influence  temperature, 
as  such,  has  at  this  period,  as  it  is  intimately  associated  with 
the  maximum  sunshine.  It  possibly  favours  the  more  rapid 
liberation  of  the  carbon  dioxide  from  the  available  calcium 
bi-carbonate  in  the  water,  and  also  cell  division. 

The  chief  species  of  this  maximum  are  Gonatozygon  mono- 
iaenium,  Tetraspora  gelatinosa,  Ankistrodesmus  falcatus  and 
Scenedesmus.  The  first  species  is  considered  rare  in  the 
county,  and  it  seems  that  the  washing  in  of  this  from  back- 
waters, where  it  has  not  been  observed,  is  unlikely  ; so  it  is 
possible  we  here  have  an  example  of  what  Zimmer  (8)  terms 
an  ‘ autopotamic  5 organism. 

True  and  False  Plankton. — The  difficulties  of  deciding 
which  of  the  organisms  observed  are  ‘ tychopotamic  ’ and 
which  are  * autopotamic  ’ are  evident  because  of  the  various 
backwaters  and  gathering  grounds  of  any  river  basin,  and  so 
no  attempt  to  divide  the  species  is  made  in  this  paper.  A 
further  study  of  the  chief  gathering  grounds  of  the  Wharfe 
(the  Washburn  reservoirs),  is  now  being  undertaken,  and  this 
may  throw  light  on  the  origin  of  some  species,  but  one  striking 
fact  already  observed  is  the  comparative  abundance  of  some 
species  in  the  reservoirs  which  are  absent  in  the  river. 


1924  July  1 


214 


Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies. 


My  very  best  thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  W.  H.  Pearsall  for  his 
generous  help  with  and  criticism  of  this  investigation. 

REFERENCES. 

1.  Fritsch,  F.  E.,  ‘ The  Phytoplankton  of  the  River  Thames,’  Ann. 

Bot.,  17,  1903. 

2.  Fritsch,  F.  E.,  ‘ The  Plankton  of  some  English  Rivers,’  Ann.  Bot., 

19,  1905. 

3.  Fritsch,  F.  E.,  and  Rich,  F.,  ‘ Biology  and  Ecology  of  the  Algal 

Flora  of  Abbot’s  Pool  near  Bristol,’  Proc.  Bristol  Naturalists' 

Society,  4th  Series,  II.,  1909. 

4.  Kofoid,  C.  A.,  ‘ Plankton  of  the  Illinois  River,  1894-99,’  Bull 

State  Lab.  Nat.  Hist.,  6,  1903. 

5.  Pearsall,  W.  H.,  ‘A  Suggestion  as  to  Factors  influencing  the 

Distribution  of  Free-floating  Vegetation,’  Journ.  of  Ecology, 

9,  1922. 

6.  Pearsall,  W.  H.,  ‘A  Theory  of  Diatom  Periodicity,’  Journ.  of 

Ecology,  11,  1922. 

7.  West,  G.  S.,  ‘ Algae,’  Vol.  I.,  Cambridge  Univ.  Press. 

8.  Zimmer,  C.,  ‘ Das  tiersche  Plankton  der  Oder,’  Forschungsber  a.d. 

Biol.  Station  zu  Plon,  vii.,  1899. 

9.  ‘ Report  of  the  Botanical  Section.’  The  Naturalist,  November,  1921. 

10.  ‘ British  Rainfall,  1921  and  1922.’  H.M.  Stationery  Office. 

: o : 

The  Transactions  of  the  Entomological  Society  of  London,  issued 
on  April  15th,  contain  a paper  on  ‘ Some  Coleopterous  Remains  from 
the  Peat-bed  at  Wolvercote,  Oxfordshire, ’ by  K.  G.  Blair. 

The  principal  papers  in  The  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the 
Perthshire  Society  of  Natural  Science,  Volume  VII.,  Part  5,  are  ‘Geo- 
logical Deductions  from  the  Strata  passed  through  in  the  Artesian  Boring 
at  the  Water  House,  Perth,  August,  1917,’  by  Henry  Coates  ; and 
Potamogetons  of  the  Earn  District  of  Perthshire,’  by  J.  R.  Matthews. 

We  have  received  the  Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Worthing  Archceo- 
logical  Society  which,  besides  a record  of  useful  work  during  the  year, 
includes  a Report  on  the  Broadwater  Excavations,  which  also  refers 
to  an  extraordinary  accumulation  of  oyster  shells  including  mediaeval 
remains.  The  present  membership  of  the  Society  is  254,  including  one 
honorary  member . 

Volume  LI.  of  The  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Philosophical  Society 
of  Glasgow  contains  an  excellent  record  of  the  useful  work  accomplished 
by  that  Society,  and  is  edited  by  the  Secretary,  Professor  P.  Bennett. 
Among  the  important  papers  printed  are  ‘ Wireless  Telephony,’  by 
C.  R.  Gibson  ; ‘ Earthquakes  and  Earthquake  Waves,’  by  Prof.  C.  G. 
Knott  ; ‘ Isotopes,’  by  F.  W.  Aston  ; ‘ Some  Theories  of  Light,’  by  Dr. 
J.  Muir  ; ‘ Einstein’s  Theory  of  Relativity,’  by  J.  Dougall  ; and  ‘ The 
Progress  of  Education  in  Scotland  during  the  last  Fifty  Years,’  by  J. 
Clark . 

The  Transactions  of  the  British  Mycological  Society,  published  on  the 
31st  March,  contain  the  following  valuable  communications,  most  of 
which  refer  to  Britain  : — The  Bristol  Foray — The  Lichens  of  the  Bristol 
Foray,'  by  W.  Watson  ; ‘ Observations  on  some  Scottish  Uredineae 

and  Ustilagineae,’  by  M.  Wilson  ; ‘ Observations  on  Camarosporium 

Abietis  n.  sp.,’  by  M.  Wilson  and  R.  B.  Anderson  ; ‘ A Rhizoctonia 

causing  Root  Disease  in  Uganda,’  by  W.  Small  ; ‘ Observations  on 

the  “Slime-fluxes  ’’  of  Trees,’  by  L.  Ogilvie  ; ‘Notes  on  Rhytisma 
Acerinum  and  Rhyisma  Pseudoplatani ,’  by  R.  Bracher  ; ‘ Hormodendron 
olivaceum  (Corda)  Bon — A New  British  Record,’  by  F.  C.  F.  Robertson. 


Naturalist 


215 


PLANT  GALLS  OF  THE  HUDDERSFIELD  DISTRICT, 


WM.  FALCONER,  F.E.S., 
Waterloo,  Liverpool. 


(' Continued  from  page  156). 

Atrichosema  aceris  Kieff.  On  maple,  Cawthorn,  in  hedge  of  a garden 
between  Jowett  House  Farm  and  the  mill,  bordering  the  roadside. 
The  leaves  of  the  same  maples  are  crowded  with  Eriophyes  mac- 
rorrhyncus,  amongst  which  are  deep  conical  pits,  agent  not  seen. 
Mr.  Mosley  noted  the  latter  also  in  another  locality  near  Cawthorn. 

Pervisia  fraxini  Kieff.  Wherever  the  ash  grows,  in  plenty. 

P . acrophila  Winn.,  on  ash,  Ainley  Place,  rare. 

P.  fraxinea  Kieff.  On  ash,  Ainley  Place  bottoms  and  Barrett  Clough 
(Slaithwaite ),  Cat’s  Clough,  Millshaw  (Holmfirth),  Nortonthorpe, 
Coxley  Valley. 

Oligotrophus  bursarius  Bremi.  On  ground  ivy,  plentiful  where  it  occurs, 
in  a garden  at  Lockwood,  S.  L.  M.  ; Lascelles  Hall,  Shepley  Mill 
Dam,  and  Farnley  Wood  ( Almondbury ) . 

Pervisia  stachydis  Bremi.  Thunder  Bridge,  rare. 

P.  galeobdolonits  Winn.  On  yellow  archangel.  Thunder  Bridge  and  Dog- 
ley  Bank.  Other  Yorkshire  locality,  Roundhay  Park  Gorge, 
Leeds . 

P.  veronicce  Vail.  On  Germander  Speedwell,  several  fields  about  Wil- 
berlee  and  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite),  Smithy  Place  (Honley), 
Thunder  Bridge,  New  Mill,  Cat’s  Clough  (Millshaw),  Bradley, 
Cannon  Hall  Park,  Banks  Wood  (Emley). 

P.  galli  H.  Low.  On  G.  verum,  Smithy  Brook,  Middletown,  on  a roadside 
wall. 

P.  aparines  Kieff.  In  a ditch  in  a small  wood  between  High  Hoyland 
and  Cawthorn,  one  example  on  goosegrass . 

P.  hygrophila  Mik.  On  G.  palustre,  Coxley  Valley,  pond  near  Carr 
Wood,  and  wood  near  the  home  farm,  Cannon  Hall. 

P.  penclywieni  Rubs.  Deffer  Wood,  and  Lepton  Great  Wood,  in  plenty  ; 
Sun  Dean  on  Crosland  Moor  side,  on  common  honeysuckle. 

P.  trachelii  Wachtl.  On  hairbell,  Varley  Road  and  Wilberlee  (Slaith- 
waite), Shrogg  Lane  (Kirkheaton),  not  common,  but  seen  several 
times  in  these  localities,  low  down,  hidden  amongst  grass. 

Misopatha  ptavmicce  Vail.  On  sneezewort,  Upper  Denby  and  Farnley 
Fley,  S.  L.  M.  ; Dean  House  (Holmfirth),  W.  E.  L.  Wattam  ; 
about  Slaithwaite,  Marsden  and  Diggle,  Cat’s  Clough  (Millshaw), 
Carr  Wood  (Woodsome),  Gunthwaite,  Bradley. 

Cecidomyia  spec.  On  sneezewort,  canal  bank  between  Bradley  and 
Huddersfield  ; terminal  leaves  massed  into  a loose  bud,  larva  red. 

Rhopalomyia  millefolii  H.  Low.  On  yarrow,  Lepton,  S.  L.  M.,  fields 
at  Wilberlee  (Slaithwaite  by  the  canal  at  Bradley,  low  down, 
hidden  amongst  the  grass.  On  the  leaves,  Wood  Nook,  Slaith- 
waite, Miss  J.  Grainger,  but  in  no  quantity. 

P.  tanaceti folia  Karsch.  On  tansy,  leaves,  flowers,  stems  and  in  masses 
at  nodes,  river  and  canal  from  Bradley  to  Mirfield,  in  plenty  ; 
Slaithwaite  churchyard.  Other  Yorkshire  locality,  Skipwith 
Common . 

Urophova  solstitialis  Linn.  On  black  knapweed,  off  Shrogg  Lane, 
Kirkheaton,  S.  L.  M.  ; on  the  railway  tip  at  Kirkheaton. 

Sfictodiplosis  jacobacce  H.  Low.  On  common  ragwort.  Bottoms  Wood 
(Slaithwaite),  Fixby  and  Bradley  ; on  marsh  ragwort.  Low 
Shaw  Carr  Wood  (Slaithwaite)  ; on  groundsel,  Clough  House 
(Slaithwaite),  and  near  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome). 


1924  July  1 


2l6 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 


Perrisia  virgce-aurece  Lieb.  On  golden  rod,  corn  mill  tip,  Hollins  Row, 
Slaithwaite. 

Carphotricha  papillata  Fallen  ( Trypeta  reticulata).  On  hawkweeds, 
first  on  H.  vulgatum  (aggr.)  and  sciaphilum  ; later  on  H.  boreale  ; 
very  abundant  by  river  and  canal  from  Saddleworth  to  Ravens - 
thorpe,  and  for  a wide  area  around  Huddersfield. 

Perrisia  nervicola  Kieff . On  H . Pilosella,  in  a field  at  Wilberlee  (Slaith- 
waite ) . 

P.  cirsii  Rubs.  On  Carduus  arvensis,  by  canal  between  Hoylehouse  and 
Milnsbridge. 

Misopatha  syngenesice  H.  Low.  On  scentless  mayweed,  Kirkheaton 
railway  tip. 

Clinorrhyncha  chrysanthemi  H.  Low.  On  the  same. 

Homoptera  (47  forms). 

Chermes  strobilobius  Kalt.  On  spruce,  Deffer  Wood. 

C.  abietis  Kalt.  On  spruce,  Boothroyd  Wood,  S.  L.  M.  ; Smith  Wood 
(Storthes  Hall),  Deffer  Wood,  Banks  Wood  (Emley). 

Brachycolus  stellarice  Hdy.  Abundant  on  Holcus  mollis,  much  less  so 
on  Agrostis.  On  Stellaria  holostea,  Clayton  West,  Meltham  Mills, 
Banks  Wood  and  Lezzer  Lane  (Emley),  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome). 

Pemphigus  bursarius  Linn.  On  Lombardy  Poplar,  Dalton,  Meltham 
Mills,  New  Mill,  Wooldale,  Brockholes  ; on  black  poplar,  several 
places  about  Slaithwaite,  Armitage  Bridge,  Ponty  Gardens,  Hall 
Ings,  Brockholes,  Cannon  Hall  Park. 

P.  spirotherce  Pass.  On  black  poplar,  Cannon  Hall  Park. 

P.  filaginis  Fuse.  On  black  poplar.  Cannon  Hall  Park. 

P.  affinis  Kalt.  On  black  poplar,  Beaumont  Park  and  Ponty  Gardens, 
S.L.M.  ; Slaithwaite,  Kirkburton,  Hopton  Mills,  Cannon  Hall  Park. 
On  Lombardy  poplar,  Dalton,  Woodsome  Lees  and  Meltham  Mills. 

Asterodiaspis  quercicola  Bche.  Roadside  above  Mag  Wood,  Armitage 
Bridge,  Raikes  Dyke,  Honley  Old  Wood,  Sun  Dean,  and  Shrogg 
Lane  (Kirkheaton).  The  other  Yorkshire  locality,  Wothersome. 

Callipterus  quercus  Kalt.  On  oak,  Barrett  Clough  (Slaithwaite),  Sun 
Dean,  Lower  Butternab  Wood,  plentiful. 

Phyllaphis  fagi  Linn.  On  beech,  Slaithwaite,  Armitage  Bridge,  Honley 
Old  Wood,  Ravensknowle  Park. 

Aphis  atriplicis  Linn.  On  A.  patula,  common  and  plentiful  where  it 
occurs.  On  Chenopodium  album,  Fixby,  Mirfield,  Cawthorn. 

Schizoneura  ulmi  Linn.  On  U.  montana  and  campestris,  widespread  and 
plentiful. 

Aphis  urticce  Fabr.  On  nettle,  near  Fixby. 

A.  rumicis  Linn.  On  R.  obtusifolius  Linn,  Wilberlee,  Meltham,  Fixby, 
Woodsome,  Sun  Dean,  Thunder  Bridge,  etc.  On  R.  acetosa, 
canal  between  Bradley  and  Brighouse. 

Hyalopterus  melanocephalus  Bktn.  On  bladder  campion,  Kirkheaton 
railway  tip,  by  the  canal  at  Bradley,  and  by  the  roadside  at 
Smithy  Brook  (Middlestown). 

Rhopalosiphum  ribis  Linn.\  Both  species  present,  especially  on  black  cur- 

Myzus  ribis  Linn.  / rant  ; also  the  red  variety  and  gooseberry. 

Aphis  brassicce  Linn.  In  flowers  of  charlock,  Mirfield. 

A.  pyri  Fonsc.  On  crab  apple.  Lepton,  Barrett  Clough,  Drop  Clough, 
Crosland  Edge. 

A.  pomi  Kalt.  On  the  same,  Whitley  Woods,  S.  L.  M. 

Myzoxylus  laniger  Hausm.  On  cultivated  apple,  the  ‘ American  blight,’ 
Kirkheaton,  in  the  vicarage  grounds,  and  Storthes  Hall,  S.  L.  M.  ; 
Gunthwaite  Hall.  On  crab  apple,  Thorpes,  near  Almondbury. 

Aphis  padi  Linn.  On  blackthorn.  Hall  Heys  Wood,  Royal  Clough 
(Scammonden),  Thunder  Bridge,  Clayton  West,  Gunthwaite, 
Emley.  On  bird  cherry,  Slaithwaite,  Dean  Head,  Cawthorn. 


Naturalist 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District.  217 

A.  sorbi  Kalt.  On  mountain  ash,  Cat’s  Clough  (Millshaw),  Honley  Old 
Wood,  Defter  Wood,  Drop  Clough,  Barrett  Clough. 

Hyalopterus  pruni  Fabr.  On  cultivated  plum  in  a garden  at  Broad  Oak 
(Linthwaite),  and  in  the  Rectory  garden,  Emley. 

Nectarosiphum  rubi  Kalt.  On  Rubus  frulicosus,  Drop  Clough  and  the 
old  lane  leading  out  of  Honley  Old  Wood  to  Wilshaw  (verified 
by  Mr.  F.  V.  Theobald)  . 

Aphis  cvatcegi  Schrk.  On  hawthorn.  Lower  Butternab  Wood  and  Kirk- 
heat  on  . 

Psylla  cvatcegi  Schrk.  On  hawthorn,  Beaumont  Park,  S.  L.  M.  ; near 
Barrett  Clough. 

P.  buxi  Linn.  On  box,  Beaumont  Park  and  Fleming  Houses  Lane 
(Huddersfield),  Kirkheaton  Churchyard,  Netherton,  Kirkburton, 
Clayton  West,  Cannon  Hall  and  Cawthorn. 

Aphis  epilobii  Kalt.  On  Epilobium  montanum,  Drop  Clough. 

A.  hederce  Kalt.  On  ivy,  overhanging  a garden  wall  at  New  Mill,  in 
abundance. 

Psyllopsis  fvaxini  Linn.  On  ash,  abundant  and  widespread. 

Aphis  anthvisci  Kalt.  On  hedge  parsley,  border  of  Cannon  Hall 
Park. 

Phovodon  galeopsidis  Kalt.  On  hemp  nettle,  in  a field  of  oats,  Holthead, 
Slaithwaite . 

Macrosiphum  alliavice  Koch.  On  nipplewort,  Greenside  Allotments, 
Dalton,  and  near  Farnley  Hey. 

Aphis  vibuvni  Scop.  On  guelder  rose,  Banks  Wood  (Emley),  Coxley 
Valley,  Carr  Wood  (Woodsome),  and  Honley  Old  Wood. 

Acari  (49  forms ) . 

The  names  of  the  gall  mites  were  included  in  the  ‘ Mites  of  Yorkshire,  ’ 

published  in  The  Naturalist,  1923,  June,  pp.  215-218,  and  August, 

pp.  267-8 — 49  forms — and  are  not  now  repeated. 

Anguillulid^e  (6  forms). 

Heterodera  vadicicola  Greeff.  On  Poa  pvatensis,  irregular  and  bent  swell- 
ings on  the  roots,  on  the  top  of  the  boundary  wall  of  the  Grammar 
School  at  Almondbury,  by  the  roadside,  near  the  point  where  the 
bushes  cease.  Numbers  can  be  readily  seen  by  lifting  up  the 
mass  from  the  stones. 

Tylenchus  devastatrix  Kuhn.  On  couch  grass,  bulbous  swellings  at  the 
base  of  the  stems,  near  Brockholes,  S.  L.  M.  ; on  Trifolium 
pratense,  in  a disused  roadside  quarry  near  Farnley  Tyas. 

Tylenchus  spec.  On  Pimpinella  saxifraga,  stem  swellings  midway  up, 
near  Woodsome  Lees. 

Anguilluli  ? spec.  On  Hypochceris  radicata,  elongated  swellings  on  the 
midribs  and  shorter  ones  on  the  blades  of  the  leaves,  yellow  green 
below  and  reddish  above,  Houard,  6040  ; old  lane  at  the  foot  of 
Hall  Heys  Wood,  Crosland  Edge  ; above  Boothroyd  Wood  and 
near  Thunder  Bridge,  by  the  roadside. 

Tylenchus  spec.  On  dandelion,  similar  swellings  to  the  last  named,  but 
on  the  flowering  scapes  in  addition,  near  Farnley  Tyas  towards 
Storthes  Hall,  by  the  roadside  ; at  the  crossroads  by  the  lodge 
below  Almondbury  Grammar  School  ; between  Kirkburton  and 
Thunder  Bridge  and  above  Boothroyd  Wood  (Storthes). 

Fungi  (23  forms) 

Epichloe  typhina  Pers.  On  canal  bank  between  Slaithwaite  and  Drop 
Clough,  and  at  Thurstonland,  grass  not  stated,  S.  L.  M.  ; on 
Air  a cespitosa,  Tanyard  Wood  (Kirkburton)  and  Gunthwaite. 


1924  July  l 


2l8 


Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield  District. 


Sckinzia  cypericola  Magnus.  On  toad  rush,  in  a wet  field  at  Goat  Hill, 
Upper  Slaithwaite. 

Taphrina  aurea  Fr.  On  Lombardy  poplar,  New  Mill,  Wooldale,  in  a wet 
place  bordering  Deffer  Wood  by  footpath  to  Jowett  House  Farm 
(Cawthorn)  ; near  Storthes  Hall,  by  roadside  from  Farnley  Tyas 
to  Thurstonland. 

Exoascus  spec.  On  beech,  witches  broom.  Lower  Millshaw,  Holmfirtb, 
Mr.  J.  Allsopp. 

E.  turgidus  Sdbk.  Witches  brooms,  on  birch,  Bottoms  Wood  (Slaith- 
waite), Wooldale,  Storthes  Hall  Wood,  Mollicar  Wood,  Lepton 
Great  Wood.  On  elm,  Toothill,  Mollicar  Woods,  Lepton  Great 
Wood,  Morley  Lane  (Milnsbridge)  and  Snow  Lea  (Longwood). 
On  oak,  Storthes  Hall  Wood,  Rowley  Hill,  in  a field  ; bottom  of 
Arundel  Lane  near  Cartworth  Moor.  On  broad-leaved  lime^ 
Meltham  Road  in  the  angle  of  the  Park  Valley  Mills  below  Beau- 
mont Park.  On  horse  chestnut,  Beaumont  Park,  Mr.  Sedley. 

E.  deformans  Fiickl.  Witches  brooms,  on  cherry  trees,  Grimescar  Wood, 
Whitley  Woods,  Birks  Mill  Lane,  Almondbury  (small  tree  killed 
by  it),  Storthes  Hall  Wood,  Broom  Stile  (Kirkburton),  Deffer 
Wood,  by  footpath  to  Jowett  House  Farm  (twenty  examples  on 
one  of  the  trees)  . On  hawthorn.  Harden  Clough,  Meltham, 
S.  L.  M.  ; in  a field  below  Barrett,  Slaithwaite,  sawn  off  by  the 
farmer  later,  but  photo  extant. 

E.  alnitorquus  Winter.  On  alder  leaves,  Barrett  Clough..,  Drop  Clough, 
Boothroyd  Wood  (Storthes)  and  Mollicar  Woods. 

Frankiella  alni  R.  Maire.  On  alder,  Clough  House  (Slaithwaite)  ; 

Mollicar  Wood,  Dogley  Mill  dam,  and  Lepton  Great  Wood. 
TJrocystis  anemones  Vers.  On  Ranunculus  acris,  by  the  stream  side  be- 
tween Kirkheaton  and  Gawthorpe  Green.  On  R.  repens,  Coxley 
Valley  and  within  railway  fence,  Lower  Butternab  Wood,  in 
plenty. 

Plasmodiophora  brassicce  Wrnn.  On  swede,  Outlane,  S.  L.  M. 

Cystopus  candidus  Lev.  On  shepherd’s  purse,  the  rectory  garden  at 
Emley. 

( Ecidium  grossularice  Gmel.  GEcidial  stage  of  Puccinia  pringsheimiana 
Kleb,  on  gooseberry  leaves.  Wood  Nook,  Slaithwaite,  Miss  J. 
Grainger. 

Coniothyrium  fuckelii  Sacc.  Hoylehouse  Clough  (Linthwaite)  and  Sun 
Dean.  Other  Yorkshire  locality,  Beast  Cliff,  north  of  Scarborough. 
Puccinia  tumida  Grev.*  On  earthnut,  fields  about  Wilberlee,  Clough 
House  and  Ainley  Place  (Slaithwaite). 

P.  menthcB  Pers.  On  garden  mint,  Broad  Oak,  Linthwaite. 

Canker,  on  various  forest  trees  not  enumerated,  probably  due  to  Nectria 
ditissima  Tul. 

Attention  is  drawn  to  a gall  at  the  base  of  plants  of 
Chrysanthemum  giganteum  in  a garden  at  Broad  Oak,  Linth- 
waite. The  basal  buds  become  much  hypertrophied,  and 
further  growth  is  prevented.  No  agent  has  been  found,  but 
the  formation  of  the  gall,  except  that  there  are  a large  number 
together,  fits  the  description  of  Rhofialomyia  hypogcea  F.  Low. 
No.  5732  in  Houard’s  work.  Specimens  were  shown  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  Entomological  Section  of  the  Union  in 
Dec.  1922,  at  Leeds. 


* See  The  Naturalist,  Nov.  1920,  p.  360. 


Naturalist 


219 


NEW  YORKSHIRE  RECORDS  OF  HEMIPTERA. 


GEO.  B.  WALSH,  B.SC., 

Scarborough. 

The  following  notes  add  to  our  knowledge  of  the  distribution 
of  Hemiptera  in  Yorkshire,  especially  in  V.C.  62.  In  a few 
cases  I have  had  the  benefit  of  some  records  made  by  Mr.  E. 

C.  Horrell,  preserved  in  the  record-books  of  the  Scarborough 
Field  Naturalists’  Society  ; all  other  records,  unless  definitely 
stated  otherwise,  are  my  own.  Ten  species  and  one  variety 
of  Heteroptera  and  five  species  and  one  variety  of  Homoptera 
are  new  to  the  County  list.  I am  indebted  to  Messrs.  J.  M. 
Brown  and  James  Edwards  for  help  with  some  of  the  doubtful 
species. 

f=New  to  the  County.  * = New  to  the  Vice-county. 

The  numbers  refer  to  the  Watsonian  Vice-counties. 

Heteroptera. 

PieZodorus  lituratus  F.  One  specimen  beaten  out  of  gorse  in  November, 
A.  E.  Winter.  One  specimen  in  a garden,  G.B.W.  Both  from 
Scarborough,  62*. 

Acanthosoma  hamorrhoidale  L.  Scarborough,  in  a garden.  On 
mountain  ash  above  Staintondale,  62*. 

Elasmostethus  interstinctus  L.  Not  uncommon  on  birches  on  Seamer 
Moor,  62*. 

Zicrona  ccerulea  L.  Near  Fylingdales,  D.  W.  Bevan. 

Myrmus  miriformis  Fall.  Pickering,  62*. 

Nysius  thymi  Wolff.  Spurn,  61*. 

Ischnorhynchus  erica  Horv.  Seamer  Moor,  Scalby  High  Moor, 

Ravenscar.  It  is  probably  common  on  heather  on  all  the  moors 
in  the  Scarborough  district. 

Rhyparochromus  pratextatus  H.S.  Spurn,  under  Erodium.  This  con- 
firms the  only  Yorkshire  record  of  ‘ near  Hull,  J.  Young  ’ ( The 
Naturalist,  1921,  p.  334). 

Macrodema  micropterum  Curt.  Silpho  Moor,  E.  C.  Horrell,  62*. 
f Plinthisus  brevipennis  Latr.  Cloughton,  E.C.H.  The  most  northern 
record  of  this  species  has  hitherto  been  Cheshire. 

Stygnocoris  fuligineus  Geoff r.  In  the  sand-pit  at  Flixton. 
f Peritrechus  sylvestris  F.  Spurn. 

Trapezonotus  arenarius  L.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  Hayburn  Wyke,  North 
Cave. 

Drymus  sylvaticus  F.  Silpho  Moor,  E.  C.  Horrell.  Pickering,  62*. 
North  Cave,  61*. 

D.  brunneus  Sahib.  Bubwith,  61*.  Hayburn  Wyke. 

Scolopostethus  af/inis  Schill.  Bridlington. 

S.  thomsoni  Rent.  Forge  Valley,  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

S.  decoratus  Hahn.  Ravenscar,  62*.  North  Cave, 
t Taphropeltus  contractus  H.S.  Spurn.  It  is  strange  that  this  common 
species  has  not  been  recorded  before  for  the  county, 
f Berytus  minor  H.S.  North  Cave. 

j Metacanthus  punctipes  Germ.  Common  on  Ononis  in  one  restricted  spot 
on  the  Humber  Bank  near  Welwick,  T.  Stainforth,  G.B.W. 
\Piesma  quadrata  Fieb.  Abundant  on  the  Humber  Bank  at  Welwick 
on  salt-marsh  plants,  especially  on  Aster  trip.olium  and  Statice 
limonium,  T.S.  and  G.B.W. 

Acalypta  brunnea  Germ.  Cotherston,  65*. 


1924  July  1 


220 


New  Yorkshire  Records  of  Hemiptera. 


Tingis  cardui  L.  Seamer,  E.  Ayton,  G.B.W.  Silpho  Moor,  E.C.H. 
Apparently  widely  distributed  in  the  Scarborough  district. 

Nabis  major  Costa.  Bubwith,  Spurn,  61*. 

N.  flavomarginatus  Scholtz.  Seamer,  in  cut  grass. 

N.  limbatus  Dahlb.  East  Ayton. 

N.ferus  L.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  Forge  Valley,  G.B.W.  Raincliffe  Woods 
and  Beedale,  E.C.H.,  62*. 

N.  rugosus  L.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  G.B.W.  Raincliffe  Woods,  E.C.H.,  62*. 

N.  ericetorum  Scholtz.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  near  the  ‘ Falcon  Inn,’  above 
Cloughton,  common  in  August,  62*. 

Cimex  lectularius  L.  Hull.  Scarborough,  Middlesbrough,  62*.  Ap- 
parently not  nearly  as  common  as  it  used  to  be. 

Anthocoris  nemoralis  F.  Generally  distributed  in  the  Scarborough 
district. 

A . nemorum  L.  Generally  distributed  and  common  throughout 
all  the  districts  where  I have  collected — Hull,  Scarborough, 
Pickering,  Helmsley,  Middlesbrough,  Teesdale  and  Swaledale. 
Extremely  prone  to  ‘ bite  ’ if  it  drops  on  the  wrist  during  beating. 

Tetraphleps  bicuspis  H.S.  Forge  Valley,  Silpho  Moor,  62*. 

Acompocoris  pygmceus  Fall.  Skipwith.  Humber  Bank,  Hull,  far  from 
fir  trees,  but  probably  introduced  on  foreign  timber.  Forge 
Valley,  62*. 

Lyctocoris  campestris  F.  Eston,  near  Middlesbrough,  in  stack  refuse. 
Forge  Valley,  by  sweeping,  62*. 

Pantilius  tunicatus  F.  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

Phytocoris  tilics  F.  Thornton-le-Dale,  on  plum.  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

P.  longipennis  Flor.  Raincliffe  Woods,  on  oak. 

P.  pini  Kb.  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

P.  ulmi  L.  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

P.  varipes  Boh.  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

Calocoris  ochromelas  Gmel.  Raincliffe  Woods,  Seamer  Moor  (common 
on  oak),  and  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

C.  sex-guttatus  F.  Scarborough. 

C.  norvegicus  Gmel.  Scarborough. 

Dichrooscytus  rufpennis  Fall.  On  pines,  Seamer  Moor. 

Lygus  pabulinus  L.  Hayburn  Wyke,  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

L.  viridis  Fall.  Hayburn  Wyke,  on  nettle.  Forge  Valley  on  meadow- 
sweet, 62*. 

L.  contaminatus  Fall.  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

L.  pvatensis  L.  Forge  Valley,  Scalby  High  Moorj 
f ab.  campestris  Fall.  Forge  Valley. 

L . rubricatus  Fall.  Seamer,  62*. 

L.  kalmii  L.  Forge  Valley. 

Plesiocoris  rugicollis.  Forge  Valley,  Seamer,  62*. 

Liocoris  tripustulatus  F.  Hull,  Welwick.  Generally  distributed  in  the 
Scarborough  area,  62*. 

Capsus  ater  L.  Common  in  Scarborough  area,  62*. 

Stenodema  calcaratum  Fall.  Pickering,  Ellerburn,  Seamer,  East  Ayton. 

5.  holsatum  F.  Scarborough  and  Hull  districts,  common. 

Trigonotylus  ruficornis  Geoff r.  Pickering,  East  Ayton. 

Miris  dolobratus  L.  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

M.  ferrugatus  Fall.  East  Ayton. 

Monalocoris  flicis  L.  Abundant  throughout  the  Scarborough  area,  62*. 

Bryocoris  pteridis  Fall.  Banks  of  Tees  near  Barnard  Castle,  65*.  Not 
nearly  so  common  as  the  last,  but  widely  distributed  in  the 
Scarborough  area,  62*. 

Dicyphus  epilobii  Reut.  Abundant  in  Forge  Valley  and  Hayburn 
Wyke,  62*. 

D.  stachydis  Reut.  Forge  Valley,  Seamer,  Pickering,  62*. 
f Campyloneura  virgula  H.S.  Seamer. 


Naturalist 


New  Yorkshire  Records  of  Hemiptera . 


221. 


Cyllocoris  histrionicus  L.  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

C.  flavo-^-maculatus  De  G.  Forge  Valley,  Cloughton,  62*. 
Blepharidopterus  angulatus  Fall.  On  alder,  Forge  Valley  and  Ravenscar, 
62*. 

Mecomma  ambulans  Fall.  Common  on  nettles,  Forge  Valley. 
Orthotylus  ericetorum  Fall.  Common  on  heather,  Scalby  High  Moor  and 
Seamer  Moor. 

Heterocordylus  leptocerus  Kb.  ( tibialis  Hahn).  On  broom,  Langdale 
End,  62*. 

Psallus  ambiguus  Fall.  Forge  Valley  and  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

P.  betuleti  Fall.  Seamer  Moor,  Silpho  Moor,  Hayburn  Wyke. 

P.  variabilis  Fall.  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

P.  falleni  Reut.  Forge  Valley,  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

P.  varians  H.S.  Langdale  End,  Raincliffe  Wood.  62*. 

P.  roseus  F.  Hayburn  Wyke,  Seamer,  62*. 

Atractotomus  magnicornis  Fall.  Seamer,  Forge  Valley,  62*. 
Plagiognathus  chrysanthemi  Wolff.  Seamer,  Cayton  Bay,  common  on 
thistle,  62*. 

P.  arbustorum  F.  Scarborough,  Hayburn  Wyke,  Forge  Valley. 
Asciodema  obsoletum  Fieb.  Common  on  gorse,  Raincliffe  Woods,  62*. 
Hydrometra  stagnorum  L.  Seamer  Can's,  E.C.H.,  62*. 

Gerris  costce  H.S.  Eston  Nab,  near  Middlesbrough,  62*. 

G.  thoracicus  Schum.  Holmpton,  near  Withernsea,  61*. 

G.  gibbifera  Schum.  Scarborough,  E.C.H.  Ebberston,  E.  A.  Wallis. 

G.  lacustris  L.  Raincliffe  Mere,  E.C.H.  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

G.  odontogaster  Zett.  Eston  Nab  and  Marton,  near  Middlesbrough,  62*. 
G.  argentatus  Schum.  Askham  Bog,  64*. 

Microvelia  pygmcsa  Duf.  Seamer  Carrs,  E.C.H.,  62*. 

Velia  currens  F.  Generally  distributed  in  Hull,  Middlesbrough,  Whitby, 
and  Scarborough  districts,  62*.  Richmond,  Barnard  Castle. 
Acanthia  scotica  Curt.  Richmond. 

A.  orthochila  Fieb.  Bubwith,  61*.  Harwood  Dale  62*. 

A.  saltatoria  L.  Harwood  Dale,  62*. 

A.  c-album  Fieb.  Shingle,  banks  of  the  Derwent  at  Langdale  End, 
E.C.H.  Hayburn  Wyke,  62*. 

Nepa  cinerea  L.  Hull,  Beverley,  Middlesbrough,  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 
Richmond,  65*. 

Notonecta  glauca  L.  Beverley,  in  brackish  ponds  on  the  Humber  bank, 
Hull  and  Hedon.  Middlesbrough,  Scarborough,  62*.  Richmond. 
N . furcata  F.  Marton  and  Eston  Nab,  near  Middlesbrough.  East  Ayton. 
Corixa  geoffroyi  Leach.  Hull,  Withernsea,  Beverley.  Marton,  Scar- 
borough, Saltburn,  62*.  Askham  Bog. 
f C.  afjinis  Leach.  One  specimen,  Hull,  October,  1922. 
f Ay ctocorisa  hieroglyphica  Duf.  Bubwith,  Askham  Bog,  Saltburn. 

A.  sahlbergi  Fieb.  Askham  Bog. 

A . linnei  Fieb.  Askham  Bog. 

A . striata  L.  Askham  Bog,  Hull. 

A . falleni  Fieb.  Hull. 

A . moesta  Fieb.  Skip  with  Common,  East  Ayton. 
f A . lugubris  Fieb.  Biller  Howe  Dale. 

A.  fossarum  Leach.  Skipwith  Common,  61*. 

A.  fabricii  Fieb.  Scarborough,  Scalby  High  Moor.  Spurn,  61*.  Rich- 
mond, 65*. 

Homoptera. 

Cixius  pilosus  Ol.  Forge  Valley,  Cayton  Bay,  62*. 

‘ C.  cunicularius  L.  Forge  Valley,  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

C.  nervosus  L.  Hayburn  Wyke,  Kirby-in-Cleveland,  62*. 

C.  similis  Kbm.  Seamer  Moor,  62*. 

Delphax  discolor  Boh.  Ellerburn. 

Conomelus  limbatus  F.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  above  Cloughton. 


1924  July  1 


222 


New  Yorkshire  Records  of  Hemiptera. 


Dicranotropis  hamata  Boh.  On  thistle,  Cayton  Bay. 

-j -Stiroma  affnis  Fieb.  Ellerburn,  Forge  Valley. 

Aphrophora  alni  Fall.  Generally  distributed  in  Scarborough  district. 
Cotherston,  65*. 

Philcenus  spumarius  L.  Abundant  wherever  I have  collected  in  York- 
. shire — -Hull,  Scarborough,  Middlesbrough,  Teesdale,  Swaledale,  etc. 
var.  spumaria  Edw.  Generally  distributed  and  common.  On  the 
heather  above  Holwick,  near  High  Force,  I once  took  a con- 
siderable number  of  this  form,  unmixed  with  any  other  variety, 
all  suffused  with  a delicate  pink  colour,  as  is  so  common  with 
insects  and  spiders  on  the  moors.  The  same  form  has  also 
occurred  on  the  moors  above  Cloughton. 
var.  gibba  Zett.  Skipwith,  61*.  Pickering,  62*. 
var.  biguttata  F.  Teesdale,  65*. 
var.  leucocephala  L.  Teesdale,  65*. 
var.  marginella  F.  Forge  Valley,  Pickering,  62*. 
var.  vittata  F.  Scarborough,  62*. 

var.  lineata  F.  Moors  above  Cloughton,  Pickering,  62*.  Teesdale, 
65*. 

var.  populi  F.  Common  in  Scarborough  district,  62*.  Teesdale,  65*. 
var.  lateralis  L.  Forge  Valley,  Pickering,  Silpho  Moor,  Ravenscar, 
62*.  Teesdale,  65*. 

P.  lineatus  L.  Scalby  High  Moor,  Biller  Howe  Dale.  Teesdale,  65*. 
TJlopa  reticulata  F.  Common  on  the  heather,  Biller  Howe  Dale,  Seamer 
Moor,  Scalby  High  Moor,  62*.  North  Cave.  Teesdale,  65*. 
Megophthalmus  scanicus  Fall.  Spurn. 

Batracomorphus  lanio  L.  Seamer  Moor,  Forge  Valley,  Seamer,  62*. 
Oncopsis  alni  Schr.  ") 

O . rufusculus  Fieb.  > Seamer  Moor,  Silpho  Moor,  62*. 

O.  flavicollis  L.  J 

Idiocerus  confusus  Flor.  Forge  Valley,  Hayburn  Wyke,  Seamer  Moor, 
62*. 

Agallia  puncticeps  Germ.  Cayton  Bay,  Pickering. 

Euacanthus  interruptus  L.  Forge  Valley.  Askham  Bog.  Teesdale,  65*. 
Tettigonia  viridis  L.  Forge  Valley,  Throxenby  Mere,  near  Scarborough, 
62*. 

Acocephalus  nervosus  Schr.  Seamer  Moor.  Teesdale,  65*. 

A.  bifasciatus  L.  Scarborough. 

A.  albifrons  L.  Stony  Marl  Moor,  62*. 

A.  flavostriatus  Don.  Teesdale,  65*.  Scalby,  62*. 

Aihysanus  sordidus  Zett.  Forge  Valley,  62*.. 

A.  obsoletus  Kbm.  Teesdale,  65*. 

Deltocephalus  pascuellus  Fall.  East  Ayton,  Pickering,  62*. 

D.  ocellaris  Fall.  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

Limotettix  frontalis  Scott.  Seamer. 

L.  y-notata  Fab.  Middleton-in-Teesdale,  65*.  Pickering,  East  Ayton, 
62*. 

L.  nigricornis  J.  Sahl.  Seamer,  62*. 

-j-  Cicadula  dahlbomi  Zett.  In  Forge  Valley  on  Epilobium  angus tifo Hum 
in  August,  two  specimens.  This  is  the  second  British  record,  the 
only  other  known  locality  being  near  Cheltenham  ( fde  Mr.  James 
Edwards) . 

C.  6 -notata  Fall.  Welwiclc.  Seamer,  62*. 

Eupteryx  urtices  Fab.  Seamer,  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

J var.  leuconema.  Hayburn  Wyke,  ( fide  Mr.  Edwards). 

E.  auratus  L.  Thornton  Dale,  62*. 

E.  atropunctqta  Goeze.  Seamer. 

E.  signatipennis  Boh.  Forge  Valley,  62*. 

E.  concinna  Germ.  Raincliffe  Wood,  62*. 
f Typhlocyba  6-punctata  Fall.  Forge  Valley,  on  elm. 


Naturalist 


Correspondence . 


223 


Typhlocyba  ulmi  L.  Scarborough,  Cay  ton  Bay,  62*. 

T.  douglasi  Edw.  Raincliffe  Woods,  62*. 

T.  quevcus  Fab.  Raincliffe  Woods,  62*. 

■f  T.  distincta  Edw.  Forge  Valley. 

Zygina  alneti  Dahl.  Cayton  Bay,  62*. 

Rhinocola  ericce  Curt.  Scalby  High  Moor,  in  abundance  on  heather. 

Psyllopsis  fraxinicola  Forst.  Raincliffe  Woods,  Hayburn  Wyke. 

Psylla  mail  Schbdg.  Ramsdale. 

P.  ambigua  Forst.  Hayburn  Wyke. 

~j*P.  hippophces  Forst.  Common  on  Hippophce  rhamnoides  at  Cayton 
Bay. 

P.  forsteri  Flor.  Hayburn  Wyke. 

P.  alni  L.  Common  on  alder  in  the  Scarborough  district. 

P.  spavtii  Guer.  Staintondale. 

: o : 

CORRESPONDENCE . 

LICHEN  NOMENCLATURE. 

When  an  error  is  perpetrated  in  ‘ guid  black  prent,’  it  is  astonish- 
ing how  far  it  goes  before  it  is  overtaken.  .From  the  large  lichen 
genus  Physcia  Th.  Fries,  in  i860,  separated  a section  distinguished 
from  the  rest  of  the  genus  by  its  colourless  spores  and  yellow  thallus, 
the  latter  colour  due  to  the  presence  of  Xanthin  or  Parietin  (a  yellow 
lichen  acid  changed  to  crimson  on  the  application  of  potash).  This 
new  genus  was  named  very  appropriately  from  its  colour  Xanthoria. 
In  the  ‘ Hand  List  of  Lichens,’  issued  by  the  Lichen  Exchange  Club, 
there  is  an  unfortunate  error,  the  whole  of  the  original  species  of  Physcia 
^28  species)  appearing  under  the  generic  name  Xanthoria,  instead  of  the 
first  six  species  only.  This  was  no  doubt  due  to  the  accidental  omission 
of  the  caption  ‘ Physcia  ’ from  its  place  in  the  list,  and  the  overlooking 
of  the  error  in  proof  reading.  The  catalogue  is  not  dated  (another  re- 
grettable error),  but  I believe  it  was  published  about  1912,  and  the  error 
referred  to  above  is  still  ‘ going  strong,  ’ as  it  is  quite  a frequent  occurrence 
to  see  Physcia  without  any  yellow  colour  and  with  brown  spores  referred 
to  under  Xanthoria.  In  some  recent  reports  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  Excursions  the  error  has  been  repeated  recently,  and  in  a list  of 
Yorkshire  lichens  in  the  May  number  we  see  figuring  Xanthoria  puber- 
iilenta  Nyl.  and  X.  tenella  Nyl.  This  not  only  places  these  species  in 
the  wrong  genus,  but  attributes  to  Ny lander  a combination  of  names 
he  never  used.  I do  not  think  this  error  in  the  catalogue  referred  to 
has  ever  been  publicly  corrected. — J.  A.  Wheldon. 

o : 

The  Oil  Trusts  and  Anglo-American  Relations,  by  Davenport 
and  Russell  Cooke.  Macmillan  & Co.,  1923,  272  pp.,  7/6;  an  in- 
teresting and  instructive  little  book  dealing  with  the  relative  petroleum 
policies  of  both  American  and  British  Governments  and  organisations. 
As,  from  time  to  time,  serious  misrepresentations  have  been  made  in 
the  press  of  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  regarding  problems  of  international 
importance  in  connection  with  petroleum,  this  work  serves  as  a reminder 
that  truth  is  often  more  acceptable  than  fiction.  A frank  discussion  of 
the  rights  and  wrongs  of  the  respective  American  and  British  attitudes 
is  given,  the  oil  policies  of  both  governments  are  criticised,  and  the 
results  of  various  post-war  oil  and  international  conferences  are  dealt 
with  in  an  attractive  manner.  Two  useful  maps  are  included,  showing 
the  oil  resources  of  the  world,  and  the  producing  oilfields  of  the  Middle 
East.— G.S. 

1924  July  1 


224 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

I am  not  a thief,  I am  a collector  ’ (Punch,  May  14th,  p.  532). 

Prof.  Henry  Balfour  recently  ‘ opened  ’ the  Brown  collection  of  South 
Sea  relics  in  the  Bowes  Museum,  Barnard  Castle. 

Punch  tells  us  that  ‘ A tom-tit  has  built  its  nest  in  a pillar-box  at 
Catteral,  near  Garstang.  Now  at  last  we  can  get  on  with  the  summer.’ 

No.  15  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Newcastle- 
on-Tyne,  recently  received,  contains  an  account  of  some  interesing 
Roman  inscribed  stones  recently  added  to  the  Museum. 

Our  old  friend  ‘ Ammonite  jason  ’ now  appears  as  Spinikosmokeras 
acutistriatum  on  one  plate,  Hopliko smoker as  hoplistes  on  another,  and 
H.  fbuliferum  on  a third  (Buckman’s  Type  Ammonites,  Part  XLV.). 

In  his  book  on  ‘ Life,’  Sir  Arthur  Shipley  states  : ‘ I venture  to 

hope  that  this  book  will  be  not  without  interest  to  the  public  that  is 
not  preparing  for  examinations,  and  thank  heaven  that  public  is  still 
in  the  great  majority  ! ’ 

We  may  be  somewhat  conservative,  but  we  do  not  like  the  new  form 
in  which  a Yorkshire  Society’s  Excursion  Programme  has  appeared. 
The  paper  is  very  flimsy,  the  colour  is  not  attractive,  and  the  fact  that 
the  programme  is  of  a different  shape  from  the  usual  makes  it  a little 
inconvenient  in  binding. 

We  learn  from  Punch  that  ‘ When  summer  stops  the  swallow  pops 
Off  to  the  South,  for  that’s  The  quarter  where  he  finds  the  air  Alive 
with  flies  and  gnats.  Where  sits  the  Sphinx  and  dreams  and  thinks 
Of  bygone  realms  and  kings,  The  swallow  swoops  and  swallows  troops 
Of  sting-y,  wing-y  things.’ 

The  Annual  Report  of  The  Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society  for  1923 
has  recently  been  issued,  and,  besides  a record  of  the  work  done  and  the 
additions  made  to  the  collections,  there  are  the  usual  valuable  Metero- 
logical  Statistics,  and  a paper  by  Professor  Mawer  on  ‘ Yorkshire  History 
in  the  Light  of  its  Place-Names.’ 

Messrs.  Henry  Sotheran  & Co.  have  issued  a specially  printed  catalogue 
of  the  important  Library  of  Books  on  British  Ornithology,  formed  by 
Major  W.  H.  Mullens,  M.A.,  M.B.O.U.,  and  described  in  his  ‘ Bibliography 
of  British  Ornithology,’  1917,  and  ‘ Geographical  Bibliography,’  1920, 
which  will  be  of  value  to  collectors  of  rare  ornithological  books. 

We  regret  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Dr.  C.  W.  Andrews  of  the  Palae- 
ontological Department,  British  Museum  (Natural  History).  Visitors  to 
that  Institution  will  remember  the  cheerful  way  in  which  they  were  always 
welcomed  by  Dr.  Andrews,  and  many,  besides  geologists,  are  familiar 
with  his  extraordinarily  good  work,  especially  with  regard  to  the  extinct 
animals  of  Egypt. 

We  have  received  from  Mr.  Rodier,  of  Melbourne,  Australia,  a large 
quantity  of  literature  relating  to  rabbit  and  rat  extermination  by  the 
‘ Rodier  Method.’  Briefly  this  seems  to  be  the  trapping  and  releasing 
of  the  males,  while  killing  the  females.  Mr.  Rodier  tells  us  that  he  has 
been  advocating  this  scheme  for  the  destruction  of  rabbits  in  Australia 
for  36  years,  but  has  not  received  the  assistance  that  he  should. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Leeds  Philosophical  and  Literary  Society, 
Ltd.,  was  held  recently.  According  to  the  report  of  the  Council,  there 
were  only  180  members  at  the  end  of  the  session.  During  the  year  the 
agreed  payment  of  ^1000  had  been  received  from  the  Leeds  Corporation 
by  quarterly  instalments.  The  publication  of  the  society’s  history 
may  be  expected  at  a very  early  date,  which  seems  very  advisable  in 
case  the  Society  shares  the  fate  of  many  others.  It  was  decided  to  present 
an  address  of  congratulation  to  mark  the  celebration  of  the  jubilee  of 
the  Yorkshire  College,  now  Leeds  University,  in  December  next.  The 
election  of  officers  resulted  as  follows  : — President,  Professor  W.  Garstang  ; 
Vice-Presidents,  Professor  A.  J.  Grant  and  Mr.  E.  Hawkesworth  ; Hon. 
Secretaries,  ColoneLE.  Kitson  Clark  and  Mr.  H.  R.  Lupton  ; Hon. 
^Librarian,  Professor.  P.  F.  Kendall. 


Naturalist 


WILLIAM  SMITH 

His  Maps  and  Memoirs 

by 

THOMAS  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S., 

Curator  of  the  Hull  Municipal  Museums. 

200  pp.,  Large  Octavo,  with  nearly  50  plates,  folding  maps,  and 
other  illustrations.  Suitably  bound  in  cloth. 

Price  7j6  net,  post  free  8/- 

Contents  : — -List  of  Illustrations — Earlier  work  on  Maps  and 
Soils — Smith’s  work  in  Yorkshire,  etc. — Notices  of  Smith’s 
work — Memorials,  etc.  Appendices  : a Geology  of 

England — b Freestone  and  Building  Stone — c Memoir  of 
the  Stratification  of  the  Hackness  Hills — d Agriculture — 
e Politics,  Statistics,  etc.— Addendum — Bibliography. 

London:  A.  BROWN  & SONS,  Ltd.,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.4. 

AND  AT  HULL  AND  YORK. 

SCIENCE  PROGRESS 

A Quarterly  Review  of  Scientific  Thought, 
Work  and  Affairs. 

Editor  - COLONEL  SIR  RONALD  ROSS,  K.C.B.,  F.R.S. 

This  Quarterly  is  now  in  its  fourteenth  year  of  publication.  Its 
object  is  to  give  all  readers  of  wide  culture  and  interest  in  science 
a knowledge  of  the  numerous  advances  which  are  being  continually 
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July,  1924. 


4 


RtLRY  FORTUNE,  F44 


Flawersv;_Life  History 
h ; The  Nature  Lovers' 
; Seventeenth  Century 
orden ; Type 
Peat ; List  of  Species  ; 


j/i  VPj 

No.  811 

AUG.,  1924.  No.  585  of  current  Series 


A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 


EDITED  BY 

r.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.S.A.Scot 

The  Museums,  Hull ; 

and  T.  W.  WOODJtfcU),  Ph.D.,  M.Sc.,  F.L.S., 

Technic. Mt^mege,  Huddersfield, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES  IN 

G.  T.  PORRITT,  F.L 
JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc. 


. Contents 

Notes  and  Comments^^llus^ted)  : — Trees 
of  the  Eel  ; Lincolnshire  Naturalists  ; 

Fellowship  ; Funds,  Again  ! Facts  and 
Ornithology  ; Barnacles  ; Opening  of 
Ammonites  ; Fishery  Investigations  ; Pollen  in  Peat ; 

The  British  Association  ; Early  Science  at  the  Royal  Society  ; Corn 
Smut  in  1663  ; Lord  Avebury  ; Charadriformes  ; Marine  Plankton  ... 
/ Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle  (illus.) — T.  Neville  George 
Gagea  lutea  ( = fascicularis  Salisb.)  and  its  Parasites — A.  A.  Dall- 
man,  F.G.S.... 

The  Cradle  of  the  Human  Race — T.S. 

Yorkshire  Bryologists  at  Ingleton — F.E.Milsom  ... 

j/'  Free  - floating  Micro  flora  or  Phytoplankton  of  Hornsea  Mere,  East 
Yorks. — Benjamin  Millard  Griffiths , D .Sc. , F .L.S . 
Correspondence: — Birds  in  Nidderdale 
Yorkshire  Rivers  Investigation — Chris.  A . Cheetham 
Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Earby — W.  H.  Pearsall,  D.Sc.,  F.L.S.,  and 
F . A . Mason,  F .R.M .S . ... 

Field  Notes: — Viper  in  North  Yorks.  ; Black -throated  Diver  near  Whitby  ; 
Didymium  tabulatum  in  Yorkshire  ; Dingy  Skipper  near  Louth,  Lines. 
Spoonbill  at  Whitby  ; Skull  of  Goat  in  North  Lincolnshire  Warp  ; 
The  Red  Squirrel  and  its  Liability  to  Epidemics... 

An  Early  Binnocular  Dissecting  Microscope  (illustrated) — T.S 
Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ... 

News  from  Magazines 
Northern  News 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  233,  234,  235 

Plate  XIV. 


225-232 

233-239 

240 

241-243 

244 

245-247 

247 

248 

..  249-250 


243,  248,  253 
...  251-252 

244,  254-255 
252,  253,  255 

256 

236,  237,  238 


LONDON : 


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And  at  Hull  and  York. 

Printers  and  Publishers  to  the  Y.N.U. 


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YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 


For  particulars  apply  to 

The  Hon.  Secretaries , The  University , Leeds;  or  to 

The  Hon.  Treasurer,  Mr.  E.  Hawksworth,  Sunnyside,  Crossgates, 

Leeds. 


BOOKS  WANTED. 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II. -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21, 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie's.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2nd  ser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists'  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVI. 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV..  XVI.,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  i-8,  n-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts). 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith's  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


The  Naturalist,  1924. 


Plate  XIV, 


Bee  Orchis. 


225 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

TREES  AND  FLOWERS. 

Now  that  Animals  of  all  Countries  is  getting  towards 
completion,  Messrs.  Hutchinson  & Co.  are  producing  an 
entirely  new  work,  to  be  completed  in  about  28  fortnightly 
parts,  dealing  with  Trees  and  Flowers  of  the  Country-side. 
It  is  being  produced  on  similiar  lines  to  the  previous  publica- 
tion, is  edited  by  Edward  Step,  and  will  contain  about  a 
thousand  illustrations,  including  coloured  plates.  The  ac- 
companying illustration  of  the  Bee  Orchis  (Plate  XIV.),  a 
species  well  known  to  Humberside  botanists,  is  kindly  lent  to 
us  by  the  publishers. 

LIFE  HISTORY  OF  THE  EEL. 

For  sixpence  the  British  Museum  (Natural  History)  now 
issues  five  post-cards  illustrating  the  life  history  of  the  eel, 
as  well  as  a descriptive  leaflet.  From  this  we  learn  that  ; 
‘ Thirty  years  ago  all  that  was  known  of  the  breeding  of  the 
Common  or  Freshwater  Eel  (. Anguilla  anguilla  or  A.  vulgaris) 
was  that  in  the  autumn  numbers  of  large  eels  made  their  way 
seaward,  and  that  in  the  spring  shoals  of  elvers,  or  little  eels 
about  2\  inches  long,  entered  the  rivers  from  the  sea  and  made 
their  way  upstream.  It  was  naturally  supposed  that  the  eels 
bred  in  the  estuaries  or  in  the  sea  near  the  mouths  of  the 
rivers,  and  that  the  elvers  were  the  progeny  of  the  eels  that 
had  descended  the  river  a few  months  before.  Then,  in  1896, 
came  Grassi’s  discovery  that  the  little  transparent  fish  known 
as  Leptocephalus  brevirostris  was  the  larva  of  the  Common 
Eel.  In  the  Straits  of  Messina  a series  of  specimens  were  (sic ) 
found  swimming  at  or  near  the  surface  showing  the  transition 
from  the  leptocephalid  to  the  elver  ; as  these  had  been  found 
nowhere  else  it  was  supposed  that  the  eels  bred  in  deep  water 
near  the  coasts,  that  the  larvae  lived  at  the  bottom,  but  that 
in  the  Straits  of  Messina  the  strong  currents  brought  some  to 
the  surface.  In  1904  Dr.  Johannes  Schmidt  found  one  of  these 
larvae  near  the  surface  of  the  sea  west  of  the  Faroes  ; he  followed 
up  this  clue,  and,  as  the  result  of  work  carried  on  all  over 
the  North  Atlantic,  he  has  now  demonstrated  that  all  the 
freshwater  eels  of  Europe  breed  in  an  area  south-east  of  Ber- 
muda, probably  at  a depth  of  two  or  three  hundred  fathoms 
below  the  surface  ; from  this  area  the  larvae  spread  across 
the  Atlantic,  swimming  in  the  upper  layers  of  the  ocean.’ 

LINCOLNSHIRE  NATURALISTS. 

We  have  received  the  Lincolnshire  Naturalists'  Union 
Transactions , 1923,  edited  by  A.  Smith  and  R.  W.  Goulding 
(42  pp.),  and  as  an  Index  to  Vol.  V.,  1919-1922,  is  enclosed, 
we  presume  this  is  Part  I.  of  Vol.  VI.  But  it  does  not  say 
so.  The  part  begins  with  a list  of  officers,  list  of  members. 


1924  Aug.  1 


p 


226 


Notes  and  Comments. 


subscriptions,  etc.,  objects  and  rules,  balance  sheet,  and 
then  we  have  G.  A.  Grierson’s  Presidential  Address,  delivered 
on  November  22nd,  1923,  on  ' Lessons  from  a Limited  Area/ 
The  balance  sheet  is  reminiscent  of  that  of  other  Unions,  as 
we  find  the  ‘ balance  in  the  Secretary’s  hands  ’ is  2s.  iod. 
Besides  the  Secretary’s  Report,  there  are  notes  on  Conchology, 
by  J.  F.  Musham  ; Entomology,  by  A.  E.  Musgrave  ; Birds, 
by  G.  H.  C.  Haigh  ; Skegness  Birds,  by  F.  Hind  ; and  Botany, 
by  Miss  S.  C.  Stow.  Then  follows  an  account  of  the  achieve- 
ments of  a well-known  and  honoured  past  President  of  the 
Union,  John  F.  Musham,  F.E.S.,  M.C.S.  (with  portrait), 
which,  we  believe,  for  the  first  time  has  an  accurate  title, 
viz.,  ‘ The  Nineteenth  President  of  the  Lincolnshire  Natural- 
ists’ Union.’  Possibly  the  initials  T.  S.  at  the  end,  may  ac- 
count for  this.  We  trust  in  future  the  next  one  will  be  ‘ The 
Twentieth,’  and  so  on.  N.  S.  Stevenson,  of  Edinburgh, 
follows  with  an  account  of  ■ The  Submerged  Forest  on  the 
Coast  of  Lincolnshire,’  in  which,  after  quoting  Drayson  to 
the  effect  that  ‘ a glacial  age  occurs  (roughly  speaking)  every 
30,000  years,’  the  astounding  statement  is  made  that  ‘ Thus, 
the  age  of  the  coast  forest  must  be  37,000  years  at  least,  but 
it  may  easily  be  more,  in  which  case  the  age  would  increase 
by  multiples  of  30,000  years.’ 

AMBITION. 

Some  years  ago  the  naturalists  of  the  world  were  to  be 
organised  and  banded  together  in  what  was  known  as  a 
B.E.N.A.,  and  badges  and  certificates  and  printed  matter 
and  an  ‘ organ  ’ appeared.  The  only  badge  the  present 
writer  ever  saw  was  on  the  coat  of  a ' student  ’ who  obtained 
an  introduction  therewith,  and  then  ‘ worked  ’ his  railway  fare 
to  a far-distant  place,  being  ‘ hard  up.’  We  now  have  before 
us  a circular  about  a similar  society  called — 

THE  NATURE  LOVERS’  FELLOWSHIP. 

From  this  we  learn  that  this  fellowship  has  for  its  aims  the 
following  objects  : — (1)  To  stimulate  and  foster  a love  for 
Nature,  and  to  (2)  Protect  and  preserve  all  forms  of  Wild  Life 
not  inimical  to  mankind.  (3)  Encourage  interest  in  Regional 
Studies.  (4)  Bring  into  communication  Nature  Lovers  all 
over  the  world.  (5)  Form  a Nature  Lovers’  Club  and  Library. 

(6)  Arrange  for  Lectures  and  Lecturers  on  all  cognate  subjects. 

(7)  Identify  and  exchange  specimens.  (8)  Give  advice  on 
Insects,  Fungi,  etc.,  of  economic  importance.  (9)  Loan  and 
exchange  Books,  Photographs,  and  Lantern  Slides.  (10)  Form 
Adult  and  Junior  Branches.  (11)  Publish  a Fellowship 
Magazine.  (12)  Hold  Nature  Study  Exhibitions.  (13)  Sup- 
port the  formation  of  Regional  Museums  and  Nature  Sanctu- 
aries. (14)  Give  advice  on  Scientific  Books,  Apparatus,  etc. 

Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


227 


(15)  Offer  assistance  as  to  suitable  Holiday  Haunts.  (15) 
Afford  advice  in  all  Natural  History  Studies  and  Pursuits. 

(17)  Give  advice  as  to  how  to  treat  Pets  and  other  Animals,  and 

(18)  Generally  to  bring  together  under  one  fellowship  Nature 
Lovers  everywhere/ 

FUNDS,  AGAIN  ! 

We  also  learn  that  donations,  subscriptions  (5s.  for  seniors, 
and  2s.  6d.  for  juniors)  should  be  sent  to  the  Hon. 
Secretary  of  the  Fellowship,  The  Museum,  Letchworth. 
But  what  we  fail  to  find  is  any  reference  to  anyone  but  this 
anonymous  person.  What  we  should  like  to  know  is  the  name 
of  the  others,  if  any,  interested  in  the  Fellowship,  especially 
the  treasurer  and  auditor.  What  becomes  of  the  donations 
and  subscriptions,  and  who  will  edit,  print  and  publish  the 
Fellowship  Magazine,  apparently  the  principal  return  for  the 
cash?  The  Fellowship  also  sells  books  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Westell, 
it  arranges  lectures  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Westell,  and  gives  terms  and 
dates.  In  fact  the  ‘ Fellowship  ’ seems  to  be  doing  quite  well 
for  Mr.  W.  P.  Westell  ! On  the  back  of  the  circular  we 
learn  that  the  Letchworth  Museum,  which  ‘ purports  1 to  be 
an  educational  institution,  is  in  urgent  need  of  funds,  which 
should  be  sent  to  still  another  anonymous  hon.  secretary.  We 
believe  Mr.  W.  P.  Westell,  who  writes  books,  lives  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. Perhaps  he  will  enquire  into  the  matter  for  us  ? 

FACTS  AND  FIGURES. 

The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist  for  April  tells  us 
that  ‘ Putting  the  origin  of  the  Flowering  Plants  30  million 
years  ago  in  the  Upper  Cretaceous,  the  length  of  a period 
works  out  at  270,000  years.  The  increase  in  the  rate  of  pro- 
duction began  two  or  three  periods  back,  between  540,000 
and  810,000  years  ago.  I suggest  that  the  normal  rate  of 
1 in  17  held  during  the  long  fall  of  temperature  from  the 
Oligocene,  through  the  Miocene  and  Pliocene  well  into  the 
Pleistocene,  and  that  the  rapid  rise  in  temperature  in  our 
latitudes  from  I5°F.  to  40°F.  since  the  passing  away  of  the 
Ice  Age  has  caused  a normal  rate  of  1 in  17  per  period  of  270,000 
years  to  rise  for  the  present  time  and  the  population  of  162,000 
species  to  about  36  per  annum.  The  Compositae  and  Legumi- 
nosae  are  given  as  the  largest  families,  and  contain  1450 
species  in  the  genus  Senecio  and  1600  in  Astragalus.  Using 
the  normal  rate,  and  deducting  the  extra  production -since  the 
Glacial  Epoch,  I get  about  31  and  33  million  years  for  the  ages 
of  the  two  genera.  This  world-wide  distribution  and  largest 
number  of  species  show  that  they  must  have  been  earliest  and 
most  vigorous,  so  this  ratio  would  be  above  normal  and  their 
ages  less.  The  agreement,  then,  with  the  age  assigned  to 
'Flowering  Plants  is  quite  satisfactory/  or,  as  the  Americans 
say,  ‘ quate/ 


1924  Aug.  1 


228 


Notes  and  Comments. 


SEVENTEENTH  CENTURY  ORNITHOLOGY. 

Mr.  J,  H.  Craw  contributes  the  following  interesting 
extracts  from  the  Description  of  the  ‘ Shyre  of  Barwick,’  in 
Sibbald’s  * Description  of  Scotland/  the  MS.  of  which  is 
preserved  in  the  Advocates’  Library,  to  the  History  of  the 
Berwickshire  Naturalists’  Club,  Vol.  XXV.,  Part  i.  The 
account  is  said  to  have  been  written  by  the  Rev.  John  Veitch, 
minister  of  Westruther,  about  1680.  An  account  in  many 
respects  identical,  was  printed  in  1908,  by  The  Scottish 
History  Society,  in  Macfarlane’s  Geographical  Collections, 
Vol.  III.  : — (1)  ‘ The  Dotterells  frequent  about  Bastenrig  on 
the  East  hand,  and  the  Moristons  and  Mellerstain  douns  on 
the  West,  the  14  neeght  of  Aprile  and  first  14  neeghts  of  May  ” 
( i.e . the  last  fortnight  of  April  and  first  fortnight  of  May). 
The  later  reference  to  dotterels  in  Camden’s  Brittania,  referred 
to  by  Mr.  Muirhead,  was  evidently  derived  from  this  MS. 
(2)  ' Lambermore  ....  is  a Ground  excellent  for  pastouradge 
in  the  summertyme  abounding  with  moorfowl,  partradges, 
plivers  green  and  gray,  which  afoord  much  sport  to  ye  nobility 
and  Gentrye.’  The  third  extract  has  been  omitted  in  the 
Macfarlane  MS.  : — (3)  ‘ Ther  is  a Lough  at  Swinton  much 
frequented  by  wild  Swans.’ 

BARNACLES. 

Besides  its  Proceedings  and  Fifty-seventh  Annual  Report, 
the  Journal  of  the  Quekett  Microscopical  Club  for  November 
contains  the  Presidential  Address  of  D.  J.  Scourfield  on 
‘ Physical  Factors  in  Freshwater  Biological  Problems.’  In 
this  he  states  that  * The  idea  that  the  Stalked  Barnacle  is 
a stage  in  the  life-history  of  the  Barnacle  Goose  was  at  one 
time  generally  prevalent,  and  the  Barnacle  Goose,  being 
thought  to  be  partly  a fish,  was  eaten  during  Lent.  The 
bird  is  a migrant  and  does  not  breed  in  this  country,  and  the 
myth  probably  had  its  origin  in  this  fact,  plus  the  finding 
of  tree-trunks  with  Stalked  Barnacles  attached.  There  is  a 
figure  of  the  Barnacle  Tree  in  Gerard’s  “ Herbal,”  and  Izaak 
Walton  refers  to  it.  The  true  history  is  quite  as  marvellous. 
When  the  triangular  larva,  which  swims  about  with  a jerky 
movement,  reaches  the  end  of  its  free-swimming  stage,  it 
attaches  itself  to  a rock  or  ship  and  pours  out  a cement  which 
forms  the  shell.  The  barnacle  casts  off  its  swimming  legs, 
its  eye  disappears,  and  it  stands  for  the  rest  of  its  life  on  its 
head,  kicking  its  food  into  its  mouth.’ 

OPENING  OF  TODMORDEN  MUSEUM. 

We  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post  of  May  26th,  that 
‘ Todmorden  Museum,  housed  in  the  Central  Vale  Mansion, 
was  opened  on  Saturday  by  the  Mayor  (Aid.  F.  Pickles). 
Aid.  E.  Crabtree,  Chairman  of  the  Parks  Committee,  presided. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


229 


Since  the  war,  when  the  Mansion  was  used  for  hospital  purposes, 
the  building  has  remained  empty.  In  the  entrance  hall  are 
two  pictures  by  Mr.  W.  Hanson,  a local  artist,  which  for  several 
years  hung  in  the  local  free  library.  In  one  room  there  is  a 
collection  of  urns  from  the  prehistoric  burial  ground  at 
Blackheath,  and  fossils,  and  on  the  walls  are  portraits  of  the 
Fielden  family  and  other  public  men.  There  are  -also  oil 
paintings  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Bayes,  a number  of  local  banknotes, 
handloom  shuttles,  constables’  truncheons  and  handcuffs 
formerly  used  in  the  old  townships  of  Langfield  and  Stansfield, 
birds’  eggs,  flints  and  flint  implements,  minerals  and  ores. 
Another  room  is  devoted  to  the  collection  of  the  late  Mr.  Wm. 
Hardacre,  and  a third  to  old  furniture  lent  by  Mrs.  Rhodes, 
of  Hipperholme  (formerly  of  Todmorden).’ 

TYPE  AMMONITES. 

In  commencing  Volume  V.  of  this  remarkable  work,  Mr.  S.  S. 
Buckman  explains  that  * the  manner  in  which  Type  Ammonites 
is  issued — single  plates  for  each  specimen,  with  rare  exceptions — 
allows  of  the  work  being  bound  in  various  ways  ; 1,  bibliographic, 
or  exactly  as  it  is  issued  ; 2,  notational,  the  pages  and  plates  being 
taken  from  the  parts  and  rearranged  according  to  their  numerical 
order  ; 3,  chronological-zoological,  the  text  arranged  by  itself  in 
notational  order,  the  plates  placed  according  to  the  chronological 
order  of  the  strata — from  Caloceratan  to  Gigantitan— without 
reference  to  their  notational  order  ; 4,  zoological-chronological, 

the  text  as  before,  the  plates  according  to  the  zoological  order  of 
the  genera  ; 5,  geographical,  the  plates  arranged  according  to  the 
particular  districts  from  which  the  Specimens  came.  All  these 
different  methods  of  arrangement  have  special  advantages.  The 
first,  or  bibliographic,  method  is  particularly  useful  to  the  bibliophile, 
giving  the  order  in  which  the  work  was  issued,  and  the  dates  when 
new  names  were  proposed — valuable  evidence  of  priority  of  publi- 
cation : for  such  manner  of  binding,  which  involves  no  trouble  of 
rearrangement,  all  the  wrappers  should  be  retained,  otherwise  the 
work,  from  the  bibliophile  standpoint,  is  incomplete. 

FISHERY  INVESTIGATIONS . 

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries  has  issued  valuable 
{ Quantitative  Studies  on  the  Fauna  of  the  Sea  Bottom,’  No.  1. 

' Preliminary  Investigation  of  the  Dogger  Bank,’,  by  F.  M.  Davis, 
(54  PP->  6s.).  From  this  we  gather  that  it  was  originally  intended 
to  investigate  the  following  grounds  intensively  once  a year  : 1, 
the  central  portion  of  the  Dogger  Bank,  which  is  known  to  be  a 
Comparatively  rich  feeding  ground  and  one  on  which  transplanted 
plaice  thrive  and  grow  at  an  exceptional  rate  ; 2,  the  Leman 
Ground,  which,  at  certain  seasons,  yields  good  catches  of  fish  ; 3, 
the  Haaks  area,  which  is  representative  of  the  Dutch  young  plaice 
grounds.  Trawling,  with  a view  to  the  investigation  of  the  stomach 


1924  Aug.  1 


230 


Notes  and  Comments. 


contents  of  fishes,  was  also  to  be  carried  out  on  the  same  grounds, 
and,  as  nearly  as  possible,  at  the  same  time.  It  was  also  hoped 
that  time  might  be  found  for  work  with  the  Naturalist  s dredge, 
Agassiz  trawl,  etc.,  in  order  to  gather  data  on  the  predatory  fauna 
of  the  ground,  it  being  unusual  for  such  material  to  be  taken  in  the 
bottom-sampler.  Various  events  have,  however,  conspired  to  alter 
the  programme,  and,  with  the  exception  of  57  stations  worked  near 
the  Haaks  Light  Vessel  and  a few  scattered  stations  in  the  different 
areas,  the  bottom  sampling  has  been  confined  to  the  Dogger  Bank, 
and  it  is  to  the  results  obtained  on  this  ground  that  the  present 
paper  is  devoted. 

POLLEN  IN  PEAT. 

At  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society  ‘ Mr.  Ramsbottom 
gave  an  account  of  a paper  by  Mr.  G.  Erdtman,  entitled  “ Studies 
in  the  Micropalaeontology  of  Post-glacial  Deposits  in  Northern 
Scotland.  ” This  is  an  account  of  an  investigation  of  the  pollen 
grains  preserved  in  the  peat  from  thirty-eight  localities  situated  in 
Ross-shire,  the  Isle  of  Skye,  the  Isle  of  Lewis,  Sutherlandshire, 
and  the  Orkney  and  Shetland  Islands.  The  method  employed  is 
that  which  was  devised  by  Von  Post,  to  whom,  to  Dr.  C.  H.  Weber 
and  Prof.  Lagerheim,  we  owe  most  of  our  knowledge  respecting 
fossil  pollen.  A sample  is  taken  by  means  of  a borer  to  various 
depths  and  the  cores  obtained  are  sub-sampled,  boiled  with  10 
per  cent,  caustic  potash  and  the  pollen  grains  counted.  With  care 
the  samples  counted  can  be  made  of  sufficient  uniformity  to  yield 
quantitative  results,  which,  if  the  number  of  samples  examined 
be  large,  provide  average  percentages  for  the  various  species  which 
may  be  regarded  as  fairly  representing  their  relative  frequency  in 
the  then  flora.  Weber,  in  1893,  emphasized  the  view  that  pollen 
must,  owing  to  its  abundance  and  the  frequency  of  its  preservation, 
give  a truer  picture  of  past  floras  than  the  infrequent  fossil  remains 
usually  relied  on. 

LIST  OF  SPECIES. 

From  the  thirty-eight  localities  examined,  Mr.  Erdtman 
has  found  pollen  of  the  following  tree  genera  : Acer,  Alnns,  Betula, 
Carpinus,  Fagus,  Fraxinus  ( ? ) , Finns,  Quercus,  Tilia,  Ulmus , 
Ilex  and  Salix.  Of  these  Betula  is  by  far  the  most  abundant, 
usually  providing  70  per  cent,  of  the  total  pollen.  Next  in  order 
come  Finns  (14-6  percent.),  Alnns  (ii*8  per  cent.),  Salix  (11*25 
per  cent.),  Carpinus  (4*25  percent.),  Quercus  (2*4  per  cent.),  and 
Ulmus  (1  *2  per  cent.).  The  beech  was  represented  by  a single 
pollen  grain  in  three  separate  localities.  Holly  also  occurred  but 
rarely,  viz.,  in  five  loci,  of  which  three  were  the  same  as  those 
containing  beech.  Acer  was  rare,  as  in  Scandinavian  post-glacial 
deposits.  The  first  appearance  of  the  pollen  of  Alnns  probably 
marks  a definite  horizon  and  it  is  suggested  that  this  may  correspond 
to  the  level  of  the  first  appearance  of  alder  pollen  in  Scandinavia. 
The  latter  is  late  Boreal  or  about  6000  b.c.  A striking  difference. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


231 


as  compared  with  Scandinavia,  is  the  total  absence  of  Picea.  The 
occurrence  of  Carpinus,  though  very  rare,  is  extremely  interesting, 
since  it  has  only  been  recorded  hitherto  from  fossil  deposits  in  Great 
Britain  from  pre-,  late-glacial  and  Roman  deposits  south  of  the 
Wash.  The  presence  of  Fagus,  too,  in  these  post-glacial  peats 
of  the  north  of  Scotland  rather  negatives  the  idea  that  the  present 
restricted  range  of  this  species  is  the  outcome  of  its  recent  immi- 
gration. Pine  pollen  is  always  associated  with  that  of  birch, 
and  it  seems  probable  that  these  two  trees  were  the  principal  con- 
stituents of  the  post-glacial  forests  of  northern  Scotland/ 

THE  BRITISH  ASSOCIATION. 

The  General  Committee  of  the  British  Association  recently 
received  deputations  from  the  Borough  and  University 
College  of  Southampton,  and  from  the  University  and  City  of 
Oxford.  Local  officers  were  appointed  for  the  Southampton 
meeting  next  year,  and  the  date  of  the  meeting  was  fixed 
for  August  26th  to  September  2nd.  The  Oxford  deputation 
presented  an  invitation  for  the  meeting  of  the  Association 
to  be  held  there  in  1926,  and  this  was  accepted  unanimously. 
This  meeting  of  the  General  Committee  took  place,  by  kind 
invitation  of  the  Council  of  the  Zoological  Society,  in  that 
Society’s  rooms  at  Regent’s  Park,  and  the  members  were  after- 
wards entertained  to  tea  in  the  Gardens  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Society,  Dr.  P.  Chalmers  Mitchell,  and  were  invited  to  inspect 
the  Gardens  and  the  new  aquarium. 

EARLY  SCIENCE  AT  THE  ROYAL  SOCIETY. 

We  learn  from  Nature  that,  at  the  Royal  Society,  on  June 
17th,  1669,  ‘ The  operator  was  ordered  to  attend  the  president 
at  the  Navy-office  and  to  receive  his  lordship’s  orders  how  to 
fit  some  of  the  instruments  to  be  sent  to  sea  with  the  Lord 
Howard.  It  was  moved  also,  that  that  instrument  might  be 
fitted  for  the  Lord  Howard,  which  had  been  formerly  contrived 
by  Mr.  Hooke  for  fetching  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
what  might  be  there,  as  stones,  shells,  plants,  etc.  ; which  is 
done  by  a couple  of  springs  shutting  and  catching  as  soon  as 
the  instrument  touches  the  ground.’ 

CORN  SMUT  IN  1663. 

Nature  (June  14th)  tells  us  that  so  long  ago  as  1663,  ‘ Col. 
Long  communicated  his  observations  concerning  smut  in 
corn,  with  the  description  of  it,  and  its  difference  from  other 
vices  in  corn  ; together  with  his  conjectures  of  the  causes  of 
it,  and  the  most  probable  means  to  avoid  it.  His  paper  was 
ordered  to  be  registered.  It  was  ordered  that  Mr.  Packer 
should  be  asked,  who  it  was  at  Ballinghurst,  in  Sussex,  that 
had  the  skill  in  marking  those  ears  of  corn  in  flowering  time, 
which  would  not  smut  afterwards  in  two  or  three  years.' 


1924  Aug.  1 


232 


Notes  and  Comments. 


LORD  AVEBURY.* 

This  intersting  volume  contains  a series  of  essays  dealing 
with  the  extraordinary  variety  of  interests  of  the  late  Lord 
Avebury,  written  by  Sir  Bernad  Mallet,  Sir  Arthur  Keith, 
Dr.  A.  Smith  Woodward,  Professor  J.  Arthur  Thomson, 
H.  St.  J.  K.  Donisthorpe,  Dr.  A.  C.  Seward  and  Sir  Michael 
E.  Sadler.  The  illustrations  consist  of  portraits  of  Sir  John 
Lubbock,  by  George  Richmond,  in  1867,  and  a reproduction 
of  a painting  by  Sir  Hubert  Herkomer,  in  1911,  two  repro- 
ductions which  no  one  would  realise  referred  to  the  same 
individual.  The  volume  has  a limp  cloth  cover,  is  handy  for 
the  pocket,  is  cheap,  and  unquestionably  will  be  very  popular. 

CHARADRIFORMES.  f 

This  is  not  a volume  which  is  likely  to  be  very  popular 
from  a readable  point  of  view,  though  as  a bibliography  of 
the  principal  references  to  the  Bustards,  Snipe,  Plover  and 
Wading  Birds  it  is  invaluable.  In  Sharpe’s  Catalogue  of 
Birds  in  the  British  Museum,  1896,  were  references  to  papers 
on  this  subject,  and  the  present  work  deals  with  the  great 
mass  of  literature  which  has  accumulated  during  the  past 
thirty  years.  Quite  apart  from  the  value  of  the  references 
the  notes  have  been  prepared  in  systematic  order,  and  by  the 
aid  of  an  elaborate  index  all  the  latest  information  with  regard 
to  records  and  general  information  of  any  particular  species 
can  be  outained  at  a glance. 

MARINE  PLANKTON. J 

The  authors  of  this  book  are  well-known  for  their  fine 
work  in  connection  with  the  Department  of  Oceanography  at 
the  University  of  Liverpool,  the  late  head  of  which,  Sir 
William  Herdman,  contributes  an  Introduction.  The  Plankton 
which  is  usually  looked  upon  as  small  and  insignificant,  has 
much  more  importance  on  the  distribution  of  the  larger  forms 
of  marine  life  than  is  usually  assumed,  a fact  ably  demonstrated 
in  this  excellent  volume,  which  has  a wealth  of  information 
in  the  form  of  tables,  statistics,  and  illustrations.  The 
treatise  is  a sound  scientific  publication  which  should  be  in 
the  hands  of  all  interested  in  marine  zoology. 


* ‘ The  Life-work  of  Lord  Avebury/  by  his  Daughter,  The  Hon.  Mrs. 
Adrian  Grant  Duff.  London  : Watts  & Co.,  viL-f-261  pp.,  5s.  net. 

t ‘ The  Literature  of  the  Charadriformes  from  1894  to  1924,  with  a 
Classification  of  the  Order  and  Lists  of  the  Genera,  Species  and  Sub- 
species,’ by  George  C.  Low.  London  : H.  F.  & G.  Witherby,  Ltd., 
xi. -j-220  pp.,  12s.  6d.  het. 

x ‘ The  Marine  Plankton,  with  special  reference  to  investigations 
made  at  Port  Erin,  Isle  of  Man,  during  1907-1914.  A Handbook  ior 
Students  and  Amateur  Workers,’  by  James  Johnstone,  Andrew  Scott 
and  H.  C.  Chadwick.  The  University  Press  of  Liverpool,  xiv.-f-i94  pp., 
1 2s . 6d.  net. 


Naturali.  t 


233 


VARIATION  IN  THE  SHELL  OF  THE  COMMON 

COCKLE. 


T.  NEVILLE  GEORGE, 
University  College,  Swansea . 


Modern  refinements  in  the  study  of  invertebrate  fossils  are 
making  it  more  and  more  necessary  to  examine  slowly  evolving 
or  long-range  species  of  fossils  more  carefully,  in  order  to 
determine  what  factors  may  be  used  in  correlation.  Changes 
in  the  shape  of  shells,  differences  in  the  number  of  ribs,  and 
such  small  modifications  may  serve  to  differentiate  those 
members  of  a * species  ’ that  characterise  distinct  horizons. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  is  naturally  considerable  variation 
among  members  of  a ‘ species  ’ which  are  found  in  one  bed, 
and  which  presumably  lived  at  the  same  time.* 

Although  a considerable  amount  of  work  on  the  variation 


Fig.  i. — Diagram  of  shell  of  Cardium  edule,  showing  length  (L), 
height  {H) , and  thickness  (T). 

of  mollusca  has  been  carried  out  by  biologists  during  recent 
years,  f yet  there  is  still  a lack  of  information  regarding  the 
nature  and  range  of  variation  that  may  be  expected  in  the 
skeletal  structures  of  co-existing  members  of  a living  ‘ species/ 
and  such  information  as  has  been  obtained  has  rarely  been 
considered  in  relation  to  palaeontology. 

The  present  paper  is  an  attempt  to  describe  the  variation 
found  in  the  shells  of  the  common  cockle  ( Cardium  edule) 
with  the  intention  of  applying  the  results  to  the  investigation 
of  certain  fossil  mollusca. 

All  the  specimens  examined  were  single  valves  collected 
from  the  beach  at  Swansea  Bay,  within  a radius  of  about 
half  a mile.  The  species  breeds  in  enormous  numbers  in  this 


* See  e.g.  ‘The  Use  of  Gvyphcea  in  Correlation, ’ A.  E.  Trueman. 
Geol.  Mag.,  1922. 

f See  e.g.  various  papers  by  Dr.  G.  Hickling  and  Mr.  W.  E.  Atkins 
in  Mems.  Manch.  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  during  recent  years. 


1924  Aug. 1 


234  Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle. 

locality,  and  shells  of  all  sizes  may  be  obtained.  Only  those 
of  length  greater  than  20  mm.  are  now  considered. 

One  thousand  individuals  were  collected  and  the  following 
characteristics  noted  : — 

1.  Number  of  ribs. 

2.  Length.*  The  greatest  distance  from  the  anterior  to 

the  posterior  margin. 


Fig.  2. — Variation  in  number  of  ribs  in  Cardium  edule . 

Actual  graph  obtained,  continuous  line. 

Algebraic  curve,  y — 0*35  Ne— o'43*2,  broken  line. 

3.  Height.  The  least  height  from  the  umbo  to  the  pos- 

terior margin  ; not  always  at  right  angles  to  the 
length. 

4.  Thickness.  (Of  one  valve.) 

5.  Weight. 

Measurements  were  made  by  means  of  sliding  calipers, 
in  the  cases  of  the  length,  the  height,  and  the  thickness,  to 
the  nearest  0-5  mm.  The  weight  was  measured  to  the 
nearest  0-5  dgm. 

The  number  of  ribs. — The  variation  extends  from  a minimum 
of  22  to  a maximum  of  29,  26  being  the  most  common  number. 
The  curve  obtained  is  a symmetrical  variation  curve  with  a 
mean  of  25  -6.  It  is  approximately  represented  by  the  algebraic 
curve  y -=0*35  Ne~°' 43*2,  where  y is  the  number  of  individuals 
having  (25*64-#)  ribs,  and  AT  the  total  number  of  individuals. 
(Fig.  2). 


* The  terms  used  are  those  given  by  Dr.  A.  M.  Davies  in  his  ‘ Intro 
duction  to  Palaeontology,’  1920. 


Naturalist 


Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle.  235 

As  one  would  expect,  since  new  ribs  are  not  intercalated, 
the  number  of  ribs  does  not  increase  with  increasing  size  of 
shells,  but  remains  constant  throughout  life.  This  is  shown 
by  the  variation  of  groups  of  individuals  of  different  sizes. 
Thus  the  mean  number  of  ribs  in  specimens  less  than  30  mm. 
long  is  25.7,  and  in  those  greater  than  30  mm.  long  it  is  25*5. 
The  variation  curves  obtained  in  both  cases  are  the  same, 
allowing  for  experimental  error  in  measurement  and  fewness 
of  specimens,  as  the  curve  for  all  the  individuals. 

The  proportion  of  height  to  length. — The  shells  are  all  longer 
than  high  ; the  extremely  low  forms  are  79*9%  as  high  as 
long,  while  a noticeably  deformed  specimen,  the  highest 


Fig.  3. — Variation  in  the  proportion  of  height  to  length  in  Cardium 
edule . 

Actual  graph  obtained,  continuous  line. 

Algebraic  curve,  y = 0-175  Ne~°’lox2,  broken  line. 

noted,  is  98*4%  as  high  as  long.  The  mean  proportion  of 
height  to  length  is  87*6  : 100,  and  the  variation  curve  for  the 
whole  of  the  specimens,  as  might  be  expected,  is  symmetrical 
about  that  mean.  It  is  very  approximately  represented  by 
the  algebraic  curve  y = 0*175  -Ne'—o'iotfi,  where  y is  the  num- 
ber of  individuals  having  height  (87-6  + x )%  length,  and  N 
is  the  total  number  of  individuals.  (Fig.  3). 

The  proportion  of  height  to  length  does  not  remain  con- 
stant for  all  sizes  of  shells.  The  specimens  of  length  less  than 
2 7-5  mm.  have  a mean  of  height  88*9%  length  ; those  of 
length  between  27-5  mm.  and  32-5  mm.  have  a mean  of  height 
877%  length  ; and  those  of  length  greater  than  32*5  mm. 
have  a mean  of  height  86*8%  length.  In  other  words,  the 


1924  Aug.  1 


236  Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle. 

height  of  the  shell  in  proportion  to  the  length  decreases  as 
the  shell  gets  larger.  (Fig.  4). 


He'iqhl"  % Lenqth. 

6i.  as.  65.  81  89  91.  95.  9 i. 

Fig.  4. — Variation  curves  showing  the  relative  decrease  in  height 
with  increasing  length. 

Algebraic  curve,  y = 0-175  Ne~°'Iox2,  for 

(i.)  specimens  length  less  than  27*5  mm.,  dot-dash  line. 

(ii.)  specimens  length  27-5  mm.  to  32-5  mm.,  continuous  line, 
(iii.)  specimens  length  greater  than  32*5  mm.,  dotted  line. 

The  mean  height  for  any  given  length  may  be  obtained 
approximately  from  the  formula  H =1*54-0 S2L,  where  H — 
height,  L=  length,  in  mm.  ; the  formula  is  at  least  correct 
for  shells  of  length  between  20  mm.  and  40  mm.  (Fig.  5). 


Lenqfh. 

lo  jiS  ^ i *s  50  if  ts~  35 


Fig.  5. — Graph  showing  the  rate  of  increase  of  height  with  increasing 
length. 

Actual  points  obtained,  . ■ . • 

Algebraic  equation, _H  = 1 -5  + 0-82  L,  broken  line. 


The  proportion  of  thickness  to  length. — -There'  is  similarly 
a variation  in  the  proportion  of  the  thickness  to  length  of 


Naturalist 


Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle.  237 

the  shells.  The  variation  extends  from  a minimum  of  thick- 
ness 317%  length  to  a maximum  of  thickness  45*3%  length, 
with  a mean  of  thickness  37 -o  % length.  The  variation  is 
again  given  by  a symmetrical  variation  curve  of  typical 
form  and  is  approximately  represented  by  the  algebraic 

curve  y = 0*20  Ne  ~ °’I25x2>  where  y is  the  number  of  in- 
dividuals having  thickness  (37*0  +x)%  length,  and  N is  the 
total  number  of  individuals.  (Fig.  6). 


Fig.  6. — Variation  in  the  proportion  of  thickness  to  length  in 
Cardium  edule . 

Actual  graph  obtained,  continuous  line. 

Algebraic  curve,  y=  0-2.0  Ne~°’I25x2 , broken  line. 

The  proportion  of  thickness  to  length  does  not  vary  so 
markedly  with  difference  in  size  of  the  shells  as  does  the  pro- 
portion of  height  to  length,  but,  nevertheless,  there  is  a 
regular  increase  in  the  proportion  of  thickness  to  length 
with  increasing  length.  Thus  the  individuals  of  length  less 
then  2 7*5  mm.  have  a mean  of  thickness  36-8%  length  ; 
those  of  length  between  27-5  mm.  and  32-5  mm.  have  a mean 
of  thickness  37-0%  length  ; and  those  of  length  greater  than 
32*5  mm.  have  a mean  of  thickness  37*3%  length.  It  is 
interesting  to  note,  therefore,  that  in  large  (old)  shells  the 
thickness  is  greater  and  the  height  is  less  in  proportion  to 
the  length  than  in  small  (young)  shells. 

The  proportion  of  weight  to  length . — A graph  showing  the 
mean  weight  for  different  lengths  shows  that  the  weight  varies 
approximately  as  the  cube  of  the  length  (Fig.  7).  Hence  for 
our  purpose  the  proportion  of  the  weight  to  the  cube  of  the 
length  will  be  considered.  This  is  found  to  vary  between 
W =o*oooo5iL3,  (where  W = weight  in  gms.,  L = length  in  mm.) 
and  W =0-000196 L3,  though  in  this  latter  instance  the  specimen 
was  obviously  deformed.  The  variation  obtained  is  given  by 
a symmetrical  variation  curve  with  a mean  of  W =o-oooio27ZA 


1924  Aug.  1 


238  Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle . 

It  is  approximately  represented  by  the  algebraic  curve 
y =0*15  Ne~°' 33*2,  where  y is  the  number  of  individuals 
with  W = (0-0001027  +o-ooooi#)L3,  and  N is  the  total  number 
of  individuals.  (Fig.  8). 


Fig.  7. — Graph  showing  increase  of  weight  with  increasing  length 
Actual  points  obtained,  • . • . 

Algebraic  curve  JF=o-oooio3  U> , continuous  line. 

,,  ,,  17=0-0298  L— 0-00271 1.2  _|_  0-000160  L$,  broken 

line. 


Fig.  8. — Variation  in  the  proportion  of  weight  to  length  in  Cardium 
edule. 

Actual  graph  obtained,  continuous  line. 

Algebraic  curve  ^ = 0-15  Ne~°'32x2,  broken  line. 

(In  constructing  this  algebraic  curve,  a tail  of  heavy  individuals 
was  ignored,  so  that  the  mean  of  the  algebraic  curve  is 
given  by  I7  = o-oooioL3) . 

That  the  weight  does  not  vary  directly  as  the  cube  of  the 
length  is  shown  by  the  variation  of  groups  of  individuals  of 


Naturalist 


Variation  in  the  Shell  of  the  Common  Cockle.  239 

different  sizes.  The  specimens  of  length  less  than  27*5  mm. 
have  a mean  of  W =0*000099 7L3  ; those  of  length  between 
27*5  and  32*5  mm.  have  a mean  of  IF=o*oooi03iL3  ; and 
those  of  length  greater  than  32*5  mm.  have  a mean  of  W = 
o*oooio7iL3. 

The  mean  weight  for  any  given  length  may  be  obtained 
approximately  from  the  formula  W =0*0298!,  —0’002jiL2  + 
o*oooi6oL3,  where  IT  = weight  in  gms.,  L=length  in  mm., 
the  formula  is  at  least  correct  for  shells  of  length  between 
20  mm.  and  40  mm.  (Fig.  7). 

From  these  results  we  may  conclude  that  with  increasing 
size  of  shell  the  weight  increases  at  a relatively  greater  rate 
than  does  the  length. 

Summary  of  Variation. 

(i).  The  number  of  ribs  in  Cardium  edule  has  a mean 
value  of  25*6,  and  remains  constant  throughout 
life. 

(ii).  The  proportion  of  height  to  length  has  a mean 
value  of  height  87*6%  length.  During  growth, 
however,  the  height  gets  proportionally  less, 
according  to  the  equation  H =i*5-)-o*82L. 

(iii.)  The  proportion  of  thickness  to  length  has  a mean 
value  of  thickness  37*0%  length.  During  growth 
the  thickness  gets  proportionally  greater. 

(iv).  The  weight  (in  gms.),  compared  to  the  cube  of 
length  (in  mm.)  is  found  to  have  a mean  value 
of  W =0*000102 7L3.  During  growth,  the  weight 
increases  at  a relatively  greater  rate  than  does 
the  length,  according  to  the  equation  W =0*0298 
L —0*00271  L2  +o*oooi6oL3. 

Variation  in  each  of  the  characters  measured  is  normal 
and  regular,  and  for  each  character  the  group  is  homogeneous. 
The  shells  may,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  consisting  of  a 
single  biological  group  that  cannot  further  be  sub-divided. 

It  has  recently  been  noticed  that  fossils  collected  at  one 
horizon  and  presumed  to  be  co-existent  exhibit  in  some  cases 
wide  variation  among  themselves,  and  that  the  variation  is 
shown  by  those  characters  which  are  progressive  in  the  stock  ; 
in  other  words,  some  members  are  more  advanced,  others 
more  retarded,  than  those  with  which  they  presumably  lived. 

It  is  significant,  therefore,  that  the  limits  of  variation  in 
the  shells  of  the  cockle  are  relatively  narrow,  and  the  sugges- 
tion may  be  made  that  the  lineage  of  the  common  cockle  is 
not  tending  to  any  marked  change  in  the  shape  of  the  shell. 


.1924  Aug.  1 


240 


GAGEA  LUTEA  KER.  (=FASCICULARIS  SALISB.) 

AND  ITS  PARASITE. 

A.  A.  DALLMAN,  F.G.S. 

On  April  12th  several  hundred  plants  of  Gagea  lutea  were  seen 
by  the  writer  and  others  in  its  old  station  near  Doncaster, 
where  this  interesting  species  still  thrives.  Many  were  in 
bloom,  and  had  evidently  been  flowering  for  some  time, 
but  the  inconspicuous  scentless  blossoms,  which  are  easily 
overlooked,  were  devoid  of  insect  visitors.  The  weather  was 
not  too  favourable  for  insect  activities  on  this  occasion, 
however,  and  as  another  visit  failed  to  reveal  any  creatures 
frequenting  them,  further  observations  in  this  connection  are 
desirable.  The  flowers  appear  very  sensitive  to  variation  in  in- 
tensity of  illumination  (and  perhaps  to  temperature),  and  when 
closed  the  greenish  colour  of  the  perianth  exterior  renders  them 
difficult  of  detection  among  the  surrounding  grassy  vegetation. 

According  to  Kerner,  autogamy  may  occur  pseudo-cleisto- 
gamously  through  flowers  remaining  closed  under  unfavour- 
able weather  conditions.  On  my  last  visit  (May  14th)  the 
flowering  period  was  past,  only  an  occasional  etiolated  blossom 
remaining.  None  of  the  plants  shewed  any  signs  of  seed 
formation  or  capsule  production.  It  was  evident  that  the 
species  is  largely,  if  not  entirely,  propagated  here  vegetatively. 
Many  individuals  shewed  bulbil  development,  and  careful 
search  revealed  that  many  tiny  plants  were  present,  but  had 
so  far  been  unable  to  flower.  The  necessity  for  this  species 
concentrating  its  activities  into  the  early  period  of  the  year 
and  ahead  of  potential  competitors  was  obvious.  By  mid- 
May  the  plants  were  largely  hidden  and  overgrown  by  other 
vegetation  [Allium,  grasses,  etc.),  while  the  canopy  formed  by 
adjacent  trees  and  shrubs  was  also  obvious. 

Many  examples  shewed  sori  of  the  rare  micro-fungus 
Uromyces  Gagece  Beck,  which  has  previously  been  recorded 
from  here  some  years  ago.  These  were  found  to  contain 
abundance  of  teleutospores.  Plowright  ( Monograph  of  British 
XJredinece  and  ZJ  stilaginecz , 1889),  states  that  the  mycelium 
causes  pale  blotches  on  the  leaves  of  the  host.  None  of  the 
examples  which  I examined  in  the  field  shewed  them.  In- 
fected leaves  which  I kept  under  observation  in  the  laboratory 
where  mature  sori  developed,  also  failed  to  reveal  any  spotting. 

I believe  the  three  records  which  are  given  for  the  Don 
and  Dearne  district,  in  the  Flora  of  West  Yorkshire,  probably 
all  refer  to  the  one  station.  It  is  very  probable  that  this 
station  is  also  identical  with  that  which  Tofield  knew,  and 
formed  the  basis  of  his  record  which  appears  in  Hudson’s 
Flora  Anglica  (Ed.  ii.,  1778),  and  yields  our  earliest  notice 
of  Gagea  lutea  as  a West  Yorkshire  plant. 


Naturalist 


241 


THE  CRADLE  OF  THE  HUMAN  RACE. 

For  a long  time  we  have  suspected  that  the  East  Anglian 
‘ prehistorians  5 would  be  claiming  their  area  as  the  cradle 
of  the  human  race.  In  the  current  number  of  Science  Progress 
there  is  still  another  f essay  ’ on  ‘ The  Antiquity  of  Man  in 
East  Anglia,’  in  which  this  claim  is  now  made.  This  essay 
is  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  it  is  not  accompanied  by  a 
single  footnote  referring  to  Mr.  J.  R.  Moir’s  various  and 
numerous  essays  on  the  same  or  similar  subjects  ; nor  is  that 
person  once  referred  to  in  the  text.  Whether  this  is  due  to  a 
sudden  modesty  on  the  part  of  the  author,  or  to  the  editorial 
blue  pencil,  we  cannot  say ; but  the  fact  remains.  The 
‘ author,’  who  is  now  an  f F.G.S.’,  tells  us  that  ‘ the  whole 
series  of  strata  forming  the  earth’s  crust  have  (sic)  been 
divided  up  by  geologists  into  various  periods,  ranging  from  the 
most  ancient  archsean  to  that  of  the  present  day.’  For- 
tunately for  us,  archsean  rocks  do  not  occur  in  East  Anglia., 
so  that  human  remains  are  not  recorded  from  that  deposit, 
as  yet.  Then,  ‘ in  geological  parlance,  this  (?  present)  is 
the  Recent  Period,  and,  going  back  in  time,  we  find  that 
behind  us,  in  successive  order,  are  the  Pleistocene  and 
Pliocene  epochs.  There  are,  of  course,  many  others .’  He 
then  refers  to  the  eoliths — f dawn-stones,’  found  by  the  late 
Benjamin  Harrison.  These  are  correctly  described  as  ‘ of 
the  simplest  possible  description,  being  mostly,  naturally, 
fractured  pieces  of  tabular  flint  ’ ; but  when  Mr.  Moir  adds 
* exhibiting  human  flaking  along  one  or  other  of  their  edges., 
which  were  evidently  used  for  scraping  and  cutting  purposes 
of  a rough  and  primitive  nature,’  and  ‘ thus,  both  from  the 
geological  and  morphological  standpoints,  the  Harrison 
eoliths  of  the  Kent  plateau  appear  to  represent  the  handiwork 
of  the  earliest  human  beings  ’- — I must  join  issue  with  him. 
Speaking  as  an  amateur  geologist,  I deny  that  the  dawn 
stones  give  any  evidence  whatever  of  human  beings — and 
what  morphology  has  to  do  with  the  question  we  fail  to  see. 
Perhaps  Mr.  Moir  means  morphia-ology — ‘ sleep-stones  ’ 
rather  than  ‘ dawn -stones.’ 

Then  this  F.G.S.  gives  the  geological  information  that 
‘ towards  the  close  of  the  Pliocene  period  the  land  surface  of 
Norfolk  and  Suffolk — owing  probably  to  a sinking  of  the  earth's 
crust  in  this  area — was  submerged  beneath  the  sea.’  It  was 
not,  therefore,  due  to  the  weight  of  the  tribes  of  ‘ Ipswich 
men,’  nor  of  those  who  carved  models  of  mammoths,  made 
rostro-carinates  and  mighty  ‘ palseoliths.’ 

The  author  states,  * Beneath  the  Crag  have  been  found 
several  examples  of  Harrisonian  eoliths,  considerably  abraded, 
and  indicating  that  they  had  a long  history  before  arriving  in 
the  detritus  bed.’  As  they  were  presumably  found  by  the 

■ 1924  Aug.  1 


Q 


242  The  Cradle  of  the  Human  Race. 

author,  and  as  they  were  once  part  of  a Cretaceous  sea  floor, 
this  statement  cannot  be  denied.  But  when,  on  this  evidence, 
we  learn  that,  ‘ It  is  thus  possible  to  arrive  at  the  conclusion 
that  the  makers  of  these  primitive  implements  lived  during 
some  period  prior  to  that  in  which  East  Anglia  was  sub- 
merged beneath  the  waters  of  the  Crag  sea/  we  reply  that  it 
is  only  possible  if  one  has  Moir  imagination. 

Nor  can  a geologist  accept,  without  some  little  evidence, 
the  statement  that  ‘ Among  the  numerous  animals  whose  (sic) 
remains  have  been  found  beneath  the  Crag  may  be  specially 
mentioned  the  Mastodon  [surely  not  a misprint  for  Ammonite  ?] 
an  elephant -like  creature  of  great  size  and  strength — which, 
with  early  man,  existed  in  the  warm  and  genial  climate  of 
pre-Crag  times.' 

Also,  probably  to  very  few  but  the  author  can  it  be  that 
* there  would  seem  little  doubt  that  both  the  implements  and 
the  mammalian  remains  of  the  Forest  Bed  are  referable  to 
the  early  Palaeolithic-Chellian  period,  and  it  will  be  realised 
that  to  thus  (sic)  place  these  specimens  in  the  first  inter- 
glacial epoch  is  to  depart  very  widely  from  the  old  view  of  the 
post-glacial  age  of  all  evidence  of  man  in  this  country.' 

Reference  is  then  made  to  the  hollows  in  the  Forest  Bed 
series,  formed  by  the  Scandinavian  ice-sheet.  ‘ These  de- 
pressions were  afterwards  filled  with  gravels,  sand  and  brick- 
earth,  which  have  been  found  [by  the  author?]  to  contain 
the  flint  implements  of  the  Acheulian  and  Early  Mousterian 
races,  who  were  evidently  moving  northwards  as  the  ice 
slowly  retreated.  The  occurrence  in  these  deposits  of  central 
"stations/  or  occupation  levels  of  these  people,  would  seem 
to  indicate  that  the  small  lakes  then  existing  were  frequented 
by  wild-fowl,  which  no  doubt  formed  an  important  item  in 
the  menu  of  the  ancient  Acheulian  and  Mousterian  hunters.' 
Could  not  Mr.  Moir  prove  all  this  by  finding  some  of  the 
Maglemose  harpoons  the  wild  fowls  were  slain  withal? 

After  more  ice  invasion,  ‘ there  is  not  much  doubt  that 
the  Upper  Palaeolithic  races,  the  Aurignacians,  the  Solutrians, 
and  the  Magdolenians  [what  about  the  Maglemosians  ? ] 
arrived  in  East  Anglia  on  their  hunting  expeditions  towards 
the  close  of  glacial  times.  . . . The  last  phase  of  Upper 
Palaeolithic  times  occurred  about  15,000  years  ago.  . . . Since 
the  close  of  the  Palaeolithic  period  no  great  geological  changes 
have  taken  place  in  East  Anglia,  and  the  relics  of  the  later, 
neolithic  , pastoral  peoples  are  found  scattered  upon  the  present 
surface  of  the  ground.'  Now  what  possible  geological  or  mor- 
phological evidence  can  Mr.  Moir  produce  to  support  that 
‘ 15,000  years?  ' — and  the  author  seems  to  have  forgotten 
that  it  is  not  so  very  long  ago  since  an  East  Anglian  pre- 
historian  f proved  ' that  neolithic  man  existed  in  that  area 


Naturalist 


Field  Notes, 


243 


in  pre-glacial  times,  because  flint  implements  of  unquestion- 
able neolithic  date  were  found  in  large  numbers,  which  had 
undoubted  ‘ glacial  ’ striae  made  after  the  implement  had  been 
fashioned.  After  all  this,  we  are  not  at  all  surprised  to  learn 
that  ' the  clear  proof  (sic)  of  the  existence  of  man  in  a limited 
area  like  East  Anglia,  from  the  earliest  eolithic  period  to  the 
end  of  the  Stone  Age,  is  unique,  and  raises  important  con- 
siderations as  to  the  place  of  origin  of  the  human  race,  which, 
however,  it  is  beyond  the  scope  of  this  present  article  to 
discuss.’ 

We  are  also  informed  that  ‘ man  has  flourished  in  the  past 
in  England,  as  he  did  elsewhere,  in  warm  inter-glacial  epochs, 
and  that  to  regard  all  his  remains  found  in  this  country  as 
referable  to  post-glacial  times  is  entirely  erroneous.’  It  is 
that  word  * remains  ’ upon  which  the  whole  question  rests. 
Tons  upon  tons  of  ‘ fractured  pieces  of  tabular  flint,’  which 
may  or  may  not  be  artificially  worked,  are  not  ‘ remains  of 
man.’  And  with  the  exception  of  the  now  notorious 
* Ipswich  man,’  which  Mr.  Moir  himself  ‘ found  ’ to  be 
pre-glacial,  and  has  himself  admitted  is  modern,  we  still 
want  remains  of  early  man  in  East  Anglia.  Surely  this  whole 
series  of  races  of  alleged  hunters  could  hardly  have  had  their 
scores  of  stations  and  made  their  thousands  and  thousands  of 
weapons,  and  have  * left  not  a wrack  behind  ’ ? 

There  is  also  the  question  of  the  use  to  which  the  alleged 
•eoliths  were  put  by  their  makers.  Surely  the  ‘ dawn -stone  ’ 
men  would  want  to  kill  something  or  somebody — and  they 
would  not  do  it  by  * scraping  and  cutting,’  which  is  all  that 
their  alleged  myriads  of  implements  were  capable  of  doing  ? 

However,  we  hope  to  have  something  to  say  with  regard 
4o  the  alleged  Harrisonian  ‘ dawn-men  ’ later. — T.  S. 

: o : 

REPTILIA. 

Viper  in  North  Yorks. — An  unusually  large  Viper, 
c2'5j  inches  long,  was  killed  at  Darnholme,  near  Goathland, 
Saturday,  5th  July,  1924. — R.  T.  Flintoff. 

BIRDS. 

Black -throated  Diver  near  Whitby. — On  February  15th 
an  adult  male  Black-throated  Diver  was  shot  at  Littlebeck, 
about  six  miles  inland  from  Whitby.  Mr.  J.  W.  Clarke, 
who  examined  the  skin,  found  the  change  from  winter  plumage 
in  progress  : the  square  white  spots  of  the  summer  plumage 
appearing  on  the  scapulas.  Another  adult  of  this  species 
was  picked  up  dead  at  Langdale  End,  near  Hackness,  on  April 
3rd. — F.  Snowdon. 


• .1924  Aug.  1 


244 

YORKSHIRE  BRYOLOGISTS  AT  INGLETON. 


F.  E.  MILSOM. 


The  charms  of  Ingleton,  both  from  a scenic  and  a natural  history  point 
of  view,  are  too  well  known  to  need  description.  The  members  of  the 
Bryological  Section  spent  a very  profitable  week-end  there  from  March 
29th  to  31st.  The  weather  was  uniformly  kind,  and  many  interesting 
species  were  noted.  On  Saturday,  both  glens  were  well  worked,  and 
on  Sunday  the  party  divided,  part  ascending  Ingleborough,  and  part 
working  the  glens  again.  Among  species  most  worthy  of  note  were 
three  hepatics,  Plagiochila  tridenticulata , Moerckia  Flotowiana  and 
Saccogyna  viticulosa,  all  new  to  the  district.  The  Plagiochila,  usually- 
considered  a species  of  the  extreme  west,  is  the  first  record  for  Yorkshire. 
Moerckia  Flotowiana,  also  usually  a coast  species,  occasionally  occurs; 
inland,  and  as  such  has  been  found  once  previously  in  Yorkshire  by  Mr. 
Burrell,  near  Whernside.  Saccogyna  viticulosa  is  also  a western  species, 
though  not  so  rare  as  the  other  two.  Taken  as  a whole,  the  hepatic: 
flora  of  the  glens  is  distinctly  that  of  a western  coast  glen.  In  this 
connexion  it  is  worth  noting  that  Ingleton,  usually  regarded  as  an 
inland  place,  is  after  all  only  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  west  coast. 

The  more  interesting  species  noted  were 


Diphyscium  foliosum 
var.  acuti folium. 
Rhabdoweisia  denticulata . 
Ptychomitrium  polyphyllum. 
Barbula  rubella  var.  ruberrima . 
B.  rubella  var.  dent  at  a. 

Weisia  crisp ata. 

Trickostomum  crispulum . 

Moerckia  Flotowiana. 

Lophozia  barbata. 

Plagiochila  spinulosa. 

P.  tridenticulata. 


Mosses. 

Zygodon  mougeotii. 

Ulota  Bruchii. 

Bartramia  pomiformis  var.  crispa . 
Weber  a elongata. 

Mnium  orthorrhynchum . 
Pterogonium  gracile. 

Thuidium  delicatulum. 
Hylocomium  brevirostre. 

Hepatics. 

Saccogyna  viticulosa. 

Bazzania  trilob  ata. 

Radula  complanata  (on  rock.) 
Frullania  fragilifolia. 

— : o : 


The  Genesis  of  Petroleum,  by  P.  E.  Spielmann.  Ernest  Benn, 
Ltd.,  72  pp.,  5/-  net.  Dr.  Spielmann  presents  a concise  summary  of 
the  many  theories  which  have  been  advanced  regarding  the  origin  of 
petroleum.  Although  modern  research,  particularly  from  the  chemical 
side,  has  largely  discounted  the  value  of  the  earlier  hypotheses  such  as, 
for  example,  the  inorganic  theories  of  Berthelot,  Mendelejeff  and  others, 
it  must  not  be  assumed  that  these  ideas  are  entirely  abandoned.  At  the 
present  time  the  organic  origin  of  petroleum  appeals  to  the  majority  of 
scientific  investigators,  and  although  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the 
vegetable  hypothesis  claims  many  eminent  supporters,  nowadays  there 
are  instances  in  the  known  oilfields  of  the  world  where  apparently  the 
evidences  suggest  that  animal  material  has  contributed  largely  to  the 
formation  of  the  oil.  Chemical  research  is  still  being  addressed  vigor- 
ously towards  a solution  of  this  problem,  though  it  must  be  remembered 
that  the  question  is  essentially  a geological  one,  and  the  accumulation  of 
petroleum  in  certain  horizons  has  been  governed  fundamentally  by- 
geological  conditions,  such  conditions  can  neither  be  reproduced  nor 
even  approximated  within  the  confines  of  a laboratory.  The  author 
has  furnished  an  invaluable  bibliography.  The  student  and  the  pro- 
fessional technologist  will  find  much  to  stimulate  further  research  on 
this  absorbing  topic  in  the  pages  of  this  work,  and  for  this  reason  alone 
it  can  be  thoroughly  recommended. — G.S. 


Naturalist 


245 


FREE-FLOATING  MICROFLORA  OR  PHYTO- 
PLANKTON OF  HORNSEA  MERE,  EAST  YORKS. 

BY  BENJAMIN  MILLARD  GRIFFITHS,  D.SC.,  F.L.S. 

Department  of  Botany,  Armstrong  College,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

The  free-floating  microscopic  organisms  or  plankton  of  fresh 
"water,  form  a biological  association  which  is  of  considerable 
interest  both  to  the  scientist  and  to  water-engineers  and 
others  concerned  in  the  purity  of  drinking-water  supplies. 
The  micro  flora  of  the  larger  lakes  of  the  mountainous  areas  in 
Western  Scotland,  Cumberland  and  Wales,  has  been  in- 
vestigated by  Messrs.  W.  and  G.  S.  West  (4,  5),  and  those  of 
Cumberland  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Pearsall  (2).  The  micro  flora  of 
the  smaller  bodies  of  water  which  are  scattered  over  the 
lowlands  of  England  has  been  examined  and  recorded  by  the 
writer  (see  Griffiths,  1,  pp.  211-212).  In  the  course  of  the 
latter  survey  an  examination  was  made  of  the  plankton  of 
Hornsea  Mere. 

The  Mere  is  of  particular  interest  to  plankton  algologists 
because  of  its  size,  origin  and  situation.  It  is  about  500  acres 
in  area,  and  is  therefore  one  of  the  largest  of  lowland  waters. 
It  is  natural  in  origin,  and  is  probably  a relic  of  a lowland 
lake  system  which  has  been  eroded  by  the  waves  (see  Sheppard, 
3), — a system  doubtless  resembling  that  of  Denmark  on  the 
other  side  of  the  North  Sea.  Like  the  Danish  lakes,  it  tends 
to  be  shallow,  and  is  barely  10  feet  deep.  The  natural  kettle- 
hole  meres  of  Shropshire  and  Cheshire  greatly  exceed  this 
figure,  but  they  are  much  smaller  in  area  (see  Griffiths,  1,  p. 
203) . The  lakes  of  Anglesey  are  also  deeper,  and  moreover  are 
largely  rock-basins  in  very  ancient  geological  strata.  The 
Angelsey  lakes,  in  fact,  differ  from  most  English  lowland 
pools,  and  resemble  certain  lakes  of  Sweden.  The  Broads  of 
Norfolk  are  also  shallow,  but  they  are  parts  of  a fairly  active 
river-system,  and  are  more  to  be  considered  as  riverine 
enlargements  than  lakes  of  the  reservoir  type. 

Hornsea  Mere  might  therefore  be  considered  as  an  English 
representative  of  the  Danish  and  Northern  Germanic  type  of 
lake.  It  is  broad  and  shallow,  and  lies  amidst  glacial  gravels, 
sands  and  clays,  and  there  is  no  large  inflow  or  outflow  of 
water.  Owing  to  its  shallowness,  most  of  the  bottom  is  within 
range  of  the  sunlight,  and  consequently  submerged  aquatic 
vegetation  can  flourish  over  the  larger  part  of  the  floor.  These 
plants  affect  the  quality  of  the  water  to  a considerable  degree, 
because  they  remove  from  the  water  the  carbon-dioxide 
which  has  been  absorbed  from  the  air,  and  during  daylight 
convert  the  carbon  into  starch,  sugar  and  other  carbon  com- 
pounds. In  the  process,  oxygen  is  set  free  into  the  water, 


1924  Aug.  1 


246  Free-floating  Phytoplankton  of  Hornsea  Mere . 

and  on  decay  of  the  plants,  the  water  is  enriched  with  various 
organic  compounds  which  it  would  not  otherwise  possess. 
The  plankton  organisms  depend  on  these  compounds,  and 
without  the  activities  of  the  submerged  vegetation  the  water 
would  probably  not  be  rich  enough  to  support  a copious- 
plankton.  The  waters  of  lakes  in  rocky  and  boggy  mountain 
areas  are  relatively  poor  in  nutritive  substances,  and  can  only 
support  a scanty  though  exceedingly  interesting  plankton 
consisting  largely  of  Desmids. 

On  September  12th,  1922,  the  phytoplankton  of  Hornsea 
Mere  contained  the  following  species  : — 

Anabcena  Lemmermannii  P.  Richter.  Occurring  in  great  abundance. 
It  is  a blue-green  alga  ( Cyanophycece  or  Myxophycece) , consisting; 
of  a very  much  coiled  and  twisted  thread  of  rounded  cells, 
diversified  by  occasional  colourless  cells  or  heterocysts,  and 
several  large  sausage-shaped  bright  blue  cells  (gonidia  or  spores), 
which  often  persist  as  a cluster  when  the  rest  of  the  cells  have 
perished.  The  alga  is  well  known  on  the  Continent,  and  has 
been  found  by  the  writer  in  the  Anglesey  lakes  and  in  Westwood 
Great  Pool,  Droitwitch,  Worcs. 

Microcystis  aeruginosa  Kuetz.  Numerous  specimens.  This  common 
Cyanophycean  consists  of  numerous  spherical  cells  embedded 
irregularly  in  a copious  jelly.  The  cells  are  usually  dark  brown 
in  colour  owing  to  the  presence  of  innumerable  minute  bubbles 
or  pseudo-vacuoles  in  the  cell  protoplasm. 

Botryococcus  Braunii  Kuetz.  Numerous  specimens.  This  somewhat 
peculiar  green  alga  may  be  green,  yellow  or  red  in  colour.  It 
consists  of  lobulated  clusters  of  cells,  and  is  very  widely  spread 
in  pools. 

Volvox  aureus  Ehrenb.  Numerous  specimens.  Resembles  the  well- 
known  Volvox  globator  of  weedy  pools,  but  is  smaller,  and  its 
oospores  are  smooth  and  of  a golden  colour. 

Cosmarium  Turpinii  Breb.  Many  specimens.  This  Desmid  is  frequently 
found  in  shallow  fresh  waters  along  the  east  coast  (see  West  & 
West,  6). 

Ceratium  hirundinella  O.F.M.  Rather  rare,  compared  with  the  above. 
This  species  of  Peridiniae  is  very  common  in  the  moderately  large 
and  deep  pools  of  England.  The  specimens  in  the  Mere  were 
small.  It  is  probable  that  the  shallowness  of  the  water  is  not 
favourable  to  it.  In  some  of  the  deep  and  steep -sided  Shropshire 
and  Cheshire  meres,  the  alga  attains  an  enormous  abundance  and 
colours  the  water  brown. 

The  rather  unique  character  of  Hornsea  Mere,  and  the 
provision  of  boating  facilities,  makes  this  body  of  water 
highly  suitable  for  periodic  examination.  All  that  is  required 
is  a small  conical  net,  about  six  inches  in  diameter  and 
eighteen  inches  long,  which  can  be  towed  behind  a rowing 
boat  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  in  the  open  water  of  the 
Mere.  The  net  must  be  of  silk,  either  the  standard  No.  20 
bolting  silk  used  by  millers,  or  best  quality  Jap  silk  of 
approximately  .05  millimetres  mesh.  The  contents  of  the  net 
are  poured  into  a tube  or  small  bottle  and  preserved  as  soon 
as  possible  with  a few  drops  of  strong  formic  aldehyde  solution 


Naturalis  t 


Correspondence. 


24  7 


(sold  as  Formalin  40%).  This  reagent  not  only  fixes  and 
preserves  the  organisms,  but  decolourises  them  very  little, 
and  a little  copper  acetate  added  to  the’  solution  will  intensify 
the  green  colour  of  the  preserved  algae  even  more. 

Literature  cited  : — 

1.  Griffiths,  B.  M. — Phytoplankton  of  Bodies  of  Fresh  Water,  Journal 

of  Ecology,  Vol.  II.,  1923. 

2.  Pearsall,  W.  H. — Factors  Influencing  Distribution  of  Free-Floating 

Vegetation,  Journal  of  Ecology,  Vol.  IX.,  1922. 

3.  Sheppard,  T. — -Lost  Towns  of  the  Humber,  map,  p.  297,  Handbook  to 

Hull  Brit.  Assoc.,  1922. 

4.  West  & West. — Phytoplankton  of  English  Lake  District,  The 

Naturalist,  1906. 

5.  West  & West. — British  Freshwater  Phytoplankton,  Proc.  Royal 

Society,  B.,  Vol.  LXXXI.,  1909. 

6.  West  & West. — British  Desmidiaceae,  Vol.  III.,  p,  190. 

: o : 

CORRESPONDENCE . 

BIRDS  IN  NIDDERDALE. 

Sir, — In  ‘ Studies  in  Nidderdale,’  by  J.  Lucas,  made  from  notes 
during  the  progress  of  a Geological  Survey  of  the  district  from  1867  to 
1872,  the  author  deals  with  the  birds  of  Nidderdale,  etc.,  and  states 
that  the  Lesser  Whitethroat  is  by  far  the  ‘ commonest  bird  in  the  whole 
district  from  the  Vale  of  York  up  to  the  borders  of  the  moors,’  while  the 
Whitethroat  does  occur,  ‘ but  not  plentifully,’  which  scarcely  accords 
with  my  experience  (not  a wide  one,  perhaps)  of  the  status  of  these  two 
species  in  Nidderdale.  Formerly,  however,  these  two  species  were 
often  confused.  Referring  to  the  Sand  Martin,  he  says  it  does  not  ascend 
above  500  or  600  feet,  but  I -have  seen  it  breeding  in  Nidderdale  up  to 
nearly  1000  feet,  and  in  this  district  (Wilsden)  up  to  900  feet.  Mr. 
Lucas  further  says  that  the  Rock  Dove  breeds  at  Guyscliff  and  Brimham 
Rocks,  which  record  requires  confirmation.  The  Wood  Wren  is  said  to 
be  local,  but  the  Chiff chaff  ranges  up  to  little  above  700  feet.  It  is  not 
so  common  as  the  Lesser  Whitethroat,  but  more  common  than  the  Wood 
Wren  ; from  which  it  would  appear  that  the  Chiffchaff  is  far  from  being 
a scarce  bird  in  Nidderdale.  On  July  1st,  1869,  Mr.  Lucas  saw  a Red- 
backed  Shrike  at  Hole  Bottom,  950  feet,  which  I presume  must  have  been 
breeding  in  or  about  that  locality,  the  Nuthatch  is  rare,  the  Lesser 
Spotted  Woodpecker  was  shot  in  1868  or  1869  in  Backstone  Gill  by 
Mr.  Omerod,  the  Wryneck  he  never  saw.  He  alludes  to  one  of  the  few 
natural  nesting  places  of  the  House  Martin  at  Kilnsey  Crag,  in  Wharfedale, 
a beetling  cliff  of  about  165  feet,  where  thousands  of  Martins  may  be 
counted  in  the  breeding  season — which  number  is  far  in  excess  of  that  I 
saw  on  my  last  visit  to  that  remarkable  cliff.  There  is  one  record  in 
Mr.  Lucas’s  book  which  has  some  reference  to  a note  of  mine  in  The 
Naturalist  for  June  last,  on  the  separation  of  the  sexes  of  the  Chaffinch 
in  autumn  and  winter.  Mr.  Lucas  writes  — ‘ On  February  22nd,  1868, 
I saw  an  immense  flock  of  Chaffinches  numbering  thousands,  which 
were  apparently  all  cock  birds  ; this  was  two  miles  east  of  Shipley,  Aire- 
dale.’—E.  P.  Butterfield. 

Lucas’s  notes  upon  the  Birds  of  Nidderdale  are  so  unreliable,  that 
they  suggest  he  knew  practically  little  or  nothing  about  them.  His 
notes  upon  the  species  mentioned  by  Mr.  Butterfield,  viz.,  Lesser  and 
Greater  Whitethroat,  Rock  Dove,  Chiffchaff  and  Wood  Wren  are 
altogether  wrong. — R.F. 


1924  Aug.  1 


248 


YORKSHIRE  RIVERS  INVESTIGATION. 


CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


At  a meeting  convened  by  the  Committee  of  Suggestions,  the  question 
of  the  rivers  investigation  was  carefully  considered.  Prof.  Priestley, 
who  was  in  the  chair,  outlined  what  had  been  done  ; the  initial 
suggestion  came  from  the  Yorkshire  Geological  Society,  and  included 
the  whole  river  system  of  the  county  ; a series  of  letters  in  Nature  of  a 
more  recent  date  pointed  to  the  need  of  a detailed  knowledge  of  the 
biology  of  our  rivers  before  the  question  of  pollution  could  be  dealt  with. 
Dr.  Pearsall  pointed  out  that  the  quality  of  the  water  differed,  though 
little  polluted,  and  he  suggested  starting  on  one  river,  and  that  free  from 
pollution  if  possible.  Prof.  Garstang  suggested  that  help  might  be 
available  from  the  Leeds  Philosophical  Society.  Dr.  McClean  Wilson, 
of  the  West  Riding  Rivers  Board,  promised  help  in  the  chemical  analysis 
of  monthly  samples  when  his  new  laboratories  were  ready.  Dr.  Russel, 
of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries,  undertook  to  send  details 
of  the  system  of  investigation  adopted  by  them,  that  our  work  might  be 
co-ordinated  with  theirs.  A long  discussion  ensued  on  the  advisability 
of  taking  two  contrasting  types  of  rivers  or  of  the  opportunity  of  investi- 
gating the  changes  of  a polluted  stream  as  the  sources  of  pollution  were 
gradually  cut  off,  but  ultimately  the  meeting  agreed  to  confine  the  scheme 
to  the  river  Wharfe,  and  to  four  points  on  that,  the  places  suggested 
being  : — Above  Beckermonds  Bridge  ; Grassington  Bridge  ; Bolton 
Woods  ; LTlleskelf  railway  bridge.  A sub-committee  was  arranged  to 
inspect  the  suitability  of  these.  Help  was  promised  by  Dr.  Pearsall, 
Messrs.  Burrell  and  Milsom,  on  the  botanical  side  ; Messrs.  Brown, 
Percival  and  Whitehead,  zoological  ; Messrs.  Mason  and  Johnson,  my- 
cological.  Other  helpers  will  be  welcomed,  and  observers  on  the  spot 
for  daily  records  of  the  height  of  water  at  the  bridges  would  be  very 
useful. 

: o : 

FUNGI . 

Didymium  tubulatum  in  Yorkshire. — Didymium  tubu- 
latum  Jahn  has  appeared  in  profusion  on  a ‘myxo’  decoy 
heap  in  my  garden.  This  organism  was  described  by  Miss 
Lister  in  Journ.  Bot.,  1921,  as  D.  dif  forme  var.  repandum , 
but  later  on  it  was  found  that  Dr.  Jahn  had  described  and 
named  it  two  years  before.  It  differs  from  typical  D . dif  forme 
in  the  sporangia  being  often  closely  clustered  in  small  groups 
or  else  forming  expanded  almost  net-like  plasmodicarps  ; the 
individual  sporangia  also  are  smaller  than,  and  not  so  white  as, 
D.  dif  forme.  The  capillitium  in  some  specimens  is  composed 
of  simple  or  slightly  branched  threads,  and  in  others  being 
much  branched,  with  flat  triangular  expansions  at  the 
axils  of  the  branches,  and  sometimes  with  perforations  of  the 
expansions.  The  spores  measure  12-15^  in  diam.  It  has  been 
recorded  from  the  south  of  England.  Miss  Lister  informs  me 
that  this  is  the  first  north  country  record.  This  does  not 
appear  to  be  a well  defined  species,  and  seems  better  fitted 
for  the  position  assigned  to  it  by  Miss  Lister  as  a variety 
of  D.  dif  forme —Nd . N.  Cheesman. 


-Naturalist 


249 

YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS  AT  EARBY. 


W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S., 
Hon.  Secretaries. 


( Continued  from  page  181). 

Mollusca  (Greevz  Fysher). — -The  weather,  with  the  exception  of  one 
or  two  misty  mornings  with  slight  drizzle,  was  fair,  and  land  mollusca 
kept  out  of  sight.  Not  a single  specimen  of  the  larger  snails  was  seen. 
Earby  Beck,  as  far  as  Kellbrook,  yielded  very  little  variety. 

Earby  and  Kellbrook  Beck. 


Avion  civ cums crip tus . Limncea  pevegva. 

Agviolimax  agrestis.  Ancylus  fiuviatilis . 

Helix  nemovalis.  Sphaevium  covneum  (very  abundant) . 

Marton  Wood  and  L.  & L.  Canal. 

Marton  Wood  and  the  canal  towards  Thornton  showed  a more  interest- 
ing molluscan  fauna. 

Avion  atev . 

A . subfuscus . 

A.  hovtensis. 

A.  civcumscviptus . 

Limax  Icevis. 

L.  agrestis. 

Hyalinia  nitidula. 

H.  crystallina. 

H.  cellavia. 

Helix  avbustoruvn. 

H.  hispida. 

(Quarry)  Thornton -in -Craven. 

'Clausilia  bidentata. 


Helix  stviolata. 
Pyvamidula  votundata. 
Nevitina  fiuviatilis . 
Bithynia  tentaculata. 
Planovbis  vortex. 

P.  spivorbis. 

Limncea  pevegva. 

L.  palustvis. 

Ancylus  fiuviatilis . 
Sphcevium  covneum. 


Foulridge  Reservoir. 

Foulridge  upper  reservoir  had  a dense  population  of  L.  pevegva,  but 
not  a single  specimen  of  any  other  species  was  found.  The  main  reservoir 
and  canal  added  a few  species. 

V allonia  pulchella  (dead).  Zua  lubvica. 

Hyalinia  crystallina.  Limncea  pevegva. 

Pyvamidula  votundata.  Planovbis  albus. 

B.  tentaculata.  Sphcevium  covneum. 

Planovbis  cavinatus. 


Canal,  Foulridge. 

The  dead  Anodon  shells  shown  at  the  meeting,  I think,  are 
P seudanodonta  vothomagensis , but  cannot  be  certain  without  seeing 
better  specimens. 

River  Ribble  and  Gisburn  Banks. 


Agviolimax  agrestis. 
Limax  Icevis. 

Avion  hovtensis. 

A.  civcumscviptus. 
Hyalinia  cellavia. 

H . alliavia. 

H . crystallina. 

H . helvetica. 

H.  stviolata. 


Ashfovdia  gvanulata. 
Pyvamidula  votundata. 
Zua  lubvica. 

Clausilia  bidentata . 
Ancylus  fiuviatilis. 
Paludestrina  jenkinsi. 
Hyalinia  nitidula. 
Zonitoides  nitidus. 


Botany  (Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead). — During  the  week-end  at  Earby, 
the  previous  cold  weather  emphasised  the  bleakness  of  the  rounded  hills 
which  flank  the  valley  sides.  The  great  stretches  of  pasture-land 
scarcely  showed  a trace  of  the  bright  green  of  spring,  and  in  keeping, 
were  the  barren  heather  lands  crowning  the  higher  summits.  On  one 
side  of  the  valley  stone  walls  bounded  fields  acres  in  extent,  while  on 


1924  Aug.  1 


250 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ear  by. 


the  opposite  side  the  fences  were  low,  scrubby  hedgerows  often  broken 
down,  the  scattered  lines  of  alder,  hawthorn,  sycamore  and  common  ash_ 
being  the  indicators  of  previous  fences,  thus  the  fields  seemed  of  great 
extent.  Over  the  hillside  straggled  a network  of  grass-grown  footpaths. 
Sheep  and  lambs  nibbled  the  brown  herbage,  but  there  was  nothing  for 
cattle,  and  they  were  conspicuously  absent. 

A visit  to  Thornton  Wood,  a plantation  of  beech,  oak,  common  ashr. 
birch,  alder  and  sycamore,  likewise  showed  few  signs  of  spring.  Soonv 
however,  the  carpet  of  bluebells  will  be  a sight  to  see  among  the  soft  and 
hair  grasses.  In  the  moister  drainage  channels  were  the  lesser  celandine , 
anemone  and  alternate-leaved  golden -saxifrage,  the  latter  in  fine  flower. 

It  was  also  seen  in  the  hedge  banks  at  Els  lack  along  with  Adoxa  and 
Ranunculus  Auricomus . On  the  Monday,  a brief  visit  was  made  to  the 
more  picturesque  woods  at  Gisburn.  Entering  Spring  Wood  and  follow- 
ing the  left  bank  of  the  stream,  one  was  struck  with  the  contrast  of  the- 
two  banks  ; the  right  bank,  a plantation  of  oak  with  a few  Scots  pine  and 
backward  ground  flora,  the  left  bank  a plantation  of  common  ash  with  oak, 
birch,  spruce,  elm  and  alder.  Here  the  ground  was  brightly  carpeted 
with  the  young  leaves  of  garlic  and  still  younger  shoots  of  dogs -mercury. 

A few  primroses,  anemones  and  celandines  were  the  only  plants  yet  in 
bloom. 

Fungi  (F.  A.  Mason). — Few  agarics  were  seen,  even  the  common 
spring  species  being  absent.  A fine  specimen  of  the  Conical  Morel,. 
Morchella  conica  Pers.,  was  collected  from  the  railway  embankment 
near  Earby.  Another  ascomycete,  Disciotis  venosa  (Pers.)  Boud., 
occurred  in  association  with  M . conica  at  Earby,  and  was  not  infrequent 
elsewhere  in  the  district.  The  species  found  in  greatest  abundance  was 
Sclerotinia  Curreyana  (Berk.)  Karst.,  on  rushes.  A search  for  the 
ascophores  of  this  species  was  directed  by  the  presence  of  large  numbers 
of  the  sclerotia  over -wintering  in  the  rushes,  An  interesting  fact  was 
established  in  connection  with  its  appearance  on  Juncus  effusus  only  in 
this  district.  Although  it  is  said  to  occur  on  various  species  of  Juncus, 
in  no  case  was  it  found  on  J . conglomeratus  growing  alongside  J . effusus 
although  specially  searched  for  by  Dr.  Woodhead  and  the  writer.  Still 
another  discomycete  worthy  of  note  was  Apostemidiam  Guernisaci  (Cr.) 
Boud.,  which  occurred  on  damp  rotting  twigs  in  Springs  Plantation, 
Gisburn  ; the  discs  of  these  small  fungi  exhibited  the  sticky  covering 
of  long  waving  spores  as  seen  in  Vibrissea.  The  banks  of  the  Ribble 
at  Gisburn  proved  to  be  the  most  productive  of  fungi,  the  followng;  ‘ 
additional  species  being  collected  : — 

Pyrenomycetes  : — 

Hypocrea  rufa  (Pers.)  Fr. 

Endodothella  junci  (Fr.)  Theiss  et  Syd. 

Leptospora  ovina  (Pers.)  Fuck. 

Mycosphcere  lla  fr  agarics  (Tu  1 . ) J ohan . 

Pleospora  herbarum  (Fr.)  Rabenh. 

Melanconis  alni  Tul. 

Diatrypella  quercina  (Pers.)  Ces.  et  de  Not. 

Diatrype  stigma  (Hoffm.)  Fr. 

DaldAnia  concentrica  (Bolt.)  de  Not. 

Xylaria  hypoxylon  Linn. 

Discomycetes  : — 

Mollisia  cinerea  (Batsch.)  Fr. 

Coccomyces  coronatas  (Schum.)  de  Not. 

Coryne  sarcoides  (Jacq.)  Tul. 

Helotium  virgultorum  (Wahl.)  Karst. 

Dasyscypha  nivea  (Hedwig  fil)  Sacc. 

Stegia  Ilicis  Fr. 

Rhytisma  acerinum  (Pers.)  Fr. 


Naturalist 


251 


AN  EARLY  BINOCULAR  DISSECTING  MICROSCOPE. 

Through  the  good  offices  of  Mr.  C.  Davies  Sherborn,  who 
has  previously  been  the  means  of  valuable  additions  being 
made  to  our  collection  of  early  microscopes,  a fine  example  of 
a * dissecting  microscope/  of  over  half  a century  ago,  has  been 
placed  in  the  Hull  Museum  collections.  The  instrument 
seems  to  be  identical  in  every  way  with  what  was  then  described 
as  ‘ A new  binocular  dissecting  microscope/  in  Science  Gossip 
for  1868  (p.  201),  by  H.  Lawson,  as  follows: — ‘In  making 
dissections  of  the  lower  animals,  I have  frequently  found  that 
much  more  satisfactory  results  are  attained  by  the  employ- 
ment of  low  magnifying  powers  of  considerable  penetration, 
than  by  the  use  of  the  inch  and  half-inch  lenses  of  such  instru- 


ments as  the  Quekett  microscope.  The  advantages  of  low 
powers  are  : — 1st.  That  an  abundance  of  room  is  left  between 
the  lens  and  the  object,  so  as  to  admit  of  freedom  of  action  of 
the  operator’s  hands  ; 2nd.  That  the  object  may  be  easily  and 
well  illuminated  by  means  of  the  “ condenser  ”■ ; and  3rd. 
That  several  structures  situate  at  different  levels  are  brought 
simultaneously  into  view.  From  a knowledge  of  the  qualities 
I have  alluded  to,  I was  led  to  think  that  an  arrangement  of 
simple  lenses  for  the  production  of  binocular  vision  would  be 
of  infinite  service  to  the  anatomist.  I therefore  caused  such  a 
combination  to  be  effected,  and,  having  added  to  it  a few 
contrivances  calculated  to  facilitate  dissection,  I now  submit 
the  result  to  working  microscopists. 

£ The  microscope  when  closed  and  packed,  with  its  various 
apparatus,  forms  an  oblong  mahogany  box  about  six  inches 
long  and  three  and  a half  inches  deep,  provided  with  a lock 
and  key.  When  unlocked,  the  cover  and  one  side,  which  are 
connected  by  hinges,  unfold  so  as  to  lie  out  in  front  of  the 


1924  Aug.  1 


252 


News  from  the  Magazines . 


operator,  displaying  at  the  same  time  the  lenses,  mirror,  and 
dissecting  instruments.  The  stage  consists  of  a gutta  percha 
trough  having  a small  circle  of  glass  cemented  into  its  centre, 
and  placed  (when  in  use)  upon  ledges  attached  to  the  two  ends 
of  the  case.  The  objects  of  this  species  of  stage  are: — (a) 
to  enable  mollusks  and  similar  creatures  to  be  dissected  under 
water  ; (b)  to  allow  the  object  to  be  fixed  by  means  of  pins, 

which  may  be  driven  into  the  gutta  percha  ; and  (c)  to  permit 
light,  when  required,  to  travel  through  a tissue  by  being  re- 
flected from  the  mirror  to  the  glass  circle.  Outside  the  real 
ends  of  the  case,  which  sustain  the  trough,  there  are  two  false 
ones,  slightly  bevelled  above  and  connected  below  with  hori- 
zontal pieces,  which  slide  easily  and  uniformly  into  the  bottom 
of  the  case.  These  are  intended  as  supports  for  the  wrists  of 
the  anatomist,  and  can  be  drawn  out  for  a distance  of  six  inches 
or  less  on  either  side.  The  lenses,  which  are  two  in  number, 
are  fixed  in  moveable  eye-pieces,  and  these  are  sunk  in  an 
oblique  arm,  which  has  the  power  of  vertical  rotation  on  the 
perpendicular  bar  employed  in  producing  the  proper  focus. 
This  vertical  bar  slides  freely  and  steadily  in  a brass  fitting 
which  perforates  the  back  of  the  case.  By  means  of  the 
rotating  power  to  which  I have  referred,  the  arm  bearing  the 
lenses  is,  when  not  intended  for  use,  depressed  so  as  to  fit  into 
the  centre  of  the  case.  The  trough  also  slides  beneath  the 
mirror.  When  the  object  examined  is  opaque,  a “ bright 
spot  ” of  light  is  thrown  upon  it  by  the  condenser,  which 
springs  from  the  front  angle  of  the  case.  The  dissecting 
instruments  are  placed  in  depressions  in  those  portions  of  the 
case  which  unfold  upon  the  table  ; they  consist  of  two  pairs 
of  scissors  (“  curved  ” and  “ straight  ”),  two  curved  and  two 
straight  needles,  and  a pair  of  scalpels  of  forms  adapted  to 
the  requirements  of  the  dissector.’ 

‘ The  magnifying  power,  with  the  binocular  arrangement, 
does  not  exceed  six  diameters,  but  the  field  of  view  is  large, 
and  the  “ relief  ” of  the  object  under  examination  well  and 
clearly  marked.’ — T.  S. 

: o : 

Prof.  W.  Bateson’s  address  to  the  Birkbeck  College,  on  ‘ Progress 
in  Biology,’  appears  in  Nature. 

W.  H.  S.  Cheavin  writes  on  ‘ Insects  and  their  Vision,’  in  English 
Mechanics  for  June  6th  and  13th. 

The  Irish  Naturalist  for  May  contains  ‘ Some  New  and  Rare  Irish 
Spiders,’  by  D.  H.  Pack-Beresford. 

Some  new  or  little  known  British  Thysanoptera  are  described  in  The 
Entomologist’ s Monthly  Magazine  for  May. 

The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  June,  contains  a paper 
on  the  ‘ Improvement  of  Grassland  in  Yorkshire,’  by  J.  A.  Hanley. 

Among  the  contents  of  The  Avicultural  Magazine  for  May,  we  notice 
‘A  Thieving  Falcon,’  by  F.  D.  Welch,  and  ‘ The  Feeding  of  Young  Kestrels,’ 
by  T.  Sheppard. 


Naturalist 


253 


FIELD  NOTES. 

Dingy  Skipper  near  Louth,  Lines. — On  June  22nd,  on 
the  Sunny  Bank  of  Stranmore  Hill,  near  Louth,  I saw  a 
Dingy  Skipper  ( Thanaos  tages)  on  the  wing  and  at  rest.  This 
butterfly  has  not  been  previously  recorded  for  the  south  of 
Louth,  and  only  once  (in  1905)  for  the  north.  It  is  evidently 
a rare  insect  in  this  district. — C.  S.  Carter,  Louth,  June  23rd. 

Spoonbill  at  Whitby. — An  immature  Spoonbill  was  found 
dead  on  the  beach  at  Saltwick,  about  a mile  S.E.  of  Whitby, 
on  July  3rd.  The  bird  was  in  an  emaciated  condition,  and 
its  weight  was  2 lbs.  14  ozs.  This  notable  addition  to  the 
number  of  rare  birds  which  have  occurred  in  the  Whitby 
district  has  been  secured  by  the  Whitby  Literary  and  Philo- 
sophical Society,  and  the  skin  will  be  mounted  and  added  to 
the  local  collection  at  the  Whitby  Museum. — F.  Snowdon. 

Skull  of  Goat  in  North  Lincolnshire  Warp. — The  skull 
with  horn  cores  and  jaws  of  a goat  have  recently  been  ob- 
tained at  a depth  of  six  feet  in  soft  blue  warp  clay  which 
overlies  the  boulder  clay  at  East  Halton,  North  Lincolnshire. 
From  the  nature  of  the  bone,  etc.,  it  is  apparent  that  the  speci- 
men is  not  recent.  The  horn  cores  are  s'abre -shaped,  and 
inches  in  length.  The  specimens  have  been  presented  to  the 
Municipal  Museum  at  Hull  by  Mr.  Leonard  W.  Pye. — T.S. 

The  Red  Squirrel  and  its  Liability  to  Epidemics. — 

In  the  February  number  of  The  Naturalist,  I referred  to  some 
weakening  disease,  to  which,  I suggested,  is  largely  due  the 
Red  Squirrel's  disappearance  from  localities  where  it  was 
formerly  common.  I have  just  returned  from  a visit  in  Kent, 
where  my  host  had  lately  seen  a terrier  catch  a squirrel  in 
an  unaccountably  easy  manner.  He  sent  the  body  to  Mr. 
N.  S.  Lucas,  the  Prosector  of  the  Zoological  Society,  who 
reports  on  the  28th  May  f It  showed  one  of  the  stages  of 
coccidiosis,  in  large  numbers  in  the  fceces.  The  Helmin- 
thologists also  found  a round  worm.  It  was  undoubtedly 
weakened  by  this  condition,  which  would  enable  the  dog  to 
catch  it.  I think  the  Red  Squirrel  dies  from  epidemics, 
which  are  of  cyclic  occurrence.'  My  keeper  tells  me  that 
within  the  last  few  weeks  he  has  picked  up  a dead  Red  Squirrel 
which. showed  no  external  signs  of  violence.  He  also  lately 
.saw  another  squirrel  which  fell  back  several  times  when 
trying  to  climb  a spruce  fir  before  it  got  out  of  reach.  So 
far,  we  have  seen  no  signs  of  any  such  disease  among  the  few 
remaining  Grey  Squirrels. — W.  H.  St.  Quintin,  Scampston, 
Malton. 

: o : 

The  Photographic  Journal  for  June  contains  ‘Stalking  Big  Game 
with  a Camera  in  East  Equatorial  Africa/  and  ‘ The  appreciation  of  the 
Beautiful/  the  latter  by  J.  C.  Dollman.  Both  are  well  illustrated. 


1924  Aug.  1 


254 


REVIEWS  AND  BOOK  NOTICES. 

Charlie  Mackintosh,  by  Henry  Coates.  London  : T.  Fisher  Unwin, 
142pp.,  3s.  6d.  net.  This  volume  originally  appeared  last  year,  and  in 
its  present  abridged  form  will  possibly  be  welcomed  by  many  naturalists . 
Charlie  Mackintosh  was  a typical  naturalist  of  the  old  school,  and  the 
life-story  as  set  out  in  this  book  is  a very  fascinating  and  encouraging  one. 

What  is  Man?  by  J.  A.  Thomson,  LL.D.  London  : Methuen  & 
Co.,  244  pp.,  6s.  6d.  The  fact  that  well  within  a year  a second  edition 
of  this  book  has  been  called  for  speaks  for  its  popularity,  though  we  have 
yet  to  learn  of  anything  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Thomson  that  was  not 
popular  ! The  book  contains  the  ten  lectures  delivered  in  Aberdeen, 
and  serves  as  an  introduction  to  an  all-round  study  of  Man  as  Organism 
and  Social  Person.  The  tenth  chapter  appropriately  is  headed,  ‘ What 
is  man  not  ? ’ 

The  Nature -World  of  London,  by  Walter  Johnson.  London  : 
The  Sheldon  Press,  viii.  + 118  pp.,  3s.  net.  Our  contributor,  Mr.  Walter 
Johnson,  describes  the  botanical  treasures  to  be  met  with  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  metropolis,  and  illustrates  his  remarks  by  photo- 
graphs and  sketches.  In  six  chapters  he  deals  with  the  Timber  Trees  ; 
Ornamental  Trees  and  Shrubs  ; Wild  Flowers  and  Weeds  ; and  London’s 
Mushrooms  and  Toadstools.  The  volume  is  admirably  written,  as  might 
be  expected  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Johnson. 

Man  before  History  : A Short  Account  of  Prehistoric  Times,  by 
Mary  E.  Boyle.  London  : G.  Harrop  & Co..  Ltd.,  128  pp.,  3s.  6d.  The 
writer  of  this  little  book  was  secretary  to  Mr.  Miles  Burkitt,  at  Cambridge, 
and  she  has  secured  an  Introduction  from  the  Abbe  Henri  Breuil,  who 
has  supplied  her  with  illustrations  of  paintings  in  the  caves  of  France  and 
Spain.  Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  writings  of  Messrs.  Breuil  and 
Burkitt  will  therefore  have  an  idea  of  the  lines  upon  which  this  book  is 
written.  We  cannot  find  much  that  is  new  in  the  volume. 

Go  to  the  Ant  : A Popular  Account  of  the  Ant  in  all  Countries, 
by  Edward  Step.  London  : Hutchinson  & Co.,  xiL+276  pp.,  18s.  net. 
Mr.  Edward  Step  has  excelled  his  previous  works  in  the  extraordinarily 
fascinating  series  of  stories  which  he  has  gathered  together  relating  to 
the  achievements  of  various  species  of  ants,  at  home  and  abroad,  which 
are  described  so  interestingly  in  the  present  volume.  Some  of  the 
accounts  almost  read  like  fairy  tales,  but  those  who  know  Mr.  Step  are 
aware  he  is  sound  in  his  observations  and  descriptions.  The  volume  is 
well  produced  and  well  illustrated,  and  forms  a valuable  contribution  to 
the  life  history  of  these  interesting  insects. 

The  Birds  of  Portugal,  by  William  C.  Tait.  London  : Messrs. 
H.  F.  & G.  Witherby,  xii.+26o  pp.,  18s.  net.  In  this  volume,  Messrs. 
Witherby  put  ornithologists  under  a debt  of  gratitude,  as  it  is  still 
another  contribution  in  English  to  the  avifauna  of  Europe.  British 
ornithologists  interested  in  migration  necessarily  need  knowledge  of 
the  birds  of  the  continent,  and  in  this  interesting  book  special  attention 
is  paid  to  the  subject  of  migration  and  distribution.  The  greater  portion 
is  devoted  to  an  account  of  the  birds,  species  by  species,  but  there  are  also 
chapters  on  Ringed  Birds  ; The  Physical  Features  of  Portugal  ; and  an 
Appendix  with  the  publications  which  have  been  consulted  in  the  com- 
pilation of  this  useful  work. 

British  Mosses  and  How  to  Identify  Them,  by  J.  H.  Crabtree. 

London  : Epworth  Press,  1924,  62  pp.,  1/6  net.  This  little  volume  is 
one  of  several  Mr.  Crabtree  has  written  for  this  series,  on  very  varied 
subjects.  In  the  present  work,  sixty  of  the  more  common  British 
species  of  mosses  are  illustrated  from  photographs,  on  27  plates,  and  there 
is  a coloured  frontispiece  of  Gill  Beck,  Bolton  Woods,  ‘ a favourite 
haunt  of  mosses.’  Many  of  the  species  make  attractive  photographs, 
but  only  the  habit,  not  the  structure,  is  shown  by  this  process.  All  the 


Naturalist 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


255 


species  figured  are  described  in  non-technical  language  and  arranged 
according  to  Wilson's  Bryologid  Britannica.  Some  of  the  phrases  used 
are  misleading,  e.g.  ‘ Mosses  have  . . . flowers,  fruits  and  seeds,'  and  again, 

‘ moss  flowers  appear  at  the  summit  of  the  branch  or  stem  in  most  genera, 
and  lateral  in  others.  A bud  or  gemma  is  first  seen,  this  contains  cells 
of  antheridia  (male)  or  pistillidia  (female).’  Such  misuse  of  terms  is 
not  justified  even  in  a book  for  beginners. 

Les  Echinodermes  des  Mers  d ’Europe.  Par  R.  Koehler.  Tome 
I.,  pp.  xiv.4-362,  9 pis.,  7X4^  ins.  Encyclopedie  Scientifique,  Biblio- 
th£que  de  Zoologie.  Doin,  Paris,  1924.  16.50  francs.  A comprehensive 

work  on  the  Echinoderms  of  Europe  should  be  welcomed  by  the  marine 
biologist,  especially  when  the  author  is  so  distinguished  an  authority  as 
Professor  Koehler,  of  Lyons.  The  fact  that  it  is  written  in  French 
need  present  no  difficulty  to  the  Englishman,  who  will  accept  the  reduced 
price  as  more  than  a compensation  ; and  even  if  he  does  stumble  over 
such  unaccustomed  technical  terms  as  ' corbeilles,'  ‘ crepus,’  and  ‘ plume,’ 
he  Will  find  them  explained  in  the  glossary  which  is  thoughtfully  prefixed 
to  the  work.  There  does  not,  however,  seem  to  be  anything  in  the 
French  language  that  necessitates  the  change  of  ' secundibrachial  ’ into 
‘ secondibrachiale,’  of  ‘ syzygy  ’ into  ‘ sizygie,’  or  of  ‘ quinqueradiate  ’ 
into  the  barbarism  ‘ pentaradiee.’  After  a brief  note  on  the  place  of 
the  Echinoderms  in  the  Animal  Kingdom,  Prof.  Koehler  describes  their 
general  morphology  and  development.  Then  follow  notes  on  their 
bionomics,  geographical  and  bathymetric  distribution,  number  of  ex- 
isting species  (estimated  at  from  nine  to  ten  thousand),  palaeontology, 
and  method  of  preservation.  This  general  part  concludes  with  a table 
distinguishing  the  classes  of  living  Echinoderms.  The  number  of  species 
living  in  European  seas,  interpreting  the  latter  phrase  broadly  enough 
to  include  some  interesting  deep-sea  forms,  is  taken  as  about  250.  The 
present  volume  deals  only  with  the  Asterozoa,  namely  65  species  of 
Asteroidea  and  60  of  Ophiuroidea.  This  is  a good  deal  to  get  into  269 
small  pages  of  long  primer  type  and  nine  plates  of  photographs  ; but 
Prof.  Koehler  manages  it  by  conciseness  of  statement,  restriction  but  not 
suppression  of  morphological  discussion,  and  an  ingenious  crowding  of  his 
figures  that  would  win  him  the  prize  in  any  jig-saw  competition.  For 
the  starfishes,  Prof.  Koehler  adopts  a simplication  of  E.  Perrier's  classi- 
fication ; for  the  brittle -stars,  while  stating  the  system  recently  proposed 
by  Matsumoto,  he  contents  himself  with  the  ten  families  into  which  the 
species  under  discussion  naturally  fall.  In  this,  as  in  other  matters, 
Prof.  Koehler  places  first  the  needs  of  the  working  naturalist,  and  refers 
the  more  philosophic  zoologist  to  morphological  treatises  and  original 
monographs . This  is  the  first,  book  that  has  attempted  to  deal  with  the 
Echinoderm  fauna  of  Europe.  Points  in  it  will,  no  doubt,  be  subject 
to  criticism,  but  it  is  here  our  pleasanter  duty  to  recommend  it  as  a sound 
work  of  the  kind,  eminently  well-suited  to  its  purpose. — F.A.B. 

: o — — 

Mr.  H.  B.  C.  Pollard,  recently  appointed,  is  still  the  editor  of  Discovery, 
and  in  the  June  issue  follows  his  predecessors  in  telling  us  the  old,  old 
. story  ‘ the  fluctuating  fortunes  of  the  paper  are  now  stabilised,  and  I 
would  ask  readers  who  are  in  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  the  paper 
. to  use  their  personal  influence  to  extend  its  range  of  readers.’ 

The  Seventy- second  Report  of  the  Marlborough  College  Natural  History 
Society  contains  no  fewer  than  115  pages,  and  includes  a remarkable 
record  of  great  achievements  on  the  part  of  its  members.  There  are 
papers  on  flint  implements,  excavations,  fungi,  geology,  Barton  farm 
in  the  13th  century,  mammals,  birds,  insects,  etc.  There  are  several 
illustrations,  and  altogether  the  publication  is  very  creditable,  and  must 
have  entailed  much  work  on  the  part  of  the  editor,  L.  G.  Pierson. 


924  Aug.  1 


256 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

Miss  F.  A.  Rogers  has  been  appointed  guide-demonstrator  to  the 
Leicester  Museum. 

‘ The  Geology  of  the  Winchester  District/  by  W.  Whitaker,  is  printed 
in  The  Transactions  of  the  Institution  of  Water  Engineers,  Vol.  XXVIII.  ;; 
most  of  the  other  papers  therein  also  refer  to  the  Winchester  area. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Lincolnshire  Naturalists’  Union  record  the 
deaths  of  two  members  who  have  done  much  to  further  the  natural 
history  of  the  county,  viz.,  Joseph  Larder,  of  Louth,  and  John  Singleton 
Sneath,  of  Lincoln. 

Our  newspapers  are  surely  getting  too  much  power,  and  using  that 
power  badly.  We  learn  from  the  headings  to  a paragraph  in  The  Yorkshire 
Post  recently  : ‘ “ Northern  Transvaal  overrun  by  Locusts.”  (By  arrange- 
ment with  The  Times,  London)/ 

In  The  Scientific  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  for  March 
there  are  several  valuable  papers,  including  ‘ The  Habits  of  Limnaea 
truncatula  and  L.  pereger  in  relation  to  Hydrogen  ion  concentration,’  by 
W.  R.  G.  Atkins  and  Marie  V.  Lebour. 

We  notice  the  East  London  College  (University  of  London)  is  ad- 
vertising for  an  Assistant  Lecturer  and  Demonstrator  ‘ with  hons.  degree/ 
for  which  the  magnificent  salary  of  ^200  per  annum  is  offered.  This  must 
make  labourers  and  lavatory  attendants  laugh  ! 

Leicester  has  commenced  a new  publication,  The  Leicester  Museum, 
Art  Gallery  and  Library  Bulletin,  No.  1 of  which  is  before  us  (8  pp.* 
illustrated).  It  describes  recent  activities  in  the  various  departments, 
under  the  charge  of  the  Director,  Dr.  E.  E.  Lowe. 

An  article  in  a contemporary  on  an  Anglo-Saxon  Cemetery  at  Bidford- 
on-Avon  is  said  to  describe  ‘ the  most  important  Anglo-Saxon  burial 
ground  yet  discovered.’  We  are  not  quite  sure  whether  the  author, 
editor,  or  other  authority  is  responsible  for  the  statement,  but  it  is  far 
from  being  correct. 

At  the  recent  Conference  of  the  South  Eastern  Union  of  Scientific 
Societies,  held  at  Guildford,  Mr.  C.  H.  Grinling,  ‘ speaking  as  a Nature 
lover,  pleaded  that  all  of  his  hearers  might  become  in  an  increasing 
measure  transmitters  and  builders  of  truth  and  knowledge,  and  suggested 
that  they  could  never  hope  to  be  effective  transmitters  unless  they  were 
willing  to  become  builders  also.’ 

The  Report  of  the  Castle  Museum  Committee  of  Norwich  records  the 
fact  that  Bridewell,  a magnificent  flint-faced  building  associated  with 
William  Appleyard,  first  Mayor  of  Norwich  in  1403,  has  been  presented 
to  the  city  by  Mr.  H.  N.  Holmes,  Lord  Mayor  of  Norwich  in  1921-22. 
The  report  contains  the  usual  lengthy  list  of  additions,  and  details  of  the 
achievements  of  ‘ The  Friends  of  the  Norwich  Museum.’ 

We  have  received  from  the  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Joint  Committee 
of  Learned  Societies  of  Liverpool  and  District,  a useful  pamphlet  giving 
details  of  the  activities  of  the  various  societies  in  the  area.  ‘ An  associated 
soiree  was  held  on  November  4th  in  the  Liverpool  Museum  and  Technical 
School.’  As  a result  a standing  joint-committee  was  formed.  The 
pamphlet  forwarded  is  certainly  a healthy  record  of  the  work  being 
accomplished  in  Liverpool. 

The  ‘ Borough  ’ Guide  to  Scarborough  and  Neighbourhood  (32  pp., 
6d.)  contains  a good  index  to  the  various  paragraphs  dealing  with  the 
attractions  of  Scarborough  and  neighbourhood.  There  are  some  excellent 
photographic  illustrations,  and  a plan  (E.  J.  Burrow  & Co.,  Chelten- 
ham). A similar  volume  as  regards  pages,  illustrations,  plan,  price  and 
publisher,  has  been  issued  dealing  with  Harrogate.  Visitors  will  agree 
that  it  is  worth  the  money.  But  Harrogate  is  going  ahead  nowadays 
with  ‘ Guides  ’ and  ‘ Handbooks.’ 


Naturalist 


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Aug.,  1924. 


SEPT.,  1924. 


No.  812 

No.  586  of  current  Series 


Contents 

Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — The  National  Trust  ; The  Whitby 
‘ Lit.  and  Phil.’  ; New  Fish  from  the  Nottingham  Keuper  ; Stem 
Anatomy  of  Tradescantia  fluwiinensis  ; ‘ Index  Animalium  ’ ; Early 
Science  ; Manchester  ‘ Lit.  and  Phil.’  ; Birds  as  Divers  ; Sir  Archibald 


Geikie  ; 

Brooches 

casket 


Neolithic  ’ Man  Again  ; Science  and.  Wembley 
Safety-Pin  ; La  Tene  Types  ; Oology  ; Carnelian 


Pearsall , 


F.L.S. 


269-272 


...  272-278 
Sc.,  etc.  279-280 
. . ...  280-281 


Museum  Directors  at  Wembley — T.S. 

Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Holme -on -Spalding  Moor — W.  H . 

D.Sc.,  F.L.S.,  and  F.  A.  Mason,  F.R.M.S. 

Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ravenscar — W . H.  Pearsall,  D.Sc. 
and  F.  A.  Mason,  F .R.M..S . 

In  Memoriam  : — Sir  Jethro  Justinian  Harris  Teall , F.R.S. , D 
Sir  William  Herdman,  F.R.S. 

David  Woolacott,  D.Sc.  ...  ...  ...  ...  281 

G.  A.  Booth,  F.Z.S.,  F.E.S.,  M.B.O.U 281-283 

Field  Notes  : — Cumberland  Mosses  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  283 

East  Yorkshire  Topography  (illustrated)  ...  ...  ...  ...  284-286 

Correspondence  : — Key  to  the  Harpidioid  Hypna  ...  ...  ...  287 

Book  Notice  287 

Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  268 

News  from  the  Magazines  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  278 

Northern  News  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  283,  286,  287,  288 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ....  253,  281,  282,  285,  286 

LONDON: 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 

And  at  Hull  and  York. 

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British 
’s  Jewel- 


257-264 

265-268 


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A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH 

EDITED  BY 

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The  Museums , Hull: 

and  T.  W.  WOODHEAD,  Ph.D. 

Technical  College, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES  IN  SPECIAL 

G.  T.  PORRITT,  F.L.S. , F.E.S. 

JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc.  RILEY  FORTUNE,  F.Z.S. 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION 


BRYOLOGIGAL  SECTION. 


Excursion,  September  27th  to  29th,  to  Holmfirth,  for  the  investigation 
of  the  district,  including  Rainsden  Rocks,  Raikes  Dyke,  etc. 

Trains  : — Saturday,  Huddersfield,  10-11  ; Holmfirth,  10-35  a.m. 

Sunday,  Huddersfield,  10-25  ; Holmfirth,  10-48  a.m. 

Members  requiring  week-end  accommodation,  please  communicate,  not 
later  than  September  13th,  with 

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High  Cross, 

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BOOKS  WANTED. 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II. -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2nd  ser.,  Vol.  VI.,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVI. 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  i,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVI. , XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists’  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869.  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  n-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts). 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith's  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  ol  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Apply — Editor,  The  Museum,  Hull. 


vf/  ■ 25Z#y 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS 


THE  NATIONAL  TRUST. 


The  Report  of  the  National  Trust  for  1923-24  records  ‘ one 
of  almost  unexampled  progress  in  the  history  of  the  trust.’ 
No  fewer  than  nine  new  acquisitions  have  been  added  to  its 
list  of  properties.  These  include  the  Fell  and  Rock  Climbing 
Club  Memorial  of  3,000  acres  in  the  English  Lake  District  ; 
Hatfield  Forest,  near  Bishop’s  Stortford  ; Paycock’s  House, 
Coggleshall  ; Box  Hill  (550  acres)  ; the  Fame  Islands  ; 
twenty-one  additional  acres  at  Reigate  Hill  ; Roman  Camp 
at  West  Runton,  Norfolk  ; Rayleigh  Mount,  Essex  ; Rhaeadr 
Ddu,  near  Dolgelly,  and  the  Roman  Villa  at  Chedworth. 
£ 1000  still  is  required  to  purchase  Cissbury  Ring  in  Sussex, 
and  we  trust  this  will  soon  be  forthcoming. 


Few  of  the  remaining  Literary  and  Philosophical  Societies 
can  give  such  evidence  of  vitality,  after  a century’s  work,  as 
can  the  Whitby  Society,  the  101st  Report  of  which  is  before 
us.  The  membership  is  not  large.  £47  was  taken  in  ad- 
mission fees  for  the  museum,  and  during  the  year  Mr.  F.  M. 
Sutcliffe  has  been  appointed  Curator.  There  are  some  valuable 
‘ Local  Natural  History  Notes,’  a useful  and  well-illustrated 
paper  on  ‘ The  Crosses  on  the  North  York  Moors,’  by  T.  H. 
Woodwark  ; and  ‘ Ptolemy’s  Yorkshire  Coast  in  Roman 
Times,’  by  Lieut-Col.  T.  English.  According  to  his  map  this 
author  places  the  Roman  Coastline  to  the  east  of  the  Smithwick 
Sands,  and  Ocellum  Promontorium  about  eight  or  ten  miles 
east  of  Dimlington . We  would  suggest  that  this  author  should 
read  a certain  volume  on  ‘ The  Lost  Towns  of  the  Yorkshire 


At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Geological  Society  of  London, 
Prof.  H.  H.  Swinnerton  read  a paper  * On  a New  Catopterid 
Fish  from  the  Keuper  of  Nottingham.’  4 Certain  excavations 
made  at  Woodthorpe,  near  Nottingham,  passed  through  the 
lowest  beds  of  the  Keuper  Waterstones,  and  brought  to  light 
numerous  well-preserved  remains  of  fossil  fishes  belonging 
chiefly  to  the  genus  Semionotus.  Among  these  were  found 
specimens  of  a small  fish  which  proved  to  be  a new  species  of 
the  genus  Dictyopyge.  These  were  sufficiently  well  preserved 
to  throw  valuable  light  upon  the  osteology  of  this  compara- 
tively little-known  genus.  This  small  fish  is  only  4.5  centi- 
metres long,  and  slightly  more  than  1 cm.  deep.  Its  head 
occupies  a fifth  of  the  length  of  the  body,  and  in  the  sum 
total  of  its  osteological  characters  resembles  the  Eugnathidse 
rather  than  the  Palaeoniscidse.  The  pectoral  girdle,  however, 
has  an  infraclavicle,  a feature  which  is  diagnostic  of  the 

1924  Sept.  1 


THE  WHITBY  LIT.  AND  PHIL. 


Coast. 


NEW  FISH  FROM  THE  NOTTINGHAM  KEUPER. 


P 


258 


Notes  and  Comments. 


Catopteridae.  The  trunk  and  tail  are  clad  with  enamel- 
covered  scales.  Both  paired  and  unpaired  fins  are  of  moderate 
proportions,  and  have  their  anterior  margins  strengthened  by 
short  spiny  rays  and  a few  fin  fulcra.  While  the  tail  may  be 
described  as  hemiheterocercal,  it  differs  from  typical  examples 
of  this  type,  in  the  fact  that  the  upturned  lobe  of  the  caudal 
pedicle  is  produced  towards  the  tip  of  the  fin  by  means  of  an 
attenuated  scale-clad  extension.  This  feature  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  noticed  in  other  Mesozoic  fishes,  and  may  be 
regarded  as  indicative  of  a more  primitive  condition  than  that 
usually  seen  in  them.  The  detailed  study  of  this  new  species 
confirms  the  usually  accepted  opinion  that  the  Catopteridae, 
although  classed  with  the  Chondrostei,  approach  the  Proto- 
spondyli.  It  shows,  however,  that  this  approach  is  closer  than 
is  generally  supposed,  and  that  some  members  of  the  family 
Catopteridae,  as  at  present  constituted,  may  be  described  as 
primitive  Eugnathidae/ 

STEM  ANATOMY  OF  TRADESCANTIA  FLUMINENSIS . 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society,  Prof.  J.  H. 
Priestley  read  a paper  by  Miss  Lorna  I.  Scott  and  himself  on 
‘ Leaf  and  Stem  Anatomy  of  Tradescantia  fluminensis  Veil/, 
illustrated  by  many  lantern  slides.  * This  investigation  com- 
menced as  a study  of  vascular  development  in  order  to  clear 
up  the  problem  of  the  sap  supply  to  a leaf  which  grows  by 
means  of  the  long  continued  activity  of  a basal  meristem.  As 
a result  it  was  ascertained  that  vascular  development  in  the 
leaf  is  first  basifugal  and  subsequently  basipetal,  and  that  the 
backward  development  of  the  subsidiary  veins  through  the 
leaf  sheath  is  associated  with  the  subsequent  development  of 
the  system  of  peripheral  bundles,  which  lie  in  the  scleren- 
chyma  very  near  the  periphery  of  the  adult  stem.  As  a result 
the  functional  vascular  supply  to  the  leaf  proves  to  pass 
through  two  stages  in  the  stem.  In  the  young  internode 
communication  is  maintained  by  means  of  the  medullary  and 
perimedullary  bundles  ; as  the  growing  internode  extends  in 
length  the  xylem  of  these  bundles  is  disorganised,  but  at  this 
time  the  peripheral  bundles  are  differentiated  throughout  the 
internode  and  become  functional.  The  development  of  the  vas- 
cular supply  in  stem  and  leaf  has  interesting  correlation  with 
meristem  distribution  in  the  growing  shoot.  These  are  traced 
at  some  length  and  thus  some  light  is  thrown  on  two  prob- 
lems : — (i)  The  method  of  growth  of  Tradescantia  and  other 
monocotyledonous  plants  when  etiolated.  (2)  The  auricled 
leaf  of  Monocotyledons  such  as  Sagittaria  and  Alisma,  and 
the  leaf  form  found  in  these  plants  when  grown  in  darkness  or 
under,  conditions  of  submergence.’ 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


259 


INDEX  ANIMALIUM. 

We  should  like  to  congratulate  the  compiler,  Mr.  C.  Davies 
Sherborn,  the  Trustees  of  the  British  Museum,  and  the  printers 
on  the  prompt  appearance  of  Part  IV.  of  the  second  volume  of 
Index  Animalium,  which  contains  the  entries  ‘ Bail  to  Byzos,’ 
1801  to  1850  (pages  641-943,  15/-).  Working  zoologists  must, 
and  do,  appreciate  the  great  work  Mr.  Davies  Sherborn  is 
doing,  and  certainly  in  the  future  his  Index  Animalium  will 
be  even  much  more  appreciated  than  it  is  to-day. 

EARLY  SCIENCE. 

June  30,  1666 — Ordered  that  the  treasurer,  to  encourage 
the  measuring  of  the  degree  of  the  earth,  do  give  to  Mr.  Halley 
fifty  pounds  or  fifty  copies  of  the  ‘ History  of  Fishes ,’  when  he 
shall  have  measured  a degree  to  the  satisfaction  of  Sir  Christ- 
opher Wren,'  etc.  (Early  History  of  the  Royal  Society,  in 
Nature,  No.  2853).  Similarly,  under  date  July  22,  1667,  we 
learn  * the  king  had  made  an  experiment  of  keeping  a sturgeon 
in  fresh  water  in  St.  James’s  Park  for  a whole  year  ; it  was 
moved  to  kill  it,  and  to  see  how  it  would  eat.’ 

MANCHESTER  * LIT.  AND  PHIL.’ 

Mr.  F.  Nicholson  has  prepared  a paper  on  the  history  of 
the  Manchester  Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  during  its 
first  seventy  years.  ‘ The  Society  had  acquired  a world-wide 
reputation  by  its  publication  of  the  early  volumes  of  its 
Memoirs  and  its  connexion  with  Dr,  Dalton,  and  often  used 
its  influence  both  locally  and  nationally.  It  encouraged  the 
formation  of  the  short-lived  College  of  Arts  and  Sciences, 
1783,  and  its  members  founded,  though  the  Society  disclaimed 
responsibility,  the  Manchester  Academy,  1786,  still  existing 
as  the  Manchester  College,  Oxford.  It  invited  the  British 
Association  on  its  first  visit  to  Manchester,  1842,  and  took  a 
leading  part  in  securing  the  exemption  of  scientific  and 
literary  societies  from  taxation,  1843.  Owing  entirely  to  its 
representations  to  the  Government,  the  northern  counties  were 
surveyed  by  the  Ordnance  Survey  on  an  adequate  scale,  1841. 
It  established  meteorological  recording  stations  in  Manchester, 
1843,  and  in  its  rooms  the  founders  of  medical  education  in 
Manchester  delivered  their  lectures  prior  to  the  establishment 
of  the  Pine  Street  School  of  Medicine.’ 

BIRDS  AS  DIVERS . * 

Dr.  Dewar  describes  the  Diving  Ducks,  Cormorants, 
Grebes,  Divers,  Auks  and  the  Coot.  The  first  fifteen  chapters 
deal  with  Historical  Summary  ; Areas  and  Methods  of  Ob- 
servations ; The  Dive  ; A Three-Dives  Criterion  of  Depth  ; 

* ‘ The  Bird  as  a Diver,’  by  John  M.  Dewar.  London  : H.  F.  & C. 
Witherby,  xiL  + 173  pp.,  10s.  6d.  net. 


1924  Sept.  1 


26o 


Notes  and  Comments. 


A Second  Approximation  to  the  Time-depth  Relation  ; 
Favourite  Depth  and  Bathymetric  Distribution  of  Dives  ; 
Exceptions  to  the  Rule  of  the  Time-Depth  Relation  ; The 
Pause  ; The  Dive-Pause  Ratio  ; Variation  in  the  Periods  of 
Dive  and  Pause  ; Sex-Differences  ; Age -Differences  ; and  The 
Evolution  of  the  Diving  Habit.  The  Great  Northern  Diver 
and  the  Cormorant  yielded  the  longest  dives  and  the  greatest 
depths.  The  Diver  reached  sixty-nine  seconds  and  thirty-three 
and  a half  feet  ; the  Cormorant  seventy-one  seconds  and 
thirty-one  feet.  But,  whereas  the  Divers  showed  no  sign  of 
heavy  breathing  nor  of  bodily  exhaustion,  and  appeared  equal 
to  plunging  to  still  greater  depths,  the  Cormorants,  while 
they  were  working  in  water  about  five  fathoms  deep,  showed 
during  each  pause  manifest  signs  of  exhaustion  by  panting 
and  by  lying  heavily  on  the  water  for  a time.  It  appears  as 
if  Cormorants,  in  descending  to  a depth  of  five  fathoms  of 
water  are  approaching  their  physiological  limit  in  deep 
diving.  The  Guillemot  and  the  Red-throated  Diver  come  next 
in  order,  the  former  being  credited  with  sixty-eight  seconds 
and  twenty-eight  and  a half  feet,  the  latter  with  sixty-seven 
seconds  and  twenty-nine  feet.  Like  its  relative,  the  Great 
Northern  Diver,  the  Red-throated  Diver  never  showed  the 
appearance  of  exhaustion.  The  Guillemot,  however,  in  making 
deep  dives,  either  worked  in  short  spells  of  diving,  or  rested 
after  each  dive/ 

SIR  ARCHIBALD  GEIKIE . * 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  a scientific  man  born  so 
long  ago  as  1835  should  be  able  to  give  an  account  of  his  life’s 
work  in  the  interesting  style  with  which  we  are  so  familiar. 
He  seems  early  to  have  been  impressed  with  the  desirability 
of  keeping  records  of  his  work  and  achievements,  and  in  this 
volume  we  hear  much  of  his  early  days  and  the  many  suc- 
cesses and  honours  of  his  later  life.  The  narrative  is  quite 
readable,  and  will  be  much  appreciated  by  Sir  Archibald’s 
many  admirers.  There  are,  however,  occasional  evidences 
that  the  author  in  his  zeal  for  giving  credit  for  all  that  is 
Scotland’s,  has  suffered  from  mental  lapses,  due  to  his  great 
age.  This  is  peculiarly  noticeable  when  dealing  with  the 
history  of  the  great  problem  of  the  north-west  Highlands.  The 
reader  might  easily  assume  that  this  fine  piece  of  work  was  due 
to  Peach  and  Horne,  the  magnificent  achievements  of  Nicol 
and  Lap  worth  being  apparently  overlooked.  Sir  Archibald 
would  be  the  last  wittingly  to  do  injustice  to  Lapworth. 

‘ NEOLITHIC  ’ MAN  AGAIN. 

‘ Towards  the  end  of  last  year  ’ two  skeletons  were  found 


*‘A  Long  Life’s  Work:  An  Autobiography,’  by  Sir  Archibald 
Geikie,  London  : Macmillan  & Co.,  xiL-l-426  pp.,  18s.  net. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


261 


at  a depth  of  four  feet  while  excavating  for  sewage  works  at 
Alcester,  Warwickshire.  The  remains  were  well  preserved. 
Prof.  Brash,  of  Birmingham,  saw  them,  and  states  that  * in 
all  probability  they  are  neolithic  bones.’  How  this  conclusion 
was  arrived  at  without  any  apparent  evidence  whatever,  we 
are  not  able  to  say,  but  no  reference  is  made  to  any  associated 
relics.  We  learn  from  The  Antiquaries  Journal — our  prin- 
cipal publication  in  these  matters' — that  ‘ The  discovery, 
therefore,  can  be  regarded  as  unique,  for  although  there  are 
examples  of  the  work  of  neolithic  man  in  the  midlands,  this  is 
the  first  instance  of  his  physical  remains  having  been  brought 
to  light.’  Yet,  because  this  Birmingham  professor  considers 
that  ‘ probably  ’ they  are  neolithic  bones,  the  editor  of  The 
Antiquaries  Journal  considers  himself  justified  in  giving  a 
heading  to  the  notice  (which  will  be  copied  in  all  the  Bibli- 
ographies, etc.)  : ‘Neolithic  skulls  [query  skeletons,  or  are  the 
rest  of  the  bones  doubtful?]  found  at  Alcester.’  Surely  the 
time  has  arrived  when,  in  a publication  issued  by  the  world’s 
premier  Antiquarian  Society,  a little  caution  should  be 
exercised  before  accepting  such  records  as  these  as  authentic. 

SCIENCE  AND  WEMBLEY. 

Those  who  had  the  rare  privilege  of  being  conducted  round 
the  science  section,  arranged  by  the  Royal  Society,  in  the 
British  Government  Pavilion  at  Wembley  during  the  recent 
Museums  Association  Conference,  will  long  remember  the 
excellence  of  the  Exhibition.  In  this  connexion  we  have 
recently  been  favoured  with  a copy  of  the  ‘ Handbook  to  the 
Exhibition  to  Pure  Science  ’ (228  pp.,  1/-),  which  is  consider- 
ably more  than  the  title  might  lead  one  to  believe.  There  are 
twenty-two  memoirs  on  various  aspects  of  science,  by  some 
of  our  greatest  exponents,  as  well  as  a descriptive  catalogue 
of  the  exhibits.  Among  them  are  : ‘ The  Circulation  of  the 
Atmosphere,’  by  Sir  Napier  Shaw  ; ‘The  Origin  of  Man,’  by 
Sir  Arthur  Smith  Woodward  ; ‘Biological  Action  of  Light,’ 
by  Prof.  D.  T.  Harris  ; ‘ Insect  Mimicry  and  the  Darwinian 
Theory  of  Natural  Selection,’  by  Prof.  E.  B.  Poulton  ; ‘ The 
Origin  of  the  Seed  Plants,’  by  Dr.  D.  H.  Scott  ; while  Mr. 
C.  Tate  Regan  gives  an  excellent  Introduction  to  the  speci- 
mens under  the  head  of  Zoology  and  Botany.  The  Ministry 
of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries  has  also  issued  a valuable  Guide 
to  the  Agricultural  Exhibit  in  Gallery  II.  of  the  Government 
Pavilion  (166  pp.,  6d.).  This  exhibit  is  confined  to  Research 
and  Education. 

BRITISH  BROOCHES. 

Mr.  Parker  Brewis  favours  us  with  a copy  of  his  admirable 
paper  on  ‘ British  Brooches  of  the  Backworth  type  in  the 
Black  Gate  Museum,  Newcastle-on-Tyne,’  reprinted  from 


1924  Sept.  1 


262 


Notes  and  Comments. 


Archceologia  Aeliana.  His  illustration  showing  the  develop- 
ment of  the  safety-pin  to  the  Blackworth  type  of  brooch  is 
particularly  well  worked  out,  and  we  are  permitted  to  repro- 
duce it  herewith. 

SAFETY  PIN. 

‘ The  simplest  form  of  brooch  is  that  of  the  safety-pin 
constructed  out  of  a single  piece  of  wire,  by  making  a coil  in 
the  middle  of  its  length  to  act  as  a spring,  a point  at  one  end 
and  a hook  at  the  other  (page  263,  a.).  This  simple  safety- 
pin  type  of  brooch  was  invented  more  than  3000  years  ago. 
In  cold  countries,  where  thick  garments  were  necessary,  the 
simple  safety-pin  did  not  allow  sufficient  space  between  the 
pin  and  the  bridge  for  much  stuff,  hence  towards  the  end  of 
the  Bronze  Age,  the  bridge  of  the  safety-pin  was  arched  into 
a bow  (page  263,  b.).  The  arch  of  the  bow  was  at  first  high, 
usually  semicircular,  but  it  was  lowered  in  later  examples. 
In  the  Hallstatt  period  the  bow  was  thickened  to  give  solidity, 
and  also  to  afford  scope  for  ornamentation  (page  263,  c.). 
These  brooches  are  termed  “Leech/’  or  “Boat-shaped Brooches,’* 
and  sometimes  have  an  extended  foot.  In  the  next  stage  this 
extension  of  the  foot  was  exaggerated,  the  foot  terminating 
in  a turned  up  tail  appendage,  the  purpose  of  which  is  purely 
decorative  (page  263,  d.).  This  type  is  termed  the  “ Certosa  ” 
pattern,  because  a large  number  was  found  in  the  graves  at 
Certosa  near  Bologna,  in  Italy.  In  these  graves  was  also 
found  a number  of  Greek  and  Etruscan  objects  of  5th  century 
b.c.  The  extension  of  the  foot  continued,  and  in  the  next 
type  the  foot  was  turned  back  until  it  touched  the  bow  (page 
263,  e.).  The  example  shown  was  found  by  the  Rev.  Wm. 
Greenwell  in  a barrow  at  Cowlam  in  Yorkshire,  and  is  now  in 
the  British  Museum.  This  type  is  termed  “La  Tene  I.”,  and 
is  widely  distributed.  The  oldest  La  Tene  examples  are 
almost  as  old  as  the  Certosa  pattern.’ 

LA  TENE  TYPES. 

‘The  extended  foot  was  liable  to  be  accidentally  bent, 
therefore  its  termination  was  attached  to  the  bow,  either  by 
bending  it  round  the  bow  (page  263,  f.)  or  by  binding  the 
two  together  by  a separate  collar  (page  263,  g.).  In  both 
these  cases  the  type  is  termed  * La  Tene  II.’  In  the  course 
of  time  the  foot  merged  into  the  bow  without  a joint,  but  a 
raised  ring  usually  marks  what  had  been  the  place  of  union 
(page  263,  h.).  The  triangular  space  at  the  foot  was  some- 
times left  open,  but  in  later  examples  it  is  usually  filled  by  a 
thin  plate  frequently  pierced  (page  263,  i.).  These  forms 
(h.  and  i.)  are  known  as  “ La  Tene  III.”  The  term  “ La  Tene” 
means  “the  shallows,”  and  is  the  name  of  an  important 
late  Keltic  settlement  at  the  east  end  of  Lake  Neuchatel  in 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


263 


Showing  the  development  of  Safety-pin  to  the  Blackworth  type  of  brooch. 


1924  Sept.  1 


264 


Notes  and  Comments. 


Switzerland,  where  a number  of  these  brooches  has  been  found, 
mainly  La  Tene  II.  The  importance  of  this  early  Iron  Age 
settlement  has  resulted  in  the  attachment  of  its  name  to 
three  stages,  during  which  the  brooch  also  passed  through  three 
well-defined  phases/ 

OOLOGY. 

A somewhat  sumptuous  publication  called  The  Comparative 
Oologist  and  Journal  of  the  International  Museum  of  Compara- 
tive Oology,  Vol.  I.,  No.  1,  marked  ‘ Sample  Copy,  skeleton- 
ized, with  Birds  of  California  Supplement/  has  reached  us. 
We  understand  it  is  eventually  to  be  issued  as  a quarterly, 
but  now  put  out  as  a semi-annual,  and  is  from  Santa  Barbara, 
California,  U.S.A.  It  is  edited  by  William  Leon  Dawson  ; 
the  first  article  on  * The  Meaning  and  Promise  of  Oological 
Science/  is  by  William  Leon  Dawson,  the  second  article  on 
‘ The  New  Museum/  where  he  hopes  to  have  a world’s  re- 
pository of  birds’  eggs,  is  also  by  Mr.  Dawson,  as  is  ‘ The 
Philosophical  Approach,’  etc.  There  are  notes  by  other 
writers.  Whether  the  publication  of  this  journal,  and  the 
foundation  of  the  suggested  museum,  are  likely  to  be  in  the 
interests  of  natural  history,  however,  is  a matter  of  opinion, 
as  may  be  gathered  from  the  following  paragraph  selected 
at  random  from  a number  of  others  : ‘ Mr.  John  M.  Davis,  of 
Eureka,  who  has  so  ably  represented  the  f<  humid  coastal 
strip  ” for  seven  years  past  in  the  collection  of  the  old  M.C.O., 
has  entered  the  exclusive  service  of  the  International  Museum. 
Mr.  Davis  gets  for  us  such  rarities  as  Vaux  Swift  (Chcetura 
vauxi)  and  Varied  Thrush  ( Ixoreus  naevius),  while  California 
Purple  Finch  {Carpodacus  purpireus  calif  or  nicus) , Pine  Siskin 
(Spinus  pinus)  and  Golden  Warbler  (Wilsonia  pusilla  chryseola) 
are  staples.’ 

carnelian ’s  jewel-casket.* 

‘ Carnelian  Bay  is  a lure  at  low  tide  ; 

Its  name  suggests  gems  by  rich  hues  beautified  ; 

But  seekers  won’t  find  precious  stones  cut  and  dried — 
Its  caves  aren’t  Aladdin’s  kind,  jewelled  inside  ! 

O,  lady  in  search  of  a treasure  most  rare, 

You  may  not  find  jasper  or  moss-agate  there 
(In  that  sense  Carnelian  Bay  is  a snare — 

It  hasn’t  a heap  of  red-seal  stones  to  spare), 

But  soon,  ere  the  hours  of  morning  are  sped, 
Eye-diamonds  will  sparkle  like  stars  in  your  head  ; 

Your  lips  will  be  rubies,  your  cheeks  coral-red  ; 

Ah,  surely  such  gifts  are  worth  having  instead  ! ’ 

* From  ‘Songs  of  Scarborough/  by  R.  A.  H.  Goodyear.  York: 
T.  A.  J.  Waddington.  42  pp.,  1/-.  Mr  Goodyear  is  also  the  author  of 
‘ Songs  of  a Sea-side  Village/  which  contains  many  poems  of  interest 
to  East  Yorkshire  people. 


Naturalist 


265 


MUSEUM  DIRECTORS  AT  WEMBLEY. 

The  Annual  Conference  of  the  Museums  Association  was  held 
in  the  Conference  Hall  at  Wembley  towards  the  end  of  July. 
The  gathering  was  well  attended  by  representatives  of  Museums 
and  Art  Galleries  from  various  parts  of  the  Empire. 

In  his  Presidential  Address,  Dr.  H.  Bolton  covered  a wide 
area  but  took  a rather  pessimistic  view  of  things.  At  first  he 
dwelt  largely  upon  the  old  form  of  museum,  which  has  been 
the  theme  for  many  museum  addresses  in  the  past,  but  surely 
in  these  days  it  is  beating  the  dead  horse  to  talk  about  what 
museums  should  not  be,  that  they  should  be  educational,  and 
so  on.  This  has  been  taken  for  granted  by  every  qualified 
museum  director  for  the  past  quarter  of  a century  at  least. 

Dr.  Bolton’s  many  references  to  what  museums  will  be  in 
the  future  might  almost  give  the  impression  that  his  paper 
had  been  written  in  his  youth,  as  many  of  the  reforms  for 
which  he  appeals  have  long  since  been  carried  out.  The 
address  is  all  the  more  remarkable,  seeing  that  Dr.  Bolton 
presides  over  one  of  the  most  efficient  museums  and  art 
galleries  in  the  country,  and,  moreover,  has  the  full  support 
of  his  committee  in  his  various  schemes.  He  agreed  with  last 
year’s  President  in  suggesting  that  museums  can  be  too  large, 
‘ and  the  temptation  for  visitors  to  go  on  and  on  through 
gallery  after  gallery,  and  from  case  to  case,  is  almost  irre- 
sistible, until  the  senses  reel,  and  only  a strange  phantasma- 
goria remains  in  the  mind  as  the  result  of  seeing  a long  vista 
of  cases  and  exhibits  which  are  in  themselves  orderly.’ 

Like  the  Hull  President,  Dr.  Bolton  advocated  the  pro- 
vision of  museums  in  the  parks,  where  the  children  can  see 
the  natural  history  collections. 

His  suggestions  with  regard  to  the  future  control  of  mus- 
eums, classification,  museums  in  small  towns,  and  their 
association  with  elementary  and  secondary  schools,  the  work 
of  museums  in  our  larger  towns,  etc.,  have  long  been  antici- 
pated. The  same  may  be  said  with  regard  to  his  remarks  on 
the  relationships  between  museums  and  universities.  He 
was  very  severe  on  Manchester  ! ‘ In  this  country  no  exactly 

similar  co-ordination  of  museum  and  university  seems  to 
exist,  the  nearest  approach  being  that  of  the  Manchester 
Museum  and  University.  In  Manchester  the  Public  Museum 
is  also  the  University  Museum,  and  is  mainly  supported  by 
the  latter.  Whilst  by  means  of  lectures  and  demonstrations 
the  public  are  encouraged  to  visit  the  museum,  it  remains  so 
ultra  systematic  that  it  fails  to  attract  so  well  as  many  others,’ 
and  it  was  in  Manchester,  we  believe,  that  Dr.  Bolton  was 
trained  as  a museum  director. 

He  had  a good  opinion  of  the  value  of  the  proper  museum 
director,  and  seemed  hopeful  that  in  future  museums  will 


1924  Sept.  1 


266  Museum  Directors  at  Wembley. 

become  an  important  factor  in  almost  every  aspect  of  muni- 
cipal life.  Here,  again,  however,  many  of  Dr.  Bolton’s  hopes 
have  been  already  realised. 

Apparently  he  considered  it  desirable  that  all  museums 
should  be  under  some  general  control.  There  are  two  sides 
to  this  question,  however,  and  such  a scheme  might  result  in 
a sameness  with  regard  to  our  museum  collections,  whereas 
it  is  the  individual  character  of  each  special  collection  which 
particularly  appeals  to  the  average  public.  For  example, 
he  Hall-i’-th’-Wood  Museum  at  Bolton,  the  Strangers’  Hall 
at  Norwich,  the  Bowes  Museum  at  Barnard  Castle,  the  London 
Museum  in  our  greatest  city,  or  the  Wilberforce  Museum  at 
Hull,  would  lose  their  charm  were  it  not  for  the  special  purpose 
for  which  each  exists. 

With  regard  to  what  is  usually  known  as  honorary  curators 
and  the  assistance  of  local  bodies,  Dr.  Bolton  is  very  severe,, 
possibly  as  a result  of  his  own  experiences.  He  says  ‘ It  is 
still  an  article  of  faith  with  many  that  anyone  can  understand 
and  “ run  ” a museum,  and  the  best  energies  and  knowledge 
of  more  than  one  curator  are  being  stifled  by  vain-glorious 
local  naturalists,  antiquarians  and  others,  who  value  their 
spasmodic  and  occasional  studies  as  far  more  useful  in  the 
direction  of  a museum  than  the  training  of  a lifetime.  They 
do  not  realise  that  years  of  close  study  and  special  technical 
skill  are  essential  requisites  for  the  successful  working  of 
museums.  The  co-option  of  gentlemen  credited  with  a keen 
interest  and  knowledge  of  one  or  more  departments  of  museum 
work  is  not  always  a success.  Usually  they  lay  claim  to  far 
more  knowledge  than  they  possess,  and  carry  their  colleagues 
with  them  in  unwise  or  unnecessary  plans  of  their  own  to  the 
dismay  of  the  curator.  Very  often  these  men  are  admirable 
workers  in  one  small  field,  conchologists,  ornithologists,  etc., 
but  in  spite  of  even  many  years’  observation  or  collection  of 
shells  or  bird-skins,  I should  accept  with  great  diffidence  any 
positive  views  these  gentlemen  put  forward  upon  the  arrange- 
ment of,  say,  Mexican  antiquities  or  the  formation  of  a typical 
series  of  mammals.  They  do  not,  or  will  not  realise  that  the 
curator  gives  days  and  weeks  of  study  to  the  collections, 
where  they  scarcely  give  hours,  and  accordingly  cramp  his 
efforts  and  drive  him  along  lines  of  work  which  are  not  his 
best.  With  the  thorough  ventilation  of  means  to  ensure  good 
government  should  be  considered  also  the  question  of  the 
curator’s  ability,  freedom  of  action,  and  security  of  tenure. 
I would  draw  your  attention  to  the  progress  which  museums 
have  made  in  spite  of  all  handicaps,  and  with  a woeful  lack 
of  means.  This  is,  I believe,  because  the  curators  have 
established  principles  of  development  as  far  as  they  could. 
Too  often,  however,  have  they  been  cribbed,  cabined  and 


Naturalist 


Museum  Directors  at  Wembley.  267 

confined  by  an  unsuitable  management,  and  my  sober  ex- 
perience is  that  curators  are  often  better  than  their  work.’ 

Dr.  Bolton  advocates  some  Government  scheme  for  proper 
supervision  of  our  museums.  Here,  we  presume,  he  refers  to 
those  that  are  out  of  date,  and  in  these  few  instances  such  a 
scheme'  might  be  desirable.  The  present  writer,  by  the  co- 
operation of  the  British  Association  and  other  important 
bodies,  by  correspondence  in  The  Times  and  elsewhere,  and 
with  the  powerful  support  of  the  late  Lord  Sudeley,  endeav- 
oured to  secure  a Royal  Commission  on  Museums  in  order  that 
the  ideal  now  suggested  by  Dr.  Bolton  might  be  carried  out, 
but  while  the  scheme  has  not  been  definitely  shelved  it  has 
certainly  been  delayed  by  the  very  individuals  whom  it  was 
expected  would  have  welcomed  such  a scheme,  namely,  some 
of  the  heads  of  the  National  Museums. 

Following  his  predecessor  also,  Dr.  Bolton  complains 
very  strongly  about  the  wealth  of  material  stored  or  unused 
in  our  National  Museums  which  might  be  of  service  to  the 
provincial  collections  up  and  down  the  country. 

With  regard  to  research,  Dr.  Bolton  states  * The  Bristol 
Museum,  alone,  I believe,  amongst  provincial  museums, 
recognises  research  as  a definite  part  of  the  work  of  its  staff, 
and  even  there  it  is  in  its  infanc}^,  and  the  reserve  collections 
are  as  yet  barely  touched/ 

Dr.  Bolton  happens  to  be  at  the  Bristol  Museum,  but, 
judging  from  the  publications  which  we  have  received,  much 
valuable  research  has  been  carried  out  by  the  staffs  in  several 
of  our  provincial  museums,  whether  such  research  is  looked 
upon  as  a definite  part  of  the  work  of  the  museum  or  not. 

The  President  concluded  by  appealing  for  English  com- 
mercial museums,  which,  he  says,  must  be  unavoidable  in  the 
future,  as  they  now  are  in  America  and  other  countries.  In 
this  respect  Hull  is  likely  to  lead,  as  a suggested  commercial 
museum  is  now  in  preparation,  in  order  to  perpetuate  the 
excellent  commercial  exhibit  held  by  the  Hull  City  Council 
at  the  Civic  Hall  at  Wembley  in  July. 

Other  papers  read  and  discussed  were  : — ‘ Some  Notes  on 
Botanical  Museums,’  H.  Hamshaw  Thomas,  M.A.  ; * The 

Policy  and  Scope  of  the  Science  Museum,’  Col.  H.  G.  Lyons, 
D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  ; * The  Preservation  of  Wild  Life,’  C.  W. 

Hobley,  C.M.G.,  C.M.Z.S.  ; ‘ Fossils  as  Museum  Exhibits,’ 
F.  A.  Bather,  M.A.,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  ; ‘ The  Outlook  for  Art,’ 
Lawrence  Haward,  M.A.  ; ‘ The  Vancouver  Museum,’  Com- 
mander Pybus,  R.N.R.  ; ‘ Industrial  Art/  Sir  Cecil  Harcourt 
Smith,  C.V.O.,  LL.D.  ; ‘ Museums  and  Ethnography,’  H.  S. 
Harrison,  D.Sc. 

Reports  of  the  Associations’  four  Committees  on  Circulating 
Art,  Preservation  of  Pictures,  Cements,  and  Preservatives, 


1924  Sept.  1 


268 


Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies. 

were  presented.  Official  visits  were  paid  to  the  Victoria  and 
Albert  Museum,  the  Science  Museum,  and  the  Natural  History 
Museum  at  South  Kensington.  In  the  Wembley  Exhibition 
itself  the  Biological  Section  of  the  Royal  Society  Exhibits 
was  described  by  Mr.  Tate  Regan  and  Dr.  R.  B.  Rendle. 

The  Conference  concluded  by  a visit  to  Eton  College  and 
its  Museum,  and  Windsor  Castle. 

During  the  Conference  week  a meeting  of  the  Corresponding 
Societies’  Committee  of  the  British  Association  was  held,  Mr. 
Sheppard  being  in  the  chair.  At  this,  Prof.  J.  L.  Myres  gave 
an  address  on  ‘ The  Preservation  of  Sites,  Natural  and  Hist- 
orical.’ He  reviewed  the  history  of  the  movement  for  the 
preservation  of  monuments,  and  subsequent  speakers  referred 
to  the  work  being  done  in  their  areas,  Yorkshire  being  par- 
ticularly fortunate  in  its  active  natural  history  and  archaeol- 
ogical societies. — -T.S. 

o 

We  have  received  the  well-printed  and  well-edited  Report  of  the 
Felsted  School  Scientific  Society , No.  28,  which,  as  usual,  is  full  of  valuable 
records.  Those  relating  to  Zoology  will  be  of  more  particular  interest 
to  readers  of  this  journal.  There  are  useful  summaries  of  the  lectures 
given  to  the  Society,  carefully  compiled  meteorological  reports,  and 
various  reports  of  the  society’s  sectional  activities. 

Besides  many  matters  of  historical  and  genealogical  interest,  The 
Transactions  of  the  Dumfriesshire  and  Galloway  Natural  History  and 
Antiquarian  Society  recently  produced,  under  the  editorship  of  Mr.  G. 
W.  Shirley,  contain  ‘ The  Value  of  Birds,’  by  H.  S.  Gladstone  ; ‘ The 
Romans  in  Dumfriesshire,’  by  G.  Macdonald,  and  ‘ Meteorological 
Observations  taken  at  Jardington,  1920,'  by  J.  Rutherford. 

We  learn  from  the  Fifty-third  Report  of  the  Rochdale  Museum  Com- 
mittee that  twenty -two  organised  parties  of  school  children  have  visited 
the  Institution;  Gifts  of  Egyptian  antiquities  have  been  made  by 
Alderman  J.  R.  Heap  and  Mr.  C.  Heap  ; and  a collection  of  minerals 
and  fossils  has  been  presented  by  the  family  of  the  late  George  Healey. 
The  Rochdale  Field  Naturalists’  Society  assisted  by  arranging  an  ex- 
hibition of  wild  flowers  during  the  summer. 

The  Fifty -third  Annual  Report  and  Proceedings  of  the  Chester  Society 
of  Natural  Science,  Literature  and  Art,  has  been  issued  from  the  Grosvenor 
Museum,  Chester  (50  pp.).  Besides  lists  of  additions  to  the  library 
and  museum,  the  Report  contains  details  of  the  work  of  its  Botanical, 
Geological,  Zoological,  Microscopical  and  other  sections,  abstracts  of 
lectures,  and  other  items  likely  to  interest  the  members.  Among  the 
additions  to  the  Museum  we  notice  the  tooth  of  a mammoth  from 
Cefn-y-Bedd. 

Volume  XXIV.  of  The  Transactions  of  the  Leicester  Literary  and  Phil- 
osophical Society  contains  Dr.  E.  E.  Lowe’s  Presidential  Address  on  ‘ The 
Society  and  the  Museum,’  and  ‘ The  So-called  Junctions  at  Bardon 
Hill,’  and  ‘ Charnwood  Forest  Rocks,’  by  Dr.  F.  W.  Bennett.  One  of 
the  many  subjects  dealt  with  by  Dr.  Lowe  in  his  address  is  ‘Twins.’ 
He  tells  us  that  in  one  instance  A married  first,  but  both  twins  met  the 
lady  together  for  the  first  time,  and  fell  in  love  with  her  there  and  then  ; 
A managed  to  see  her  home  and  to  gain  her  affection,  though  B went 
sometimes  courting  in  his  place,  and  neither  the  lady  nor  her  parents 
could  tell  which  was  which.’  We  remember  a similar  case  in  Hull  some 
years  ago,  but  one  of  the  twins  pricked  a little  red  ink  in  the  middle  of 
his  nose  so  that  he  could  distinguish  himself  from  his  brother  ! 


Naturalist 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS 
AT  HOLME -ON -SPALDING  MOOR. 


269 


W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S. 


The  three  hundred  and  thirteenth  meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  was  held  at  Holme-on-Spalding  Moor,  near  Selby,  on  Saturday, 
May  17th.  Fine  weather  prevailed,  and  there  was  consequently  a good 
attendance,  both  of  Selby  naturalists  and  also  of  members  from  further 
afield.  The  geologists  confined  their  attention  chiefly  to  the  clay  and 
gravel  pits,  while  the  botanists  and  zoologists  were  led  through  the  woods 
by  Mr.  G.  Maxwell-Stuart  and  Mr.  T.  Stainforth.  At  the  close  of  the 
day,  the  general  meeting  was  held  in  the  Old  Cross  Cafe,  Selby,  Mr.  T. 
Sheppard  being  in  the  chair.  A vote  of  thanks  to  the  Duchess  of  Norfolk, 
for  her  courtesy  in  allowing  the  Union  to  visit  her  estates,  was  passed 
unanimously,  and  the  thanks  for  the  meeting  were  also  accorded  to 
Messrs.  Stather,  Sheppard,  Hutchinson,  Kendall,  Maxwell-Stuart  and 
Stainforth  for  their  services  in  arranging  and  guiding  the  meeting. 
Three  new  members  were  elected  and  following  reports  presented  : — 

Geology  (G.  Sheppard)  : — The  Geological  Section  of  the  Union 
had  an  interesting  time  under  the  joint  leadership  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Stather, 
and  Mr.  T.  Sheppard,  M.Sc. 

The  Keuper  Marls,  underlain  by  curiousfy  stratified  gravels,  and  the 
more  recent  ■ warps,’  or  re-distributed  river  muds,  were  investigated 
in  turn. 

The  original  drainage  area  of  the  Derwent  and  its  tributaries  has  been 
of  considerable  extent  in  the  past,  and  the  confines  of  the  present  stream 
by  no  means  give  any  idea  of  the  bygone  channel,  nor  series  of  meanders, 
which  occupied  the  primary  valley. 

Periods  of  flood  (which  yet  occur)  have  been  frequent  episodes  in  the 
history  of  the  river,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  large  areas  of 
country  have  been  repeatedly  submerged  for  a considerable  time. 

This  is  suggested  by  the  presence  of  appreciable  thicknesses  of  fine, 
laminated  mud,  or  ‘warp,’  which  is  largely,  in  effect,  re-distributed 
glacial  drift.  In  one  of  the  operating  brickyards  of  the  Holme  district 
a well  preserved  section  of  ‘ warp  ’ was  examined  which  had  a thickness 
varying  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet.  The  fine  texture  of  the  silt,  and  the 
nature  of  its  lamination,  indicate  clearly  that  the  mud  had  been  laid 
down  under  quiet  and  undisturbed  conditions.  Fragments  of  rock  are 
scarce  in  the  mud,  and  such  as  were  identified  apparently  were  derived 
from  the  west,  and  included  Carboniferous  types. 

The  outstanding  hill  of  Holme,  upon  which  the  church  stands,  has 
probably  an  interesting  geological  history,  being  underlain  for  the  most 
part  by  typical  Keuper  Marls. 

Topographically,  the  hill  is  important,  and  its  presence  as  a well- 
known  landmark  for  miles  around  can  be  explained  satisfactorily  with 
difficulty,  and  with  a considerable  amount  of  conjecture. 

In  all  probability  the  hill  can  be  defined  as  a typical  ‘ erosion 
remnant,’  occurring  in  pre-glacial  times  as  part  of  a pronounced  ridge 
or  escarpment.  As  an  isolated  hill  its  history  began  towards  the  close 
of  the  Ice  Age,  there  being  no  doubt  that  its  earlier  contours  were  deter- 
mined by  direct  ice  action. 

In  its  later  stages  its  shape  was  certainly  modified  by  the  channels 
of  the  Derwent,  and  its  associated  tributaries. 

At  the  present  time  (on  account  of  the  paucity  of  exposures)  we 
have  no  evidence  regarding  the  present  attitude  of  the  underlying  Keuper 
beds  ; they  may  be  more  or  less  horizontal  in  the  Holme  district,  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  a tilting  of  the  formations  would,  in  the  first  place, 
directly  express  the  topography.  This  being  the  case  it  can  be  clearly 


1924  Sept.  1 


270  Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Holme-on-Spalding  Moor. 


seen  that  the  ‘ remnant  ’ now  known  as  Holme  Hill  may,  in  the  past, 
have  formed  part  of  a recognised  escarpment. 

The  nature  of  the  gravels  which  cover,  and  also  flank  the  hill,  indicates 
very  plainly  that  they  give  evidence  of  a bygone  drainage  from  the  west 
which  was  of  considerable  intensity.  No  doubt  this  drainage  was  of  a 
fluvio-glacial  character,  the  gravels  being  glacial  outwash  deposits. 

More  recent  river  channelling,  however,  has  also  played  an  important 
part  in  the  general  sculpture  of  the  district. 

The  following  series  of  boulders,  collected  from  the  Holme  Gravels, 
was  identified  by  Mr.  T.  Sheppard  : — 


List  of  Boulders  observed  in  the  Holme  Gravels,  May  17,  1924. 


Light  green  Keuper  Marls,  vary- 
ing to  red  (with  included  frag- 
ments & salt  pseudomorphs)  85% 
Soft  sandstones  (Carboniferous)  5% 
Carboniferous  sandstone  ...  3% 

Quartzites  ...  ...  ...  2% 


Ganister  (Carboniferous)  ...  1% 

Millstone  Grit  ...  ...  2% 

Black  Chert  (Carboniferous)  \°/Q 
Carboniferous  Limestone  ... 
Liver-coloured  quartzite  ...  £% 

Jasper  £% 


Vertebrate  Zoology  (S.  H.  Smith)  : — The  district  is  highly  cul- 
tivated and  well  wooded,  and  no  doubt  the  list  of  birds  observed  might 
be  considerably  extended.  In  all  I noted  thirty-one  species,  none  of 
them  rare  nor  of  outstanding  interest.  Near  to  Barlby  a great  spotted 
woodpecker  was  seen,  and  in  the  top  of  a Scotch  fir  tree  a jay  was  busily 
occupied  feeding  the  brood  of  hungry  youngsters  that  filled  her  nest.  A 
golden  crested  wren  was  noticed  near  Everingham,  but  it  was  not  known 
whether  nesting  or  not.  Amongst  mammals  the  fox,  stoat  and  red 
squirrel  were  seen  beside  more  ubiquitous  species,  and  near  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding-Moor  the  geologists  reported  finding  a piece  of  rhinoceros  hide. 
In  reply  to  a later  question,  Mr.  Sheppard  assured  the  meeting  that  to  his 
knowledge  this  had  not  been  stripped  from  any  member  of  the  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  present.  During  the  excursion  the  writer  paid  special 
attention  to  the  landrail  (or  corncrake).  None  of  the  party  heard  this 
species  anywhere  in  the  district  traversed,  and  I conclude  that  it  is  more 
rare  than  ever  this  year.  One  is  at  a loss  to  account  for  the  scarcity  of 
landrails  in  the  Plain  of  York  and  East  Yorkshire,  and  it  would  be 
interesting  if  a special  effort  was  made  by  this  section  to  concentrate 
observation  upon  the  distribution  of  these  birds  in  Yorkshire  during  the 
summer  of  1924. 


Mollusca  (Greevz  Fysher)  : — The  naturalists  had  access  to  the  woods 
and  parks  at  Everingham,  but  it  happened  to  be  a dry  forenoon,  and  there 
were  very  few  stones  or  fallen  logs  to  harbour  terrestrial  mollusca.  The 
fish  pond  also  was  rather  disappointing. 

The  lower  end,  where  there  was  plenty  of  vegetation,  must  have  had 
a great  molluscan  population,  but  dredging  was  very  difficult  in  conse- 
quence of  the  great  amount  of  old  vegetation  which  had  accumulated 
almost  the  full  depth  of  the  water. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  species  actually  observed  : — 

Hyalinia  alliaria.  Anodonta  cygnea. 

Limncea  peregra.  var.  arenaria. 

Helix  nemoralis  (one).  var.  rostrata. 

Planorbis  carinatus . Pseudanodonta  rothomagensis . 


Coleoptera  (T.  Stainforth). — On  the  mud  along  the  sides  of  the 
River  Foulness  was  a very  interesting  association  of  littoral  species. 
Elaphrus  riparius,  Bembidion  dentellum  [flammulatum) , B.  ustulatum 
(littorale),  Stenus  pubescens,  and  Heterocerus  marginatus  were  in  extra- 
ordinary abundance,  with  smaller  numbers  of  Loricera  pilicornis , 
Bembidion  lampros,  B.  quadriguttatum  and  Homalium  rivulave.  Helo- 
phorus  nubilus  and  H.  brevipalpis  were  also  in  the  mud.  Tapping  a 
keeper’s  ‘ tree  ’ in  the  wood  at  Harsley  produced  only  such  carrion 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Holme -on -Spalding  Moor.  271 


feeders  as  Necrophorus  humator,  Silpha  rugosa,  S.  atrata,  Soronia  grisea, 
Omosita  discoidea,  Dermestes  undulatus,  Aleochara  curtula  ( fuscipes ) 
and  A.  mcesta. 


Diptera  (C.  A.  Cheetham). — Diptera  were  more  plentiful  than 
seemed  possible  during  the  previous  week,  the  fine  day  was  probably 
the  first  of  the  year  for  many  of  the  flies,  and  the  list  must  be  considered 
in  that  respect  ; as  Diptera  records  from  East  Yorks,  are  very  scanty, 
all  are  given  ; more  than  half  are  additions  for  the  Riding.  A few  are 
left  over  for  confirmation  of  the  identifications  by  experts  later.  A 
visit  to  the  woods  when  the  hemlock  is  in  flower  or  to  the  Carrs  when 
ragwort  is  blooming  would  certainly  repay  a dipterist. 


Mycetophila  lineola  Mg. 

Bibio  marci  L. 

B . nigriventris  Hal. 

B.  johannis  L. 

Chironomus  plumosus  L. 
Anopheles  bifurcatus  L. 
Ochlerotatus  nemorosus  Mg. 
Dicranomyia  chorea  Mg. 

D.  morio  F. 

Limnobia  nubeculosa  Mg. 

Empeda  nubila  Schum. 
Amalopsis  immaculata  Mg. 
Poecilostola  punctata  Schrk. 
Erioptera  tcenionota  Mg. 

Tipula  lateralis  Mg.  (Tonn.) 

T . oleracea  L. 

Rhyphus  punctatus  F. 
Rhamphomyia  sulcata  Fin. 

Empis  trigramma  Mg. 

E.  chiroptera  Fin. 

Chilosia  albitarsis  Mg. 
Lonchoptera  lutea  Pz. 

Ascia  podagrica  F. 

Rhingia  campestris  Mg. 
Helophilus  pendulus  L. 

Onesia  sepulchralis  L. 

Siphona  cristata  F. 

* Additions  to 


Myiospila  meditabunda  F. 
Pyrellia  eriophthalma  Mcq. 
Mydcea  ( Hyetodesia ) lucorum  Fin. 
Hebecnema  ( Hyetodesia ) umbratica 

Mg. 

Phaonia  {Hyetodesia)  errans  Mg. 
Hydrotaea  dentipes  F. 

Hydrophoria  linogrisea  Mg. 
Hylemyia  variata  Fin. 

H.  lasciva  Ztt. 

*Hylephila  obtusa  Ztt. 

Fannia  ( Homalomyia ) manicata 

Mg. 

F.  ( Homalomyia ) serena  Fin. 
Pegomyia  bicolor  Wied. 

P.  nigritarsis  Ztt. 

Amaurosoma  fasciata  Mg. 
Scatophaga  lutaria  F. 

5.  ster  cor  aria  L. 

*Lauxania  cylindricornis  F. 

Sepsis  nigripes  Mg. 

5.  cy  nip  sea  L. 

*Themira  pusilla  Ztt. 

Parhydra  quadripunctata  Mg. 
Elachyptera  cornuta  Fin. 

*E.  scrobiculata  Stbl. 

Phytomyza  notata  Mg. 
the  Yorkshire  list. 


Plant  Galls  (A.  A.  Dallman). — No  detailed  observations  were  made 
by  the  writer  on  this  occasion,  but  three  cecidia  were  noticed  : — 
Eriophyes  fraxini  Karp. 

On  Ash  {Fraxinus  excelsior  L.),  causing  conspicuous  and  dis- 
tinctive galls  due  to  marked  deformation  and  hypertrophy.  The 
flower  buds  are  attacked  and  the  inflorescence  forms  curious 
cauliflower-like  growths.  Abundant  on  a single  tree  by  the 
road  between  Everingham  Station  and  the  village. 

E.  goniothorax  Nal. 

New  galls  commencing  to  form  on  leaves  of  Hawthorn  ( Crataegus 
monogyna  Jacq.)  on  the  hillside  below  Holme-on-Spalding  Moor 
Church. 

Rhabdophaga  salicis  Schrank. 

Causing  an  abundant  crop  of  conspicuous  woody  tumours  on  the 
twigs  of  a hedgerow  willow  {Salix  sp.)  between  Everingham 
Station  and  the  village. 

Botany  (W.  H.  Pearsall). — Owing  perhaps  to  the  backward  season, 
few  flowering  plants  of  interest  were  seen . Zannichellia  palustris  occurred 
in  a running  ditch  near  Everingham.  Messrs.  Dallman  and  Cheetham 


1924  Sept.  1 


272 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ravenscar. 


obtained  Ophioglossum  vulgatum  in  two  stations  and  Mr.  Burrell  also 
observed  Ranunculus  auricomus  and  R.  sceleratus. 

The  natural  vegetation  of  the  district  bears  a distinct  resemblance  to 
that  of  the  Cheshire  plain.  The  woodlands,  on  deep,  rather  sandy  soil, 
are  dominated  by  oak  ( Q . robur,  with  a little  Q.  sessilis) , and  have  in 
places  a large  proportion  of  birch  (B . pubescens  and  some  B.  alba).  The 
ground  flora  is  chiefly  of  the  bracken -S cilia  type,  with  locally  dense 
carpets  of  Mer curtails  or  Urtica,  where  the  soil  is  less  open  or  damper. 
No  seedling  oaks  were  seen,  and,  according  to  Mr.  Maxwell  Stuart,  the 
woods  have  to  be  replanted  if  they  are  cut.  Otherwise,  birch  replaces 
the  oak,  as  it  apparently  tends  to  do  under  natural  conditions.  As 
patches  of  calluna-heath  mark  the  sites  of  former  woodlands,  it  is  evident 
that  the  native  vegetation  belongs  to  the  oak-birch  woodland  and  calluna- 
heath  types  so  well  known  in  Cheshire. 

Bryology  (W.  H.  Burrell). — The  best  moss  ground  traversed  by  the 
party  was  in  Haswell,  where,  on  low  peaty  ground,  recently  cleared  of 
timber,  Poly  trichum  gracile,  Dicranella  cerviculata  and  Aulacomnium 
androgynum  were  in  great  luxuriance.  In  Holme,  the  church  hill,  a 
roadside  swamp,  and  ‘Low  Plantation,’  were  examined.  The  plants 
noted  including  Dicranella  Schreberi,  Aulacomnium  androgynum,  Hypnum 
cuspidatum  and  Hypnum  aduncum,  group  pseudo fluitans . An  ex- 

tension of  time  beyond  Saturday  allowed  visits  to  Weighton  Common 
where  Dicranum  undulatum,  in  nice  condition,  was  again  seen  in  its  only 
known  Yorkshire  station  ; and  to  Haughton  Moor  with  the  hope  of  seeing 
Goody  era  repens,  which  was  found  there  over  thirty  years  ago.  The 
orchid  was  not  found,  but  a number  of  mosses  was  noted,  including 
Sphagnum  fimbriatum,  S.  rufescens,  S.  inundatum,  S.  cymbi folium  and 
Leucobryum  glaucum  in  detached  cushions  ; the  last  was  again  seen  in 
Low  Plantation,  Holme  ; some  perfect  double  convex  cushions  showed 
no  difference  in  colour  or  shape  to  distinguish  upper  and  lower  surfaces. 
These  detached  tufts  are  believed  to  be  caused  by  game  birds  scrapping 
for  food,  turning  the  moss  repeatedly  ; growth  proceeds  at  whichever 
part  happens  to  be  uppermost,  the  tendency  of  the  plant  to  develop  buds 
and  its  ability  to  store  water  in  special  storage  cells  being  factors  in  the 
phenomenon . 

: o : 

YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS  AT  RAVENSCAR. 

W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S. 

The  314th  meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  was  held  at 
Ravenscar,  on  June  7th  to  9th,  for  the  investigation  of  the  Robin  Hood’s 
Bay  district.  There  was  a good  attendance,  and  the  weather  being 
favourable,  a full  and  interesting  programme  was  carried  out.  On 
Saturday,  June  7th,  the  party  worked  in  the  direction  of  Robin  Hood’s 
Bay,  some  time  being  spent  on  the  beach,  and  in  visiting  the  Leeds 
University  Biological  Station  under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  E.  Percival. 
On  Sunday,  attention  was  devoted  to  the  undercliff  south  of  Ravenscar, 
and  on  Monday,  members  visited  Ramsdale  Beck  and  the  Fyling  Hall 
Estate,  under  the  personal  guidance  of  Mr.  F.  W.  Mills,  who  kindly 
provided  tea  at  the  close  of  the  day.  Through  Mr.  Mills’s  courtesy,  the 
general  meeting  was  also  held  at  Fyling  Hall,  the  President,  Mr.  P.  H. 
Grimshaw,  being  in  the  chair.  A message  of  congratulation  was  sent  to 
• Sir  Arthur  Smith  Woodward,  F.R.S.,  an  Ex-President  of  the  Union, 
on  the  honour  recently  bestowed  on  him.  Votes  of  thanks  were 
unanimously  accorded  to  Mr.  A.  I.  Burnley,  for  the  success  of  the  local 
arrangements,  to  Mr.  F.  W.  Mills,  and  to  other  landowners  who  had  per- 
mitted the  Union  to  have  access  to  their  estates.  The  following  reports 
were  presented,  and  two  new  members  were  elected  : — 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ravenscar. 


2 73 


Vertebrate  Zoology  (W.  G.  Bramley). — The  outstanding  feature 
of  the  excursion  was  the  abundance  of  the  Brown  Linnet,  which  was 
seen  in  every  suitable  locality.  Yellow-hammers,  Chaffinches  and 
Willow -wrens  were  also  very  numerous.  On  the  cliffs  a large  colony  of 
Herring  Gulls  was  busy  nesting  in  company  with  Cormorants.  The 
House  Martin  had  also  selected  the  cliffs  for  domestic  purposes,  Although 
the  Sand  Martin  was  fairly  common,  no  nesting  holes  were  seen.  Other 
species  noted  on  the  cliffs  were  the  Carrion  Crow,  Jackdaw  and  Rock 
Dove,  while  one  or  two  Fulmar  Petrels  were  seen  passing  on  the  coast. 
On  the  lower  slopes  Stonechats,  Tree  and  Meadow  Pipits,  White-throats 
and  Ch  iff  chaffs  were  seen.  The  Rock  Pipit  was  apparently  absent. 

In  the  woods  at  Ramsdale  Beck,  Green  Woodpeckers  were  found 
nesting.  Garden  Warblers  and  Wood  Warblers  were  singing  in  the  open 
glades  near  the  mill,  while  the  Goldcrest  pursued  his  entomological 
studies  high  up  in  the  trees.  Among  the  other  birds  seen  were  the 
Bullfinch,  Wheatear,  Sedge  Warbler,  Marsh  and  Blue  Tits,  Dipper,  Pied 
and  Grey  Wagtails,  Magpie  and  Brown  Owl.  At  Foul  Syke  a colony  of 
about  twenty  pairs  of  Black  Headed  Gulls  was  visited. 

Of  the  other  vertebrates  noted  were  the  Stoat,  Common  Newt  and 
Frog.  A Badger  earth  was  seen  by  Mr.  Burnley. 

I am  indebted  for  much  information  to  Messrs.  Astin  and  Gyngell. 

[The  Corncrake  was  heard  near  Robin  Hood’s  Bay. — W.H.P.]. 

Mollusca  (Greevz  Fysher) . — Rains  brought  terrestrial  mollusca  under 
observation  in  great  numbers.  The  most  conspicuous  undoubtedly  was 
the  little  grey  slug  Agriolimax  agvestis,  which  has  really  become  a very 
troublesome  pest.  The  black  slug  Avion  atev  was  also  very  abundant, 
and  the  less  common  slugs  were  much  more  conspicuous  than  usual. 

Little  was  done  to  observe  the  Marine  Mollusca  between  high  and 
low  water  mark,  and  the  shingly  nature  of  the  beach  was  unfavourable 
to  the  preservation  of  the  more  delicate  shells  of  deep  sea  species. 

A few  ponds  were  examined  for  fresh  water  mollusca,  but  in  every 
case  the  level  of  the  water  was  far  above  its  normal  height,  and  the  dredge 
could  only  be  applied  among  brambles,  bracken,  heather  and  the  like. 
The  result  was  a blank. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  species  collected  and  submitted  to  Mr. 
J.  W.  Taylor 

Fyling  Hall,  8th,  9th  June,  1924. 

Helix  hortensis  plentiful  ; several  varieties — those  without  bands 
being  far  the  most  numerous  on  the  cliff  below  Raven  Hall. 

Avion  atev  var.  pallido-dovsalis , and  var.  bvunnea  albolatevahs. 

Helicigona  avbustovum  and  v.  cincta. 

H.  nevnoralis  libellula  12345. 

H.  hortenis  lutea  12345,00000. 

Hyalinia  cellavia. 

Pyvamidula  votundata. 

Clausilia  lavninata. 

Limax  arborum  juv.  ? 

Hyal.  alliaria. 

Collected  by  Mr.  Gyngell. 

Clausilia  bidentata. 

Pupa  umbilicata  v.  vufolabvis . 

Hyalinia  cvystallina. 

H . pur  a. 

Cavychium  minimum. 

Entomology  (P.  H.  Grimshaw). — Owing  to  the  paucity  of  entomo- 
logists and  the  very  unfavourable  weather,  the  list  of  insects  seen  or  taken 
is  not  an  extensive  one.  Of  Lepidoptera  few  species  were  noted,  but 
among  them  may  be  mentioned  Vanessa  atalanta,  V . uvticce , Polyommatus 
phloeas  and  Coenonympha  pamphilus.  Coleoptera  taken  included  a 


1924  Sept.  1 


Q 


274 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ravenscar . 


single  example  of  Clytus  arietis,  Curculio  abietis,  Geotrupes  sylvaticus, 
Aphodius  fossor , Athous  hcemorrhoidalis , Helodes  marginata  and  the  pretty 
Ancistronycha  abdominalis.  Meloe  proscarabaeus  and  Gastroidea  polygoni 
were  also  taken.  The  only  Dragon-fly  seen  during  the  week-end  was 
the  common  Pyrrhosoma  nymphula,  while  of  Trichoptera  the  only  species 
noted  was  Limnophilus  centralis.  A single  Hemipteron,  the  common 
Miris  holsatus  was  noted,  and  two  Sawflies,  Athalia  lineolata  Lep. 
( rosae  Cam.)  and  Tenthredella  livida  L.  captured.  Bumble-bees  were 
represented  by  Bombus  agrorum  Fab.,  venustus  Sm.,  soroensis  L.,  and 
lapidarius  L.  Diptera,  to  which  special  attention  was  paid,  were  not 
plentiful,  and  most  of  the  specimens  had  to  be  taken  by  sweeping  the 
damp  vegetation.  Sun-loving  flies,  e.g.  Syrphidae,  were  scarce,  owing 
to  the  dull,  showery  weather  and  absence  of  sunshine,  but  Eristalis 
pertinax , Melanostoma  scalare,  Rhingia  campestris,  Syritta  pipiens, 
Platychirus  manicatus,  P.  angustatus,  Chilosia  albitarsis  and  C.  antiqua 
Mg.  ( sparsa  Lw.  and  Verr.)  were  all  taken  by  sweeping.  Crane-flies 
wrere  represented  by  the  handsome  Tipula  maxima  Poda  and  also  T. 
variipennis , T.  vernalis,  Pachyrrhina  maculata,  Ptychoptera  scutellaris, 
Rhipidia  maculata,  Tricyphona  immaculata,  Erioptera  trivialis,  Ormosia 
lineata,  O.  nodulosa,  Limnophila  meigenii  and  L.  ochracea.  A single 
gall-midge,  not  identified,  was  taken  accidentally,  also  Sciara  morio, 
Chironomus  dorsalis,  and  Pericoma  nubila.  Dilophus  femoratus  was 
common  (both  sexes)  among  the  grass  on  the  cliff -tops.  Bibio  marci 
was  taken,  while  among  the  Empidae  captured  may  be  mentioned  Empis 
tessellata,  Rhamphomyia  nigripes,  R.  albosegmentata , R.  flava,  R.  hybotina, 
Hilara  maura,  and  a Hemerodromia  which  I believe  is  stigmatica  Schin., 
a species  of  which  I have  few  British  records.  Single  examples  of  Onesia 
sepulchralis  and  the  handsome  Mesembrina  meridiana  were  taken,  and  of 
Acalyptrate  Muscidae  the  following  were  noted  : — Hydrellia  griseola, 
Ochthiphila  geniculata,  Borborus  nitidus , Tetanocera  elata,  Sciomyza  dubia, 
Sapromyza  inusta,  5.  decempunctata  and  5.  decipiens.  Lastly,  the  list 
of  Anthomyiidae,  taken  during  the  week-end  includes  Phaonia  incuna, 
Mydcea  me'ditabunda , M.  pagana,  M.  impuncta,  M.  obscuripes  Ztt., 
Trichopticus  longipes  Ztt.,  T.  decolor  Fin.,  T.  nigritellus,  Ebydrotcea 
irritans,  Hylemyia  strigosa,  H . variata,  Azelia  macquarti,  Fannia  coracina 
and  F.  armata. 

Mr.  W.  J.  Fordham  obtained  the  following  Diptera  at  Robin  Hood’s 
Bay  during  his  stay  in  June  : — 


Bibio  marci. 

B.  leucopterus. 

Mesembrina  meridiana. 

Empis  trigramma. 

E.  tessellata. 

E.  s ter corea. 

Dilophus  febrilis. 

D . femoratus . 

Platychirus  manicatus. 

P.  scutatus. 

P.  peltatus. 

P.  albimanus. 

P.  angustatus. 

Rhingia  campestris. 
Rhamphomyia  sulcata. 
Scatophaga  ster  cor  aria. 

Chilosia  albitarsis. 

C.  hones  ta. 

>C.  sparsa. 

C.  pulchripes . 

C.  variabilis  (Hayburn  Wyke). 
C.  maculata. 


Tipula  variipennis , 

T.  vernalis. 

T . hortulana. 

Eristalis  tenax. 

E.  arbustorum. 

Melanostoma  scalare. 

M.  mellinum . 

Syrphus  auricollis  v.  maculicornis . 

S.  corollce . 

S.  lunulatus. 

S.  balteatus. 

S.  ribesii. 

Sargus  iridatus. 

Sarcophaga  carnaria. 

Anthomyia  pluvialis. 

Helophilus  pendulus. 

Leptis  scolopacea. 

Rhyphus  punctatus . 

Microchrysa  cyaneiventris. 

Catabomba  pyrastri. 

Helomyza  variegata  Lw. 

Gymnochceta  viridis  (Hayburn  Wyke) 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Ravenscar . 


275 


Merodon  equestris. 
Ptychoptera  albimana. 
Macrocera  stigma. 
Micropeza  corrigiolata. 
Baccha  elongata. 
Leucozona  lucorum. 
Scellus  notatus. 
Chrysochlamys  cuprea. 
Tetanocera  punctulata . 
Fucellia  maritima. 
Psila  fimetaria. 

P.  nigra. 

Chrysopilus  auratus. 


FLilava  maura  (Hayburn  Wyke). 

Pipiza  lugubris. 

.Argyra  diaphana. 

A-.  argyria. 

Dolichopus  brevipennis. 

£>.  trivialis. 

D.  popularis . 

D.  ceneus. 

Sphegina  clunipes. 

Lonchcea  chorea. 

Syritta  pipiens. 

'Chloromyia  formosa. 

Xylota  segis. 

Volucella  bombylans. 

Coleoptera  (M.  L.  Thompson). — Among  a number  of  the  commoner 
beetles  met  with  in  Ramsdale  Wood  the  following  may  be  mentioned  as 
being  of  interest  : — A single  specimen  of  the  rare  Aleochara  ruficornis  Gr. 
was  obtained  by  sweeping,  together  with  Helodes  marginata  F.,  Cantharis 
abdominalis  F.  var.  cyanea  Curt,  and  Psylloides  napi  Koch.  Meloe 
proscarabceus  L.  was  found  on  Fylingdale  Moor. 

Lepidoptera  (J.  H.  Rowntree). — The  following  species  were  noted 
in  Ramsdale  Wood  and  on  the  moors  : — Common  Heath  Moth,  Fidonia 
atomaria,  Plusia  gamma,  and  Oak  Eggar,  Lasiocampa  quercus  (larvae). 

Flowering  Plants  (A.  I.  Burnley). — On  Saturday  an  investigation 
was  made  of  the  flowering  plants  of  the  shaly  refuse  heaps  connected 
with  the  old  alum  works. 

In  a general  way  it  may  be  said  that  the  flora  was  similar  to  that  of 
the  moorland  escarpments  to  the  south.  One  big  difference  was  the 
absence  of  Oak  and  the  presence  of  Sycamores.  The  undulations  in  the 
shale  tended  to  separate  the  area  into  drier  and  wetter  patches.  On  the 
drier  knolls  were  Mountain  Ash,  Broom,  Whin,  Ling,  Heath  Bed-straw, 
Wood  Sorrel  and  Wood  Sage,  while  the  damp  hollows  contained  much 
Sycamore  and  Deschampsia  ccespitosa.  Other  plants  seen  were  Corydalis 
claviculata  and  Lastrea  Borreri.  Lastrea  dilatata  was  the  commonest 
fern. 

The  principal  feature  of  the  valleys  opening  out  into  Robin  Hood’s 
Bay  was  the  abundance  of  Maple,  this  generally  being  high  up  in  the 
wood  along  with  Oak  and  Ash,  Alder,  Sycamore  and  Willows  being  nearer 
the  stream.  The  undergrowth  included  Hazel  (abundant),  Carex  pendula, 
Equisetum  maximum,  Angelica,  Enchanter’s  Nightshade,  Wood  Sanicle, 
Celandine  and  Spurge  Laurel  (rare). 

In  the  meadows  above  the  wood  were  Adder’s  Tongue,  Moonwort, 
Frog,  Green -winged,  Early  Purple  and  Late  Purple  Orchids. 

Common  Cliff  and  Beast  Cliff  gave  the  members  who  ventured  on  to 
them  a good  scramble.  A noticeable  feature  on  parts  of  these  undercliffs 
is  a compact  mass  of  stunted  shrubs,  so  close  in  places  that  one  can 
almost  walk  on  the  top  of  them,  and  all  lean  to  the  upper  cliff.  This 
effect  is  caused,  not  so  much  by  the  strength  of  the  wind,  as  by  the  cold 
killing  the  buds  on  the  seaward  side.  The  ponds  on  the  undercliff 
yielded  Bog-bean,  Marsh  Cinquefoil,  Tussock  Sedge  and  both  Reed- 
maces.  Typha  angustifolia  is  recorded  by  J.  G.  Baker  as  growing  in 
Scarborough  Mere,  but  is  not  there  now,  and  the  Beast  Cliff  locality  is  a 
new  record  for  the  Scarborough  Society.  Other  plants  of  the  undercliff 
were  Butterwort,  Fragrant  Orchid,  Crowberry  and  Hart’s  Tongue  Fern. 
The  White  Water  Idly,  although  not  seen,  is  still  on  the  cliff. 

The  best  excursion  for  the  botanist  was  that  on  Monday,  to  Ramsdale 
.and  Foul  Sike.  Although  not  providing  anything  in  the  way  of  rare 
.species,  the  constantly  slipping  boulder  clay  of  the  steeply  sloping 
Ramsdale  Woods  had  a clay  vegetation  strikingly  different  from  the 
permanent  soils  on  the  adjacent  flat  top  with  oak  and  bracken. 


1924  Sept.  1 


2 j6 


Yorkshire  N aturalists  at  Ravenscar . 


One  of  the  most  interesting  areas  examined  was  near  Ramsdale  Beck: 
head,  where  several  springs  on  the  edge  of  the  moor  empty  their  water 
across  sphagnum  swamps.  These  are  abundant  in  the  moorland  valleys- 
in  North  East  Yorkshire,  and  those  seen  were  fairly  typical.  On  the 
sides  of  the  runnels  grew  Selaginella , Butterwort  and  sedges  such  as 
Carex  dioica,  C.  flava  and  C.  echinata.  Out  through  the  bog  moss  grew 
Erica  tetralix  ; on  the  moss  was  Sundew  and  Cranberry.  On  the  drier 
areas  were  king  and  Nardus  stricta.  A somewhat  similar  swamp  might 
have  produced,  in  addition  to  the  above,  Sweet  Gale,  Bog  Asphodel, 
two  cotton  grasses  and  the  Black  Bog  Rush.  Other  plants  in  the  vicinity 
were  the  club  moss.  Lycopodium  clavatum,  Petty  Whin,  Dwarf  Twayblade, 
Chickweed,  Wintergreen  and  Carex  lesvigata. 

The  Black  Mustard  seen  at  Robin  Hood’s  Bay  in  1914,  and  long  ago- 
recorded  in  Baker’s  “ North  Yorkshrie,”  was  not  found  at  Whitsuntide. 

Plant  Ecology  (W.  H.  Pearsall). — The  woodlands  near  Robin 
Hood’s  Bay  afford  an  interesting  comparison  with  those  on  the  southern 
edge  of  the  North  Yorkshire  Moors.  The  latter  have  been  described  in 
previous  reports  ( The  Naturalist,  1922,  p.  289,  1923,  p.  207).  The 
outstanding  features  of  the  Robin  Hood’s  Bay  area  are  due  to  the  enor- 
mous deposit  of  glacial  clay,  which,  masking  the  underlying  rocks, 
exerts  a decisive  influence  on  the  vegetation.  According  to  Mr.  Burnley 
this  clay  contains  a considerable  amount  of  lime  (2-4%),  and  this  fact 
would  account  for  the  rather  calcareous  nature  of  the  vegetation  in  the 
valleys.  The  gently  sloping  clay  bears  naturally  woodlands  of  the  oak- 
ash  type — rarely  possessing  more  than  50%  of  oak  and  with  Acer  campestre 
quite  frequent.  Where  the  drainage  accumulates  there  are  extensive- 
patches  of  Ash-Alder  woods,  with  Carex  pendula  and  Equisetum  maximum 
usually  very  abundant.  The  ground  flora  is  normally  dominated  by 
Mercurialis,  Ur  tica  or  Allium  ursinum,  with  ‘ clay  species  like  Sanicula,. 
Ficaria,  Primrose,  Arum,  Carex  sylvatica  and  Catharinea  undulata 
frequent.  Scolopendrium , Polystichum  aculeatum  and  Daphne  laureola 
are  local. 

The  woods  at  the  entrances  to  the  Stoupe  and  Ramsdale  Becks  belong 
to  the  general  type  thus  indicated.  If,  however,  one  works  up  either  of 
these  streams,  a definite  change  in  the  vegetation  is  observable.  The 
influence  of  the  clay  first  decreases  and  then  vanishes  as  the  deposit 
becomes  thinner.  Where  the  clay  is  still  present  but  thin,  Oak  (chiefly 
0.  sessilis)  is  dominant  (80%)  while  Elm  is  present  (10%),  and  but 
little  Ash.  The  slopes  are  gradual,  and  Pteridium,  Sanicula  and  Mnium 
hornum  are  the  constant  elements  of  the  ground  flora.  Where  clay  is- 
absent,  the  shallow,  rather  acid  soil  bears  practically  pure  oak  woods, 
with  a grassy  ground  flora  of  Anthoxanthum — Holcus  mollis  and  Oxalis, 
as  at  the  head  of  Ramsdale. 

These  main  types  are  further  diversified  in  a very  striking  manner 
along  the  banks  of  the  streams.  In  many  places,  the  water  has  cut 
through  the  deep  clay  leaving  steep  slopes,  sometimes  fairly  stable,, 
elsewhere  continually  slipping  downwards.  On  the  stable  slopes.  Elm 
(35%)  and  Oak  (35%)  are  the  chief  trees,  with  Ash,  Mountain  Ash  and 
Acer  campestre  frequent.  On  the  slipping  slopes.  Ash  is  most  abundant 
(50%),  Oak  and  Alder  (15-20%)  come  next,  while  the  ground  flora  is 
scanty — Athyrium  filix-jcemina  and  Polystichum  aculeatum  being  perhaps 
most  abundant.  Ash  appears  to  be  the  only  tree  capable  of  growing 
effectively  on  the  unstable  clay.  It  is  possible  that  the  instability  is 
largely  due  to  higher  water  content.  In  the  upper  parts  of  the  gills 
there  is  little  clay,  and  the  streamside  is  rocky.  Here  the  Oak-wood  has 
a few  Ashes  present,  the  ground  flora  being  a carpet  of  Luzula  maxima. 

The  trees  colonising  the  shale  heaps  below  Ravenscar,  indicate  the 
earlier  stages  of  woodland  development.  Sycamore  (40%)  and  Elm 
(35%)  were  most  important.  Ash  (15%)  and  Pyrus  aucuparia  (10%) 


Naturalist: 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Raven  scar . 


2 77 


were  frequent.  In  the  older  stages,  Sycamore  was  much  more  abundant, 
to  the  partial  exclusion  of  Elm.  Other  colonising  plant  communities 
;are  developed  along  the  cliffs  south  of  Ravenscar. 

Most  of  this  area  is  free  from  trees  owing  to  grazing.  The  more 
.stable  surfaces  of  the  cliffs  are  partly  covered  with  a sparse  Festuca 
■ovina — Anthoxanthum  grassland,  Calluna  tending  to  become  dominant  at 
the  tops,  and  Pteridium  being  abundant  on  the  deeper  soils  at  lower 
levels.  There  are  also  well  defined  patches  of  scrub  in  the  grazed  areas, 
dominated  by  Cratcegus  (8%)  with  Willows  frequent  (5.  caprcea  and 
.5.  cinerea).  Elm  and  Oak  are  occasional.  Where  the  woods  are  prac- 
tically inaccessible  to  animals,  Ash  (50%)  and  Elm  (10%)  are  more 
abundant  along  with  birch  (B . pubescens,  15%),  Pyrus  aucuparia. 
Sycamore  and  Willows.  In  the  places  examined,  Luzula  maxima  and 
Dryopteris  dilatata  seemed  to  be  the  most  abundant  plants  in  the  ground 
flora.  This  ground  flora  community  usually  occurs  under  oak.  Obser- 
vations were  limited  however,  and  the  Beast  Cliff  woods  require,  and  are 
well  worth,  detailed  study. 

Bryology  (F.  E.  Milsom). — Due  to  a deficiency  of  lime  in  the 
.geological  strata,  the  bryological  and  especially  the  hepatic  flora  was  poor. 
The  most  interesting  species  gathered  were  the  hepatics  Sphenolobus 
-exsectiformis  and  Calypogeia  arguta,  found  on  the  borders  of  Ramsdale 
Wood.  On  the  moors  at  the  higher  end  of  Ramsdale  Beck,  more  success 
was  obtained.  Growing  in  association  with  Cranberry,  Sphagnums, 
various  Hypna,  Dicranella  squarrosa,  etc.,  were  found.  Leptoscyphus 
Taylori,  Cephalozia  connivens,  C.  macrostachya,  Cephaloziella  bifida  and 
Calypogeia  Trichomanis  var.  aquatica.  The  Cephalozia  macrostachya  is 
interesting  as  being  the  first  record  for  the  vice-county. 

The  Sphagnum  associates,  not  needing  lime,  have  an  opportunity  to 
display  their  characteristics  irrespective  of  the  subsoil. 

Lichens  (W.  E.  L.  Wattam). — The  area  for  investigation  enabled  a 
further  portion  of  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire  (V.C.  62)  to  be  worked 
for  this  class  of  plants.  The  majority  of  the  species  previously  recorded 
was  again  noted,  additions  to  the  lists  already  published  (see  The 
.Naturalist  1922,  pp.  292-293  ; 1923,  pp.  250-252  ; and  1924,  pp.  137-140), 
being  now  marked  with  an  asterisk.  The  most  interesting  piece  of 
ground  was  the  old  Peak,  or  South  Cheek,  for  here  are  immense  boulders 
■of  Estuarine  Sandstone,  at  the  immediate  base  of  the  high  cliff.  The 
dominant  species  was  Parmelia  saxatilis  Ach.,  with  its  form  furfuracea 
Schaer.  The  type  covered  these  rocks  in  great  silvery  bosses,  several  of 
which  bore  the  dull  red-brown  apothecia.  Cladonia  pyxidata  Fr.  was 
likewise  a prominent  species  where  humus,  with  mosses,  had  accumulated. 
Other  species  here  occurring  were  Peltigera  canina  Hoffm.,  Pelt,  rufescens 
Hoffm.,  Parmelia  fuliginosa  Nyl.,  Gyrophora  polyphylla  Turn  et.Borr., 
Lecidia  contigua  Fr.,  L.  confluens  Ach.,  L.  coarctata  Nyl,  and  var.  elacista 
Cromb.,  and  L.  rivulosa  Ach.,  as  well  as  small  tufts  of  Ramalina  scopu- 
Jorum  Ach.  Extending  seaward  from  this  rock  zone,  the  hillocks  and 
lower  ground  exhibit  a dry-loving  vegetation,  with  a dominancy  of 
heath  plants,  and  the  lichen  association  is  typical  : — 


Cetraria  aculeata  Fr.  and  its  form  hispida  Cromb. 

Parmelia  saxatilis  Ach.  Parmelia  physodes  Ach. 

Platysma  glaucum  Nyl.  Lecanora  varia  Ach. 

Cladonia  cocci f era  Schaer.  Cladonia  alcicornis  Floerke. 

Cladonia  fur cata  Hoffm.  Cladina  sylvatica  Nyl. 

Cladina  uncialis  Nyl. 


The  undercliff,  as  far  as  Petard  Point,  was  also  traversed,  the  scattered 
sandstone  boulders  yielding  the  species  hitherto  enumerated  as  occurring 
:ht  South  Cheek,  along  with  Lecanora  parella  Ach.,  L.  subfusca  var. 
■campestris  Nyl.,*  Acarospora  fuscata  Nyl.,  Lecidia  lithophila  Ach. 
Boulders  of  calcareous  grit  were  chiefly  denizened  by  Lecanora  atra  Ach., 


1924  Sept.  1 


2 y8 


News  from  the  Magazines. 

Aspicilia  calcarea  Somm.,  Placodium  callopismum  Naeg.,  Rhizocarpon- 
geographicum  D.C.,  * Rhiz.  confervoides  D.C.,  and  Xcmthoria  parietina 
Th.  Fr.,  with  Sphcerophorus  coralloides  Pers.,  in  their  niches.  When 
covered  by  a growth  of  plants  of  a heath  type,  most  of  the  species 
hitherto  mentioned  also  occurred. 

A visit  was  also  made  to  Langdale  End,  the  cart  road  beyond  the  village 
being  traversed  as  far  as  High  Birch  house,  afterwards  crossing  to  High 
Wykeham  Moor  by  way  of  Hipper  Beck.  Cladina  sylvatica  Nyl.,  C. 
uncialis  Nyl.,  and  C.  coccifera  Schaer,  in  varied  form,  are  common  species. 
Cladonia  pyxidaia  var.  chlorophcea  Floerke.*  and  var.  pocillum  Fr.,* 
were  also  noted,  as  well  as  Lecidia  parasema  Ach.  on  the  stems  of  Myrica ■ 
gale,  Pertusaria  globulifera  Nyl.  on  aged  oak,  and  Lecanora  sophodes  Th. 
Fr.,  on  medium  sized  ash  trees. 

During  the  investigation  of  Ramsdale  Woods  a good  number  of  species- 
was  noted.  Cladonia  gracilis  Hoffm.  was  an  abundant  ground  species 
among  mosses.  Lecanora  rugosa  Nyl.’15  and  Lecanora  subfusca  Nyl. 
occur  on  aged  oak,  Gyalecta  cupularis  Sch.*  on  damp  stones,  and  Opegrapha 
vulgata  Ach.  on  Ash  trees. 

Geology  (J.  W.  Stather). — The  geologists  had  an  opportunity  of 
studying  a series  of  rocks  unsurpassed  in  this  country  for  the  complete- 
ness of  their  developement  and  the  excellence  of  the  exposures  both  on 
the  coast  and  inland. 

On  Saturday  a descent  of  600  feet  was  made  to  the  shore  by  the  well- 
known  path  which  follows  the  line  of  the  great  peak  fault  down  to  the 
beach.  The  evidences  of  this  great  dislocation  were  very  clear  both 
in  the  cliff  and  on  shore,  and  during  the  subsequent  walk  across  the 
seam  towards  Bay  Town  the  succession  of  the  various  Liassic  beds  was 
easily  recognisable.  The  glacial  clays  capping  the  cliffs  of  shale,  and 
the  abundance  of  boulders  of  shap  granite  on  the  beach  were  also- 
noted. 

On  Whit  Monday  the  geologists  joined  the  general  party  and  proceeded 
inland  to  the  high  ground  behind  Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Kirk  Moor  Gate,  between  five  and  six  hundred  feet  above  sea 
level,  at  the  point  where  Mill  Beck  crosses  the  Scarborough  and  Whitby 
road.  Even  at  this  height,  many  of  the  pebbles  in  the  beck  were  ob- 
viously of  glacial  origin,  and  among  the  foreigners  was  an  undoubted 
specimen  of  Rhomb  porphyry. 

Leaving  Kirk  Moor  Gate  the  geologists  gladly  accepted  the  kind 
offer  of  Mr.  Burnley,  of  Scarborough,  to  conduct  them  to  Biller  Howe, 
from  whence  could  be  seen  part  of  that  remarkable  series  of  trench-like- 
valleys  described  and  explained  by  Prof.  Kendall  in  his  classical  paper 
on  the  “ Glacier-Lakes  in  the  Cleveland  Hills.”  This  detour  was  most 
enjoyable.  The  view  point  was  admirably  chosen,  the  visibility  was 
good,  and  the  explanation  of  the  guide  lucid  and  convincing. 

On  Tuesday,  the  geologists,  diminished  in  numbers  but  not  in  energy, 
again  descended  the  cliffs,  but  this  time  south  of  Blea  Wyke,  and  spent 
the  day  examining  the  beds  between  the  Dogger  and  the  Alum  Shale, 
peculiar  to  this  locality.  Fossils  from  the  Nerinaea  bed  (Dogger)  are 
easily  obtainable  at  the  present  time. 

Several  evening  excursions  were  made  to  the  Crag  Hall  Quarry,'” to 
collect  specimens  of  Equisetites  columnaris,  from  a band  of  Estuarine 
sandstone  which  occurs  there. 

: o : 

In  the  Revue  de  Geologie  is  a report  on  the  Committee  on  Zoological 
Bibliography  and  Publication,  in  which  it  is  stated  ‘ A letter  on  this  subject 
has  been  sent  to  the  Revue  Critique  de  Paleozoologie,’  and  gives  reference 
to  a footnote,  which  appears  as  follows,  ‘ But  has  not  yet  appeared  (F.A.B.). 
Not  received. — Edit.’  ! 


Naturalist 


279 


3 n flDemonam, 

SIR  JETHRO  JUSTINIAN  HARRIS  TEALL,  F.R.S., 
Sc.D.,  D.Sc.,  etc.  (1849-1924). 

By  many  of  the  older  school  of  geologists  in  the  North  of 
England,  the  death  of  Sir  Jethro  Teall  will  be  felt  as  a personal 
loss.  Ever  since  he  came  among  us  in  the  late  ’seventies  and 
early  ’eighties  of  last  century  as  an  inspiring  young  University 
Extension  lecturer,  he  has  been  honoured  and  held  in  friendly 
remembrance,  for  there  was  that  about  him  which  always 
commanded  esteem  and  trust,  ever  growing  with  acquaint- 
anceship and  becoming  an  abiding  influence.  Born  in  1849, 
he  retained  his  vigour  of  mind  and  body  almost  unabated 
until  quite  recently,  when  a mercifully  short  illness  terminated 
his  life,  on  July  2nd,  at  his  home  at  Dulwich.  Not  geology 
alone,  but  the  whole  circle  of  British  Science,  has  lost  in  him 
a leading  spirit  ; for  Teall’s  scientific  sympathies  and  activ- 
ities were  of  the  widest,  and  were  fortified  by  his  deep  interest 
in  general  literature  and  the  arts. 

Teall’s  career  was  determined  at  Cambridge,  where  his 
qualities  carried  him  easily  to  distinction,  and  he  was  elected 
a Fellow  of  his  College  (St.  John’s)  in  1875.  By  the  influence 
of  his  tutor,  T.  G.  Bonney,  he  had  been  attracted  especially 
to  Geology,  and  became  one  of  the  foremost  of  the  band  of 
vigorous  workers  in  the  science  trained  about  that  time  at 
Cambridge.  His  first  independent  field-work  was  an  investi- 
gation of  the  Lower  Cretaceous  rocks  of  the  Eastern  and 
Midland  counties,  resulting  in  an  illuminative  essay,  entitled 
The  Potton  and  Wicken  Phosphatic  Deposits  ’ (published 
1875),  which  gained  him  the  Sedgwick  Prize  for  1873.  There- 
after he  devoted  himself  almost  wholly  to  the  domain  of 
petrology,  a study  then  comparatively  neglected  in  Britain, 
though  based  mainly  on  the  foundations  laid  here  by  H.  C. 
Sorby.  Teall  recognized  the  importance  of  the  advances  made 
abroad  in  this  subject,  and  took  up  the  new  methods  with 
characteristic  ardour,  giving  the  first-fruits,  in  1884,  in  two 
papers,  now  classics,  on  ‘ North-of -England  Dykes  ’ and  on 
the  ‘Whin  Sill’  {Quart.  Journ.  Geol.  Soc.).  Two  years  later 
he  began  the  issue,  in  monthly  parts,  of  his  masterpiece, 
British  Petrography,  with  special  reference  to  the  Igneous 
Rocks,’  which  was  published  complete,  as  a beautifully- 
illustrated  volume,  in  1888.  In  the  same  year  Teall  accepted 
an  appointment  on  the  Geological  Survey,  under  Sir  Archibald 
Geikie,  being  given  responsibility  for  the  petrographical  work 
of  the  institution.  His  descriptive  work  in  this  capacity  is 
distributed  through  various  later  ‘ memoirs  ’ of  the  Survey, 
supplemented  by  a few  separate  papers. 

With  a fixed  residence  now  near  London,  he  was  fittingly 
called  upon  to  take  a vigorous  part  in  the  duties  and  activities 


1924  Sept.  1 


280  In  Mentor iam : Sir  William  Herdman,  F.R.S. 

of  the  scientific  societies  of  the  capital.  He  served  on  the 
Council  of  the  Geological  Society  from  1884,  with  brief 
periods  of  intermission,  until  his  death  ; acting  as  Secretary 
(1893-99),  Vice-President  (for  four  terms)  and  President 
(1900-02).  He  was  elected  a Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in 
1890,  served  two  terms  on  the  Council  and  as  a Vice-President 
(1900-01).  He  was  also  President  of  the  Geological  Section 
of  the  British  Association  in  1893,  and  of  the  Geologists’ 
Association  (1898-1900).  It  is  in  his  various  presidential 
addresses  that  the  breadth  and  suggestiveness  of  his  outlook 
has,  in  some  degree,  found  permanent  expression. 

In  1901  Teall  succeeded  to  the  Directorship  of  the  Geol- 
ogical Survey,  and  from  then  until  his  retirement  under  the 
age-limit  in  1914,  his  time  was  almost  wholly  occupied  by  the 
administrative  work  of  his  office.  With  a high  sense  of  duty 
in  this,  as  in  all  things,  he  strove  to  fulfil  every  requirement 
laid  upon  him  without  regard  for  his  personal  aspirations. 
But  the  strain  told  on  him,  as  he  himself  was  well  aware. 
His  later  years  were  spent  restfully  in  his  domestic  circle, 
cheered  by  the  happy  young  life  of  grandchildren. 

He  was,  of  course,  the  recipient  of  many  honours  : the 
Bigsby  Medal  (1889)  and  the  Wollaston  Medal  (1905)  of  the 
Geological  Society  ; the  Delesse  Prize  of  the  French  Academy 
of  Sciences  ; Honorary  D.Sc.  of  Dublin  and  Oxford  ; Hon. 
LL.D.  of  St.  Andrews  ; and  Knighthood  (1916).  But  the 
affections  of  his  family  and  of  his  man}/  friends  manifestly 
counted  more  to  him  than  all  these.  He  married,  in  1879, 
Harriet  M.  Cowen,  of  Nottingham  ; his  wife  and  the  two  sons 
of  the  marriage  survive  him. — G.W.L. 

SIR  WILLIAM  HERDMAN,  F.R.S. 

While  the  meeting  of  the  Conference  of  Delegates  of  the 
British  Association  was  being  held  at  Wembley,  on  July 
22nd,  the  tragic  news  of  the  sudden  death  was  brought  into 
the  room,  and  resulted  in  the  proceedings  being  brought  to  an 
abrupt  conclusion. 

Sir  William,  who  was  65  years  of  age,  was  the  President  at 
the  British  Association’s  Cardiff  meeting  in  1920,  and  an  expert 
on  fisheries  and  marine  biology.  After  graduating  at  Edin- 
burgh in  1879  he  was  appointed  assistant  to  Sir  Wyville 
Thomson  in  the  “ Challenger  ” Expedition  office.  There 
followed  a long  connection  with  the  British  Association,  of 
which  he  became  successively  President  of  the  Zoological 
Section  and  General  Secretary.  He  was  President  of  the 
Linnean  Society  in  1904.  During  the  war  Sir  William  did 
much  to  conserve  our  fish  supplies,  and  to  emphasise  their 
food  value  to  the  nation,  he  being  one  of  the  founders  of  the 


Naturalist 


In  Memoriam : David  Woolacott,  D.Sc.  281 

hatchery  at  Piel,  Barrow,  and  of  the  experimental  station  at 
Port  Erin.  For  many  years  Professor  of  Natural  History  at 
Liverpool,  Sir  William  became  in  1919  the  first  Professor  of 
Oceanography,  the  Chair  of  which — the  first  in  the  United 
Kingdom — he  had  himself  founded.  His  scientific  attain- 
ments were  recognised  by  the  receipt  of  honorary  degrees  of 
Edinburgh,  Durham,  Harvard,  Sydney  and  Western  Australia. 
He  had  written  many  technical  books  on 
biological  and  zoological  subjects,  which 
included  the  Report  to  the  Government 
on  the  Ceylon  Pearl-Oyster  Fisheries, 
published  by  the  Royal  Society  in  five 
volumes.  He  was  also  much  interested 
in  early  archaeology,  and  was  an  ardent 
yachtsman.  He  also  gave  £10,000  to 
provide  a Chair  of  Geology  in  memory 
of  his  son,  killed  in  the  war.  He  was 
knighted  in  1922.  He  married  twice, 
his  second  wife  dying  in  1922,  on  which 
occasion  Sir  William  gave  £20,000  to 
Liverpool  University  to  provide  a memorial  building  for  the 
Department  of  Geology. 

DAVID  WOOLACOTT,  D.Sc. 

Early  in  August,  Dr.  David  Woolacott  died  after  a short 
illness  at  Oxford,  where  he  was  on  holiday.  He  was  a native 
of  Sunderland,  was  educated  at  Durham  University,  where 
he  obtained  his  B.Sc.  degree  in  1895,  he  was  on  the  Board  of 
the  Faculty  of  Science  and  examiner  and  lecturer  in  .geology 
at  the  Armstrong  College,  Newcastle.  He  held  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Science,  and  was  a Fellow  of  the  Geological  Society. 

Dr.  Woolacott  was  a recognised  authority  on  the  geology 
of  the  North-east  Coast,  and  he  frequently  lectured  on  geologi- 
cal subjects  to  scientific  and  literary  societies  in  the  North- 
east district.  He  was  the  author  of  several  books  on  the 
subject,  among  them  being  ‘ The  Geology  of  North-east 
Durham,’  several  papers  on  the  geology  of  Northumberland 
and  Durham,  ‘ Thrust  and  Crush— Brecciat ion  in  Magnesian 
Limestone,’  and  others.  He  was  connected  with  the  governing 
body  of  the  Sunderland  Museum,  and  was  an  ex-president 
of  the  Sunderland  Naturalists’  Society.  Dr.  Woolacott  was 
a bachelor,  52  years  of  age.. 

G.  A.  BOOTH,  F.Z.S.,  F.E.S.,  M.B.O.U. 

It  is  with  extreme  regret  we  have  to  announce  the  death,  on 
August  nth,  after  a long  illness,  of  Mr.  G.  A.  Booth.  His 
death  has  deprived  Lancashire  and  Yorkshire  naturalists  of 


1924  Sept.  1 


282  In  Memoriam : G.  A.  Booth,  F.Z.S.,  F.E.S.,  etc. 

one  of  their  most  esteemed  members.  Mr.  Booth  was  a keen 
entomologist  and  ornithologist,  but  it  was  as  a nature  photo- 
grapher that  he  was  best  known.  In  this  direction  his  skill, 
combined  with  sympathy  and  love  of  his  subject,  enabled  him 
to  excel,  and  there  was  no  better  exponent  in  depicting  wild 
life.  A naturalist  of  the  best  type,  and  although  not  a 
collector  in  the  generally  accepted  term,  he  had,  at  his  home. 
The  Hermitage,  Kirkham,  an  interesting  museum,  with  a 


valuable  collection  of  butterflies,  moths,  and  varieties  of 
birds  ; his  collection  of  old  china,  too,  is  large  and  unique. 

As  a lecturer  upon  natural  history  subjects,  profusely 
illustrated  by  his  own  photographs,  he  had  a national  reputa- 
tion, and  his  services  were  willingly  given  to  any  naturalist  or 
photographic  societies.  The  demand  upon  his  time  in  this 
direction  was  very  great.  Even  during  his  illness  he  en- 
deavoured to  carry  on,  giving  several  lectures  when  he  was  not 
really  fit,  having  to  be  seated  to  deliver  them.  As  President 
of  the  Zoological  Photographic  Club  he  was  always  ready  to 
lend  a helping  hand  to  the  novice,  and  his  expert  advice  was 
willingly  given  to  anyone  desiring  it.  As  a judge  at  Photo- 
graphic Exhibitions  he  was  also  in  great  demand,  and  during 


Naturalist 


Northern  News. 


283 


his  illness,  when  confined  to  bed,  his  enthusiasm  enabled  him 
to  fulfil  one  or  two  engagements  of  this  kind,  the  prints  being 
sent  to  his  house  for  the  purpose. 

The  tragedy  of  his  illness  was  that,  although  his  friends 
recognised  that  his  case  was  hopeless,  he,  even  when  his 
strength  was  failing  fast,  never  gave  up  hope,  and  quite 
believed  he  would  get  better  ; to  the  writer,  only  a month 
ago,  he  discussed  his  plans  for  next  season,  by  which  time  he 
looked  forward  to  being  in  the  field  again. 

To  his  friends,  of  which  he  had  many,  his  end  is  a sad 
blow,  and  his  kindly  and  genial  presence  will  be  greatly 
missed,  and  to  no  one  more  than  the  writer,  who  for  a long 
time  has  had  the  privilege  of  his  friendship. — R.F. 

: o : 

Cumberland  Mosses. — Last  March,  while  returning  from 
Ireby  to  Mealsgate  Station,  I made  a few  gatherings  of  mosses,, 
which  included  Dicranoweisia  cirrata  Lindb.,  on  walls,  Bolton 
Gate;  Grimmia  putvinata  Sm.,  walls,  common;  Tor  tula 
Icevipila  Schwaeg.,  on  Hawthorn  trees,  Bolton  Gate  ; Encalypta 
streptocarpa  Hedw.,  common  ; Bryum  capillar e Linn.,  Meals- 
gate. ; Neckera  complanata  Hfibn.,  plentiful  on  Hawthorn 
trees  near  Bolton  Gate  ; Orthotrichum  affine  Schrad.,  on  trunk 
of  Willow  tree  near  Ireby.  Some  leaves  of  this  bore  a few 
small  green  gemmae  less  in  size  and  not  so  prominent  as  in 
0.  Lyellii  H.  and  T.  A small  quantity  of  the  hepatic  Metzgeria 
furcata  Linn.,  was  associated  with  this.  Another  hepatic,. 
Frullania  dilatata  Linn,  almost  covered  the  trunk  of  a tree 
near  Bolton  Gate.  The  only  previous  records  I can  find  for 
this  locality  were  made  by  W.  Borrer  in  1845  (The  Naturalist , 
i89 7,  p.  5),  who  recorded  Barbula  cylindrica  there. — Jas. 
Murray,  Kelsick,  Wigton. 

: o : 

As  Quarterly  Notes,  No.  XLVIII.,  Mr.  Arthur  Deane,  of  the  Belfast 
Museum,  has  issued  an  interesting  pamphlet  showing  the  evolution  of 
the  bicycle. 

Part  IV.  of  Hutchinson’s  ' Trees  and  Flowers  of  the  Countryside  ’ 
includes  illustrations  of  the  Blackthorn,  Bladder  Campion,  Brittle- 
Bladder  Fern,  Bladderwort,  Blinks,  Bluebell,  Bluebottle,  Bog-bean, 
Bog  Myrtle,  Bog  Orchis,  Bog  Rush,  Box,  Bracken  and  Bramble. 

In  a pamphlet,  ‘ Fifty  Years  of  Pioneer  Work  at  Woolwich  ’ (32  pp.,. 
1 /-),  Mr.  C.  H.  Grinling  gives  an  account  of  his  work  at  the  settlement 
there.  He  says  : ‘ I am  sometimes  asked  how  I came  to  Woolwich? 

What  opr  work  is  ? How  we  do  it  ? What  it  means  to  us  ? I was- 
born  a Londoner.  At  five  years  old  I was  taken  into  Staffordshire. 
Till  eleven  I grew  in  a country  garden.  My  only  schooling  was  with  an 
aunt  for  one  or  two  hours  a day.  At  eleven  I followed  three  brothers  to 
a school  near  Derby.  At  fourteen  I won  a scholarship  at  the  Forest 
School,  Walthamstow.  That  led  to  a scholarship  for  five  years  at  Oxford. 
During  the  last  year  I had  to  face  the  great  choice — what  was  I to  do  ? 
Should  I follow  the  usual  life  to  which  Oxford  leads  ? . . . All  proceeds  of 
the  sale  of  the  pamphlet  will  go  directly  to  the  support  of  our  Settlement 
work . ’ 


1924  Sept.  1 


2 §4 


EAST  YORKSHIRE  TOPOGRAPHY. 

East  Yorkshire  seems  to  have  received  particular  attention  recently 
in  the  way  of  books,  and  before  us  are  a few  which  have  just  been 
published.  The  Curiosities  of  East  Yorkshire,  by  Canon  A.  N. 
Cooper  (Hull  : A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  114  pp.,  3/6),  is  written  by  our 
friend,  ‘ the  Walking  Parson,’  who  for  some  years  has  been  entertaining 
readers  of  the  local  papers  by  articles  dealing  with  the  curiosities  of  the 
•district.  Many  of  these  are  now  reprinted,  and  with  the  help  of  the 
illustrations  which  are  given,  will  doubtless  appeal  to  many.  There  are 
thirty-six  chapters  in  all,  and  in  these  the  author  has  gathered  together 
such  information  as  is  likely  to  be  of  interest  to  his  readers,  though,  as 
with  most  books  dealing  with  the  topography  of  the  county,  too  much 
reliance  must  not  be  placed  on  some  of  the  statements  ! For  example, 
the  cross  said  once  to  have  been  at  Ravenspurne  is  surely  later  in  date 
than  the  disappearance  of  that  place  from  the  mouth  of  the  Humber. 
An  idea  of  the  variety  of  the  subjects  treated  may  be  gathered  from  the 
following  titles  of  the  first  eight  chapters  : The  Stone  Circle  at  Clough- 
bon  ; The  Abbey  House,  Whitby  ; The  Beggar’s  Bridge  at  Glaisdale  ; 
The  Fox  Hounds  Inn,  Carlton  ; Staithes  ; Newburgh  Priory  ; Epitaph 
at  Easingwold  ; Welburn  Hall.  Immediately  beneath  the  title  on  the 
cover,  ‘ The  Curiosities  of  East  Yorkshire,’  appears  the  portrait  of  Canon 
■Cooper,  ready  for  a walk,  but  we  assume  the  juxta-position  is  merely 
accidental. 

Yorkshire  tourists  and  others  have  long  been  indebted  to  the  three 
charming  handbooks  to  the  ridings  by  Mr.  J.  E.  Morris.  This  author 
has  now  completed  his  historic  survey  of  the  county  by  issuing  a special 
Handbook  to  York  (London  : Methuen  & Co.,  182  pp.,  6/-  net),  which 
is  as  informing  and  as  reliable  as  his  previous  volumes,  which  is  the 
greatest  praise  we  can  give  it.  There  are  many  excellent  illustrations 
from  photographs,  etc. 

The  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  by  Bernard  Hobson.  London  : 
Cambridge  University  Press,  174  pp.,  4/6  net.  This  is  one  of  the  last 
•of  the  series  of  county  geographies  issued  by  the  Cambridge  L~niversity 
Press.  Fourteen  or  fifteen  years  ago  the  present  writer  was  asked  to 
write  the  volume,  and,  indeed,  did  so,  but  differences  arose  between 
the  Editor  and  the  author,  with  the  result  that  most  of  the  book  was 
published  in  ‘ The  Lost  Towns  of  the  Yorkshire  Coast,  and  other  chapters 
bearing  upon  the  Geography  of  the  District,’  which  was  printed  so  long 
:ago  as  1912.  A dozen  years  have  elapsed,  and  Mr.  Bernard  Hobson  has 
managed  to  produce  the  book,  covering  the  same  ground,  in  which  much 
•of  the  information  already  prepared  is  repeated,  and  illustrations  which 
appeared  in  ‘ Geological  Rambles  in  East  Yorkshire  ’ and  other  well- 
known  local  works  here  occur,  but  whether  accidentally  or  designedly,  no 
mention  whatever  is  made  of  the  various  volumes  by  the  present  writer 
which  the  author  certainly  has  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  his  book, 
though  in  his  preface,  and  also  on  page  xi.,  particular  care  seems  to 
have  been  taken  to  give  credit  to  everyone  else  who  has  been  useful  to 
him.  We  are  told  that  the  illustration  on  page  130  was  lent  by 
n,  certain  publishing  firm.  There  is  no  illustration  on  page  130,  but 
assuming  that  the  one  on  page  129  is  meant,  it  happens  to  be  the  private 
property  of  the  present  writer,  though  this  is  not  mentioned.  The  only 
adverse  criticisms  (which  appeared  in  Nature)  we  remember  to  have  seen 
relating  to  ‘ Hull  and  the  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  a Handbook  pre- 
pared for  the  British  Association,’  were  from  Mr.  Barnard  Hobson. 
Among  his  suggestions  were  that  such  Handbooks  ‘ Should  have  a com- 
plete index  for  facilitating  rapid  consultation,’  also  ‘ Practical  details 
such  as  railway  stations,  hotels,  cab  fares,  post  office,  etc.,  should  be 
given.’  The  handbook  Mr.  Hobson  criticised  had  to  be  prepared  under 
great  stress  on  short  notice,  while  the  compiler  was  busy  organising  the 
British  Association  meeting.  Mr.  Hobson  has  had  no  such  disadvantages, 


Naturalist 


East  Yorkshire  Topography . 


285; 


and  apparently  has  had  unlimited  time,  but  his  handbook  contains  no* 
index,  nor  does  it  give  the  practical  details  which  he  considers  such  a 
handbook  should  contain.  In  these  circumstances  we  can  only  assume 
that  Mr.  Hobson  himself  considers  his  book  unsatisfactory. 

The  Early  History  of  the  North  Riding,  by  William  Edwards. 
London  : Messrs.  A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  xvL-f-267  pp.,  10/6.  Mr. 

Edwards  has  very  carefully  searched  through  the  literature  dealing  with 
the  past  history  of  the  North  Riding,  a particularly  rich  area,  and  has 
produced  a magnificent  volume  in  which  he  reviews  the  important 
changes  in  the  district  from  Prehistoric  Times  to  comparatively  modern 
ones.  With  the  British  barrows,  cup -and -ring  markings,  stone  and 
Bronze  Implements  ; Camps  and  other  objects  of  Roman  date  ; Saxon 


Bronze  Socketed  Chisels  and  Gouges  from  Roseberry  Topping. 

sculpturings  ; and  the  fine  buildings  at  Whitby,  Middleton,  Middleham, 
Pickering,  Bolton,  By  land,  Jervaulx,  Eggleston,  Coverham,  Mount 
Grace,  Rievaulx  and  a host  of  other  places  within  the  riding,  there  is  no 
shortage  of  material  for  a scholar  such  as  is  Mr.  Edwards.  There  are 
several  illustrations  from  photographs  and  sketches,  and  the  author 
appears  to  have  given  a conscientious  and  reasonable  summary  of  the 
history  of  the  district,  in  addition  to  which  he  has  written  it  in  a way 
which  can  be  followed  by  anyone,  and  keeps  up  an  interest  in  his  narrative 
from  cover  to  cover.  Speaking  with  some  knowledge  of  the  cost  of  print- 
ing we  cannot  understand  how  it  is  that  this  fine  quarto  volume,  with  its 
illustrations,  good  paper,  and  substantial  binding,  can  be  produced  at 
the  low  price  of  10/6.  That  however,  is  a matter  for  the  author  and 
publishers,  or  both.  We  are  permitted  to  reproduce  one  of  the  illus- 
trations herewith. 

Hull  : Britain’s  Third  Port,  by  T.  Sheppard.  (The  Museum, 
Hull,  56  pp.  with  coloured  plates,  1/-,  plus  postage).  This  was  specially 


1924  Sept.  1 


286 


Northern  News. 


prepared  in  connexion  with  Hull’s  Civic  Fortnight  at  Wembley,  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Hull  Exhibition  Committee.  Its  illuminated  cover 
illustrates  the  evolution  of  shipping  from  early  Viking  times,  when  the 
first  settlers  came  over  to  Hull  from  the  continent,  through  the  old 
whaling  days,  which  are  represented  by  ‘The  Swan,’  whaler,  of  Hull,  to 
a,  modern  liner.  Inside  are  excellent  coloured  plates  of  the  Hull  docks, 
■etc.,  after  paintings  by  Mason  and  others,  and  there  are  illustrations  in 
dhe  text,  one  of  which  we  are  permitted  to  reproduce  herewith.  The 
handbook  was  written  for  the  representatives  from  the  Dominions.  It 


draws  attention  to  the  facilities  for  trade  at  the  port,  and  briefly  describes 
The  ancient  history  of  the  city  of  Kingston -upon-Hull. 

: o : 

Some  of  the  most  extraordinary  forms  of  foraminifera  that  we  have 
seen  for  a long  time  are  figured  to  accompany  a paper  on  ‘The  Foraminifera 
of  Lord  Howe  Island,  South  Pacific,’  by  E.  Heron-Alien  and  A.  Ear  land 
(Linn.  Soc.  Journ.  Zoology,  Vol.  XXXV.,  pp.  599-647).  Several  new 
.genera  and  new  species  are  described. 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  of  publication  and  the  expense  now 
attached  to  plates,  it  is  pleasing  to  find  that  our  contributor,  Mr.  T. 
Fetch,  of  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Peradeniya,  is  able  to  produce  such 
excellent  results  of  his  original  investigations,  a batch  of  which  has 
recently  reached  us.  These  include,  reprinted  from  The  Annals  of  the 
Royal  Botanic  Gardens,  Peradeniya,  Notes  on  Aristolochia  ; A note  on 
Diplodiella  ; Xylariacece  zeylanicce  ; reprinted  from  the  Indian  Botanical 
Society's.  Journal,  Monotospora  Oryzce  B.  and  Br.  ; Ccesalpinia  honducella 
Fleming,  and  a new  Sciaphila  ; A New  Bulbophyllum  ; reprinted  from 
The  Transactions  of  the  British  Mycological  Society,  Studies  in  Entomo- 
genous  Fungi  ; III.,  Torrubiella  \ The  Genus  Cladosterigma  Pat  ; The 
Genus  Trichosterigma  Petch  ; Parasites  of  Scale-insect  Fungi  ; reprinted 
from  the  Annals  of  Botany,  The  Replacement  of  the  Terminal  Bud  in  the 
■coconut  palm. 


Naturalist 


28  7 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

KEY  TO  THE  HARPIDIOID  HYPNA. 

In  the  above  key,  which  appeared  in  The  Naturalist  for  January,  July 
and  October,  1921,  and  January  and  March,  1922,  a number  of  errors 
occurred,  some  due  to  defects  in  the  manuscript,  others  to  slips  in  proof 
reading,  owing  to  my  inability  to  attend  to  the  latter  myself.  Will 
readers  who  are  interested  in  the  subject  kindly  make  the  following 
corrections  in  their  copies  : — Under  Drepanocladus , paragraph  43,  for 
‘ straight,’  read  ‘ stem  ’ Under  Limprichtia,  par.  8,  for  (8)  read  (9)  ; 
Under  Sanionia,  par.  3,  for  (5)  read  (6)  ; par.  4,  for  (7)  read  (5)  ; par.  6, 
read  par.  5 ; par.  7,  read  par.  6 ; for  (8)  read  (7)  ; for  (9)  read  (8)  ; 
par.  8,  read  par.  7 ; par.  9,  read  par.  8.  Under  Warnstorfia,  par.  1, 
for  (29)  read  (30)  ; par.' 4,  for  (5)  read  (6)  ; for  (20)  read  (21)  ; par. 
5,  delete  the  whole  ; par.  6,  for  (19)  read  (13)  ; par  39,  line  1,  after 
‘ percurrent,’  insert  (40)  ; line  2,  for  (40)  read  (43)  ; par.  40,  for  (43) 
read  (49)  ; par.  46,  delete  the  whole  ; par.  47,  should  be  46,  and  for 
(48)  read  (47)  ; and  (49)  read  (48)  ; par.  48  should  be  47  ; par.  49 
should  be  48  ; par.  50  should  be  49. — J.  A.  Wheldon. 

o : 

The  Insect  Hunter’s  Companion,  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Greene, 
M.A.  Revised  and  extended  by  A.  B.  Farn,  with  an  Appendix  by 
L.  N.  Staniland.  Ad  lard  & Son,  and  West  Newman,  Ltd.,  144  pp., 
price  3/6.  Sixth  Edition.  We  welcome  another  edition  of  this  little 
book.  Mr.  Farn  has  kept  it  practically  as  in  the  original  edition — we 
think  a little  too  much  so.  For  instance,  Mr.  Greene’s  recommendations 
as  to  breeding -cages  now  seem  very  primitive,  and  Mr.  Farn  might  very 
well  have  described  the  present  day  cages,  which  are  infinitely  in  advance 
of  those  used  in  Greene’s  time.  The  books,  too,  recommended  by  Mr. 
Greene  are  now  of  course  much  superseded.  The  memorable  paper  on 
‘ Pupa  Digging,’  which  Greene  afterwards  embodied  with  extensions  in 
his  little  book,  is  still  entertaining  reading,  although  it  never  revolution- 
ised the  study  of  the  Lepidoptera,  as  at  the  time  it  was  expected  by  many 
it  would.  Greene  resided  in  an  exceptionally  good  district  for  that  kind 
of  work,  and  we  have  never  heard  of  anyone  else  who  had  anything  like 
the  success  with  it  which  he  had.  Still,  the  first  hundred  pages  of  the 
book,  practically  entirely  Greene’s,  contain  an  amount  of  useful  informa- 
tion for  the  beginner,  which  is  truly  marvellous.  Advice  on  almost 
■everything  we  can  think  of  seems  to  be  given  in  them,  and,  along  with 
Knaggs’  ‘ Lepidopterist’s  Guide,’  it  still  remains  the  book  for  this  special 
purpose.  The  next  twenty  pages  contain  chapters  on  ‘ Micro-Lepi- 
doptera,’  by  A.  B.  Farn  ; ‘A  Chapter  about  Coleoptera,’  by  Edward 
Newman  ; ‘ Hymenoptera , ’ we  presume  also  by  Newman,  although  this 
is  not  stated  ; and  ‘ Breeding  of  Gall  Flies,’  by  E.  A.  Fitch.  The  remain- 
der of  the  book  consists  of  the  Appendix,  by  L.  N.  Staniland,  and  contains 
among  other  things,  the  methods  of  collecting  and  preserving  the  various 
so-called  ‘Neglected  Orders  ’ of  insects.  This  part  will  appeal  more  to 
the  advanced  student  than  to  the  beginner. — G.T.P. 

: o : 

Bees,  Wasps  and  Ants  are  illustrated  and  described  in  Part  38  of 
Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  all  Countries . 

We  have  received  a quantity  of  circulars  and  other  literature  demon- 
strating the  activities  of  the  Belfast  Naturalists’  Field  Club,  which  seems 
to  be  in  a particularly  flourishing  condition  at  the  present  time. 

In  the  August  issue  of  a contemporary  the  editor  calls  it  a ‘ holiday 
number.’  ‘ Many  readers  will  be  at  the  seaside  with  their  families. 
Hence  the  fascinating  article  on  the  early  life  of  baby  herrings.  Others 
will  doubtless  come  into  contact  with  the  irrepressible  harvest  bug  ! ’ 
‘ Greenland’s  Icy  Mountain,’  a splendidly  cooling  topic  if  August  is  a 
real  holiday  month  ! ’ And  the  inevitable  ‘ but  we  again  ask  you  to  do 
a little  missionary  work  ’ ! 


1924  Sept.  1 


288 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

‘ Crystals  which  talk  ’ appeared  in  a scientific  contemporary. 

Mr.  G.  T.  Porritt  has  been  elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  En- 
tomological Club. 

The  Duke  of  York  recently  laid  the  foundation  stone  of  the  new 
Municipal  Museum  and  Art  Gallery  at  Belfast. 

The  London  University  has  conferred  the  degree  of  Ph.D.  upon  Mr.. 
E.  E.  Lowe,  Leicester’s  Librarian  and  Curator. 

Mr.  E.  Neaverson  has  received  the  London  D.Sc.  degree  for  a thesis 
on  ‘ The  Ammonites  of  the  Upper  Kimmeridge  Clay.’ 

The  Quarterly  Notes  of  the  Belfast  Municipal  Art  Gallery  and  Museum 
(Publication  No.  82)  refer  to  Memoirs  of  the  MacCormack  family. 

Mr.  F.  G.  Parsons  has  an  elaborate  paper  ‘ On  the  Brachy cephalic 
Skull  ’ in  The  Journal  of  the  Royal  Anthropological  Institute  recently 
issued . 

A skull  and  antlers  of  Cervus  giganteus,  said  to  be  ‘with  massive 
brow-lines,  measuring  six  feet  from  point  to  point!  ’ has  been  presented 
to  the  Belfast  Municipal  Museum. 

We  have  been  favoured  with  ‘ The  Forty-sixth  Annual  Report  of  the 
Art  Museum  of  Nottingham  ’ (7  pp.)>  which  contains  a record  of  the 
valuable  additions  to  that  institution. 

The  Haworth  Ramblers  had  a pleasant  ramble  to  Hubberholme  in 
July,  Messrs.  E.  Whitaker  and  E.  Earnshaw  being  the  leaders,  and  Mr. 
J.  Bradley  prepared  the  usual  informative  programme. 

Part  XLVI.  of  Buckman’s  Type  Ammonites  contains  illustrations  of 
Deroceras  anguiforme  (A.  tubellus ) from  Bay  Town  ; Tubellites  tubellus 
(also  called  A.  tubellus  by  Simpson)  from  the  same  locality. 

Dr.  Horace  Lamb  has  been  elected  President  of  the  British  Association 
for  the  meeting  at  Southampton  in  1925.  For  the  meeting  of  the  Associa- 
tion in  1926,  an  invitation  has  been  received  from  the  University  and 
City  of  Oxford. 

The  Report  of  the  Curator  of  the  Somerset  County  Museum,  just  received, 
is  evidence  of  Mr.  H.  St.  George  Gray’s  enthusiasm  for  the  Collections, 
under  his  charge.  The  list  of  additions,  mostly  local  material,  is  a 
remarkably  good  one. 

In  Wonders  of  the  Woods  (Epworth  Press,  96  pp.,  1/6),  J.  H.  Crabtree 
illustrates  and  describes,  in  his  typical  way,  many  of  the  insects,  flowers,, 
fungi,  birds,  trees,  galls  and  pond  life  to  be  met  with  in  the  woods. 
There  are  ten  chapters  and  several  plates  from  good  photographs. 

The  North-East  Lancashire  Naturalists’  Union  continues  to  flourish. 
At  a recent  meeting  at  Blackburn,  although  rain  fell  persistently  all 
day,  three-fourths  of  the  members  attended!  Fancy  three  thousand 
members  and  associates  attending  a meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Union  ! 

We  have  received  the  excellent  ‘ Nineteenth  Annual  Report  of  the 
Manx  Museum  and  Ancient  Monuments  Trustees,’  published  by  the  Mus- 
eum at  Douglas.  The  list  of  valuable  additions  of  local  interest  is  most 
encouraging.  The  library  and  collections  of  Mr.  G.  W.  Wood,  dealing- 
principally  with  the  Island,  have  also  been  purchased  during  the  year. 

Mr.  R.  W.  Goulding,  F.S.A.,  favours  us  with  a copy  of  his  pamphlet 
on  Sir  John  and  Sir  Charles  Bolle  ; The  Ballad  of  the  Spanish  Lady  ’s 
Love  ; and  Notices  of  the  Plague  and  Civil  War  at  Louth.  This  is  an 
enlarged  edition  of  his  paper  published  in  1912,  is  for  sale  by  Goulding 
and  Sons,  Mercer  Row,  Louth  (1/-),  and  any  profits  are  to  be  given  to 
the  Louth  Hospital. 

‘ The  Second  Report  of  the  Grantham  Public  Library  and  Museum  ’ 
contains  a record  of  the  activities  of  our  Grantham  friends,  Mr.  H. 
Preston  being  the  Chairman  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Summers  the  Curator. 
There  are  illustrations  of  a fine  ‘ Blue  John  Vase,’  a carved  inscription 
of  ‘ I.  Newton  ’ in  King’s  School,  Grantham,  and  a stone  containing 
Saxon  Knot -work,  found  at  Allington  Church  in  1923. 


Naturalist 


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will  be  sent  on  application  to  the 

CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

Fetter  Lane  London,  E.C.4 


ANCIENT  SPRINGS  and 
STREAMS  of  THE  EAST 
RIDING  of  YORKSHIRE 

THEIR  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  TRADITIONS 

BY  THE  LATE 

Rev.  WILLIAM  SMITH 

196  pages,  Crown  8 vo,  Illustrated,  Art  Cloth  Boards,  lettered  in 
Gold.  6/-  net,  post  free  6/6. 

*'  A very  welcome  addition  to  folk  and  antiquarian  lore  is  supplied  by  the 
Rev.  W.  Smith’s  Ancient  Springs  and  Streams  of  the  East  Riding  of 

Yorkshire Books  such  as  this  are  all  too  rare,  and  will  become  rarer 

still  as  we  lose  touch  with  the  past.  For  this  preservation  of  folklore  we  are 
deeply  indebted  to  the  gifted  author.  It  is  not  addressed  to  savants,  but  to 
those  who  would  be  informed  concerning  customs  and  beliefs  of  a far-off  past. 
There  is  not  a dull  page  in  it  from  cover  to  cover  ; we  only  wish  that  there  had 
been  more  of  it.” — Sheffield  Daily  Telegraph. 

London  : A.  BROWN  & SONS,  Ltd.,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.4 

AND  AT  HULL  AND  YORK 


Printed  by  A.  Brown  Sc  Sons,  Ltd.,  40  George  Street,  Hull,  and  published  by 
A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  at  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  in  the  City  of  London. 

Sept.,  1924. 


No.  813 

OCT,  , 1924,  No.  587  of  current  Serits 


A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 


PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 

EDITED  BY 

T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.S.A.Scot., 

The  Museums,  Hull; 

and  T.  W.  WOODHEAD,  Ph.D.,  M.Sc.,  F.L.S., 

Technical  College,  Huddersfield, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES  IN  SPECIAL  DEPARTMENTS  OF 

G.  T.  PORRITT,  F.L.S.,  F.E.S. 

JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc.  RILEY  FORTUNE,  F.Z.S. 


Contents  s—  page 

Notes  and  Comments  (illust.)  : — C3  Men  ; Weather  and  Granite  ; Gilbert 
White  ; Saxon  Spinners  ; Early  Wool  Exports  ; Natural  Resources 
in  Relation  to  the  Arts  ; Local  Architecture  ; English  Sculpture  ; 

Wigan  ; Museums  and  Sales  ; Spelaeology  ; The  Plymouth  Aquar- 
ium ; A Bibliography  of  Bibliographies  ; Motors  and  Marriage  ; 

Windy  Knoll  ; Fossil  Blood  Stains  ; Rambling  ; A Birmingham 
Society  ; A Shepherd’s  Life  ; Journal  of  Ecology  ; The  London 
Naturalist  ; St.  John  of  Bridlington  ; Water  and  Wine  ; Food  of 
the  Blackbird  ; Not  as  Black  as  Painted  ; British  Museum  (Natural 
History)  Publications;  The  Advancement  of  Science;  The  Spittal 
at  Filey  Brig  ; Not  Roman  ; A Sixty -feet  Gastropod  ; Pliocene  ; 
Pleistocene  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289-302 

Methoca  ichneumonides  Lat.  and  other  Hymenoptera  on  Allerthorpe 

Common,  East  Yorks. — W . J . Fordham,  M.R.C.S.,  L.R.C.P.,  etc.  303-306 
Notes  on  Some  ‘ Pendleside  ’ Fossils — J.  Wilfrid  Jackson,  M.Sc., 

F.G.S.  . . .-.  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  307-308 

Ephialtes  tuberculatus  Fourc.,  an  Ichneumon  Fly  new  to  York- 
shire— W.  J . Fordham  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 

Galernea  (Adimonia)  tanaceti  L.  in  East  Yorks. — W.  J . Fordham  . . 309-310 
Field  Notes  : — Pupilla  muscorum  L.  monst.  sinistrorsum  ; Margaritana 
margaritifera  Linne  in  Labrador  ; Bonito  in  North  Wales  ; Hypolepia 
sequella,  etc.,  near  Bingley  ; Acherontia  atropus  at  Todmorden  ; 

Large  Gathering  of  Swifts  ; Effects  of  Waste  Oil  on  the  Yorkshire 
Coast  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  311-312 

Correspondence  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313-314 

Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  310,  314,  315 

Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies  . . . . . . . . . . 306,  315 

News  from  the  Magazines  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  302,308,316,318 

Northern  News  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  312,  318-320 

Illustrations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 

LONDON : 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 

And  at  Hull  and  York. 

Printers  and  Publishers  to  the  Y.N.U. 

Price  1/6  net.  Prepaid  Subscription  15/-  per  annum. 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 

BOTANICAL  SECTION  ANNUAL  MEETING. 

Leeds  University,  Botanical  Dept.,  October  4th,  3-30  p.m. 

Business  : Annual  Report  and  Election  of  Sectional  Officers  and  Committees. 

Dr.  Woodhead  will  read  a paper  on  ‘ The  Peat  Problem  in  the  Light  of 
Recent  Excavations  near  Huddersfidld. ’ Dr.  Pearsall  will  exhibit  and  discuss 
the  effect  of  various  culture  solutions  on  Cotton  grass.  A discussion  will  be 
held  on  the  date  of  the  introduction  and  the  recent  dispersal  of  Impatiens 
glandulifera. 

Exhibits  and  other  papers  will  be  welcome. 

CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


GEOLOGICAL  SECTION. 

President  : Mr.  W.  S.  Bisat,  F.G.S. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Section  will  be  held  in  the  Salt  Schools,  Saltaire, 
on  Saturday,  October  11th,  at  6p.m.  Members  and  Associates  are  invited 
to  bring  notes,  specimens,  etc.,  and  to  take  part  in  the  discussions. 

In  the  afternoon  Mr.  W.  P.  Winter  will  lead  a field  excursion  to  Baildon 
Moor.  Meet  at  Railway  Bridge,  Victoria  Road,  Saltaire,  at  2 p.m.  Tea  at 
Char lesworth’s,  Victoria  Road,  Saltaire,  at  5 p.m. 

JOHN  HOLMES,  Hon.  Sec., 

Crosshills,  Keighley. 


ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  THE  ENTOMOLOGICAL  SECTION. 

President  : G.  T.  Porritt,  Esq.,  F.Z.S.,  F.E.S,' 

Meetings  will  be  held  in  the  Leeds  City  Museum,  Park  Row,  on  Saturday, 
October  18th,  1924,  at  3-15  p.m.,  to  consider  and  pass  the  sectional  reports 
and  to  elect  officers  for  1925,  and  at  6 p.m.,  at  which  entomological  topics 
will  be  discussed.  Exhibits  of  all  orders  of  insects  are  requested.  Notes  and 
records  made  during  the  season  on  entomological  subjects  in  the  county  may  be 
read  at  the  meeting  or  previously  sent  to  one  or  other  of  the  secretaries  for 
inclusion  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Union. 

Secretaries  : — Lepidoptera  : B.  Morley,  Skelmanthorpe.  Hymenoptera  : 
Rosse  Butterfield,  Keighley.  Diptera  : Chris.  A.  Cheetham,  Old  Farnley, 
Leeds.  Hemiptera  : J.  M.  Brown,  B.Sc.,  Sheffield.  Coleoptera  : M.  L. 
Thompson,  Middlesbrough.  Neuroptera,  Orthoptera  and  Trichopterci : G ; T. 
Porritt,  Huddersfield. 

B.  MORLEY  (Sectional  Secretary), 

Skelmanthorpe. 


VERTEBRATE  SECTION. 


President  of  the  Section  : C.  F.  Procter,  Hull. 

Meetings  will  be  held  in  the  Library  of  the  Leeds  Philosophical  Society, 
Park  Row,  Leeds,  at  3-15  p.m.  and  6-30  p.m.,  on  Saturday,  October  25th, 
1924. 


Business  at  the  Afternoon  Meeting. — (a)  To  consider  and  pass  Sectional 
Reports  for  1924  and  to  elect  Officers  for  1925  ( b ) The  General  and  Financial 

Reports  of  the  Yorkshire  Wild  Birds  and  Eggs  Protection  Acts  Committee  for 
1924,  and  to  elect  Officers  and  Committee  for  1925  ; ( c ) The  Report  of  the 
Yorkshire  Mammals,  Amphibians,  Reptiles  and  Fishes  Committee  for  1924, 
and  to  elect  this  Committee  for  1925.  The  following  papers  will  be  given  : — - 
‘ Animal  Ecology,’  by  C.  F.  Procter. 

‘ Bird  Life  on  two  Baltic  Islands,’  by  R.  Chislett,  M.B.O.U., 
F.R.P.S.  (with  illustrations  by  J.  Atkinson  and  the  author). 

Members  or  Associates  are  invited  to  attend  and  bring  notes,  specimens  and 
lantern  slides.  Will  Officials  of  Affiliated  Societies  kindly  notify  their  members  ? 

Note. — A Meeting  of  the  Zoological  Photo.  Club  will  be  held  as  above  at 


6-15  p.m. 


E.  WILFRED  TAYLOR,  Hon.  Sec., 

10  Telford  Terrace,  York. 


289 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

C3  MEN. 

Dr.  Austin  Freeman,  who,  during  part  of  the  war,  was 
charged  with  the  medical  examination  of  the  recruits,  had 
ample  opportunities  for  observing  the  C3  class,  and  this  is 
how,  in  the  current  issue  of  Science  Progress,  he  describes  the 
‘ sub-man  ’ : ‘ His  mental  condition  is  generally  rudimentary. 
He  is  quite  unable  to  take  in  a general  idea  even  of  the  simplest 
kind.  Since  propositions  remain  in  his  mind  separate  and 
unconnected,  he  is  practically  unable  to  reason,  and  is  insus- 
ceptible to  demonstration  or  proof.  The  sub-man’s  vocabu- 
lary is  extremely  limited,  he  is  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of 
quite  ordinary  words.  He  tends  to  speak  with  abnormal 
rapidity  and  to  articulate  imperfectly,  and  he  seems  to  be 
unable  to  control  this  tendency.  He  is  quite  indifferent  to 
noise,  but  is  usually  quite  devoid  of  musical  faculty.  He  has 
a rudimentary  conception  of  cleanliness.  He  cannot  be 
induced  to  keep  dirty  hands  away  from  wounds  or  sores. 
He  is  usually  quite  helpless  and  unhandy,  and  has,  as  a rule, 
no  skill  or  knowledge  of  handicraft  or  knowledge  of  any  kind. 
Contrasted  with  him  the  negro  is  rather  sprightly  and  humor- 
ous.’ Dr.  Freeman  concludes  that  the  sub-man  represents 
a ‘ throw-back  ’ to  a far  more  primitive  evolutionary  level 
than  that  represented  by  the  negro.  The  writer  (for  the 
past  twenty-two  years)  of  these  Notes  and  Comments  was 
classified  as  a C3  man  during  the  war. 

WEATHER  AND  GRANITE. 

In  a paper  on  ‘ The  Influence  of  Weather  on  Granite 
Kerbs,  Setts  and  Broken  Stone  Roads  ’ ( Quarry , July),  Mr.  B.  H. 
Knight  concludes  : — ‘(i)  The  amount  of  chemical  disintegra- 
tion of  a fresh  crystalline  igneous  rock  used  as  a sett,  kerb  or 
roadstone,  is  in  fifty  years  inappreciable.  (2)  Mechanical 
disintegration  is  more  important  than  chemical,  but  in  the 
period  mentioned  the  effect  is  small.  The  long  period  re- 
quired to  produce  appreciable  effects  is  well  shown  by  the 
Shap  Dyke.  (3)  The  lines  of  inclusions  in  quartz  are  espec- 
ially prone  to  become  cracks  under  the  influence  of  weathering. 
(4)  The  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  evidence  afforded  by 
the  cracking,  although  significant,  is  not  yet  sufficiently 
conclusive  to  warrant  the  assumption  that  the  rock  is  seriously 
affected  by  extremes  of  temperature  in  fifty  years,  though  the 
effects  seem  quite  noticeable  under  the  microscope.  This 
opinion  is  supported  by  the  unchanged  cleavages  of  the  micas 
and  the  felspars.’ 

GILBERT  WHITE. 

Sir  David  Prain  favours  us  with  a copy  of  his  Presidential 
address  to  the  Gilbert  White  Fellowship,  which  deals  with 

1924  Oct.  1 

R 


290 


Notes  and  Comments. 


* The  Rev.  Gilbert  White  and  Moral  History/  Sir  David 
refers  to  one  aspect  of  Gilbert  White's  work,  usually  neglected 
by  later  writers,  and  incidentally  gives  facts  of  peculiar 
interest  to  some  of  our  readers  “ The  use  of  linen  changes, 
shirts  or  shifts,  in  the  room  of  sordid  and  filthy  woollen,  long 
worn  next  the  skin,  is,”  our  Founder  remarks,  “ a matter  of 
neatness  comparatively  modern,  but  must  prove  a great  means 
of  preventing  cutaneous  ails.  At  this  very  time,  woollen 
instead  of  linen  prevails  among  the  poorer  Welch,  who  are 
subject  to  foul  eruptions."  This  reference  to  Wales  takes  us 
back  to  the  first  attempt  to  establish  wool-weaving  as  an 
industry,  as  contrasted  with  a domestic  occupation,  in  these 
kingdoms.  The  assertion  of  Norman  dominance  in  England  in 
1066  was  followed  by  a wholesale,  if  accidental,  immigration 
of  Flemish  artisans,  who  were  taken  under  the  protection  of 
the  Conqueror’s  Consort,  and  dispersed  throughout  the  country.’ 
SAXON  SPINNERS. 

‘The  Conqueror  hoped  that  his  Saxon  subjects  might  avail 
themselves  greatly  by  spinning  wool  in  the  dead  months,  to 
be  made  into  cloth  by  Flemish  weavers.  But  these  weavers 
were  disliked  by  “our  Saxon  ancestors”  ; partly  because  of 
the  privileges  accorded  them  ; mainly  because  they  were 
industrious  and  thrifty.  The  third  Norman  king  had,  for 
political  reasons,  to  seek  Saxon  support  ; he  obtained  it  on 
the  understanding,  among  other  things,  that  the  strangers 
addicted  to  these  two  non-Saxon  vices  be  sent  away.  The 
weavers  were  settled  forcibly  in  south-west  Wales,  where  they 
proved,  so  Giraldus  declares,  gens  Cambrensibus  inimicissima, 
but  at  the  same  time,  so  Giraldus  admits,  gens  lanificiis,  gens 
m'ercimoniis  usitatissima . The  most  important  feature  in  this 
statement  is  its  indication  that  this  early  immigration  from 
Flanders  included  only  weavers  of  woollen  cloth.  Perhaps 
the  preference  for  woollen  wear,  which  still  prevailed  in 
Wales  when  Mr.  White  wrote,  may  be  traced  to  the  advent  of 
these  Flemish  wool-weavers  and  pack-rnerchants  of  the 
eleventh  century.’ 

EARLY  WOOL  EXPORTS. 

‘ How  comparatively  modern  the  matter  of  neatness 
our  Founder  refers  to  really  was,  we  learn  from  the  sub- 
sequent story  of  the  wool  industry.  The  Norman  scheme 
for  making  this  an  industrial  as  well  as  a grazing  kingdom  had 
to  be  given  up  in  deference  to  the  judgment  of  “our  Saxon 
ancestors.”  They  considered  that  England  should  still,  as  in 
the  days  of  the  earlier  Hanse,  send  her  wool  abroad  rather 
than  convert  it  into  cloth  at  home.  The  production  and 
export  of  the  commodity  was  well  looked  after  by  our  religious 
houses,  whose  sites  were  often  chosen  with  reference  to  the 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


291 


pasturing  capacity  of  the  adjacent  country,  and  whose  res- 
pective “ clips  ” were  scheduled  to  an  ounce  by  the  Florentine 
and  Flemish  authorities  who  competed  for  their  purchase. 
The  bulk  of  our  wool  was  finding  its  way  to  Flanders  when 
Edward  III.,  in  the  fourteenth  century,  revived  the  policy  of 
the  Conqueror  and  strove  to  overcome  the  influence  of  the 
Staple  by  offering  “good  franchises”  to  such  Flemish  woollen 
weavers  as  might  choose  to  settle  in  England.  The  same 
policy  was  pursued  as  effectively,  if  less  openly,  by  our  first 
Welsh  king.  While  Richard  III.  reigned  Henry  Tudor  found 
it  convenient  to  accept  the  hospitality  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy, 
under, whose  domination  Flanders  had  come.  Struck  by  the 
industry  of  his  host’s  Flemish  subjects,  Henry  arranged  to 
give  some  of  these  better  franchises  than  they  enjoyed  at  home 
if  they  would  settle  as  woollen  weavers  in  England  when  he 
should  “come  into  his  kingdom.”  As  Henry  VII.,  our  ruler, 
was  able  to  pay  his  protector  the  compliment  of  adopting  his 
policy,  and  make  some  return  for  the  hospitality  he  had 
enjoyed,  by  establishing  at  Bradford,  in  Yorkshire,  a com- 
munity to  compete  with  Bruges.’ 

NATURAL  RESOURCES  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  ARTS. 

Under  the  above  title  Mr.  C.  E.  N.  Bromehead  has  a useful 
paper  in  The  Geographical  Journal  for  June.  ‘ Since  many  of 
the  arts  and  crafts  involve  the  use  of  rocks  and  minerals  found 
in  the  Earth’s  crust,  it  is  clear  that  the  distribution  of  such 
substances  in  nature  must  to  some  extent  influence  the  de- 
velopment of  those  arts.’ 

LOCAL  ARCHITECTURE. 

‘ Another  good  example  of  a local  style  is  afforded  by  the 
ancient  halls  and  cottages  of  the  Half  ax  neighbourhood,  built 
of  the  sandstone  and  grits  of  the  Millstone  Grit  formation, 
the  flaggy  members  of  which  yield  roofing  stone.  The  general 
design  and  the  slight  ornament  are  both  eminently  suitable  to 
the  material  ; a prominent  characteristic — the  great  width  of 
the  mullioned  windows— is  indirectly  dependent  on  the 
geology.  The  sandstone  uplands  are  not  of  much  agricultural 
value,  but  afford  good  pasture  for  sheep  ; every  householder 
wove  his  own  wool,  and  the  windows  were  wide  to  give  ample 
light  for  the  work.’ 

ENGLISH  SCULPTURE. 

‘ The  only  English  sculpture  to  attain  a European  reputation 
was  the  alabaster  work  of  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  cen- 
turies. The  stone  is  found  in  abundance  in  the  Trias  of  Chel- 
laston  in  Derbyshire,  where  it  is  still  worked,  and  it  is  probably 
the  finest  in  the  world.  The  centres  where  it  was  wrought 
were  London,  Nottingham  and  York.  Magnificent  altar 
pieces  and  sepulchral  figures  were  sent  all  over  Europe.  One 


1924  Oct.  1 


292 


Notes  and  Comments. 


particularly  fine  example  has  been  brought  back  to  England 
from  Spain.  One  of  the  best  effigies  in  alabaster  is  that  of 
Prince  John  of  Eltham,  in  Westminster  Abbey  (d.  1334).  A 
beautiful  specimen  of  modern  alabaster  carving,  in  part  gilt 
and  coloured,  may  be  seen  at  the  Lady  Altar  in  All  Saints 
Church,  Margaret  Street/ 

WIGAN. 

We  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post  that  ‘A  distinguished 
medical  man,  who  wishes  to  remain  anonymous  for  the  present, 
has  given  to  the  Wigan  Public  Libraries  Committee,  of  which 
the  Earl  of  Crawford  is  chairman,  an  endowment  fund  of  £400 
Stock,  bearing  5 per  cent,  interest,  the  annual  income  of 
which  is  to  be  utilised  for  the  purchase  of  important  medical 
works  for  the  Reference  department  in  the  Central  Library/ 
The  report  goes  on  to  state  that  the  Wigan  Public  Library  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  in  the  provinces.  We  knew  that 
this  applied  to  almost  every  provincial  Public  Library,  but 
it  is  the  first  time  we  remember  it  being  said  about  Wigan. 
However,  now  that  it  is  to  have  £20  worth  of  medical  books- 
added  to  its  shelves  each  year,  there  is  some  hope  for  it  ! 

MUSEUMS  AND  SALES. 

Complaint  is  made  by  Mr.  H.  D.  Skinner,  of  the  University 
of  Otago,  in  The  Museums  Journal  for  August,  that  he  has 
purchased  from  a London  dealer,  for  a large  figure,  certain 
Maori  relics  which  were  formerly  in  the  York  Museum.  He 
concludes  therefore  that  the  York  Museum  has  been  selling 
its  Ethnographical  Collections  recently,  and  asks  that  in 
future  should  similar  sales  take  place,  the  Museums  in  the 
countries  interested  should  be  consulted  and  given  the  oppor- 
tunity of  purchasing  before  the  objects  get  into  the  hands  of 
dealers  and  others.  Mr.  Skinner  adds,  * We  do  not  wish  to 
eliminate  the  dealer,  but  we  believe  that  in  such  cases  as  this 
the  museum  which  is  selling  off  should  receive  full  money 
value  for  exhibits,  while  the  museum,  which  is  in  the  position 
of  having  to  purchase,  should  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that  the  whole  of  its  money  goes  towards  the  advancement  of 
science/  We  notice  from  the  Report  of  the  Yorkshire  Philos- 
ophical Society  for  1921  that  there  is  an  amount  from  * Sale 
of  Specimens,  £278/  We  presume  this  refers  to  the  Ethno- 
graphical Collection. 

SPELEOLOGY. 

The  Proceedings  of  the  Speleological  Society  of  the  University 
of  Bristol  (98  pp.,  2/6),  contains  a well-illustrated  record  of 
the  great  achievements  of  this  Society  during  the  years  1922-23. 
There  is  an  excellent  * Third  Report  on  Aveling’s  Hole/ 
by  J.  A.  Davies,  with  descriptions  of  the  different  specimens 
therefrom  by  Sir  Arthur  Keith,  A.  S.  Kennard,  A.  C.  Hinton 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


293 


and  E.  K.  Tratman.  There  is  a further  ‘ Report  on  Towberrow 
Cavern/  by  H.  Taylor,  and  the  ‘ Fourth  Report  on  Read’s 
Cavern,’  by  F.  Langford,  together  with  notes  on  the  specimens 
therefrom  by  J.  W.  Jackson  and  O.  V.  Darbishire.  In 
addition  there  are  ‘ Reports  on  Investigations  at  Goatchurch 
Cavern,’  by  L.  Y.  Baker  ; ‘ Mendip  Barrows,’  by  R.  F. 

Read  ; ‘ Kings  Weston  Hill,’  by  W.  K.  Tratman,  and  ‘ Field 
Work  ’ by  D.  C.  Prowse.  Dealing  with  a little  further  afield 
are  ‘ Some  Derbyshire  Caves,’  by  L.  S.  Palmer  and  E.  K. 
Tratman,  and  ‘ Spanish  Dolmens,’  by  M.  C.  Burkitt.  In 
addition  to  photographs  and  sketches  of  the  relics  found,  there 
are  plans  and  sections  of  the  excavations.  The  Society  is 
certainly  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  work  it  has  accom- 
plished. 

THE  PLYMOUTH  AQUARIUM. 

With  a remarkably  effective  coloured  cover,  illustrating 
sea  anemones,  etc.,  the  Marine  Biological  Association  for 
Plymouth  has  issued  a substantial  ‘ Guide  to  the  Plymouth 
Aquarium,’  by  E.  W.  Sexton,  illustrated  by  L.  R.  Brightwell 
(165  pp.,  price  i./-,  or  post  free  1/3).  It  illustrates  and 
describes  some  of  the  principal  forms  of  marine  life  to  be 
found  in  this  well-known  Aquarium,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
substantial,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  readable 
guides  we  have  seen  for  some  time,  bearing  in  mind  its  low 
price.  The  descriptions  are  given  in  non-technical  language, 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  its  large  sale  will  popularise  this 
Institution. 

A BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  BIBLIOGRAPHIES. 

Occupying  228  pages  of  closely-printed  matter,  in  double 
columns,  is  the  Bulletin  of  the  National  Research  Council, 
Washington,  No.  36,  which  contains  a Catalogue  of  Published 
Bibliographies  in  Geology,  1896-1920,  compiled  by  Edward 
B.  Mathews.  We  have  carefully  examined  this,  and  it  is 
certainly  a truly  remarkable  compilation,  and  seems  to  be 
what  it  professes  to  be.  As  a test  the  present  writer  examined 
the  various  out-of-the-way  lists  and  bibliographies  for  which 
he  is  responsible,  and  finds  them  all  included,  not  omitting 
such  papers  as  the  list  of  publications  of  Martin  Simpson  and 
others  accompanying  various  obituary  notices.  Apparently 
the  compiler  has  not  seen  The  Naturalist  for  1906,  or  he  would 
bave  known  the  name  of  the  compiler  of  the  list  of  papers 
which  had  been  written  by  the  late  Dr.  Henry  Clifton  Sorby, 
which  there  appeared. 

MOTORS  AND  MARRIAGE. 

G.  Howell  gives  ‘ A Look  into  the  Future  : the  Automobile 
Industry,’  in  Oil  Engineering  and  Finance  for  August.  He 
tells  us  that  in  1909  the  U.S.A.  had  a national  income  amount- 


1924  Oct.  1 


294 


Notes  and  Comments. 


ing  to  less  than  29,000,000,000  dollars.  But  in  1923,  the 
national  wealth  had  risen  to  60,000,000  dollars.  Some  rise  \ 
He  also  states  that  there  are  now  80,000,000,000  tyres  used 
per  annum.  Also  ' a car  was  just  as  essential  to  man  as  a 
wife  ; that  many  a man  is  “ made  ” by  marriage,  and  not  a 
few  are  developed  by  motor-car  ownership.’  ‘ The  Ford 
Motor  Company  sell  some  of  their  cars  at  five  dollars  down 

and  five  dollars  a week  until  the  car  is  paid  for In 

America  car-ownership  has  proved  one  of  the  most  valuable 

assets  in  the  working  man’s  life The  motor  car  has 

caught  the  imagination  of  the  American  people The 

purring,  as  they  call  it,  of  the  motor  car,  has  a fascination  for 
them,  for  it  thrills  and  exhilarates,  bringing  to  them  a sort 
of  sub-conscious  reverence  for  its  mechanical  merit.’  And  so 
on. 

WINDY  KNOLL. 

On  an  excursion  of  the  Manchester  Geological  and  Mining 
Society  recently  to  Windy  Knoll,  Prof.  Sir  William  Boyd 
Dawkins  ‘ called  attention  to  the  elaterite  and  bitumen, 
which  represent  the  residue  of  a former  deposit  of  petroleum, 
pointing  out  that  the  petroleum  found  at  great  expense  to 
the  Government  by  American  engineers  near  Chesterfield 
occurred,  as  at  Windy  Knoll,  at  the  junction  of  the  shales 
and  the  limestone,  and  that  the  expensive  borings  proved  no 
more  in  regard  to  the  rocks  than  could  have  been  seen  at  the 
surface. 

FOSSIL  BLOOD  STAINS. 

At  a recent  meeting  of  the  Geologists’  Association,  Mr. 
R.  T.  Gunter  read  a paper  on  ‘ On  some  Vertebrae  of  Mesozoic 
Crocodiles  showing  colour  stains  of  blood  vessels.’  ‘ Five 
consecutive  vertebrae  of  Steneosaurus  from  the  Kimeridge 
Clay  of  Shotover  Hill,  near  Oxford,  show  Y-shaped  colour 
markings  which  can  only  be  explained  on  the  assumption 
that  they  are  the  stains  of  intercostal  blood  vessels.  The 
observation  of  these  colour  markings  has  since  led  to  the 
discovery  of  lateral  grooves  on  the  sides  of  other  reptilian 
vertebrae,  including  Teleosaurus  subulidens  Phillips,  from  the 
Great  Oolite,  and  in  an  exceptional  specimen  of  a vertebra  of 
a recent  crocodile.  The  specimens  exhibited  are  believed  to 
be  the  first  recorded  cases  of  such  colour  marking.’ 

RAMBLING. 

No.  16  of  The  Yorkshire  Ramblers’  Club  Journal  is  a 
substantial  production.  It  is  printed  on  good  paper,  and  has 
a wealth  of  illustration,  and  the  publication  has  been  carefully 
edited  by  Ernest  E.  Roberts,  although  some  objects  of  trivial 
value  are  photographed  or  sketched.  The  principal  articles 
deal  with  mountain  climbing  abroad,  but  there  are  notes  on 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


295 


‘ Fox  Holes,  Clapdale  Rock  Shelter  / by  H.  Brodrick  ; ‘ Diccan 
Pot,  Selside/  by  H.  V.  Brown  ; f Little  Hull  Hole,  Penyghent/ 
by  the  Editor  ; ‘ Oxlow  Cavern,  Castleton/  by  A.  Humphreys, 
as  well  as  shorter  notes.  Mr.  Brodrick  records  the  finding  of 
three  flakes  of  ‘ Bridlington  flint/  If  he  means  flint  similar 
to  that  from  which  implements  found  at  Bridlington  are 
made,  it  is  derived  from  the  drift,  and  has  a non-Yorkshire 
origin.  If  he  means,  however,  that  it  is  from  the  flint  occurr- 
ing in  the  chalk  at  Bridlington,  we  very  much  doubt  this 
identification.  The  descriptions  of  the  explorations,  etc.,  in 
the  pot  holes  are  of  more  general  interest  to  Ramblers,  for 
whom,  after  all,  they  are  largely  written,  than  to  the  student 
who  wishes  to  get  scientific  results.  There  are  plenty  of 
references,  for  instance,  to  ‘ horizontal  squirms/  ‘ roar  of 
falling  water/  ‘ awe-inspiring  noises/  ‘ thunder  rolling  all 
around/  etc.  In  one  place  we  learn  that  * A quick  rush  was 
made  down  this,  a quicker  through  the  waterfall,  a hurried 
inspection  of  the  rift  for  some  30  or  35  feet  to  a large  chock- 
stone,  and  then  a return  to  the  ledge,  from  which  six  whistles 
were  sent  up  to  Roberts,  who  soon  joined  us,  being  played 
down  over  the  block  on  a 250  foot  line/  In  another,  * Never 
have  I known  food  bolted,  ropes  and  ladders  wrapped  up  so 
fast  ; to  change  was  impossible,  and  not  until  I had  run  half 
a mile  with  a heavy  ladder  bumping  on  my  chest  and  a heavy 
rucksack  on  my  back  did  I begin  to  feel  I should  some  day  be 
warm  again/  ‘ I,  lying  almost  submerged  in  the  water,  with 
the  electric  lamp  jammed  between  chest  and  wall,  felt  that 
faint  widening  that  encourages  one  to  persevere/  ‘ It  went 
and  I rose  dripping/  ‘ With  groans  and  curses  Stobart’s 
mighty  frame  passed  by  the  same  route/  and  so  on.  There 
are  obituary  notices  and  plates  of  J.  C.  Atkinson,  and  C.  R.  B. 
Wingfield. 

A BIRMINGHAM  SOCIETY. 

Not  many  scientific  societies  have  existed  half  a century 
without  publishing  something,  but  apparently  this  is  the 
record  of  the  Birmingham  and  Midland  Institute  Scientific 
Society,  which,  in  ‘ Volume  I.  ’ (38  pp.),  has  issued  its 
‘ Record,  1872-1922,  and  Proceedings,  1922-1923/  Besides 
a brief  account  of  the  Society’s  origin,  and  a list  of  its  officers 
for  the  fifty  years,  there  is  an  abstract  of  Sir  Oliver  Lodge’s 
‘ Priestley  Lecture,’  in  which  Sir  Oliver  states,.  ‘ Priestley  is 
best  known  for  his  chemical  work,  and  for  the  numerous  gases 
which  he  discovered.  He  also  made  the  minor  invention 
of  “ soda-water,”  finding  that  carbonic  acid  gas  dissolved 
readily  in  water  under  pressure  and  was  liberated  when  the 
pressure  was  removed.’  Abstracts  of  other  addresses  are 
given. 


1924  Oct.  1 


296 


Notes  and  Comments. 


a shepherd’s  life.* 

This  well-known  work  has  now  reached  its  sixth  edition  : 
we  have  read  it  again,  and  it  is  as  refreshing  as  ever.  In  the 
present  edition  excellent  type  and  paper  are  used,  and  Mr. 
Bernard  C.  Gotch  supplies  a large  number  of  well  executed 
and  appropriate  sketches,  one  of  which  we  are  kindly  enabled 
to  give  to  our  readers.  In  these  * impressions  of  the  South 
Wiltshire  Downs  ’ the  author  deals  with  an  extraordinary 
variety  of  subjects,  including  adder-bites,  bird-life,  bustards, 
devil’s-guts  (the  convolvulus,  not  the  dodder),  destruction  of 
earthworks,  gipsies,  hares  and  hedgehogs,  Iberian  types, 
lynchetts,  poaching,  sheep-dogs  apd  sheep-bells,  shepherds, 


Stonehenge,  Canon  Wilberforce  and  ‘ Young  Gaarge.’  The 
stonecrop  in  Wiltshire  rejoices  in  the  name  of  ‘ Welcome-home- 
husband-though-never-so-drunk.’ 

JOURNAL  OF  ECOLOGY. 

The  substantial  Journal  of  Ecology  for  July,  edited  for  the 
British  Ecological  Society  by  Professor  A.  G.  Tansley  (pp. 
I45~35'2»  i8/L  net),  has  been  issued  from  the  Cambridge  Uni- 
versity Press.  The  contributions  are  particularly  varied  and 
well  illustrated.  Those  most  likely  to  appeal  to  our  readers 
are  : ‘ On  the  Ecology  of  British  Beech  woods,  with  special 
reference  to  their  Regeneration,’  by  A.  S.  Watt  ; ‘ The  Edaphic 
Factors  accompanying  the  succession  after  Burning  on 
Harpenden  Common,’  by  Thomas  Eden  ; ‘ Studies  on  the 
Ecology  of  English  Heaths,’  by  V.  S.  Summerhayes,  L.  W. 
Cole  and  P.  H.  Williams  ; ' Primula  elatior  Jacquin  : its 
Distribution  in  Britain,’  by  Miller  Christy  ; and  ‘ Notes  on 
the  Ecology  of  Radipole  Lake,  Weymouth,’  by  R.  D’O.  Good 
and  C.  D.  Day.  Mr.  W.  S.  Cooper  also  illustrates  a simple 
but  effective  apparatus  for  photographic  recording  of  Quadrats. 


* By  W.  H.  Hudson.  Methuen  & Co.  307  pp.,  10/6  net. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


297 


THE  LONDON  NATURALIST. 

The  Journal  of  the  London  Natural  History  Society,  for 
the  year  1923  (48  pp.,  3/-),  is  full  of  useful  notes  and  records. 
The  address  of  the  President,  Mr.  E.  B.  Bishop,  deals  with  the 
preservation  of  natural  sites.  He  writes,  * Those  who  have 
seen  the  ghastly  eye-sores  which  Manchester  has  created  at 
Longdendale  (Cheshire)  and  Darlington  (or  is  it  Stockton?), 
at  Lunedale  (Yorkshire),  or  who  have  gazed  in  pained  amaze- 
ment at  the  “ Jumbo  ” Water  Tower  at  Colchester,  may  well 
wonder  what  next  to  expect  when  the  average  heavy-footed 
town  council  is  permitted  to  work  its  anything  but  sweet  will 
upon  a hitherto  smiling  landscape/  There  follows  reports  of 
the  various  sections  of  the  Society’s  work  ; Mr.  M.  Greenwood 
gives  details  of  ‘ The  Medico-entomological  Researches  of 
Arthur  William  Bacot.’  There  are  ‘ Preliminary  Observa- 
tions on  the  British  Vanessids,’  a summary  of  eight  Annual 
Reports  on  f The  Birds  of  Epping  Forest,’  etc. 

ST.  JOHN  OF  BRIDLINGTON. 

The  Bridlington  Augustinian  Society  has  issued  No.  2 of 
its  Journal,  which  is  devoted  to  an  account  of  the  life  and 
miracles  of  St.  John  of  Bridlington  (50  pp.,  is.  6d.).  This 
has  been  prepared  by  Mr.  J.  S.  Purvis,  M.A.,  and  contains  a 
remarkable  record  of  the  achievements  of  the  Bridlington 
Saint,  who  apparently  was  * the  last  English  Religious 
actually  canonised  by  the  Pope  previous  to  the  Reformation.’ 
The  Text  of  the  ‘ Bull  of  Canonisation  of  John  of  Thwing  ’ 
(1379),  with  a translation,  is  here  given,  apparently  for  the 
first  time.  Illustrations  of  the  Saint  occur,  taken  from 
stained  glass  windows.  The  miracles  of  ‘ the  Last  English 
Saint  ’ are  set  out  in  detail.  One  of  these  miracles  we  are 
tempted  to  quote,  though  in  these  more  matter-of-fact  days 
there  are  those  who  would  say  that  John  was  having  a little 
wine  and  not  water. 

WATER  AND  WINE. 

A certain  nobleman  in  that  province,  hearing  frequently 
of  the  fame  of  the  Blessed  Prior,  arranged  one  day  to  go  to  the 
monastery,  that  he  might  know  more  surely  by  some  trial  if 
what  he  had  received  by  hearsay  from  others  were  true  or  not. 
He  coming  there  was  received  by  the  Prior  and  his  brethren, 
and  for  such  a man  certain  of  the  finer  foods  were  prepared. 
The  server,  who  knew  the  Prior’s  abstinence,  put  on  the  little 
silver  cup  with  a cover,  filled  with  water.  As  they  ate  and 
talked,  the  nobleman  wished  in  some  decent  way  to  know 
what  drink  was  in  the  cup  from  which  the  Prior  drank.  It  is 
the  custom  in  that  province  for  men,  as  well  religious  as 
worldly,  to  drink  from  silver  cups,  and  Prelates,  like  other 
nobles,  have  always  by  them  on  the  board  covered  cups,  and 
the  server  always  sets  the  cover  on  the  cup  before  he  sets  it 


1924  Oct.  1 


298 


Notes  and  Comments, 


down.  Observing  a fit  time,  he  said  to  the  Prior,  “ Lord  Prior, 
I should  like  to  taste  a little  out  of  your  cup,  if  you  please/' 
Then  he  began  fairly  and'  in  kindly  words  to  oppose  and  as  it 
were  forbid  this,  because  the  noble  had  another  cup  with  wine 
placed  before  him,  and  the  noble,  smiling,  stretched  out  his 
hand  and  wished  to  seize  the  Prior’s  cup.  Now  the  Prior 
John,  fearing  and  grieving  within  himself  because  he  did  not 
wish  the  secret  of  his  abstinence  to  be  revealed,  held  back  the 
cup  in  the  other  hand,  lest  he  might  in  any  way  taste  of  it. 
And  when  the  noble  insisted  that  he  should  grant  his  wish 
that  time,  the  Prior  said  “ Withhold  a little,  until  I ask  a 
blessing,”  and  raising  the  eyes  of  his  heart  and  pouring  in 
silence  a short  prayer  to  God,  that  the  water  might  take  the 
savour  of  wine,  he  blessed  the  cup  and  gave  to  the  noble  to 
drink  ; and  he,  tasting  a little  from  it,  said  that  for  a long  time 
he  had  not  tasted  better  wine  ; but  afterwards,  through 
others,  the  truth  of  the  secret  was  made  known  to  him,  that 
truly  pure  water  had  been  placed  in  that  silver  cup.  Note. — 

The  biographer  considers  this  miracle  to  prove  the  Saint’s 
faith  in  God.’ 

FOOD  OF  THE  BLACKBIRD. 

In  The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  May, 
Dr.  W.  E.  Collinge,  of  the  York  Museum,  discusses  * The  food 
and  feeding  habits  of  the  Blackbird,’  and  as  a result  of  the 
examination  of  the  stomach  contents  (by  the  volumetric 
method)  of  285  specimens,  he  utterly  condemns  the  bird,  and 
somewhat  rashly,  we  think,  states  4 that  at  the  present  time 
we  have  too  large  a resident  population  of  blackbirds,’  and 
that  ‘ the  blackbird  will  continue  to  be  one  of  the  most  de- 
structive birds  with  which  the  fruit  grower  has  to  contend.’ 
The  statement  is  made  that  these  birds  have  increased  enor- 
mously of  late  years,  and  that  parctically  every  writer  except 
Yarrell  condemns  them,  but  we  are  told  to  bear  in  mind  that 
in  his  day  the  blackbird  was  by  no  means  so  plentiful  as  at 
the  present  time.  From  these  and  other  remarks  it  is  evident 
that  a good  deal  of  information  has  been  obtained  from  greatly 
prejudiced  sources  ; we  are  perfectly  sure  that  the  complaint 
of  this  enormous  increase  is  not  justified  ; indeed,  we  will 
go  further  and  assert  that  in  many  districts  with  which  we  are 
acquainted,  instead  of  there  being  an  increase,  the  reverse 
is  the  case,  and  that  a considerable  decrease  in  numbers  has 
taken  place  during  the  last  twenty  years  ; we  further  doubt 
if  there  has  been  any  appreciable  increase  since  Yarrell ’s  time. 

NOT  AS  BLACK  AS  PAINTED. 

Coming  into  regular  and  close  contact  with  these  birds 
when  feeding  their  young,  at  a distance  of  only  a few  feet,  in 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments.  299 

a hide,  it  is  very  evident  that  a good  work  is  being  done  by 
them,  from  the  numbers  of  insects  brought  to  the  nest  for 
food.  Dr.  Collinge  admits  that  among  the  contents  of  the 
stomachs  examined,  is  an  average  of  22  per  cent,  of  injurious 
insects,  which,  includes  wire  worms,  leather  jackets,  etc.. 
When,  however,  we  recognise  the  speed  with  which  these 
injurious  insects  increase,  the  value  of  the  effort  in  destroying 
this  22  per  cent,  is  much  greater  than  it  appears  from  these 
figures  ; in  any  case,  however,  the  results  of  the  examination 
of  285  specimens  out  of  a vast,  and,  according  to  the  report, 
increasing  number,  can  hardly  be  taken  as  convincing.  The 
character  of  the  blackbird  is  not  as  black  as  it  is  painted  in 
this  report,  and  the  evidence  as  to  the  numbers  and  damage 
from  prejudiced  and  somewhat  casual  observers  is  not  of 
great  value.  That  he  does  some  damage  is  beyond  doubt, 
but  not  sufficient  to  merit  this  universal  condemnation.  It 
is  the  juices  of  the  fruits  which  attract  in  summer  weather, 
when  the  birds  are  likely  to  suffer  from  thirst,  and  if  fruit 
growers  would  see  that  the  birds  have  access  to  a supply  of 
fresh  water  in  their  gardens  during  the  hot  months  (this  does 
not  apply  to  seasons  like  the  present  !)  they  would  find  the 
fruit  would  not  receive  much  damage.— R.F. 

BRITISH  MUSEUM  (NATURAL  HISTORY)  PUBLICATIONS. 

We  have  received  two  packets  of  post-cards  of  British 
Birds,  each  contains  five  pictures  in  colour,  one  representing 
five  winter  visitors,  and  the  other  five  summer  visitors. 
They  are  sold  at  1 /-  the  set,  and  are  certainly  not  dear  at  the 
price.  The  colours  are  well  reproduced,  and  a little  booklet 
is  included  with  a short  and  valuable  description  of  each 
species.  There  are,  however,  some  very  obvious  and  unfor- 
tunate defects.  No  scale  is  given,  and  the  Snow  Bunting, 
from  the  pictures,  is  evidently  a bigger  bird  than  the  Redwing 
and  about  the  same  size  as  a Fieldfare.  While  the  general 
colouring  is  good,  the  drawing  is  not  always  equally  good. 
The  Hooded  Crow  and  especially  the  beak  is  an  example  of 
this.  On  the  whole,  however,  they  are  a valuable  contribution, 
and  should  assist  the  budding  ornithologist  very  considerably 
in  identifying  the  birds  he  sees  ; but  it  will  certainly  be  an 
advantage  in  future  issues  to  give  an  idea  of  the  size  of  the 
birds.— R.F. 

THE  ADVANCEMENT  OF  SCIENCE. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  Meeting  of  the  British  Association  in 
Toronto,  the  London  Office  of  the  Association  issued  the 
familiar  publication  (at  6/-)  with  the  above  title,  containing 
the  Presidential  Address  of  Major  General  Sir  David  Bruce, 
on  ‘ The  Prevention  of  Disease,’  as  well  as  addresses  of  the 
Presidents  of  the  various  sections.  These  include  ‘ The 


1924  Oct.  1 


300 


Notes  and  Comments . 


Analysis  of  Crystal  Structure  by  X-rays/  by  Professor  Sir 
William  H.  Bragg;*  ‘Chemistry  and  the  State/  by  Sir 
Robert  Robertson  ; ‘ Geology  in  the  Service  of  Man/  by 
Professor  William  W.  Watts  ; * Construction  and  Control  in 
Animal  Life/  by  Professor  F.  W.  Gamble  ; ‘ Inter-racial 
Problems  and  White  Colonization  in  the  Tropics/  by  Pro- 
fessor J.  W.  Gregory  ; ‘ A Retrospect  of  Free  Trade  Doctrine/ 
by  Sir  William  Ashley  ; ‘ A Hundred  Years  of  Electrical 
Engineering/  by  Professor  G.  W.  O.  Howe  ; ‘ Health  and 
Physique  through  the  Centuries/  by  Dr.  F.  C.  Shrubshall  ; 

Progress  and  Prospects  in  Chemotherapy/  by  Dr.  H.  H. 
Dale  ; ‘ Purposive  Striving/  by  Professor  W.  McDougall  ; 

Physiological  Aspects  of  Parasitism/  by  Professor  V.  H. 
Blackman  ; ‘ Academic  Freedom  in  Universities/  by  Prin- 
cipal E.  Barker  ; and  ‘ Present-day  Problems  in  Crop 
Production/  by  Sir  John  Russell.  This  year,  possibly 
designedly,  the  addresses  are  all  more  than  usually  important, 
and  are  particularly  readable.  The  Journal  of  the  Toronto 
Meeting  is  also  a remarkably  useful  document,  and  contains 
108  closely  printed  pages  with  summaries  of  the  principal 
addresses. 

THE  SPITTAL  AT  FILEY  BRIG. 

After  several  threats,  we  learn  from  The  Yorkshire  Post 
that  at  last  ‘ Professor  Gilligan  spent  a recent  week-end  in 
Filey,  and  together  with  Canon  A.  N.  Cooper  made  a thorough 
investigation  of  the  Spittal,  f the  projecting  spur  on  the  Brig 
which  local  tradition  regards  as  the  relic  of  a ‘ Roman 
harbour.'  A paragraph  communicated  by  a Scarborough 
correspondent  appeared  in  The  Yorkshire  Post  of  the  previous 
day,  recording  the  researches  ; but  the  inferences  to  be  drawn 
from  the  observation  made  were  misunderstood  in  stating  that 
they  supported  the  idea  that  the  Spittal  was  ‘ part  of  the 
pier  which  the  Romans  had  made.’  The  truth  was  the  direct 
opposite,  and  it  is  now  clear  that  the  Roman  tradition  in 
association  with  the  Spittal  will  not  hold  water.' 

NOT  ROMAN. 

This  is  the  view  put  forward  in  an  article  prepared  after  a 
careful  review  of  all  the  evidence,  which  appeared  in  The 
Naturalist  for  August,  1922.  It  is  satisfactory  to  get  Prof. 
Gilligan 's  confirmation  of  these  views.  ‘ During  the  past 
summer  a considerable  length  of  the  Spittal  below  the  lowest 
tides  was  cleared  of  seaweed  by  a diver,  and  Professor  Gilligan 
said  he  and  his  friends  were  able  to  examine  this  area  at  low 
spring  tide,  though  the  water  was  lower  than  had  been  expected. 

* This  is  given  as  ‘ Sir  W.  ’ ; there  are  also  ‘ Sir  R.,’  ‘ Sir  J.,’  etc. 
Surely  this  unnecessary  abbreviation  is  not  permissible  ? 

f Spelt  ‘ Spittle  ’ throughout,  in  error. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments . 


301 


He  found  the  Spittal  to  consist  mainly  of  such  an  accumulation 
of  stones  as  would  result  from  the  washing  of  boulder-clay. 
Beneath  a covering  of  fragments  of  the  local  rocks  were 
Scandinavian  gneisses  and  granites,  together  with  large 
quantities  of  whinstone  quartzites  (sic) , and  carboniferous, 
limestone,  none  of  them  of  large  size,  the  largest  being  about 
18  inches  in  its  longest  axis.  Another  day  was  devoted  to 
sounding  in  the  bay  to  ascertain  the  exact  extent  of  the  Spittal 
below  water.  It  was  ascertained  that  the  width  of  the 
accumulation  at  the  end  where  the  Spittal  joins  the  Brig  is 
60  yards,  and  that  it  extends  over  four  hundred  yards  from 
that  point  southward,  ending  in  a spread  of  gravels  shaped 
like  a fish  tail — a shark’s  tail,  in  fact,  for  the  two  parts  are 
unequal  in  size.  The  enormous  mass  of  accumulation  of 
itself.  Dr.  Gilligan  added,  quite  put  an  end  to  the  idea  that  the 
Spittal  was  of  human  construction.  The  inward  face  of  one 
of  these  curved  portions  of  the  tail  showed  a very  steep  slope 
on  the  landward  side,  but  an  investigation  of  the  currents 
showed  that  the  tide  sets  into  Filey  Bay  from  the  south — the 
great  promontory  of  the  Brig  determining  this  direction— 
and  there  is  consequently  a great  scour  on  the  landward  side 
of  the  Spittal,  accounting  for  the  steepness  of  the  accumulation 
on  its  inner  curve.  The  ‘ Fess  Rock  ’ and  the  so-called 
Quay  rocks  were  equally  natural  features,  giving  not  the 
slightest  sanction  to  the  idea  of  human  workmanship.’ 

A SIXTY-FEET  GASTROPOD. 

A recent  writer  in  Nature  states,  ‘ Wit  .is  appropriate  “ in 
the  pages  of  Punch  ” — but  in  the  pages  of  Nature  we  should 
try  to  keep  to  strict  truth.’  Notwithstanding,  we  cannot 
refrain  from  quoting  the  following  extracts  from  an  innocent- 
looking article  in  that  journal  recently,  headed,  f Chalky 
Boulder  Marl  at  Hastings  ’ : — * Excavations  in  the  Wadhurst 
clay  have  brought  to  light  a remarkable  richness  of  both 
vegetable  and  animal  life,  particularly  among  the  mollusca, 
in  which  Nature  has  shown  herself  most  energetic,  not  only 
in  the  cases  of  well-known  genera  and  species  of  ordinary 
character — necessitating  a revision  of  the  Wealden  mollusca — 
but  in  others  she  has  shown  great  prodigality,  some  of  the 
gastropods — dextral  and  sinistral — -attaining  a length,  or 
height,  of  sixty  feet  and  upwards.  These  sections  have  also 
given  the  life-history  of  important  rocks  and  rock-structures, 
and  furnished  serial  examples  of  the  metamorphoses  by 
which  the  dense  hard  “ blue-stone  ” is  gradually  altered 
into  a soft,  brilliantly  coloured  agate-like  sandrock.’ 

pliocene  . 

‘ Beds  of  this  age  have  been  cut  through,  showing  deposits 
ol  beautiful  red-yellow  loam,  fiftv  thick,  now  lying  at 


1924  Oct.  1 


302  Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies . 

various  altitudes,  from  a little  above  O.D.  up  to  more  than 
five  hundred  feet.  These  overlie  a series  correllatable  with 
those  of  Piltdown.  The  underlying  flint  gravel  is  very  much 
panned  and  of  an  orange-red  colour,  so  familiar  in  East  Anglia. 
The  basement  original  sand  is  now  indurated  into  a sandstone 
requiring  heavy  steel  tools  to  work  it,  in  which  were  found 
worked  flints.  This,  I think,  is  the  first  time  worked  flints 
have  been  found  in  a dense  tertiary  sandstone  ; naturally,  the 
flints  have  undergone  a great  deal  of  alteration  since  they 
were  chipped/ 

PLEISTOCENE. 

‘ The  latest  revelation  has  been  made  in  the  forming  of 
battered-down  lawn-tennis  courts,  upon  the  adjoining 
hillsides,  and  overlying  the  loam.  The  most  southern  court 
is  cut  out  of  chalky  boulder  marl,  very  white  in  colour.  The 
associated  boulders  were  often  between  two  and  three  feet 
long,  and  consist  of  various  gneisses,  schists,  granites,  and 
numerous  volcanic  and  metamorphic  rocks  ; and  sedimentary 
rocks  foreign  to  the  locality  ; and  palaeozoic  and  mesozoic 
fossils  and  rocks.  The  upper  part  of  this  big  boulder  drift 
was  associated  with  immense  worked  flints,  especially  Wealden 
“ flints,”  bulbed  facets  sometimes  reaching  one  hundred  square 
inches.’  [This  beats  Ipswich  !]  ‘In  the  overlying  material 
came  the  orange-red-brown  implements  which  I regard  as  of 
Aurignacian  age.  The  latter  occur  by  thousands  on  certain 
hill-tops  and  valley  shoulders  in  a quartzite  drift  full  of 
glacially  striated  and  faceted  foreign  rocks,  originating  in 
the  destruction  of  just  such  glacial  drift  as  is  now  revealed. 
Above  these  came  quantities  of  the  productions  of  the  Hastings 
Kitchen  Midden  men.  It  now  appears  certain — if  there  be 
such  a thing  as  a certainty — that  glacial  conditions  reached 
even  beyond  our  present  shore  line,  and  probably  extended 
over  the  Great  South  river,  as  is  shown  by  similar  deposits 
near  the  French  coast/  We  much  fear,  however,  that  it  is 
very  difficult  to  be  certain  of  anything  in  this  world  ! 

: o : 

In  the  first  number  of  The  Journal  of  Conchology , issued  precisely 
fifty  years  ago,  there  was  an  introduction  by  our  colleague,  Mr.  J.  W. 
Taylor,  and  the  first  article  in  the  journal,  just  received,  is  by  the  same 
author.  This  must  be  a rare  record.  May  Mr.  Taylor  delight  us  with 
his  well-illustrated  notes  for  many  years  to  come. 

The  Transactions  of  th'ePfnstitution  of  Mining  Engineers  (Vol.  LXVII., 
part  2)  contains  a number  of  papers  of  interest  to  northern  geologists  : 

‘ Pyrites  as  a cause  of  Spontaneous  Combustion  in  Coal  Mines,’  by  J.  I. 
Graham  ; ‘ A Fire  in  the  Bickershaw  Seven  Feet  Mine  at  Leigh,  Lancs.’, 
by  M.  Ashurst  and  F.  N.  Siddall  ; ‘ The  Calorific  Values  of  the  Coals  of 
Derbyshire  and  Nottinghamshire,’  by  J.  W.  Whitaker,  and  ‘ History  of 
Early  Coal — and  Ironstone — Mining  in  Nottinghamshire,’  by  G.  C.  Bond. 


Naturalist 


303 


METHOCA  ICHNEUMONIDES  LAT.,  AND  OTHER 
HYMENOPTERA  ON  ALLERTHORPE  COMMON, 
EAST  YORKS. 


WM.  J.  FORDHAM,  M.R.C.S. ,'  L.R.C.P. , D.P.N.,  F.E.S. 


On  August  12th,  1923,  I took  a male  of  *Methoca  ichneumo- 
noides  Lat.  among  mixed  roadside  herbage  with  a large  pro- 
portion of  the  umbelliferous  plant  Torilis,  on  the  road  crossing 
Allerthorpe  Common  to  Sutton-on-Derwent.  Numerous 
aculeates  and  ichneumon  flies  were  taken  in  the  same  spot, 
and  the  Methoca  was  put  away  with  these  for  future  examina- 
tion, and  only  discovered  among  them  in  July  this  year — in 
time  for  me  to  make  a fruitless  search  for  more  during  the 
August  Bank  Holiday  week-end1 — and  also  to  examine  the 
burrows  of  the  Tiger  Beetle  for  the  apterous  female.  The 
insect  is  of  considerable  rarity,  and  the  male  has  only  been 
taken  very  infrequently  on  flowers.  As  far  as  I can  ascertain 
it  has  only  hitherto  occurred  in  the  counties  bordering  the 
coast  from  Essex  to  Cornwall,  inland  in  Berkshire,  and  on 
the  Gower  Sandhills;  Glamorgan,  Wales. 

For  a long  time  its  life  history  was  unknown,  but  Messrs. 
H.  G.  and  R.  J.  Champion  have  described  this  fully  in  The 
Entomologist’ s Monthly  Magazine  (1914,  p.  266  ; 1915,  p.  40  ; 
and  1916,  p.  90).  The  apterous  female  frequents  sandy 
places,  and  preys  on  the  larva  of  the  Tiger  Beetle,  first 
paralysing  it,  and  then  laying  an  egg  and  closing  the  burrow. 
Methoca  has  been  recorded  from  three  species  of  Cicindela — 
campestris , sylvatica  and  maritima,  and  it  is  the  former  species 
upon  which  it  evidently  preys  on  Allerthorpe  Common.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  the  insect  should  occur  in  the  intervening 
counties  between  the  south  coast  and  Yorkshire,  in  suitable 
localities  where  the  Tiger  Beetle  occurs. 

Other  insects  taken  at  the  same  time  and  place  include 
the  following  : — * (1)  Salius  exaltatus  F.  (not  uncommon, 
and  able  to  sting  rather  severely  if  care  be  not  taken),  *Cero- 
pales  maculatus  F.  (several),  \Mimesa  equestr is  F.  (this 
species  is  fairly  well  distributed  over  the  common),  *Crabro 
leucostomus  F.,  J C.  cetratus  Shuck,  (a  rare  species  with  few 
records),  *C.  chrysostomus  Lep.,  *C.  cribrarius  F.  (abundant)., 
and  the  sawfly,  *Allantus  vespa  Retz.  (two  males.  I suspect 
that  holes  eaten  out  of  the  centre  of  alder  leaves  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood were  made  by  the  larva  of  this  species,  but  I have 
so  far  failed  to  find  the  larva). 

Numerous  other  interesting  Hymenoptera  occur  in  various 
parts  of  the  common,  and  are  enumerated  below  : — 


1924  Oct.  1 


30-4  Hymenoptera  on  Alley thorpe  Common,  E.  Yorks. 


Fossores. 

*Myrmosa  melanocephala  F.  Several  9$  of  this  species  in  a sandpit, 
14/8/22. 

* (1)  Pompilus  viaticus  L.  This  handsome  fossor,  which  provisions  its 

nest  with  spiders,  has  occurred  a few  times  in  May  and  June. 
*P.  pectinipes  Y.d.L.  Two  $$,  June,  1921.  A local  species  with  three 
or  four  other  Yorkshire  Stations. 

*S alius  parvulus  Dhlb.  Two  £$>,  with  the  last.  A common  insect  in 
the  West  Riding. 

*Tachytes  pectinipes  L.  Burrowing  in  a sand  pit,  August,  1924. 
Ammophila  sabulosa  L.  Odd  specimens  have  occurred  of  this  large  and 
handsome  insect  for  several  years,  but  in  Aug.,  1924,  it  occurred 
in  fair  numbers,  and  appeared  to  be  well  distributed  all  over 
the  common.  It  seems  particularly  fond  of  the  flower  heads  of 
Epilobium  angusti folium,  the  Rose  Bay  Willow  Herb,  which 
plant  has  spread  considerably  since  the  fire  on  the  common  a 
few  years  ago.  On  hot  sunny  days  the  insect  sits  on  the  outside 
of  the  flower  heads,  and  is  very  quickly  alarmed,  but  on  dull 
days  it  is  more  torpid  and,  resting  well  among  the  flowers,  is 
difficult  to  see  at  first,  being  almost  a case  of  protective  re- 
semblance, the  stalked  abdomen  closely  resembling  an  unopened 
bud.  Its  burrows  occur  in  sandy  places,  but  I have  not  yet 
been  successful  in  observing  it  provision  the  nest  with  cater- 
pillars. 

* Pemphredon  lethifer  Shuck,  f Three  common  small  black  species  not 
*Diodontus  minutus  F.  previously  recorded  from  East  York- 

*D.  tristis  V.d.L.  shire. 

They  breed  in  bramble  stems,  provisioning  the  nest  with 
Aphides,  and  the  perfect  insects  are  not  uncommon  at  Allerthorpe 
on  bramble  leaves,  etc. 

•j -Gorytes  tumidus  Pz.  A $ among  herbage,  August,  1924.  This  is  a 
somewhat  scarce  species,  as  far  as  I can  discover  not  previously 
taken  further  north  than  Birmingham  and  Wallasey. 

* (1)  G.  mystaceus  L.  Common  in  many  places,  but  only  once  taken  at 

Allerthorpe  ($,  June,  1922). 

* (1)  Mellinus  arvensis  L.  Several  and August,  1922,  and  Sept., 

1920.  This  generally  distributed  species  preys  on  flies. 

* (1)  Oxybelus  uniglumis  L.  Not  uncommon  in  sandy  places,  varying 

in  size  and  colour.  This  species  captures  flies  on  the  wing. 
*Cra.bvo  clavipes  L.  Once,  June,  1921. 

fC.  nigritus  Lep.  ( pubescens  Shuck).  An  uncommon  species,  with  few 
recorded  localities.  Two  males,  June,  1922,  and  August,  1924. 
*C.  palmipes  L.  This  local  species  is  not  uncommon,  both  sexes  oc- 
curring from  June  to  August.  The  insect  seems  to  be  common 
in  the  West  Riding,  but  is  a southern  species  not  yet  recorded 
from  Scotland  or  Ireland. 

*C.  elongatulus  V.d.L.  A generally  distributed  species,  which  is  widely 
distributed  in  the  lower  Derwent  Valley.  Several  other 
common  fossors,  e.g.,  Try  poxy  Ion  figulus  L.,  Pemphredon 
lugubris  Latr.,  etc.,  occur  at  Allerthorpe. 

* Other  Families  of  Aculeates. 

The  interesting  ant,  * Leptothorax  acervorum  F.,  which  occurs  on 
Skipwith  Common  under  bark  of  birch  stumps,  has  been  taken  at  Aller- 
thorpe, in  December,  1922,  in  a pine  stump.  Numerous  bees  occur  on 
the  common,  the  most  noteworthy  being  the  following  : — 

Colletes  gluiinaus  Cuv.  ( succinctus  L.)  and  C.  daviesanus  Sm.,  the  latter, 
however,  not  in  the  abundance  with  which  it  occurs  in  one 
sandpit  on  Skipwith  Common.  The  parasite  bee,  *Epeolus 


Naturalist 


Hymenoptera  on  Alter thorpe  Common,  E.  Yorks . 305 


productus  Tli.,  which  occurs  with  C.  daviesanus , has  been  taken 
once,  a male  occurring  on  ragwort  in  August,  1923. 
f Hyloeus  (Prosopis)  brevicornis  Nyl.  Saunder’s  says  that  this  species 
is  generally  distributed  in  the  south,  but  not  recorded  from  the 
north.  One  9,  August,  1922. 

*Sphecodes  divisus  K.  ( similis  Wesm.).  Three  specimens  in  all,  Septem- 
ber, 1920,  and  June,  1922.  Its  host,  Halictus  leucozonius , has 
not  yet  been  found,  but  doubtless  occurs  on  the  common, 

* (1)  Sphecodes  affinis  U.  Nag.  One  August,  1923.  A common  and 

generally  distributed  species. 

* (1)  Halictus  freygessneri  Alfk.  Both  sexes  of  this  species,  which  is 

common  on  the  West  Yorkshire  heaths  and  moors. 

* (1)  Andrena  clarkclla  Kirb.  Several  females  were  dug  out  of  their  bur- 

rows (25th  March,  1921)  in  fine  condition.  They  were  just  under 
the  heap  of  earth  at  the  mouth  of  the  burrow,  and  occasionally 
the  head  was  peeping  out.  One  male  was  taken  in  flight.  This 
early  spring  species  is  widely  distributed,  but  not  as  a rule 
very  abundant.  It  is  well  distributed  in  Yorkshire.  A careful 
search  in  1921  and  the  succeeding  years  for  its  special  parasite, 
*Nomada  borealis  Zett.,  was  unsuccessful,  until  April  20th,  1924, 
when  several  were  seen  hovering  about  the  burrows,  and  one  was 
captured . 

* (1)  Andrene  coitana  Kirb,  A northern  species  has  occurred  once.  Its 

parasite,  Nomada  obtusifrons , has  so  far  eluded  capture. 
*Nomada  solidaginis  Pz.  One  on  ragwort,  a flower  to  which  it  appears 
very  partial,  August,  1924.  So  far  its  host,  Andrena  fuscipes, 
has  not  turned  up . 

*Coelioxys  elongata  Lep.  The  capture  of  two  females  of  this  species,  in 
August,  1922  (one  also  occurred  in  August,  1923)  led  to  a 
search  for  its  host,  *Megachile  circumcincta  Lep . , which  was 
taken  (one  specimen  only)  on  a thistle  head,  on  June  24th,  1923. 
The  burrows  of  the  latter  bee  have  so  far  remained  undiscovered, 
but  rose  leaves  have  been  seen  with  the  characteristic  pieces 
cut  out.  The  Coelioxys  is  widely  distributed  and  common  in 
many  places,  but  has  not  been  recorded  from  Scotland  or 
Ireland.  Mr.  A.  E.  Bradley  has  taken  it  near  Leeds,  always 
with  Megachile  circumcincta,  though  it  has  been  recorded  as 
occurring  with  several  other  species  of  Megachile,  and  also  with 
Osmia  rufa. 

The  only  Bombus  worthy  of  note  is  * distinguendus  Moraw,  a northern 
species  which  is  apparently  widely  distributed  in  the  West  Riding.  This 
insect  occurred  not  uncommonly  on  Epilobium  angusti folium,  on  the 
common,  on  August  2nd,  1924. 

Several  Chupids  or  Ruby -tailed  Wasps  occur  on  the  Common 

* (1)  Notozus  pangeri  F.  was  in  large  numbers  in  flight,  and  settled  on 
bracken,  on  June  18th  to  20th,  1921,  near  a sandy  patch  where  one^of  its 
hosts,  Mimesa  equestris,  occurs.  Another  species,  f Hedychridium  a.rdens 
Cog.  ( minutum  Lep.), -is  suspected  of  parasitism  upon  Mimesa  species, 
and  has  been  taken  twice  on  the  common,  August,  1923  and  1924. 

The  brilliant  blue  *Chupis  cyanea  L.  has  occurred  once,  as  hasjalso 
*C.  viridula  E . , while  the  common  C.  ignita  L.  has  occurred  occasionally. 

Sawflies  are  abundant  on  the  common,  the  most  interesting  species 
being  : — - 

\Pamphilius  pallipes  Zett.  A rare  species,  with  few  records. 

Pamphilius  vafer  L.  A $ on  birch  ; previously  taken  on  Skipwith 
Common. 

*Cephus  pallipes  Klug.  Previously  taken  by  Dr.  Corbett  in  Wheatley 
Wood. 

t Arge  enodis  L.  One  9 in  June,  1923,  of  this  uncommon  species. 

The  rare  Ichneumon,  \Scolobates  auriculatus  F.,  which  has  been  bred 


1924  Oct.  1 


S 


3°6 


Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies. 

from  Arge  enodis  (Morley,  Brit.  Ichn.,  IV.,  273),  was  taken  on  the 
common  by  sweeping  herbage,  in  August,  1923. 

*Pristiphora  pallidiventris  Fall.  Has  occurred  once. 

*Ardis  sulcata  Cam.  A $ in  June,  1922.  This  species  is  of  especial 
interest  as  being  first  described  by  Cameron  on  specimens  taken 
among  roses  at  Holgate,  York,  by  Mr.  T.  Wilson. 

*Tomostethus  luteiventris  Kl.  One,  June,  1921.  (Occurs  also  in  Wheat- 
ley  Wood,  near  Doncaster.) 

\Emphytus  truncatus.  A male,  June,  1922. 

*Dolerus  nitens  Zadd.  A rare  species,  previously  taken  at  Coxwold. 

Packyprotasis  variegata  Kl.  A male  of  this  rare  species  was  taken  in 
June,  1921.  The  species  was  once  taken  (9)  at  Bubwith. 
*Tenthredella  colon  Kl.  On  two  occasions — a rare  insect  in  Britain. 

(Another  of  H.  H.  Corbett’s  Wheatley  Wood  captures.) 
f T.  ferruginea  Schr.  By  no  means  a common  species. 

The  signs  * and  f indicate  respectively  new  County  and 
new  Vice-county  records.  A few  of  these  have,  however, 
been  mentioned  in  an  article  by  the  present  writer  on  the 
Hymenoptera  of  the  East  Riding,  in  the  British  Association 
Handbook  for  the  Hull  meeting,  and  are  indicated  by  the 
number  (1).  I am  indebted  to  the  Rev.  F.  D.  Morice  and 
Mr.  H.  E.  Bradley  for  much  kind  help  in  the  identification  of 
many  of  the  above  species. 

: o : 

The  Rev.  F.  C.  R.  Jourdain’s  Ornithological  Report  for  1923,  and 
Dr.  G.  C.  Druce’s  Botanical  Report  are  the  principal  items  in  The 
Proceedings  and  Report  of  the  Ashmolean  Natural  History  Society  of 
Oxfordshire , recently  issued. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Entomological  Society  of  London,  issued 
August  30th,  record  that  at  a recent  meeting  Mr.  Donisthorpe  exhibited 
a map  showing  the  British  Distribution  of  Acanthomyops  ( Denorolasius ) 
fuliginosus  Latr.,  and  its  occurrence  in  Colby  Glen,  Isle  of  Man. 

‘ The  Birds  of  Sutton  Park,’  by  Miss  B.  A.  Carter  ; ‘The  Sandwell- 
ITandsworth  Railway  Cutting,’  by  W.  W.  King  ; and  ‘ Natural  History 
Records  of  the  Midlands  (Keuper  Sandstone,  Glacial  Boulder,  Scots 
Pine)  ’ occur  in  The  Proceedings  of  the  Birmingham  Natural  History  and 
Philosophical  Society,  Vol.  XV.,  pt.  n,  pp.  31-51,  2/-. 

Among  the  contents  of  The  Transactions  of  the  British  Mycological 
Society,  issued  in  August  (pp. 189-266,  7s.  6d.)  are  ‘ A New  Species  of 
Monochaetia,’  by  M.  Wilson  and  F.  C.  Ford -Robertson  ; ‘ Fistulina 
hepatica  and  Hollow  Stag -headed  Oaks,’  by  K.  W.  Braid  ; ‘ Tree  Mycor- 
rhiza,’  by  R.  Paulson  ; ‘ Life  History  of  Polythrincium  Trifolii  Kunze,’ 
by  J.  S.  Bayliss-Elliott  ; ‘ Epidemic  Plant  Diseases,’  by  F.  T.  Brooks  ; 
and  ‘ The  Flora  of  a Blackbird’s  Nest  in  August,’  by  the  late  Sir  Henry 
C.  Hawley. 

The  Annual  Report  and  Proceedings  of  the  Bristol  Naturalists’  Society 
contains  some  important  geological  papers,  namely,  ‘ The  Avonian  of 
the  Wickwar  Ridge,  Glos.,’  by  F.  S.  Wallis  ; ‘ The  Avonian  of  Cheddar 
Valley  to  the  Sea,’  by  Agnes  E.  Bamber  ; and  ‘ The  Old  Red  Sandstone 
and  Carboniferous  Limestone  of  Portishead-Clevedon  Area,’  by  S.  H. 
Reynolds  and  E.  Greenly.  In  addition  there  are  other  papers  iikely  to 
interest  our  readers,  especially  as  some  of  them  deal  with  unusual  topics, 
namely,  ‘The  Apterygota  of  the  South-west  of  England,’  by  H. 
Womersley  ; ‘ The  Intelligence  and  Sense  Organs  of  Dragonflies,’  by 
T.  F.  Hewer  ; ‘ Notes  on  the  Fauna  of  the  Bristol  Channel,’  by  L.  H. 
Matthews  ; ‘ Spartina  Townsendi  in  West  Gloucestershire,’  by  Ida  M. 
Roper  ; and  ‘ Bristol  Botany  in  1923,’  by  Jas.  W.  White. 


Naturalist 


307 


NOTES  ON  SOME  ‘ PENDLESIDE  ’ FOSSILS. 


J.  WILFRID  JACKSON,  M.SC.,  F.G.S. 


While  on  a recent  visit  to  London,  I had  the  opportunity, 
through  the  kindness  of  Professor  E.  j.  Garwood,  of  examining 
the  British  Association  collection  of  fossils  illustrating 
Life-zones  in  the  British  Carboniferous  Rocks,  housed  at 
University  College,  Gower  Street.  These  consisted  mainly  of 
specimens  collected  at  various  times  for  the  purpose  of  illus- 
trating the  fauna  of  the  Pendleside  Series.  Among  them 
were  several  from  the  Pendle  area,  and  from  Poolvash,  Isle 
of  Man.  As  Glyphioceras  reticulatum  (among  others)  has 
been  recorded  in  past  years  from  both  these  areas,  and  as  I 
have  never  been  able  to  find  the  species  there  myself,  I searched 
for  specimens  labelled  as  such  in  the  collection,  and  found 
several  which  had  been  determined  by  various  authorities, 
including  Dr.  A.  H.  Foord,  Mr.  G.  C.  Crick  and  Dr.  Wheelton 
Hind.  Close  examination  of  these  proved  that,  as  already 
suspected,  serious  errors  had  been  made  in  identification. 
Seven  specimens,  all  of  the  same  general  type,  previously 
determined  as  G.  reticulatum , appear  to  be  G.  striatum  Sow., 
possibly  var.  plana  Freeh.  These  specimens  include  Nos. 
139,  146  from  above  Little  Mearley  Hall,  an  unnumbered 
specimen  from  Pendleton  Hall,  No.  224  from  stream  near 
Ribble,  and  Nos.  239,  246,  247  from  Holden.  I have  recently 
found  this  species  in  numbers  in  a section  east  of  Manor 
Farm,  N.  Staffs.,  in  black  shales  succeeding  the  Brachiopod 
Beds  of  Wetton  Hill.  It  seems  highly  probable  that  this 
species  formed  the  basis  of  Dr.  Hind’s  Zone  of  Glyphioceras 
reticulatum , lying  between  his  Zones  of  P.  becheri  and  of  G. 
spiraled 

Two  specimens  labelled  G.  bilingue  (No.  150,  Little  Mearley 
Hall  Clough  ; No.  267,  Dinckley  Hall),  are  Eumorphoceras 
pseudobilingue  Bisat,  with  rather  strong  sculpture,  as  is 
probably  also  No.  269  (Dinckley  Hall),  labelled  Gastrioceras 
listen.  Another  specimen,  No.  229,  near  Dinckley  Hall, 
labelled  G.  reticulatum,  is  a typical  G.  spirale.  No.  T78, 
Poolvash,  Black  Limestone,  labelled  G.  reticulatum,  bears 
no  resemblance  to  Phillips’  species,  but  is  more  akin  to  the 
truncatum  group. 

I failed  to  find  specimens  of  the  Pterinopecten  papyraceus, 
listed  from  Poolvash,  but  strongly  suspect  that  the  species 
so  named  will  turn  out  to  be  the  same  form  as  that  associated 
with  P.  becheri  in  the  Lower  Bowland  Shales  at  Pendle  and 


*See  The  Naturalist,  April,  1909,  p.  154  ; Proc.  Geol.  Assoc.,  Vol. 
XXI.,  1910,  pp.  463-4  ; and  other  papers  by  Dr.  Hind. 


1924  Oct.  1 


3o8 


News  from  the  Magazines. 


Lothersdale,  and  in  the  becheri- beds  at  Teilia  Quarry  and 
Lady  Maclaren’s  Quarry,  Prestatyn,  N.  Wales,  and  Tissington, 
Derbyshire.  I have  examined  specimens  from  all  these  places 
and  find  that  the  species  differs  from  the  typical  Lower  Coal 
Measure  form,  and  am  hoping  in  the  near  future  to  complete 
my  revision  of  the  forms  recorded  as  Pt.  papyraceus  from  beds 
ranging  from  the  Upper  Visean,  through  the  Millstone  Grit 
to  the  Coal  Measures. 

The  fact  that,  under  the  term  Pendleside  Series,  two 
totally  distinct  faunas  and  groups  of  strata  have  been  confused 
together  (i.e.,  the  Bowland  Shales,  etc.,  of  the  Pendle  area  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  equivalents  of  the  Sabden  Shales  in 
North  Derbyshire,  Yorkshire,  etc.,  on  the  other)*  has  naturally 
led  to  considerable  discrepancies  in  correlation.  A case  in 
point  is  the  shale  of  Foynes  Island,  Co.  Limerick,  where  the 
fauna  (16  species)  listed  and  in  part  figured  by  Dr.  Hindf 
from  the  black  shales  with  bullions  overlying  the  Carboniferous 
Limestone,  is  absolutely  that  of  the  Sabden  Shales  of  Rough 
Lee,  and  their  homotaxial  equivalents  at  Todmorden  and  in 
the  Edale  valley,  Peak  District.  It  in  no  way  resembles  that 
of  the  Bowland  Shales.  Such  being  the  case,  and  as  the 
shales  overlie  the  limestone  so  closely,  one  is  inclined  to 
suspect  an  unconformable  relation  between  the  two,  the 
shales  overlapping  and  transgressing  the  limestone  massif. 
Angular  unconformities  of  this  nature,  indicating  post -Visean 
upheaval  and  denudation,  are  known  or  suspected  in  other 
places,  including  Derbyshire. 

: o : 

Dr.  A.  G.  Butler  has  an  illustrated  article  on  ‘ Larks  (Alaudidce) / 
in  The  Avicultural  Magazine  for  August. 

Dr.  H.  O.  Forbes  writes  on  ‘ Pre-Columbian  Representations  of  the 
Elephant  in  America,’  in  Nature,  August  2nd. 

Miss  M.  Mason,  writing  to  The  Wild  Flower  Magazine  from  Kirkby 
Stephen,  says,  ‘ I never  saw  anything  like  the  Bee  Orchis  at  Bonchurch. 
this  year  : masses  of  it  ! Some  nearly  18  inches  high.’ 

The  Irish  Naturalist  for  September  informs  us  that  following  up  a 
press  announcement  that  a cuckoo  might  be  seen  hatching  her  own  eggs,, 
many  people  went  to  see  ‘ what  is  so  rare.’  The  cuckoo  proved  to  be- 
a nightjar. 

‘ The  Loggerhead  Turtle  in  Scotland,’  by  Dr.  J.  Ritchie  ; ‘ Report 
on  Scottish  Ornithology  in  1923,’  by  the  Misses  Rintoul  and  Baxter  ; and 
‘ The  Identity  of  the  Sea -Anemone,  Actinia  elegans,  Dalyell,’  by  Mr. 
W.  E.  Evans,  appear  in  The  Scottish  Naturalist,  No.  148. 

In  The  Entomologist’s  Monthly  Magazine  for  September,  H.  Donis- 
thorpe  adds  Oxypoda  nigrocincta  Reg.  to  the  British  list  of  Coleoptera. 
F.  W.  Edwards  writes  on  the  British  species  of  Thalassomyia  and  Cardio- 
cladius  ; A.  E.  J.  Carter  writes  on  Cryptolucilia  caesarion  Mg.  in  Britain  ; 
and  W.  R.  Wright  described  the  Mosquitoes  of  North  Wales. 


*See  The  Naturalist,  October,  1923,  pp.  337-8. 

fSee  Proc.  Roy.  Irish  Acad.,  Vol.  XXV.,  Sect.  B.,  No.  4,  1905,  p. 
101 , pis.  V.-VI. 


Naturalist 


309 

EPHIALTES  TUBERCULATUS  FOURC.,  AN  ICH- 
NEUMON FLY  NEW  TO  YORKSHIRE. 


W.  J.  FORDHAM,  M.R.C.S.,  D.P.H.,  F.E.S. 


A little  while  ago  Mr.  C.  A.  Cheetham  handed  me  a large 
black  ichneumon  fly  which  he  found  on  June  23rd,  1924,  at 
Pateley  Bridge,  hunting  about  pine  trees  and  flying  slowly  ; 
on  the  wing  very  like  a dragon  fly  in  appearance.  This 
proves  to  be  a female  of  Ephialtes  tuberculatus  Fourc.,  a 
species  which,  according  to  Morley  ( British  Ichneumons  III,, 
38-39)  is  not  very  uncommon  in  Britain,  but  has  not  hitherto 
been  recorded  from  Yorkshire.  It  has  been  bred  from  several 
wood-feeding  Coleoptera — especially  Super  da  populnea  and 
Rhagium  mordax , the  long  ovipositor  being  of  use  in  reaching 
the  larvae.  The  Pately  specimen  probably  was  in  search  of 
Rhagium  bifasciatum,  the  larva  of  which  is  not  uncommon  in 
Yorkshire  in  pine  stumps,  and  an  adult  specimen  of  which 
was  taken  by  Mr.  Cheetham  the  same  day. 

: o : 

GALERUCA  (ADIMONIA)  TANACETI  L.  IN  EAST 
YORKSHIRE. 


W.  J.  FORDHAM,  M.R.C.S.,  D.P.H.,  F.E.S. 


This-  species,  which  had  previously  been  recorded  from  East 
Yorkshire  at  Filey  by  the  late  Rev.  W.  C.  Hey,  was  noted 
from  Allerthorpe  Common  by  the  writer  in  the  1920  Yorkshire 
Coleoptera  Report,  several  having  occurred  on  Scabiosa  succisa 
in  September,  1920.  It  was  first  found  on  the  common  in 
November,  1919,  when  a solitary  specimen  was  seen  crawling 
on  the  road.  In  1920  several  were  taken,  but  the  insect  was 
not  abundant.  On  September  15th  and  16th,  1923,  it  was 
very  abundant  near  the  Sutton  Road  end  of  the  Common  on 
Knapweed  (Centaur ea  nigra)  eating  the  leaves,  and  many 
were  found  in  cop.  Only  two  were  seen  on  Scabiosa,  one  on 
the  flower  and  another  devouring  a bract.  One  was  resting 
on  a thistle  leaf.  Out  of  at  least  a hundred  specimens  seen 
all  but  three  were  on  Knapweed.  In  August,  1924,  not  a 
single  larva  or  perfect  insect  could  be  found. 

Mr.  G.  C.  Champion  ( Ent . Mo.  Mag.,  1911,  p.  258),  de- 
scribes two  forms  as  occurring  in  this  country,  one  probably 
the  true  tanaceti  L.,  which  feeds  on  A chillea  millefolium,  and 
another  form,  larger  and  duller,  with  more  densely  punctate 
head,  with  anterior  angles  of  thorax  dentiform  and  upturned 
and  elytra  more  or  less  costate  on  the  disc,  with  a broadly 


1924  Oct.  1 


3io 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


sulcate  outer  margin,  which  is  apparently  our  insect,  ancl 
which  has  been  taken  in  Lincolnshire  by  Mr.  C.  S.  Carter  on 
Scabiosa  succisa  ( The  Naturalist,  1902,  p.  22 7),  and  by  Mr. 
H.  Wallis  Kew  on  Scabiosa  commonly  and  once  on  Knapweed 
( Ent . Mo.  Mag.,  1886,  p.  107).  Mr.  Kew  bred  the  insect 
from  the  larval  state,  and  Bedel  suggests  that  this  species  is 
possibly  pomonce  Scop.,  which  has  a black  variety  ( anthracina 
Wse. ). 

The  specimen  from  Allerthorpe,  though  agreeing  with  this 
latter  form,  appear  to  vary  somewhat  inter  se.  The  males 
are  on  the  whole  rather  more  shining  than  the  females,  and 
the  elytra  usually  less  costate,  though  a few  are  as  strongly 
ridged  as  the  females.  All  agree  in  being  somewhat  dull, 
coarsely  punctured  on  the  head,  with  the  anterior  angles  of 
the  thorax  upturned,  and  the  elytra  mainly  broadly  sulcate 
along  the  outer  border,  especially  in  the  females.  Though 
the  specific  name  suggests  some  connexion  with  the  Tansy, 
and  this  association  is  mentioned  in  Canon  Fowler’s  book,  it 
is  very  doubtful  whether  the  insect  is  attached  to  that  plant 
in  any  way. 

: o : 

Highways  and  Byways  in  the  Lake  District,  by  A.  G.  Bradley. 

London  : Macmillan  & Co.,  xii.==332  pp.,  6/-  net.  By  the  use  of  thin 
but  good  paper,  this  volume  of  over  300  pages  gives  an  admirable  account 
of  the  charms  and  attractions  of  the  English  Lake  District,  in  addition 
to  which  the  numerous  admirable  illustrations  from  sketches  give  the 
volume  an  additional  charm.  The  work  is  more  than  a topographical 
account  of  the  area  ; it  deals  with  Traditions,  Spirits,  Roman  Remains,. 
Old  Mines,  The  Helm  Wind,  Ghostly  Associations,  Border  Ferocity, 
Emigration,  and  other  items  likely  to  be  of  interest  to  the  tourist.  There 
is  also  a map  upon  which  suggested  routes  are  shown. 

Outlines  of  Fungi  and  Plant  Diseases,  by  F.  T.  Bennett,  B.Sc. 
(Macmillan  & Co.,  Ltd.).  This  little  volume  embodies  a course  of 
lectures  delivered  to  students  of  horticulture  and  agriculture  in  the 
Agricultural  Department  of  the  University  of  Leeds,  and  it  is  a text-book 
of  a type  too  long  denied  the  student  of  the  fungi.  The  types  of  fungi 
selected  to  serve  as  an  introduction  to  the  subject  have  been  well  chosen, 
and  are  confined  to  species  readily  available  for  study.  The  portion  on 
plant  diseases  is  more  comprehensive  than  might  have  been  expected, 
and  the  author  has  done  well  to  limit  himself  to  short  but  useful  accounts 
of  the  fungi  causing  diseases,  their  methods  of  attack  and  preventive  or 
remedial  measures  to  be  taken  in  combating  them,  and  then  to  cite  the 
more  important  literature  under  the  disease  discussed  ; the  references 
given  are  well  up-to-date.  Many  of  the  diagrams  are  original,  although 
others  are  rather  time-worn,  as  in  the  case  of  Plate  III.,  which  illustrates 
Eurotium.  There  is  a lapse  into  mis-statement  in  a paragraph  on 
classification,  p.  43,  in  which  the  author  says  that  ‘ the  sub-order 
Saccharomycetaceae  comprises  two  genera,  viz.,  Saccharomyces  and 
Torula.’  In  a book  specifically  written  for  the  student  of  plant  diseases,, 
the  practical  work  might  with  advantage  have  included  instructions  for 
differentially  staining  fungus  and  host  tissue.  The  book  is  of  a useful 
size  for  the  pocket,  is  suitably  bound  for  the  laboratory  bench,  and  its 
price  (7/6)  is  a commendable  feature  ; it  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every 
gardener  and  agriculturalist. — F.A.M. 


Naturalist' 


FIELD  NOTES. 


3ii 


Papilla  muscorum  (L.)  monst.  sinistrorsum. — This 
very  scarce  monstrosity  was  observed  by  me  in  a single 
perfect  specimen  several  years  ago  in  a lot  from  Christ ianshavns 
Void,  in  Copenhagen.- — Hans  Schlesch,  M.A.S.,  Copenhagen. 

Margaritana  margaritifera  (Linne)  in  Labrador. — 

Through  the  kindness  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Perrett,  of  the 
Moravian  Mission  in  Hopedale,  I have  received  a number  of 
Margaritana  margaritifera  (L.)  collected  in  a river  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Hopedale,  situated  about  55 J°  North, 
Br.  60 0 W.  1.  The  largest  of  the  quite  typical  specimens 
measure  : — length,  120  mm.  ; height,  65  mm.  ; diam.,  30  mm. — 
Hans  Schlesch,  M.A.S.,  Copenhagen. 

Bonito  in  North  Wales. — On  Saturday,  2nd  August,  a 
large  fish  was  noticed  floundering  in  shallow  water  off  Menai 
Bridge,  Anglesey,  by  Mr.  John  Lucas,  who  secured  it.  In 
the  evening  he  took  it  to  Professor  Philip  J.  White,  of  Bangor 
University,  who  identified  it  as  the  Bonito,  or  Striped  Tunny. 
This  species  is  a native  of  tropical  or  sub-tropical  seas,  and 
very  rarely  wanders  as  far  as  the  coasts  of  Britain.  So  far 
as  I can  learn  it  has  not  previously  been  recorded  off  any  part 
of  Wales,  so  is  a new  addition  to  the  local  fauna.  The  Menai 
Bridge  specimen  measures  two  feet  in  length,  and  weighs  ten 
pounds.  It  will  be  preserved  in  the  museum  at  Bangor 
University. — H.  E.  Forrest,  Shrewsbury. 

Hypolepia  sequella,  etc.,  near  Bingley. — A young  man 
lately  showed  me  a Wood-Tiger  (Chelonia  plantaginis) , which 
he  had  taken  on  Blackballs.  This  is  the  first  record  for  this 
immediate  neighbourhood,  although  it  is  regarded  as  a fairly 
common  species  in  many  districts.  Not  many  miles  away  it 
has  been  taken  several  times  on  the  moors.  On  the  6th  inst. 
I took  two  Hypolepia  sequella  in  Bingley  Wood.  I first  took 
it  near  the  same  place  in  1880,  and  not  more  than  once  or 
twice  since.  In  Mr.  Porritt’s  first  List  (1883)  of  lepidoptera,  it 
is  recorded  from  Richmond,  Scarborough  and  York.  In  his 
Supplement,  published  1904,  Edington,  Elland,  Harrogate, 
Loftus-in-Cleveland  and  Mirfield  are  added.  Scoparia  am- 
bigualis  var.  atomalis  has  occurred  in  thousands  this  season  on 
Blackhills,  but  S.  conspicualis  (unlike  some  years,  when  it 
has  been  abundant)  has  been  somewhat  scarce. — E.  P. 
Butterfield,  August,  1924. 

H . sequella  is  now  known  to  be  a fairly  common  South- 
west Yorkshire  species.  Mr.  B.  Morley  some  seasons  takes 
it  in  abundance  on  sycamores  at  Skelmanthorpe. — G.T.P. 

Acherontia  atropos  at  Todmorden. — A specimen  of  the 
Death's  Head  Moth  was  caught  in  a garden  at  Cornholme,  near 


1924  Oct.  1 


312 


Northern  News. 


Todmorden,  on  July  3rd,  1924.  This  is  apparently  the  third 
record  for  the  Borough  of  Todmorden  during  the  last  thirty 
years,  the  previous  ones  being  one  in  Todmorden  on  September 
8th,  1896,  and  one  a mile  east  of  Todmorden  on  May  28th, 
1899. — Edward  B.  Gibson. 

Large  Gatherings  of  Swifts. — On  June  18th,  I saw  a 
vast  concourse  of  Swifts  hawking  over  a field  near  Stratford- 
on-Avon,  the  field  was  clover,  and  there  could  not  have  been 
much  fewer  than  a thousand  birds  flying  over  it.  A week 
later  I saw  a similar  gathering,  but  about  half  the  numbers, 
near  Harrogate.  Evidently  they  must  have  been  attracted 
by  the  abundance  of  some  minute  food,  but  I could  not  see 
what  it  was. — R.  Fortune. 

Effects  of  Waste  Oil  on  the  Yorkshire  Coast. — The 

serious  problem  of  floating  oil  discharged  by  sea-going  vessels, 
and  also  washed  into  the  sea  in  quantities  from  our  streets, 
after  every  shower  of  rain,  continues  to  grow,  and  to  have 
very  serious  effects  upon  our  marine  fauna.  Between  May 
31st  and  June  22nd,  1924,  I observed  upon  the  beach  in  the 
North  and  South  bays  at  Scarborough  nineteen  Guillemots  and 
a single  specimen  each  of  Herring  Gull,  Fulmar  Petrel  and 
Puffin.  Some  were  already  dead  ; all  were  disabled  from 
swimming  or  diving,  and  were  incapable  of  flight.  Some  of 
the  living  birds  had  their  eyelids  tightly  gummed  together  by 
the  sticky  oil,  and  could  not  see.  During  the  same  period 
thousands  of  tiny  fish  fry— sprats,  herrings  and  whitings — 
were  washed  ashore  dead  at  Scarborough,  chiefly  upon  May 
24th  and  June  1st.  These  all  showed  unmistakable  signs  of 
having  being  suffocated  in  the  v/ater  by  lack  of  oxygen,  and 
had  certainly  not  died  through  being  driven  ashore  by  the 
attacks  of  larger  fish,  as  often  occurs  during  the  summer 
months.  Mr.  F.  Snowdon,  of  Whitby,  told  me  that  on  April 
5th,  1924,  he  counted  upon  a stretch  of  sand  two  miles  long, 
ten  Guillemots,  seven  Puffins  and  four  Razorbills,  all  killed 
by  the  floating  oil.  Small  dead  fish  were  also  seen.  The 
effects  upon  the  smaller  marine  organisms  is  also  very  disas- 
trous.— W.  J.  Clarke. 

o : 

The  famous  Barnsle}t  bed  of  coal  has  been  reached  at  the  colliery 
which  Messrs.  Pease  and  Partners,  of  Darlington,  have  sunk  at  Thorne 
Moor  End,  twelve  miles  east  of  Doncaster.  The  seam  was  struck  at  a 
depth  of  921  yards,  thus  making  the  pit  the  deepest  colliery  in  Yorkshire. 
Thorne  Colliery  was  first  begun  as  far  back  as  1909.  Tremendous 
difficulties  were  encountered,  and  for  a long  time  the  inflow  of  water 
into  the  shafts  from  water-bearing  strata  defied  the  most  powerful 
pumps  obtainable.  Plans  are  already  laid  for  the  erection  of  a model 
village,  which  will  accommodate  at  least  10,000  people.  It  is  expected 
that  the  bulk  of  the  coal  drawn  from  the  pit  will  find  its  outlet  through 
Hull. 


Naturalist 


3i  3 


CORRESPONDENCE . 

The  Editor  of  The  Naturalist. 

I trust  that  your  sense  of  fairness  will  permit  me  to  reply 
to  the  serious  allegations  you  make  against  me  in  your  review  of  my 
book  on  ‘ The  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire  ’ in  The  Naturalist,  p.  284. 
You,  rather  inconsistently,  suggest  that,  after  years  of  work,  I have 
produced  a book  which  is,  you  allege,  a copy  of  your  book  prepared 
like  mine  to  a printed  Outline  Scheme,  supplied  by  the  editor  of  the 
series  and  incorporated  (the  book)  in  your  ‘ Lost  Towns  of  the  Yorkshire 
Coast.’  My  book  is  not  a copy  of  yours,  but,  if  it  were,  a few  weeks 
would  have  sufficed  for  its  preparation.  My  book  is  founded  on  personal 
visits  to  seventy  localities  in  the  riding,  the  special  information  supplied 
by  correspondents  mentioned  in  the  text  and  in  the  preface  and  a careful 
study  of  the  literature  of  the  subject,  based  on  a card-index  of  900 
references,  drawn  up  by  myself.  Only  one  illustration  in  my  book, 
p.  43,  Carr  Naze,  by  G.  Bingley,  occurs  in  your  ‘ Geological  Rambles,’ 
and  only  two,  p.  16,  Hornsea  Mere,  by  R.  Fortune,  and  p.  163,  Old 
Kilnsea  Cross  (by  York  Philosophical  Society)  in  your  ‘ Lost  Towns,’ 
and,  in  each  case,  by  permission  of  the  owners.  As  to  Hollar’s  View  of 
Hull  in  1640  on  my  p.  129,  the  electro  was  supplied  by  Messrs.  Brown, 
without  a hint  that  the  block  was  your  property,  and  they  decline  to 
either  admit  or  deny  your  claim,  but  state  that  they  acted  in  perfectly 
good  faith.  I regret  that  the  electro  supplied  should  have  been  used 
instead  of  a new  copy  of  Hollar’s  plate. 

I wonder  whether  you  have  read  my  book,  for,  if  you  have,  you  will 
find  your  work  duly  acknowledged  on  pages  49,  50,  51.  It  is  obvious 
that  the  new  statistics  of  Coast  Erosion,  Population,  Agriculture,  Indus- 
tries, Minerals,  Fisheries,  Shipping  and  Trade  in  my  book  cannot  have 
been  taken  from  yours.  There  is  nothing  in  your  book  to  correspond 
with  my  account  of  York,  Roll  of  Honour,  Chief  Towns  and  Villages. 
Your  account  of  County  History,  pp.  275,  276  occupies  1 page,  6 lines  ; 
mine  7 pages  10  lines  ; your  p.  306  devotes  8 lines  to  Industries  ; my 
book  3 pages  23  lines  ; your  account  of  Minerals,  pp.  306,  307,  is  in 
20  lines  ; mine  in  3 pages  12  lines,  and  so  on.  There  are  hundreds  of 
facts  and  details  in  my  book  not  to  be  found  in  yours.  I never  wrote 
any  criticism  of  the  Hull  Handbook,  prepared  under  your  editorship, 
for  the  British  Association.  In  Nature  of  November  4th,  1922,  I suggested 
what  an  ideal  British  Association  Handbook  should  be.  You,  quite 
gratuitously,  chose  to  regard  this  as  a criticism  of  the  Hull  Handbook, 
which  was  not  alluded  to. — Bernard  Hobson,  Thornton,  Hallamgate 
Road,  Sheffield,  September  12 th,  1924. 


The  present  writer  repudiates  having  made  a statement  that  Mr. 
Hobson  has  ‘copied  a book  ’ of  his  ; what  he  does  state,  most  emphatically, 
however,  is  that  much  of  the  information  bearing  upon  the  Lost  Towns 
and  other  matters  has  unquestionably  been  extracted  from  one  or  other 
of  his  books,  and  in  thanking  various  and  numerous  friends  for  assistance, 
Mr.  Hobson  has  forgotten  to  pay  any  acknowledgment  whatever  to  the 
one  person  who  has  supplied  him  with  much  of  the  matter  for  his  publica- 
tion. Obviously,  from  Mr.  Hobson’s  details  of  the  reviewer’s  ‘ Geological 
Rambles  ’ and  ‘ Lost  Towns,’  given  in  his  letter  above,  he  is  very 
familiar  with  these  works,  but  they  are  not  referred  to  in  his  preface, 
nor  on  page  1 1 . 

The  reviewer  did  not  state,  nor  imply,  that  everything  in  Mr.  Hobson’s 
book  had  been  copied,  and  in  the  volume,  the  sub-title  of  which  is 
Other  Chapters  bearing  upon  the  Geography  of  East  Yorkshire,  ’ he  did 
not  include  statistics  about  population,  lists  of  towns  and  villages,  etc., 


1924  Oct.  l 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


314 

which  would  not  have  been  of  general  interest,  and  could  be  obtained 
from  the  usual  channels. 

Mr.  Hobson’s  letter  to  Nature,  of  November  4th,  1922,  distinctly, 
refers  to  the  notice  of  the  Hull  Handbook  which  the  present  writer  pre- 
pared : of  that  there  is  no  question. 

The  criticism  was  replied  to  in  a letter  in  Nature,  No.  2775.  If  this 
reply  did  not  bear  upon  the  Hull  Handbook,  why  did  not  Mr.  Hobson 
say  so  at  the  time?  It  has  taken  him  since  his  letter  of  October  20th, 
1922,  to  find  out  that  he  did  not  refer  to  the  Hull  Handbook,  but  to 
handbooks  generally  ! 

We  are  glad  that  Mr.  Hobson  admits  we  have  a ‘ sense  of  fairness.’ 
Had  Mr.  Hobson  shared  this  sense,  the  review  about  which  he  complains 
would  not  have  been  written. — T.S. 

: o : 

REVIEWS  AND  BOOK  NOTICES. 

Everyday  Life  in  Prehistoric  Times,  by  Marjorie  and  G.  H.  B. 
Quennell.  London  : B.  T.  Batsford,  Ltd.,  X.  + 109  pp.,  and  X.  + 119 

pp.,  10/-  net.  With  this  title  the  two  volumes,  to  which  reference  has 
previously  been  made  in  these  columns,  have  been  bound  together,  and 
with  their  cloth  cover  will  prove  of  interest  to  young  people,  for  whom  it 
will  make  a charming  present.  As  we  have  previously  stated,  the 
authors  have  an  excellent  way  of  presenting  the  details  with  regard  to 
early  man,  and  with  the  aid  of  their  numerous  illustrations,  produce  a 
fascinating  story. 

Big  Game  and  Pygmies,  by  Cuthbert  Christy.  London  : 
Macmillan  & Co.,  xxxh+313  pp.,  21/-  net.  We  have  seen  some  of  Dr. 
Christy’s  work  previously,  and  welcome  the  present  volume  with  its 
wealth  of  illustration  from  photographs  and  maps,  While  the  principal 
part  of  the  volume  is  devoted  to  The  Ituri  Forest,  the  Equatorial  Forest 
Belt,  Pygmies,  and  The  Okapi,  there  are  interesting  chapters  on  the 
Elephant,  Rhinoceros,  Buffalo,  Hog,  Champanzi,  etc.,  but,  what  is  not 
often  dealt  with  in  volumes  of  this  sort,  there  are  contributions  to  the 
natural  history  of  the  smaller  mammals,  birds,  fishes,  ‘ frogs  and  reptiles,’ 
insects,  as  well  as  practical  notes  on  cleaning  and  preserving,  Forest 
Hunting  and  Armament,  etc.  The  author  has  likewise  much  to  say  on 
sleeping  sickness,  and  gives  photographs  of  victims  of  that  terrible 
disease. 

Fishes,  the  Source  of  Petroleum,  by  John  Muirhead  Macfarlane. 

New  York  : the  Macmillan  Company,  1923,  451  pages.  In  this  work 
Dr.  Macfarlane  has  compiled  an  enormous  amount  of  geological  informa- 
tion regarding  the  distribution  of  . fish  life  throughout  the  known  strati- 
graphical  formations  of  the  world,  and  to  the  effects  of  this  distribution 
a probable  source  of  natural  petroleum  is  attributed.  At  the  beginning 
of  his  geological  career  the  author  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  interested 
in  the  fossil  flora  and  fauna  of  the  Edinburgh  Coal  Basin,  and  in  the 
succeeding  years  of  his  life  the  more  or  less  constant  association  of  fish 
remains  with  oil  shales  became  a subject  of  detailed  study  and  investiga- 
tion. The  volume  under  present  review  is  the  result  of  these  latter 
researches,  and  Dr.  Macfarlane  is  certainly  to  be  congratulated  upon  the 
wealth  of  information  which  is  included,  and  the  readable  manner  in 
which  his  various  facts  and  theories  have  been  assembled  and  discussed. 
Probably  no  geological  subject  of  controversial  interest  has  attracted 
more  attention  during  the  present  decade  than  has  that  relating  to  the 
origin  of  petroleum.  At  the  moment  the  supporters  of  the  organic 
theory  hold  the  field,  yet  these  are  split  up  into  two  distinct  schools,  the 
one  claiming  that  petroleum  is  of  vegetable  origin,  whilst  the  other  (of 
which  Dr.  Macfarlane  is  an  ardent  and  enthusiastic  supporter)  is  of 
opinion  that  mineral  oil  has  resulted  primarily  from  the  accumulation 


Naturalist 


Proceedings  of  Scientific  Societies. 


315 


and  decomposition  of  animal  remains.  The  author  has  marshalled  his 
facts  ably  and  systematically,  and  though  his  enthusiasm  for  his  subject 
has  probably  allowed  certain  of  his  conclusions  to  be  slightly  biased, 
this  does  not  detract  from  the  value  of  the  book.  The  volume  is  well 
arranged,  there  is  an  interesting  review  and  summary  of  results,  a valuable 
bibliography  and  a complete  index.— G.S. 

With  Dickens  in  Yorkshire,  by  T.  P.  Cooper.  York  : B.  Johnson 
& Co.,  Micklegate,  145  pp.,  2/-.  In  this  little  book  the  author  brings 
forward  the  evidence  of  the  various  visits  to  Yorkshire  by  Charles  Dickens, 
and  gives  an  interesting  collection  of  illustrations.  The  book  was  first 
issued  last  year,  and  its  popularity  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  already  a 
second  edition  has  been  called  for,  which  has  been  revised. 

For  the  small  price  of  two  shillings  has  been  issued  Bristol  Geology 
and  Geography,  for  the  use  of  School  Teachers  and  others,  by  Professor 
S.  H.  Reynolds  (98  pp.,  2/-),  with  an  introduction  by  Professor  Lloyd 
Morgan.  Few  people  are  more  qualified  to  deal  with  the  subject  than 
Professor  Reynolds,  and  with  the  help  of  numerous  diagrams,  plans  and 
sections,  he  has  produced  a work  which  will  certainly  be  of  service  to 
the  students  in  his  area. 

Growth,  by  G.  R.  de  Beer.  London  : E.  Arnold  & Co.,  viii.  + i2o 
pp.,  7/6.  Under  this  title  the  Demonstrator  in  Zoology  and  Comparative 
Anatomy  in  the  University  of  Oxford  deals  with  the  Growth  of  the  Frog, 
Growth  in  Plants,  Growth  in  Animals,  Regeneration,  Asexual  Repro- 
duction, Abnormal  Growths,  Causes  and  Nature  of  Growth,  Substances 
which  speed  up  Growth,  The  Effect  of  External  Conditions  on  Growth, 
and  numerous  other  subjects,  which,  with  the  excellent  illustrations, 
will  appeal  to  the  naturalist. 

: o : 

Based  upon  material  collected  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  tested  by 
comparison  with  material  from  Ireland,  Wales,  Northumberland  and 
Yorkshire,  Margery  Knight  describes  the  Life-History  and  Cytology  of 
Pylaiella  litoralis  Kjellm,  one  of  the  marine  algae,  in  The  Transactions 
of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh , recently  published. 

The  Caradoc  and  Severn  Valley  Field  Club  has  issued  its  Transactions 
(Vol.  VII.,  No.  3),  and  Record  of  Bare  Facts  (No.  33).  The  former 
contains  reports  of  meetings  and  excursions,  a paper  by  Miss  F.  Pitt 
on  ‘ Shetland  Pirates  [Skuas],’  and  a reprint  of  Mr.  H.  E.  Forrest’s 
paper  on  ' Sheep  and  Early  Man  in  Britain,’  which  originally  appeared 
in  The  Naturalist.  The  Record  includes  new  notes  on  Flowering  Plants, 
Coleoptera,  Mammals,  Birds,  Amphibians  and  Fishes,  and  useful 
meteorological  records. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Chadwick  illustrates  and  describes  some  Abnormal  and 
Imperfectly  Developed  Specimens  of  the  Sea  Urchin  ( Echinus  esculentus) 
in  The  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society,  1924,  pt.  1.  The  specimens 
were  collected  at  various  points  around  the  south  end  of  the  Isle  of  Man. 
In  the  same  journal,  Dr.  J.  R.  Garrood  describes  and  figures  two 
skeletons  of  the  Cetacean,  Pseudorca  crassidens , from  Thorney  Fen,  and 
Mr.  Robert  Gurney  describes  the  larval  development  of  some  British 
Prawns  ( Palcemonidce ) — I.  Palcemonetes  varians. 

We  have  been  favoured  with  the  following  three  papers  reprinted 
from  The  Transactions  of  the  Optical  Society  : ‘ The  Mechanical  Con- 

struction of  the  Microscope  from  an  Historical  Standpoint,  with  special 
reference  to  certain  instruments  now  in  the  Science  Museum,  South 
Kensington,’  by  Prof.  Alan  Pollard  ; ‘ Early  Telescopes  in  the  Science 

Museum,  from  an  Historical  Standpoint,’  by  David  Baxandall  ; ‘ Sur- 

veying and  Navigational  Instruments  from  the  Historical  Standpoint,' 
by  L.  C.  Martin.  Included  are  descriptions  of  early  forms  of  microscopes, 
some  of  which  are  similar  to  those  illustrated  in  these  pages  for  August, 
1912,  and  July,  1924. 


1924  Oct.  1 


316 


NEWS  FROM  THE  MAGAZINES. 

British  Neuroptera  in  1923/  by  W.  J.  Lucas,  appears  in  The  En- 
tomologist for  August. 

B.  Jenkins  writes  on  ‘ Cornish  Marl  Clover  ’ in  The  Journal  of  the 
Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  August. 

A memoir  (with  portrait)  of  the  late  Prof.  Grenville  A.  J.  Cole, 
appears  in  The  Irish  Naturalist  for  June. 

J.  H.  Orton  contributes  notes  on  ‘ An  experimental  effect  of  light  on 
the  sponge,  Oscarella,  to  Nature,  No.  2852. 

R.  F.  Ruttledge  contributes  a ‘ Note  on  the  Distribution  of  the 
Squirrel  in  Ireland  ’ to  The  Irish  Naturalist  for  July. 

Dr.  J.  J.  Simpson  describes  the  Economical  Uses  of  Animal  Products, 
I.,  Rabbit  Skins,  in  The  Museums  Journal  for  July. 

The  Avicultural  Magazine  for  June  contains  notes  on  Typical  Finches  ; 
Variations  of  Hunting  by  Kestrels  ; and  Flesh  Food  eaten  by  Rooks. 

The  Wild  Flower  Magazine  for  June -J.u.ly  contains  details  of  the  lists 
of  flowers  collected  by  various  members  of  the  Wild  Flower  Society. 

The  Entomologist’ s Monthly  Magazine  for  August  contains  ' Lumin- 
osity in  Insects,’  by  K.  G.  Blair,  and  some  British  Species  of  Corynoneura 
by  F.  W.  Edwards. 

The  Irish  N aturalist  for  August  is  entirely  occupied  by  a portion  of  a 
valuable  paper  on  ‘ The  Breeds  of  Dogs  peculiar  to  Ireland  and  their 
Origin,’  by  Dr.  R.  F.  Scharff. 

H.  S.  Gladstone  writes  on  the  Distribution  of  Black  Grouse  in  Great 
Britain,  and  H.  Boase  on  Courting  Display  of  the  Golden  Eye  on  Salt 
Water,  in  British  Birds  for  August. 

In  Man  for  July,  Dr!  Julian  Moscheles  writes  ‘ On  the  Late-Quatern- 
ary History  of  Scandinavia,’  and  endeavours  to  correlate  the  deposits 
there  with  those  of  the  ‘ Scotland  Alps.’ 

Mr.  H.  Donisthorpe  describes  three  additions  to  the  British  list  of 
Coleoptera,  and  the  Myrmecophiles  found  with  A can  thorny  ops  ( Donis - 
thorpea)  hrunneus  Latr.  in  Britain,  in  The  Entomologist’s  Record  for 
September. 

Mr.  C.  L.  Withycombe  writes  on  ‘ The  Biology  of  some  British 
Neuroptera  ; W.  J.  Lucas  on  ‘ British  Orthoptera  ; H.  W.  Dobson  on 
The  Two  Years’  Life-cycle  of  Chrysomela  fastuosa  Scop.,  to  The  Entomo- 
logist for  July. 

British  Birds  for  July  contains  ‘ The  Migrations  of  the  Herring-Gull 
and  Lesser  Black-backed  Gull,’  by  A.  L.  Thomson  ; ‘ Courting  Display 

of  the  Fulmar,’  by  H.  Boase,  and  ‘ The  Light  and  Dark-breasted  Brent 
Geese,’  by  Rev.  F.  C.  R.  Jourdain. 

In  Man  for  August,  Mr.  Miles  C.  Burkett  figures  two  hint  axes  of 
obvious  Danish  origin,  and  his  descriptions  clearly  indicate  that  their 
English  ’ origin  is  out  of  the  question.  But  why  head  the  note  ' A 
Danish  Type  of  Axe  in  England.’  Such  a heading  can  only  mislead. 

The  Scottish  Naturalist,  No.  147,  contains  ‘ The  Egg-laying  Vagaries 
of  Birds,’  by  the  Editor  ; ‘ Roosting  Habits  of  Lanarkshire  Rooks,’  by 

W.  Stewart  ; ‘ Observations  on  the  Swift,’  by  J.  K.  Nash  ; and  ' The 

Distribution  of  the  Ox  Warble  Flies  in  Scotland,’  by  R.  S.  MacDougall. 

Among  the  many  papers  in  The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist 
tor  July  are  ‘ Lepidoptera  for  1922-23,’  by  W.  Mansbridge  ; ‘ The 

Ink-cap  Fungus,’  ‘The  Genus  Claytonia  in  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,’  by 
A.  A.  Dallman  ; ‘ Birds  of  Adder  ley  Edge,’  by  E.  W.  Flendy  ; ‘ Pyralides 
of  Lancashire  and  Cheshire,’  by  J.  F.  G.  Wynne,  etc. 

The,  Geological  Magazine  for  July  contains  ‘ The  West  Cumberland 
Brockram,’  by  Dr.  Bernard  Smith  ; ‘ The  Flint  Flakings  of  the  Wey- 

bourne  Crag,’  by  S.  H.  Warren  ; ‘ New  Fossil  Echinoidea  from  Jamaica,’ 
by  H.  L.  Hawkins  ; ‘ A Further  Study  of  the  Nomenclature  of  Rocks,’ 

by  A.  K.  Wells,  and  ‘ The  Gravels  of  the  Great  Ouse  Basin,’  by  J.  T. 
Banton . 


Naturalist 


News  from  the  Magazines. 


317 


Vol.  IV-.,  No.  1.,  of  The  Hastings  and  East  Sussex  Naturalist  is  almost 
entirely  occupied  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Butterfield’s  useful  ‘ Notes  on  the  Local 
Fauna,  Flora,  and  Meteorology  for  1923.’  There  is  a portrait  of  Mr. 
Butterfield  as  frontispiece. 

The  summer  number  of  The  Geographical  Teacher  contains  ‘ British 
Climate  in  Historic  Times,  II.,’  by  Sir  Richard  Gregory  ; ‘ The  Teaching 
of  Geography  in  Elementary  Schools,’  by  E.  Young  ; and  the  Liverpool 
Regional  Survey  Association. 

‘ The  Badger  : its  Habits  and  Life  History,’  by  H.  M.  Batten  ; ‘ The 
Frit  Fly  and  its  Relation  to  the  Yield  of  Oats,’  by  N.  Cunliffe  ; and 
‘ Apple  and  Pear  Scab,’  by  E.  S.  Salmon  and  W.  M.  Ware,  appear  in 
The  Journal  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  September. 

‘ Notes  on  the  Brya  of  the  District,’  by  J.  A.  Wheldon  ; ‘ Local 

Pyralides,’  by  J.  F.  G.  Wynne  ; ‘ Disappearing  Plants  in  Cheshire,  by 
W.  Plant,  and  ‘ A Sketch  of  Kersall  Moor,’  by  J.  Cosmo  Melvill,  occur 
in  The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist,  Vol.  XVI.,  No.  5. 

In  The  Wiltshire  Archceological  and  Natural  History  Magazine,  Mr. 
E.  H.  Stone  gives  a scientific  and  well-illustrated  account  of  what  he 
considers  to  have  been  ‘ The  Method  of  Erecting  the  Stones  of  Stonehenge.  ’ 
In  the  same  journal  Mr.  R.  C.  C.  Clay  gives  a description  of  a remarkable 
‘ Early  Iron  Age  Site  on  Fifield  Bavant  Down.’ 

The  Summer  number  of  Bird  Notes  and  News  is  a particularly  at- 
tractive issue.  There  are  important  contributions  on  Bird  Protection 
viewed  Imperially  and  Nationally  ; the  work  of  the  Royal  Society  for 
the  Protection  of  Birds  ; The  Oil  Menace  (to  which  many  of  our  con- 
tributors supply  facts),  and  Economic  Ornithology. 

We  learn  from  Nature  that  on  June  22,  1664,  at  the  Royal  Society, 

' the  dog,  that  had  a piece  of  his  skin  cut  off  [for  grafting  purposes],  being 
inquired  after,  and  the  operator  answering  that  it  had  run  away,  it  was 
ordered  that  another  should  be  provided  against  the  next  meeting  for 
the  like  experiment,  Dr.  Williams  and  Dr.  Charleton  to  have  the  better 
care . ’ 

We  are  glad  to  find  that  many  of  the  features  of  The  Naturalist  are 
being  copied  by  our  contemporary  The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist. 
We  are  also  pleased  to  observe  that  our  journal  inspires  so  many  of  the 
notes  appearing  therein.  After  saying  this  we  may  be  pardoned  if  we 
congratulate  the  editor  upon  his  July  issue,  which  we  believe  is  the  best 
he  has  ever  produced. 

Among  the  contents  of  The  New  Phytologist,  issued  July  23rd,  are 
‘ Some  factors  governing  bud -formation, ’ by  F.  Summers  ; ‘ The  Cera- 
midium  of  Polysiphonia,’  by  R.  W.  Phillips  ; ‘ Periodicity  of  Leaf -form 
on  Teraxacum  officinale,’  by  B.  M.  Griffiths  ; ‘ Cell-wall  in  the  Radicle 

of  Vida  faba  and  the  shape  of  the  Meristematic  cells,’  by  R.  M.  Tupper- 
Carey  and  J.  H.  Priestley  ; and  ‘Abnormal  Flower  of -the  Honeysuckle,’ 
by  R.  H.  McCrea. 

In  The  Journal  of  Conchology  for  July,  Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor  refers  to  ‘ The 
Significance  of  the  Internal  Convolutions  and  Shell  Structure  in  the 
genus  Milax,  with  remarks  upon  the  Hyperstrophic  Inversion,’  and  Mr. 
A.  E.  Ellis  gives  a list  of  the  ‘ Mollusca  of  Flamborough.  ’ In  his  notes 
Mr.  Ellis  states  he  has  ‘ not  been  able  to  find  any  reference  to  the  mol- 
lusks  ’ of  this  area.  It  seems  a pity  he  did  not  look  in  the  usual  channels. 

In  No.  721  of  The  Entomologist’s  Monthly  Magazine,  Mr.  J.  V. 
Pearman  describes  two  Psocids  new  to  Britain  ; F.  V.  Theobald  describes 
New  and  little  known  British  Aphides  ; and  in  No.  722  of  the  same 
journal  Mr.  G.  B.  Walsh  refers  to  the  Passage  of  Apterous  insect  parasites 
etc.,  from  host  to  host,  and  Mr.  W.  S.  Bristowe  describes  ‘ A Bee -eating 
Dragon-fly  and  a Spider-eating  Asilid  Fly.’  Mr.  Theobald’s  paper  in- 
cludes descriptions  of  Myzus  vaccinii  n.sp.,  found  on  V accinium  vitis- 
idwa  at  Penistone  by  Mr.  Dallman  ; and  Aphis  dallmani  n.sp.,  also 
found  by  Mr.  Dallman,  on  Agrymonia  eupatoria,  near  Doncaster. 


1924  Oct.  1 


318 


Northern  News. 


‘ The  Suggested  Relationships  of  Psychides,’  by  Rev.  C.  R.  N. 
Burrows,  and  ‘ Cumberland  Coccinellidse, ’ by  T.  F.  Marriner,  are  in 
The  Entomologist’ s Record  for  June. 

Discovery  emulates  its  now  departed  fellow -trumpeter,  The  Country 
Side,  in  its  desire  to  impress  its  readers  with  its  true  value,  and  prefaces 
a column  of  appeals  for  more  support  by  the  subtle  statement  that  it 
‘ enjoys  the  support  of  the  most  intelligent  reading  public  in  the  king- 
dom.' And  yet  it  does  not  get  the  modest  £500  asked  for  ; perhaps  the 
readers  are  the  most  intelligent  ! 

‘ Natural  History,’  the  journal  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  New  York,  January  to  February,  1924,  is  an  extremely  charming 
number  because  of  the  many  fine  illustrations  which  it  contains  regarding 
natural  history  in  Australia.  We  cannot  afford  such  scientific  luxuries 
in  this  poor  country,  says  Science  Progress,  and  if  we  could  afford  the 
money  we  would  not  spend  it  in  this  way,  but  on  sports  and  kinemato- 
graphs.  There  are  some  beautiful  photographs  of  Australian  mammals, 
birds  and  reptiles,  and  of  the  great  barrier  reef  of  Australia,  the  geyser 
region  of  New  Zealand,  and  the  Taos  Indians. 

Among  the  contents  of  the  last  issue  of  The  South-Eastern  Naturalist 
we  notice  ‘Antipodean  Flora’  (Presidential  Address),  Dr.  A.  Hill; 
‘ Vitamins,’  by  Mr.  F.  W.  F.  Arnaud  ; ‘ The  Fungus  Root,’  by  Mr.  R. 
Paulson  ; ‘ Prehistoric  Man  in  Kent,’  by  Mr.  R.  A.  Smith  ; ‘ Some 
Common  Garden  Plants,’  by  Sir  David  Prain  ; ‘ The  Sciences  and  the 
Humanities,’  by  Mr.  F.  V.  Branford  ; ‘ Recent  Advances  and  Dis- 

coveries in  Insect  Mimicry,’  Prof.  E.  B.  Boulton.  As  we  understand 
there  is  to  be  a change  in  the  editorship,  we  will  refrain  from  quoting 
some  of  the  usual  editorial  tit-bits  in  this  issue. 

: o : 

NORTHERN  NEWS. 

Prof.  J.  B.  Baillie  has  been  appointed  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  Leeds 
University,  in  succession  to  Sir  Michael  Sadler. 

Mr.  Horace  Donisthorpe  favours  us  with  reprints  of  his  Myrmeco- 
philous  Notes  for  1923  and  other  interesting  matter. 

The  Seventy-fifth  Annual  Report  of  the  Ipswich  Museum  contains  a 
record  of  many  valuable  acquisitions,  especially  to  the  Christchurch 
Mansion. 

We  should  like  to  congratulate  our  contributor,  Mr.  H.  B.  Booth, 
on  being  appointed  judge  for  wool  at  the  recent  Royal  Agricultural 
Show  at  Leicester. 

The  collection  of  reprints  of  geological  papers,  consisting  of  over 
3000  items,  formed  by  the  late  Prof.  G.  A.  J.  Cole,  has  been  forwarded 
bo  the  University  of  Liverpool. 

Temple  Newsam  was  the  scene  of  the  Haworth  Ramblers’  Excursion 
on  August  30th,  and  the  familiar  circular  gives  interesting  facts  relating 
to  the  latest  museum  for  Leeds. 

An  excellently  coloured  plate  of  Comfrey,  which  has  been  specially 
painted  for  the  work,  appears  as  frontispiece  to  Part  VIII.  of  Hutchin- 
son’s ' Trees  and  Flowers,’  is.  3d.  net. 

A ‘ Central  Correlating  Committee  for  the  Protection  of  Nature  ’ has 
been  formed,  the  Hon.  Secretary  being  Dr.  G.  F.  H.  Smith,  of  the 
Natural  History  Museum,  South  Kensington. 

Mr.  W.  M.  Webb  recently  gave  a lecture  and  demonstration  on  ‘ The 
Cinematograph  and  Education,’  during  the  Vacation  Course  arranged  by 
the  West  Riding  Education  Committee  at  Bingley. 

Mr.  R.  J.  Welch  contributes  an  article  on  ‘ The  Sinking  of  Southern 
England  and  Ireland  ’ to  The  Belfast  News-Letter  of  August  28th.  It  is 
illustrated  by  some  of  Mr.  Welch’s  beautiful  photographs. 

Mr.  L.  Hawkes  favours  us  with  a copy  of  his  paper  on  Calcareous 


Naturalist 


Northern  News. 


319 


" Rings  ’ found  in  Glacial  Clays.  Happily,  Mr.  Hawkes  is  a geologist, 
•and  we  are  not  asked,  therefore,  to  accept  these  ‘ rings  ' as  bracelets  worn 
by  Glacial  woman. 

The  Report  of  the  Earthworks  Committee  issued  by  the  Congress 
of  Archaeological  Societies,  for  1923,  records  that  ‘ In  the  laying  out  of  a 
building  estate  near  Victoria  Park  Mount,  Scarborough,  a tumulus  has 
been  removed,  but  under  competent  authority.’ 

Young  and  Bird’s  Ammonites  scarburgensis  from  the  ' second  shale,’ 
Scarborough,  is  figured  in  Buckman’s  ‘ Type  Ammonites,’  part  XLVII., 
as  Scarburgiceras  scarburgense  ; and  the  same  author’s  A.  maximus,  from 
Pickering,  appears  as  Arisphinctes  maximus. 

We  regret  to  see  the  announcement  of  the  death  of  W.  R.  Ogilvie- 
Grant,  Keeper  of  Ornithology  at  the  British  Museum  (Natural  History), 
South  Kensington.  He  was  formerly  Assistant  to  Dr.  Bowdler  Sharp, 
and  was  a promiennt  member  of  the  British  Ornithological  Union. 

We  notice  the  announcement  of  the  retirement  of  Mr.  H.  Ling  Roth, 
who  for  24  years  has  been  Curator  of  the  Bankfield  Museum,  Halifax, 
which  reflects  in  its  collections  the  great  interest  Mr.  Ling  Roth  has  had 
in  ethnographical  specimens,  particularly  those  relating  to  weaving.  Mr. 
Ling  Roth  is  the  author  of  many  well-known  works  on  ethnology  and 
history. 

Prof.  R.  Newstead  gives  an  excellent  ‘ Report  on  the  Excavations 
on  the  Site  of  the  Roman  Camp,  at  the  Deanery  Field,  Chester,’  in  The 
Annals  of  Archceology  and  Anthropology , recently  issued  by  the  University 
of  Liverpool.  Under  ‘ Animal  Remains,’  the  mussel  and  cockle  are 
mentioned,  ox  ( longifrons  type),  sheep  or  goat,  red  deer,  pig  or  wild 
boar,  horse,  cat,  dog,  domestic  fowl,  and  possibly  pheasant  and  duck. 

For  the  nominal  sum  of  one  penny,  the  National  Museum  of  Wales 
.has  issued  a pamphlet  dealing  with  ‘ The  Coals  of  South  Wales  (Notes 
on  an  Exhibit  in  the  Department  of  Geology),’  by  F.  J.  North,  D.Sc. 
It  is  well  illustrated  with  maps  and  diagrams,  and  both  the  Museum 
and  author  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  producing  such  an  interesting 
publication  at  so  low  a figure. 

Part  XL.  of  Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries  is  devoted  to 
illustrations  and  descriptions  of  Butterflies  and  Moths.  It  contains  an 
excellent  coloured  plate  of  British  Butterflies  which  we  notice  includes 
a ‘ Small  Capper  ’ (sic).  Part  7 of  the  same  publisher’s  companion  work 
on  Trees  and  Flowers  has  some  admirable  illustrations  of  the  Red  Cen- 
taury, Wild  Carrot,  Catchfly,  Celandine,  Celery,  Chamomile,  Charlock, 
Cherry,  Chestnut,  Chickweed,  etc. 

The  September  issue  of  a scientific  contemporary  has  an  editorial 
on  the  ‘ Broad-bellied  Purple  Peril  ’ (chars -a-banc) , or  as  it  is  there  called, 
charabancs,  in  the  Doone  Valley;  on  the  necessity  for  more  sub- 
scribers ; Measuring  the  Universe  ; Photographing  Wild  Elephants  ; 
Alchemy  in  Islam  ; Shooting  the  Wind  ; Power  from  the  Poles  ; Scottish 
Humour,  and  other  scientific  subjects.  The  editor  informs  us  that  this 
last  ‘ most  dangerous  subject  is  boldly  treated  by  the  author.’ 

The  Leeds  Mercury  for  July  17th  has  an  illustration  of  a tree  of  stone, 
said  to  be  a remarkable  relic  of  the  ‘ amphibian  age  ’ (whatever  that  may 
be),  which  was  recently  discovered  in  a quarry  at  Batley  Carr,  at  a 
depth  of  40  to  50  ft.  from  the  surface.  The  fossil  is  about  5 ft.  high 
and  ft.  in  diameter,  the  roots  spreading  out  nearly  5 ft.  The  trunk 
is  in  a perpendicular  position,  but  is  cut  horizontally  into  slabs,  which 
have  been  slightly  displaced  by  earth  movement.  The  specimen  has 
been  offered  to  the  Batley  Museum. 

We  learn  from  one  of  the  illustrated  daily  papers  that  a certain 
prehistorian  is  only  forty-five  years  of  age,  ‘ and  did  not  get  interested 
in  archaeology  till  he  was  approaching  the  thirties.  He  was  playing 
golf  one  day  on  the  Ipswich  links  when  his  partner,  a local  architect  and 
antiquarian,  stopped  now  and  again  to  pick  up  and  examine  stones . The 


1924  Oct.  1 


320 


Northern  News. 


golf  suffered  some  interruption,  but  he  received  his  first  lesson  on  fossils, 
and  was  so  interested  that  he  took  the  subject  up  for  himself.  This  seems 
a pity,  as  golf  is  quite  a good  game  ! 

The  press  the  other  day  recorded  a ‘ Find  of  Giant  Bones.”  ‘ Bones 
dragged  up  by  a trawler  from  the  sea  bottom  about  ten  miles  off  Brighton 
are  suggested  to  be  the  remains  of  a prehistoric  monster  that  lived  in  the 
distant  ages  when  England  and  the  Continent  were  joined  by  dry  land. 
They  are  to  be  brought  to  the  notice  of  a British  Museum  expert  to-day.' 
We  have  not  heard  the  British  Museum  expert’s  opinion,  but  we  presume 
it  will  be  that  the  remains  are  of  an  animal  ‘ very  like  a whale.’ 

We  have  received  the  excellent  Report  of  the  Dove  Marine  Labora- 
tory, Cullercoats,  Northumberland  (New  Series,  No.  XI.),  edited  by 
Prof.  A.  Meek.  The  editor  writes  on  Trawling  Experiments,  Salinity  of 
Inshore  Waters,  Tyne  Pollution,  Effect  of  Temperature  on  Growth  of 
Young  Blennies,  and  a New  Species  of  Euteropneusta  from  the  North 
Sea.  B.  Storrow  and  Dorothy  Cowan  write  on  Herring  Investigations, 
and  F.  W.  Flattely  on  A New  Variety  of  Pleurocryta  galathecs  from  the 
Northumberland  Coast.  There  are  also  some  faunistic  notes. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Hull  Scientific  and  Field  Naturalists’ 
Club  was  held  recently.  The  annual  report  indicated  that  a year  of 
satisfactory  work  had  been  accomplished  in  spite  of  the  abnormal  un- 
settled weather  conditions  that  had  prevaled.  The  Treasurer’s  statement 
showed  that  financially  the  society  was  in  a sound  condition.  The  officers 
for  the  coming  year  were  elected  : — President,  Mr.  W.  H.  Arnott  ; Vice- 
president,  Mr.  B.  Cook  ; Hon.  Secretaries,  Mr.  E.  W.  C.  Kidder  and  Mr.  T. 
Stainforth  ; Hon.  Treasurer,  Mrs.  B.  Cook  ; Lanternist,  Mr.  C.  W.  Mason. 

A certain  ‘ prehistorian  ’ in  his  own  account  of  his  own  excavations 
at  Cromer,  printed  in  The  Times,  begins  : ‘ At  a very  remote  period, 

possibly  500,000  years  ago,  the  present  land  surface  represented  by  the 
beach  and  foreshore  at  Cromer  was  inhabited  by  races  of  early  palaeolithic 
people.  If  it  were  possible  for  any  of  these  ancient  men  to  revisit  the 
Cromer  area  they  would  see  nothing  in  the  existing  configuration  of 
the  land  to  remind  them  of  their  former  habitation.’  It  is  perhaps  as 
well  such  a visit  is  not  possible,  as  these  early  men,  quite  apart  from 
warning  us  against  the  extravagant  use  of  dates,  would  probably  upset 
many  ‘ results  of  researches.’ 

In  a recent  issue  of  The  Belfast  Telegraph  is  an  interesting  account 
of  a visit  by  the  Belfast  Naturalists’  Club  to  Beanna  Boirche — the 
beautiful  mountains  of  Mourne.  ‘ Augmented  by  members  staying  at 
Newcastle,  and  those  who  came  in  their  own  motors,  the  party  numbered 
1 12  members  and  visitors.’  That  seems  quite  cheering,  but  when  we  read 
that  ‘ This  was  probably  the  largest  full-day  excursion  ever  made  by  a 
British  or  Irish  Field  Club,’  we  must  protest.  The  day  the  newspaper 
arrived,  the  writer  saw  quite  as  many  naturalists  from  a certain  York- 
shire Town,  and  to  his  knowledge  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union 
Union  frequently  reaches  that  number,  and  has  been  known  to  double  it. 

In  his  Nature  Notes  appearing  in  the  Shrewsbury  Chronicle  recently, 
Mr.  H.  E.  Forrest  writes  : ‘ The  following  paragraph,  received  from  a 

newspaper  reporter  at  Rhyl,  has  been  sent  on  to  me  by  Mr.  T.  Sheppard, 
Editor  of  The  Naturalist  ’ : — ” A Nightingale  was  heard  in  the  woods  at 
Cwm,  in  the  Vale  of  Clwyd,  Flintshire,  on  Sunday  evening,  July  20th  : 
the  bird  was  heard  singing  beautifully  for  upwards  of  half  an  hour.  It 
is  many  years  since  the  Nightingale  has  been  heard  in  this  district,  as 
it  seldom  gets  so  far  north.”  Such  a statement  as  the  above  cannot  be 
accepted  unless  confirmed  by  a skilled  ornithologist.  It  is  altogether 
improbable  for  two1'  reasons.  Firstly,  the  district  is  quite  outside  the 
ordinary  range  of  the  Nightingale.  Secondly,  the  date  is  far  too  late. 
The  Nightingale  sings  from  the  date  of  arrival — towards  the  end  of  April 
— until  the  brood  is  hatched,  about  the  end  of  May.  After  that  it  does 
not  sing  at  all.’ 


Naturalist 


British  Waders 

ILLUSTRATED  IN  WATER-COLOUR 
WITH  DESCRIPTIVE  NOTES  BY 

E.  C.  ARNOLD 

With  51  coloured  plates 
Demy  4to.  - 70s  net 

Limited  edition  of  50  signed  and 
numbered  copies  on  hand-made 
paper,  of  which  45  copies  are  for 
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The  CAMBRIDGE  University  Press 
Fetter  Lane  - - London,  E.C.4 


The  EARLY  HISTORY 
of  the  NORTH  RIDING 

By  WM.  EDWARDS,  M.A. 

Demy  \to  (9" Xii^") , 283  pages,  with  16  plates,  frontispiece  in  sepia,  and 
Map  of  the  North  Riding  at  end.  Full  cloth  10/-  net.  Edition  de  luxe, 
full  leather,  gilt  top,  21/-  net. 

Contents  : — I.  Prehistoric  Times — II.  The  Romans — III.  The  Anglican 
Kingdom  of  Northumbria  — IV.  Pre-Conquest  Monasteries  — V.  The 
Northmen — VI.  The  Norman  Conquest  and  Settlement — VII.  Political 
History  under  the  Normans  and  Early  Plantagenets — VIII.  The  Feudal 
System — IX.  The  Barons — X.  North  Riding  Castles — -XI.  Thomas,  Earl 
of  Lancaster— XII . The  Danger  from  the  Scots— XIII.  The  Foundation 
of  the  Religious  Houses  (I.) — XIV.  The  Foundation  of  the  Religious 
Houses  (II.)— XV.  The  Life  and  Work  of  the  Monks— XVI.  The  Wealth 
and  Power  of  the  Religious  Houses — XVII.  Churches  and  Chantries  in 
the  Middle  Ages— XVIII.  Town  Life  in  the  Middle  Ages — XIX.  Country 
Life  in  the  Middle  Ages — XX.  The  Forests — XXI.  Early  Yorkshire  Pedi- 
grees— Index  of  Place  Names  ; Index  of  Personal  Names  ; Index  of  Subjects. 

The  Manchester  Guardian  says  : — “This  is  a readable,  popular  history  from  the  New 
, Stone  Age  to  the  fifteenth  century,  with  chapters  on  the  feudal  system,  on  the  num- 
erous monasteries  in  the  district,  and  on  the  daily  life  of  monk  and  layman  in  the 
Middle  Ages.  In  the  period  to  which  it  relates  the  Riding  was  the  scene  of  many 
foreign  invasions  and  of  much  civil  war,  and  the  author’s  object  has  been  to  show  the 
relation  of  the  local  history  to  that  of  the  nation.  The  volume  contains  many  illus- 
trations^ and  the  price  is  astonishingly  low  for  so  handsome  a work.” 

London:  A.  BROWN  & SONS,  Ltd.,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.4 

AND  AT  HULL  AND  YORK 


WATKINS  & DONCASTER 

NATURALISTS, 

36.  STRAND.  LONDON.  W.C.2 

(Five  Doors  from  Charing  Cross), 

Keep  in  stock  every  description  of 

APPARATUS,  CABINETS,  BOOKS  & SPECIMENS, 

for  Collectors  of 

BIRDS’  EGGS,  BUTTERFLIES,  MOTHS,  Etc. 

Catalogue  (96  pages)  sent  post  free  on  application. 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 


MEMBERS  WHO  HAVE  NOT  YET  PAID  THEIR 
SUBSCRIPTION  FOR  1924  are  reminded  that  this  became 
due  on  JANUARY  1st.  ITS  PROMPT  PAYMENT  NOT 
ONLY  ENABLES  the  LIABILITIES  of  the  UNION  to  be 

met  as  they  become  due,  but  eases  the  work  of  its  Honorary 
Officials,  besides  saving  expense. 

PAYMENT  should  be  made  IMMEDIATELY  to 

E.  HAWKESWORTH, 

Cross  Gates,  Leeds, 

Hon.  Treasurer. 

W.  F,  H.  ROSENBERG 

IMPORTER  OF  EXOTIC  ZOOLOGICAL  SPECIMENS 

57  HAVERSTOCK  HILL,  LONDON,  N.W.3,  ENGLAND, 
and  at  25  Cromwell  Place,  S.W.7., 

Begs  to  announce  the  publication  of  a new  Price  List  of  Birds’  Eggs,  including 
about  700  species  from  various  parts  of  the  world. 

This  List  will  be  mailed  free  on  application,  as  will  the  following  : — Birds’ 
Skins  (5,500  species),  Lepidoptera,  with  supplement  (8,000  species),  Apparatus 
and  Natural  History  Requisites. 

New  Price  Lists  of  Mammals,  Reptiles,  Fishes,  etc.,  are  in  course  of  pre- 
paration. All  Museums  and  Price  Collectors  should  write  for  these  lists. 

All  specimens  sent  on  approval. 

Kindly  state  which  Lists  are  required  and  give  name  of  this  Periodical. 


Issued  Monthly,  illustrated  with  Plates  and  Text  Figures. 

To  Subscribers,  IS/-  per  annum,  post  free. 

The  Scottish  Naturalist 

With  which  is  incorporated  **  The  Annals  of  Scottish  Natural  History.” 

A Monthly  Magazine  devoted  to  Zoology. 

Edited  by  James  Ritchie,  M.A.,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.E.,  Keeper  Natural  History 
Dept.  Royal  Scottish  Museum  ; William  Evans,  F.R.S.E.,  Member  of  the 
British  Ornithologists'  Union  ; and  Percy  H.  Grimshaw,  F.R.S.E.,  F.E.S., 
Assistant-Keeper , Natural  History  Dept.,  Royal  Scottish  Museum.  Assisted  by 
Evelyn  V.  Baxter,  H.M.B.O.U. ; Leonora  J.  Rintoul,  H.M.B.O.U.  ; Hugh  S. 
Gladstone,  M.A.,  F.R.S.E.,  F.Z.S.  ; W.  Eagle  Clarke,  I.S.O.,  LL.D. 

EDINBURGH— OLIVER  & BOYD,  TWEEDALE  COURT. 

LONDON— GURNEY  & JACKSON  33,  PATERNOSTER  ROW. 


Printed  by  A.  Brown  6c  Sons,  Ltd.,  40  George  Street,  Hull,  and  published  by 
A.  Brown  8c  Sons,  Ltd.,  at  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  in  the  City  of  London. 

Oct.,  1924. 


NOV.,  1924. 


No.  814 

No.  588  of  current  Series 


A MONTHLY  ILLUSTRATED  JOURNAL 

PRINCIPALLY  FOR  THE  NORTH  OF  ENGLAND. 


EDITED  BY 

F.G.S.,  F.R.G.S .,  F.S.A.Scot., 


T.  SHEPPARD,  M.Sc 

The  Museums , Hull 

and  T.  W.  WOODHEAD, 

Technical  College, 

WITH  THE  ASSISTANCE  AS  REFEREES 

G.  T.  PORRITT, 

JOHN  W.  TAYLOR,  M.Sc. 

Contents 

Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — The  Bool 

of  the  Birds  ; Prehistoric  Find  at  Withernsea  ; British  Flowering 
, Plants  ; Lincolnshire  Notes  and  Queries  ; Manx  Birds  ; A Taxider- 
mist’s Advertisement  ; Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  Sixpence  Each 
Northumberland  Naturalists  ; The  Biological  Foundations  of 
Society  ; Tales  from  Nature’s  Wonderland  ...  :.. 

Yorkshire  Tipulids — Chris . A . Cheetham 

The  Lower  Carboniferous  Succession  in  the  Settle  District — W . S 

Bisat,  F.G.S. 

Additions  to  the  Yorkshire  Diptera  List — Chris.  A . Cheetham 
Sections  Exposed  in  a Boring  at  Hessle,  E.  Yorks. — J . W.  Stathef 

F.G.S 

Acmaea  testudinalis  (Muller)  var.  albida  nov.  var. — Hans  Schlesch, 

M.A.S.  ...  

Yorkshire  Bryologists  at  Holmbridge — F.  E.  Mi  Isom',  B.Sc. 
Mycologists  at  Sheffield — A.  E.  Peck  ...  ...  ...  ... 

Y.N.U.  : Annual  Meeting  of  the  Botanical  Section — C.  A.  C. 
Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Scarthingwell  Park — W.  H . Pearsall,  D .Sc. 

F.L.S.,  and  F.  A.  Mason,  F.R.M.S 

Yorkshire  Naturalists  in  Teesdale — W.  H.  Pearsall,  D.Sc.,  F.L.S. 

and  F.  A.  Mason,  F.R.M.S,  ...  ... 

Correspondence  : — Hymenoptera  on  Allerthorpe  Common 
News  from  the  Magazines  ...  ...  ...  ...  326,  332,  335,  342 

Field  Notes  : — Whiskered  Bat  at  Scarborough  ; Beetles  and  Stinkhorn 
New  British  Moss  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  326 

Reviews  and  Book  Notices  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  341 

Northern  News 

Illustrations  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  321,  3-23,  325,  334 


321-326 

327-328 

329-331 

332 

333-335 

336 

336 

337-341 

342 

343-345 

346-350 
350 
345.  352 

33L  350 
35L  352 
328,  352 
337.  33F 


LONDON : 

A.  Brown  & Sons,  Limited,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.  4. 

And  at  Hull  and  York. 

Printers  and  Publishers  to  the  Y.N.U. 


Price  1/6  net.  Prepaid  Subscription  15/-  per  annum. 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION. 


COMMITTEE  OF  SUGGESTIONS. 

A Meeting  will  be  held  in  the  Botanical  Department  of  the  Leeds 
University  on  November  12th,  at  6 p.m.,  to  receive  the  Sub-Com- 
mittee’s report  and  to  decide  on  the  stations  for  the  Rivers  In- 
vestigation. All  interested  in  this  subject  are  invited  to  attend, 
whether  members  of  the  Committee  or  not. 

Chris.  A.  Cheetham. 


BOOKS  WANTED. 

Alford  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Bath  Field  Nat.  and  Arch.  Soc.  Vols.  VIII. -XI. 

Brighton  and  Sussex  Natural  History  Society  Reports,  1870,  1872-3. 

Burnley  Lit.  and  Sci.  Soc.  Parts  8,  13,  14,  16,  17 , 18,  20,  21,  23,  24,  25. 
Chester  Soc.  Nat.  Science  : Ann.  Reports,  i.-iv. 

Cleveland  Lit.  & Phil.  Soc.  Trans.  Science  Section  or  others. 

Croydon  Nat.  Soc.  6th  Report. 

Dudley  and  Midland  Geol.  etc.,  Soc.  Vols.  II. -IV. 

Discovery.  (Liverpool,  4to).  1891. 

Derby  Arch,  and  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Part  21. 

Devonshire  Assoc.  Adv.  Science.  Vols.  I.,  II.,  III. 

Dublin  Geol.  Soc.  Vol.  I.,  pt.  1,  1830?  ; Vol.  VII.,  parts  1-3  (or  complete 
Vols.).  1855. 

Eastbourne  Naturalist  (1  part). 

Eastbourne  Nat.  Hist.  Soc.  Vols.  II. -III.  (or  parts),  and  part  6 of  new  series. 
Frizinghall  Naturalist.  (Lithographed).  Vol.  I.,  and  part  1 of  Vol.  II. 
Geol.  and  Nat.  Hist.  Repository,  Mackie’s.  Vols.  II.,  III. 

Geol.  Assoc.  Proc.  Vol.  I.,  Part  1. 

Geol.  Soc.,  London,  Trans.  2nd  ser.,  Vol.  VL,  and  Pts.  1-3  of  Vol.  VII  (or  Vol.)  . 
Geological  Magazine,  1894. 

Huddersfield  Arch,  and  Topog.  Society.  1st  Report,  1865-1866.  (38  pp.). 

Illustrated  Scientific  News.  1902-4.  (Set). 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVI. 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3.  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV..  XVL,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists'  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 

Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  and  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  Vol.  V.  to  date  (or  parts). 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith's  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

Tweddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 

Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 

A fip /y— Editor'.  The  Museum,  Hull. 


321 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

THE  BOOK  OF  BRADFORD  * 

is  the  title  of  an  excellent  handbook  which  has  been  prepared 
in  connexion  with  the  ninety-second  annual  meeting  of  the 
British  Medical  Association.  It  contains  thirty  chapters, 
dealing  with  various  aspects  of  the  history  of  Bradford,  from 
Prehistoric  times,  Roman,  Anglian,  Danish,  Norman,  Tudor 
and  more  recent  periods.  There  are  chapters  on  various 
industries,  Coal,  Iron,  Tanning,  etc.  ; others  on  the  Geology, 
Botany,  Fauna,  Arachnida,  Learned  Societies,  and  then 
follow  articles  on  the  Infirmary,  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital, 
Children’s  Hospital  and  other  items  of  more  general  interest 
to  the  Congress.  The  editor  is  Dr.  J.  Hambley  Rowe,  who  is 
responsible  for  several  articles,  and  other  familiar  names  of 
contributors  are  Villey,  Maltby,  Wroot,  Rhodes,  Winter,  etc. 
There  are  several  illustrations,  and  we  hope  that  it  is  only 
an  accident  that  that  of  the  ‘ Old  Grammar  School  ’ appears 
as  a tail  piece  to  the  chapter  on  Tanning  ! Altogether  it  is  a 
very  creditable  production. 


It  has  been  said  that  poets  lack  wits  ; 

Musicians,  sense  of  harmony. 

Fain  would  I ask,  then,  how  it  fits, 

That  Walter  Garstang,  lacking  wits,f 
Can  write  his  verse  so  charmingly? 

PREHISTORIC  FIND  AT  WITHERNSEA. 

Under  the  above  heading  the  following  paragraph  recently 
appeared  in  a Hull  paper,  and  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  that 

* W.  H.  Brocklehurst,  246  pp. 

f ‘Songs  of  the  Birds,’  by  Prof.  W.  Garstang  (John  Lane,  115  pp. 
6/-),  has  reached  a second  edition.  The  book  is  illustrated  by  J.  A. 
Shepherd’s  inimitable  sketches,  one  of  which  appears  as  the  heading  to 
this  note,  by  permission. 


1924  Nov.  1 


T 


322 


Notes  and  Comments. 


the  ‘ fossilised  head  ’ turns  out  to  be  part  of  the  skull  of  a 
young,  and  quite  modern,  whale  : — ‘ What  is  believed  to  be 
the  fossilised  head,  or  part  of  the  head,  of  a prehistoric  animal 
was  picked  up  on  the  beach  at  Withernsea  by  Mr.  Arthur 
Turner,  painter,  of  Park  Avenue,  son  of  Councillor  A.  J. 
Turner.  Mr.  Turner  was  strolling  on  the  beach  this  week 
when  he  sat  down  on  what  appeared  to  be  a big  stone,  partly 
covered  with  sand.  Noticing  there  was  a hole  in  it,  he  scooped 
the  sand  away,  and  found  it  was  a fossilised  skull.  Apparently 
the  find  is  part  of  the  head  of  a huge  animal,  possibly  of  the 
hippopotamus  species.  One  nostril  is  clearly  marked,  and 
there  is  the  socket  of  the  eye  and  what  appears  to  have  been 
the  ear.  The  shape  is  much  like  that  of  one  side  of  the  head 
of  a hippopotamus.  Certain  parts  do  not  bear  such  strong 
traces  of  exposure  as  others.  Councillor  Turner  expresses 
the  opinion  that  the  head  has  been  buried  in  the  cliffs,  and 
has  been  released  by  the  action  of  the  sea.  He  believes  there 
may  be  other  parts  of  the  animal  in  the  vicinity.  This  part 
of  the  head  weighs  probably  four  stones  ; at  any  rate,  it  is  as 
much  as  one  man  can  lift  without  effort/ 

BRITISH  FLOWERING  PLANTS. 

The  authorities  of  the  Natural  History  Museum,  South 
Kensington,  are  issuing  series  of  post  cards  illustrating,  in 
colour,  common  British  Flowering  Plants.  We  have  received 
series  3 and  4 (1/-  each),  recently  published,  and  they  form 
a very  attractive  collection.  Each  illustrates  five  species, 
and  is  accompanied  by  three  pages  of  letterpress.  An  intro- 
duction deals  briefly  with  the  elements  of  the  British  Flora, 
and  this  is  followed  by  a popular  account  of  each  species  in 
the  set.  The  figures  give  an  excellent  idea  of  the  plants, 
and  there  are  clear  dissections  of  flower  and  fruit  which  render 
them  especialty  helpful  to  the  student.  The  plants  illustrated 
are  : — Series  3,  Gorse,  Wild  Cherry,  Dropwort,  Wild  Straw- 
berry and  Dog  Rose  ; Series  4,  Hawthorn,  Snake’s-Head, 
Daffodil,  Flowering  Rush  and  Common  Sedge.  Of  the 
Hawthorn  it  is  said  that  ‘ the  spines  form  an  effective  pro- 
tection against  browsing  animals/  If  this  were  only  true, 
farmers  would  be  saved  much  trouble  with  their  hedgerows. 

LINCOLNSHIRE  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

After  a lapse  we  are  glad  to  find  that  Lincolnshire  Notes 
and  Queries  makes  its  re -appearance,  and  before  us  we  have 
a substantial  p^rt  issued  as  for  ‘ April  to  October,  1923  ’ 
(pp..  113-184,  4/6).  It  contains  the  usual  historical  and 
archaeological  notes  bearing  upon  the  county,  and  there  is  a 
particularly  interesting  paper  on  Roman  Remains  from  the 
Ulceby-Dexthorpe  site.  The  editor  is  R.  C.  Dudding,  F.S.A., 
the  Rector  of  Saleby,  Alford,  who  would  be  glad  to  hear  of 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments . 


323 


new  subscribers  ; otherwise  this  valuable  journal  may  have 
to  cease  publication. 

MANX  BIRDS. 

Some  years  ago  an  admirable  account  of  ‘ The  Birds  of 
the  Isle  of  Man  * was  prepared  by  P.  G.  Ralfe.  Since  then  the 


Photo ] Chough’s  Nest  in  Mine  Building.  [A.  Harrison. 


author  has  by  publication  and  note-book  kept  a record  of 
additional  occurrences,  etc.,  with  the  result  that  ‘ Supple- 
mentary Notes  to  “ The  Birds  of  the  Isle  of  Man,”  J July, 
1923  (Edinburgh  : Douglas  & Foulis,  40  pp.,  3/-),  have  now 
appeared.  All  who  possess  the  earlier  volume  will  require 
this  supplement  to  bring  the  account  of  the  Manx  avifauna 
up  to  date.  There  are  several  illustrations  from  photographs, 
one  of  which  we  are  kindly  permitted  to  reproduce. 


1924  Ncv.  1 


324 


Notes  and  Comments. 


A taxidermist’s  advertisement. 

The  editor  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  Isle  of  Wight  Natural 
History  Society,  besides,  providing  valuable  papers  on  the 
Alien  Flora,  Marine  Algae,  Birds,  and  meteorology  of  the 
Island,  and  numerous  local  natural  history  notes,  gives  the 
following  quaint  printed  advertisement,  dated  1795,  on  the 
back  of  a case  containing  a ‘ white-faced  hare,’  which  was 
thought,  when  captured,  to  have  been  a witch,  and  is  still  in 
good  condition  : — ‘ Pasted  on  the  back  of  a taxidermist’s  case 
containing  a white-faced  hare,  shot  at  Niton  in  1795,  is  a 
quaintly  worded  advertisement  in  the  form  of  a small  bill,  of 
which  the  following  is  the  wording,  the  spelling,  capitals,  and 
punctuation  being  adhered  to.  At  the  foot  of  the  printed 
bill  appears  the  date,  in  writing,  Nov.  28,  1795.  “To  the 
Curious  observer  of  Natural  Phaenomena.  T.  HALL.  Well 
known  to  the  Virtuosi,  as  the  first  Artist  in  the  World  for 
preserving  Birds  Beasts  and  all  Sorts  of  Reptiles,  to  resemble 
the  Attitude  and  Perfections  of  Life,  employ’d  by  his  Grace 
the  Duke  of  Richmond,  the  British  Museum,  Dr.  Letsom, 
and  most  of  the  Nobility  and  Gentry  in  this  Kingdom. 
Specimens  of  his  curious  Art  may  be  seen  at  his  House. 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN,  SIXPENCE  EACH. 

Opposite  the  Terrace,  City  Road,  Moorfields.  As  there  are 
many  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  who  are  partial  to  their  Birds  and 
favorite  Animals,  this  is  respectfully  to  inform  them  that 
they  may  have  their  remains  (sic)  preserved  (in  appearance 
so  near  life  as  scarcely  to  be  distinguished) , and  warranted  to 
last  beyond  expectation.  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  six  Pence 
each.  Servants  and  Children  three  pence  each.  All  Sorts  of 
Curiosities  bought  and  Sold.”  Another  label,  in  MS.,  is  also 
attached  to  the  back  of  the  case,  which  reads  : “This 
curiously  marked  hare  was  shot  on  Niton  Farm  on  Nov.  28th, 
1795,  by  Mr.  Joseph  Kirkpatrick,  of  St.  Cross,  Newport. 
She  had  been  repeatedly  coursed,  but  had  always  succeeded 
in  beating  the  greyhounds,  and  this  fact,  coupled  with  her 
strange  appearance,  led  the  Niton  people  to  believe  that  she 
was  a witch.  Dec.  1888.”  Mrs.  Pendergast,  of  Windcliff, 
Niton-Undercliff , who  has  kindly  presented  this  interesting 
specimen  to  our  Society,  informs  me  that  the  hand-writing 
of  this  label  is  that  of  her  father,  the  late  Mr.  Temple  Kirk- 
patrick. The  hare  appears  to  have  been  in  the  Kirkpatrick 
family  for  128  years,  and  as  the  donor  suggests  would  now  be 
almost  more  suitable  to  a museum  of  Archaeology  than  of 
Natural  History.  As  it  is  still  in  excellent  condition,  the 
taxidermist’s  claim  that  his  preserved  animals  were  “ warran- 
ted to  last  beyond  expectation  ” seems  to  have  been  quite 
justified.’ 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


325 


NORTHUMBERLAND  NATURALISTS. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Natural  History  Society  of 
Northumberland,  Durham  and  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  (Vol.  VI., 
pp.  1-114-f  i.-lxxii.,  5/-)  include  the  reports  of  the  meetings 
and  excursions  of  this  society  from  1918  to  1922.  There  are 
papers  on  ‘ Ryton  Willows  Pool/  by  R.  M.  Griffiths  and 


A series  of  upperside  and  underside  views  of  varieties  of  A.  medon, 
all,  except  the  last  but  one,  from  Durham. 


R.  B.  Cooke  ; ‘ Bats/  by  G.  Bolam  ; ‘ East  Coast  Crab 

Fisheries/  by  A Meek  ; ‘ Botanical  Notes/  by  G.  Bolam  ; 
shorter  notes  and  records,  and  obituary  notices  of  G.  S.  Brady 
and  H.  Temperley.  Perhaps  the  most  generally  interesting 
paper  is  on  ‘ The  British  Races  of  Aricia  medon  Esp.,  with 
Special  Reference  to  the  Area  in  which  they  Overlap/  by 
J.  W.  H.  Harrison  and  W.  Carter.  This  is  accompanied  by  a 
block  shewing  the  varieties  of  this  species,  which  we  are 


1924  Nov.  1 


326 


Notes  and  Comments, 


permitted  to  reproduce  herewith.  We  trust  it  is  due  to  the 
usual  printer’s  errors  that  the  trivial  names  begin  with  capital 
letters  ? 

THE  BIOLOGICAL  FOUNDATIONS  OF  SOCIETY. * 

Prof.  Dendy  has  brought  together  the  lectures  he  delivered 
at  King’s  College.  They  form  ‘ the  contribution  of  a biologist 
towards  the  discussion  of  those  social  and  political  problems 
which  confront  us  to-day  in  a peculiarly  aggravated  form, 
and  upon  the  solution  of  which  the  stability  of  society  and  the 
progress  of  mankind  must  always  depend.’  Prof.  Dendy 
shows  that  the  laws  which  governed  organic  evolution  in  its 
earlier  stages  were  not  repealed  when  man  arrived  upon  the 
scene,  and  perhaps  our  best  hope  for  the  future  lies  in  the 
current  understanding  of  the  lessons  of  the  past  and  in  the 
intelligent  application  of  those  lessons  to  our  own  particular 
case.  There  are  several  suitable  illustrations. 

TALES  FROM  NATURE’S  WONDERLAND,  f 

In  his  ‘ Before  the  Curtain  Goes  Up,’  the  author  appeals 
to  the  American  boy  to  have  some  imagination.  His  twenty- 
three  chapters  include  ‘Tales  from  the  Past’  and  ‘ Tales  of 
To-day.’  In  the  first  we  have  ‘ How  Some  of  our  Big  Game 
Came  to  North  America,’  ‘ The  Wild  Elephants  of  North 
America,’  * The  Greatest  Wild  Animal  Tragedy,’  and  ‘ The 
Great  Tyrant  Dinosaur  of  “ Hell  Creek.”  ’ Among  the 
latter  we  have  * The  Great  Red  Ape  of  Borneo,’  ‘ A Wild 
Animal  Pigmy  from  Africa,’  ‘ Sea-Fur  Millions,’  and  ‘ A 
Wild  Sheep  Tale  from  South  America.’  There  are  several 
illustrations,  including  The  Greatest  Wild  Animal  Tragedy. 
The  asphalt  death  trap  at  Rancho  la  Brea,  Los  Angeles,  as  it 
caught  thousands  of  wild  animals  30,000  years  ago  ; and 
‘ The  Unbelievable  Wild  Mountain  Sheep  of  South  America,, 
drawn  from  a description  by  the  man  who  said  he  saw  and 
photographed  it  ! ’ We  quite  believe  the  author  was  an 
American  boy  once,  with  ‘ some  ’ imagination  ! 

: o : 

' Field  Notes  on  the  Magpie,’  as  observed  in  Cumberland,’  by  R.  H„ 
Brown,  and  ‘ Some  Further  Notes  on  the  Courtship  Behaviours  of  the 
Great  Crested  Grebe,’  by  J.  S.  Huxley,  are  among  the  contents  of  British 
Birds  for  October. 

Among  the  varied  contents  of  The  Proceedings  of  the  Zoological  Society 
of  London  for  1924,  Part  II.,  we  observe  ‘ Note  on  an  Ichthyosaurian 
Paddle,  showing  traces  of  Soft  Tissues,’  by  C.  W.  Andrews  ; Mesoplodon 
and  other  Beaked  Whales,'  by  Sir  Sidney  F.  Harmer,  and  ‘ The  Necessity 
for  Quantitative  Methods  in  the  Investigation  of  the  Animal  Life  on  the 
Sea -bottom,’  by  C.  G.  Joh.  Petersenn. 


* By  Arthur  Dendy,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  Constable  & Co.,  197  pp.,  7/6  net. 
f By  W.  T.  Hornsby.  London  : Charles  Scribner’s  Sons,  235  pp.„ 
12/6  net. 


Naturalist 


YORKSHIRE  TIPULIDS. 


327 


CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


During  the  past  season  the  lack  of  sun-loving  diptera  has 
given  the  Tipulids  an  opportunity  of  being  more  noticeable 
than  usual,  the  following  data  are  given  for  future  reference. 
The  first  species  were  noted  on  May  17th  at  Holme-on-Spalding 
Moor,  where  T.  oleracea  L.  and  T.  lateralis  (Mg.)  Tonn.  were 
taken  ; the  first  named  in  the  early  months,  and  the  closely 
related  T.  paludosa  Mg.  later  were  seen  throughout  the  year, 
being  very  abundant  in  some  districts.  These  are  from  the 
troublesome  ‘ leather  jacket  ’ grubs.  T.  lateralis  Mg.  is 
generally  found  near  water.  I once  saw  the  £ ovipositing 
on  a mass  of  floating  alga  ( Vaucheria  sps.)  ; it  persists 
throughout  the  season.  In  the  hills  T . montium  Egg.  (pseudo 
lateralis  Tonn.)  takes  its  place.  T.  pierrei  Tonn.  I have  only 
seen  on  two  or  three  occasions  in  August-September.  Another 
of  this  group,  T.  coerulescens  Lack.,  I caught  at  Austwick  in 
June  this  year.  I have  not  seen  it  recorded  previously  as 
British.  T.  variicornis  Schum.  (Pachyrrhina  annulicornis  of 
list)  is  widespread  in  June-July.  A small-sized  type  of  it 
was  frequent  about  tufts  of  Sesleria  ccerulea  on  the  limestones 
of  Oxenber  (9/6/24).  In  June  T.  vernalis  Mg.  was  widespread 
in  rough  pastures,  and  T.  luna  Westf . (lunata  of  list)  abundant 
in  more  marshy  fields,  whilst  wherever  Cotton-grass  grows, 
T.  subnodicornis  Ztt.  (plumbea  F.)  was  plentiful,  as  was 
T.  diana  Mg.,  now  known  as  Prionocera  turcica  Fab.,  in 
places  like  Austwick  and  Helwith  Mosses  and  Skipwith 
Common.  In  the  woods  the  variable  T.  scripta  Mg.  was  the 
most  abundant  species,  June-August,  though  T.  unca  Wied. 

( longicornis  Schum.)  ran  it  close  sometimes,  and  in  places  the 
large  yellow  species,  T.  ochracea  Mg.  and  T.  cava  Riedel,  were 
more  noticeable  ; the  other  yellow  woodland  species,  T. 
fascipennis  Mg.,  I have  never  caught  in  Yorkshire,  but  it  has 
been  taken  in  the  Ilkley  district  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Ashworth. 
T.  hortulana  Mg.  and  T.  varipennis  Mg.  are  common  species 
at  this  time,  but  not  as  abundant  as  the  foregoing  species. 
T.  flavolineata  Mg.  appears  in  our  list  for  the  first  time  ; it 
has  a larva  that  feeds  in  rotting  timber,  and  it  should  be 
more  frequent  than  records  show  at  present.  T.  pabulina  Mg. 
is  also  an  addition  this  year.  The  two  largest  species  of  the 
genus,  T . maxima  Poda  ( gigantea  Schrnk.)  and  T.  fulvipennis 
Deg.  ( lutescens  F.)  have  been  fairly  frequent,  though  never  in 
large  numbers,  throughout  the  summer.  Austwick  Moss 
gave  the  following  succession  of  dominant  species.  T. 
subnodicornis  Ztt.,  T.  diana  Mg.,  T.  melanoceras  Schum. 
(September),  T.  luteipennis  Mg.  (October),,  and  finally  T. 
pagana  Mg.,  the  species  with  the  almost  wingless  female  ; this 


1924  Nov.  1 


328 


Cheetham : Yorkshire  Tipulids. 


is  not  restricted  to  the  Moss,  but  widespread.  Another 
damp-loving  species,  T.  nigra  L.,  has  not  been  seen  often, 
and  appears  to  belong  to  the  ditches  and  swamps  of  the 
low-lying  country.  Two  other  additions  to  the  list  are  T. 
truncorum  Mg.  and  T.  irrorata  Mcq.,  whilst  T.  pruinosaWied. 
and  T.  vittata  Mg.  have  only  been  seen  very  sparingly.  On 
the  mountains  in  the  early  months  T.  alpium  (Bergr.)  Edw. 
abounds.  It  is  also  found  occasionally  at  much  lower  alti- 
tudes, but  the  closely  related  T . obsoleta  (Mg.)  Edw.,  which  is 
common  in  the  south  of  England,  we  have  not  yet  had  in  our 
lists.  A new  species  described  by  Mr.  Edwards,  T.  cheeihami, 
was  in  fair  numbers  in  a ghyll  on  Whernside  in  June,  but 
not  later  in  the  year,  whilst  T . excisa  Schum.  prefers  the  more 
rocky  places  higher  up  the  hills.  I have  taken  it  on  Ingle- 
borough,  Whernside  and  Cronkley  ; Dr.  Pearsall  brought 
me  specimens  and  stated  it  was  plentiful  on  Bow  Fell  in 
Cumberland. 

The  next  group  is  that  of  T.  marmorata  Mg.  ( confusa 
v.d.  Wulp.).  This  is  a widespread  species  appearing  in  May 
and  June,  and  also  in  September-October,  especially  up  on 
the  hills  at  the  later  date  ; T.  rufina  Mg.,  though  much  less 
frequent  is  also  seen  early  and  late.  The  following  two  have 
been  badly  mixed  up — T.  staegeri  Nielsen  ( signata  of  list)  and 
T.  signata  (Staeg.)  Nielsen  (marmorata  of  list,  and  anonyma 
of  Bergr.).  They  are  October  species  and  occur  together  in 
the  same  place  and  time,  they  are  much  alike,  and  only  the 
males  can  be  safely  named  by  the  genetalia.  The  females 
perhaps  may  be  known  by  the  size  of  the  stigma,  but  there 
seems  to  be  all  intermediates  between  the  shorter  and  longer 
types  ; I saw  these  two  species  in  great  numbers  in  a small 
wood  on  a windy  day.  They  were  resting  on  tree  trunks, 
their  wings  folded  closely  over  their  backs,  and  so  close 
together  that  their  outspread  legs  overlapped,  and  it  would 
have  been  possible  to  cover  ten  to  twenty  with  one  hand. 
That  two  species  so  closely  alike  in  every  way  but  the  male 
genetalia  should  occur  in  the  same  place  and  at  the  same  time 
suggests  the  question  can  these  two  be  dimorphic  males  of  one 
species,  this  might  be  decided  by  breeding  experiments,  but 
the  conditions  required  by  the  larvae  seem  difficult  to  imitate. 
They  appear  to  like  the  damp  sides  of  small  runlets  in  wood- 
land, but  I cannot  say  what  is  their  food,  though  it  may  be  the 
decaying  leaf  bases  or  roots  of  the  grass  Air  a ccespitosa  which 
grows  there. 

: o : 

A third  edition  of  R.  Kirkpatrick’s  ‘ Biology  of  Waterworks  ’ 
(British  Museum,  Natural  History,  Economic  Series,  No.  7,  58  pp.,  1/-) 
has  been  called  for.  It  contains  a few  small  alterations  and  an  addition 
to  the  appendix. 


Naturalist 


329 


THE  LOWER  CARBONIFEROUS  SUCCESSION 
IN  THE  SETTLE  DISTRICT. 


W.  S.  BISAT,  F.G.S. 


The  publication  in  the  current  issue  of  the  Quarterly  Journal 
of  the  Geological  Society  of  the  long  awaited  paper  by  Prof  essor 
Garwood  and  Miss  Goodyear*  is  a boon  to  geologists  in  general 
and  to  Yorkshire  geologists  in  particular.  In  this  paper  the 
authors  publish  the  result  of  researches  in  the  North  Craven 
area,  initiated  as  long  ago  as  1889,  and  apply  to  the  well- 
known  and  complex  district  of  the  Craven  Faults,  the  faunal 
zones  first  worked  out  by  Professor  Garwood  in  Cumberland 
and  Westmorland.  They  shew  that  these  zones  are  traceable 
with  but  little  variation  in  character  as  far  east  as  Wharfedale, 
and  the  two  excellent  coloured  maps  indicate  for  the  first 
time  the  outcrop  of  these  zones  in  the  field.  The  authors  are 
to  be  congratulated  on  the  completion  of  a brilliant  strati- 
graphical  and  palaeontological  survey  of  the  classic  area  of 
the  Craven  highlands. 

The  earliest  beds  recorded  are  referred  to  the  Michelinia 
Zone  (C  of  the  Avonian  sequence) . North  of  the  North  Craven 
Fault  this  lowest  zone  is  only  present  in  patches,  the  Michelinia 
sea  probably  abutting  against  an  old  shore  line  of  early 
Palaeozoic  rocks  passing  through  Chapel-le-Dale  and  Norber. 
The  overlying  Seminula  beds  rest  in  most  places  directly  on 
the  early  Palaeozoic  floor  and  occupy  a large  portion  of  the 
valley  to  the  east,  west  and  south  of  Ingleborough.  Whereas 
in  the  Ribble  valley,  north  of  the  North  Craven  Fault,  there 
are  practically  no  C beds,  there  is  the  best  development  in 
the  whole  district  immediately  south  of  the  fault,  at  Stainforth, 
suggesting  movement  on  or  near  the  fault-line  as  early  as 
that  period.  A small  outcrop  of  the  Michelinia  zone  is  also 
recorded  near  Kilnsey,  in  Wharfedale. 

By  far  the  largest  area,  however,  is  occupied  by  the  various 
divisions  of  the  Dibunophyllum  zone,  the  successive  horizons 
in  which,  marked  by  the  occurrence  of  Cyrtina  septosa , 
Girvanella,  and  Orionastrea,  being  mapped  clearly  and  in 
detail  all  round  Ingleborough,  and  also  to  a large  extent 
round  Penyghent,  Fountains  Fell,  and  between  the  Craven 
Faults. 

In  the  district  lying  between  the  Craven  Faults  remarkable 
numbers  of  additional  subsidiary  faults  are  indicated,  no 
doubt  brought  out  by  the  zonal  mapping,  and  one  is  also 


* “ The  Lower  Carboniferous  Succession  in  the  Settle  District,  and 
along  the  Line  of  the  Craven  Faults  ” (Q ./ .G .S . , Vol.  LXXX.,  pp.  184- 
273,  PI.  X-XXI.)  . 


1924  Nov.  1 


330  Lower  Carboniferous  Succession  in  the  Settle  District * 

brought  face  to  face  with  Tiddeman's  old  problem  of  the 
difference  between  the  northern  and  southern  types  of  deposit. 
In  the  district  between  Settle  and  Malham  there  occurs  an 
abrupt  change  in  the  character  of  the  limestones  and  their 
fauna,  the  knoll  phase  appearing  for  the  first  time  in  a southerly 
traverse  from  Westmorland.  In  all  the  vast  northern  Pennine 
area,  the  various  beds  of  the  ‘ rigid  block  5 of  Marr  extend 
uniformly,  but  come  to  an  abrupt  end  at  or  near  the  South 
and  Middle  Craven  Faults.  The  map  (op.  cit.  PI.  XXL) 
shews  clearly  how  this  southern  phase  is  projected  in  several 
places  northwards  over  this  fault  line,  and  the  suggestion  is 
advanced  by  the  authors  that  this  is  probably  due  to  a forward 
thrusting  of  the  beds  of  southern  type  over  the  northern  type 
beds  lying  north  of  the  fault.  Thus  at  High  Hill,  near  Settle r 
knoll  limestones  (presumed  to  be  D;3  in  age)  are  pressed  against 
Dx  limestones  of  normal  northern  type.  The  question  arises, 
is  this  due  to  thrusting  of  the  one  against  the  other,  or  non- 
sequence and  overlap  ? A dogmatic  answer  seems  at  present 
impossible,  and,  as  pointed  out  by  the  authors,  the  question 
is  further  complicated  by  the  occurrence  of  outcrops  of  the 
northern  phase  south  of  the  faults  at  Black  Gill  Beck  and 
Low  South  Bank. 

The  section  at  Black  Gill  Beck  is  indeed  a most  remarkable 
one  : here,  embedded  in  a high  and  clearly  exposed  shale 

scarp  by  the  side  of  the  stream,  occurs  a lenticular  mass  of 
highly  fossiliferous  Yoredale  limestone  partially  broken  into 
loose  blocks.  The  limestone  clearly  rests  on  the  shales, 
and  is  indeed  practically  surrounded  by  shale,  the  only  part 
not  covered  being  a very  small  portion  outcropping  on  the 
hillside.  The  shales  apparently  represent  the  upper  portion 
of  the  Bowland  Shales,  but  the  limestone  blocks  in  the  centre 
of  the  section  have  a queer  appearance,  and  make  the  section 
seem  artificial. 

The  Lower  Carboniferous  rocks  of  the  Craven  area  are 
really  divisible  not  merely  into  two  phases,  a northern  and  a 
southern,  but  into  three  phases — a northern,  a southern 
(Bowland  Shale),  and  a knoll-reef  phase  intermediate  between 
the  two  others,  agreeing  largely  with  the  Bowland  Shales  in 
the  goniatite  fauna,  and  with  the  northern  beds  in  that  the 
beds  are  grey  limestone  and  not  shale.  Wherever  the  knoll 
beds  are  developed  the  Bowland  Shales  lapping  round  them 
consist  of  the  higher  horizons  only,  there  being  little  if  any 
doubt  that  there  is  replacement  of  the  lower  part  of  the  Bowland 
Shales  by  knoll  limestone. 

It  is  interesting  to  learn  that  the  three  limestone  domes 
west  of  Pateley  Bridge  represent  as  many  different  horizons, 
in  the  Dibunophyllum  zone,  and  that  there  is  probably  a 
considerable  non-sequence  between  the  limestone  and  the 


Naturalist 


Field  Notes. 


33i 


overlying  Grits.  Here  arises  a pretty  problem.  Do  these 
domes  (of  Greenhow,  etc.)  owe  their  structure  to  the  same 
cause  as  the  knolls  south  of  the  Craven  Fault  (Elbolton,  Hill 
Stebden,  etc.),  and  why  does  the  Millstone  Grit  rest  on  a 
different  limestone  horizon  in  each  case  ? Were  the  Girvanella 
and  Orionastrea  beds  ever  deposited  on  Greenhow  Hill,  and, 
if  so,  when  were  they  eroded  ? 

As  the  authors  state,  there  are  many  problems  in  these 
Lower  Carboniferous  rocks  still  unsolved,  but  they  have  un- 
doubtedly carried  our  knowledge  of  the  structure  and  fauna 
of  these  rocks  forward  a long  way  towards  completion,  and 
enabled  geologists  in  general  to  envisage  what  really  are  the 
facts,  and  what  are  the  problems  still  awaiting  solution. 

: o : 

MAMMAL. 

Whiskered  Bat  at  Scarborough. — At  a meeting  of  the 
Scarborough  Field  Naturalists'  Society,  held  on  May  30th, 
1924,  Miss  Bruce  exhibited  in  the  flesh  a small  bat  which  had 
been  found  on  the  previous  day  clinging  to  a bush  by  the 
side  of  the  Scarborough  Mere.  Examination  showed  it  to  be 
a Whiskered  Bat  in  the  dusky  black  fur  of  immaturity.  This 
is  only  the  third  occasion  on  which  I have  identified  this  little 
bat  in  the  Scarborough  district,  but  it  probably  occurs  not 
very  uncommonly,  opportunity  for  examination  of  these 
creatures  rarely  offering  themselves. — W.  J.  Clarke. 

COLEOPTERA  AND  FUNGI. 

Beetles  and  Stiokhorn. — On  September  8th,  in  a wood 
near  Lockton,  Mr.  A.  Clarke  and  the  writer  came  across  a 
couple  of  prostrate  Stinkhorns,  Phallus  impudicus,  lying  a 
few  feet  apart.  From  each  was  collected  a number  of  beetles 
which  appeared  to  be  feeding  on  the  strong-smelling  mucus 
which  envelopes  the  cap.  Although  it  is  a common  occurrence 
to  find  numerous  ‘ blue-bottle  ’ flies  thus  engaged,  neither 
of  us  remembers  having  observed  beetles  so  doing.  Massee 
writes  : ‘ Now  flies  of  various  kinds  devour  this  slime  greedily, 
and  consequently  swallow  the  spores  which  are  eventually 
deposited  here  and  there,  many  of  which  in  due  course 
germinate  and  produce  the  fungus  in  a new  locality.'  The 
beetle  has  been  identified  as  Silpha  thoracica  Linn.,  one  of 
the  ‘ Sexton  ' beetles.  I have  since  brought  home  an  f egg  * 
of  Phallus  and  placed  it  in  loose  soil.  A week  elapsed  before 
it  ‘ shot,'  and  very  shortly  afterwards  its  cap  was  covered  with 
blue-bottles.  Although  a very  strong  wind  was  blowing,  I 
lifted  and  carried  the  fungus  indoors  without  one  fly  leaving 
its  feast,  which  proves  what  a strong  attraction  the  Stinkhorn 
is  to  these  insects.  Probably  Silpha  thoracica  also  takes  a 
part  in  the  dispersal  of  its  spores. — A.  E.  Peck. 


1924  Nov.  1 


332 


ADDITIONS  TO  THE  YORKSHIRE  DIPTERA  LIST. 

CHRIS.  A.  CHEETHAM. 


The  following  list  does  not  contain  any  species  which  have 
been  included  in  the  reports  of  the  excursions. 

Our  thanks  are  again  due  to  Messrs.  J.  E.  Collin  and 
F.  W.  Edwards  for  kindly  examining  the  species  to  which  their 
initials  are  added  in  brackets. 

Brachypeza  spuria  Verr.  Pate  ley,  F.W.E.,  23/6/2.4. 

Phronia  dubia  Dz.  Pateley,  F.W.E.,  23/6/24. 

Thienemanniella  clavicornis  Kieff.  See  Edwards,  E.M.M.,  1924,  p.  185. 

This  was  previously  recorded  as  Corynoneura  minuta. 

Simulium  tuberosum  Lndst.  Whernside,  Cautley,  Teesdale,  F.W.E., 
June,  1924. 

Cardiocladius  capucinus  (Zett.)  Edw.  Whernside  and  Teesdale,  Edwards, 
E.M.M.,  1924,  p.  206. 

Culicoides  ( Ceratopogon ) arcuatum  Win.  Pateley,  F.W.E.,  23/6/24. 
Palpomyia  ( Ceratopogon ) lineata  Mg.  Whernside,  F.W.E.,  19/6/24. 
Ulomyia  ( Psychoda ) fuliginosa  Mg.  Whernside,  F.W.E.,  19/6/24. 
Limnobia  bifasciata  Schrk.  Thorner,  21/6/24,  C.A.C. 

Dicranomyia  ornata  Mg.  Crag  Wood,  8/7/24,  C.A.C. 

Peronecera  lucidipennis  Curt.  Coverdale,  22/6/24,  F.W.E. 

Tricyphona  ( Amalopsis ) occulta  Mg.  Whernside,  9/8/24,  C.A.C. 
Nephrotoma  dorsalis  F.  Wistow,  13/7/24,  C.A.C. 

Pachyrrhina  guestfalica  Wstf.  Wistow,  13/7/24,  C.A.C. 

Tipula  pabulina  Mg.  Thorner,  14/6/24,  C.A.C. 

T.  flavolineata  Mg.  Austwick,  8/6/24,  Pateley,  24/6/24,  C.A.C. 

T . irrorata  Mcq.  Austwick,  22/6/24,  C.A.C.  ; Pateley,  24/6/24,  F.W.E. 
T.  truncorum  Mg.  Pateley,  F.W.E.,  24/6/24  ; Adel,  28/6/24,  C.A.C. 
T.  coerulescens  Lack.  Austwick,  9/6/24,  C.A.C.  (F.W.E.). 

T.  cheethami  Edw.  See  Edwards,  E.M.M.,  1924,  p.  82.  This  was 
fairly  plentiful  on  Whernside,  19/6/24,  and  also  taken  in  Ingleton 
Ghylls,  20/6/24. 

Syntormon  pumilus  Mg.  Austwick,  23/6/23,  C.A.C. 

Xiphandrium  albomaculatum  Beck.  Austwick,  23/6/23,  C.A.C. 
Verrallia  pilosa  Zett.  Pateley,  24/6/24,  C.A.C. 

Pipunculus  terminalis  Thoms.  Ulleskelf  Mires,  13/7/24,  C.A.C. 

P.  confusus  Verr.  Adel,  27/6/24,  C.A.C. 

Gymnomera  tarsea  Fal.  Austwick,  23/6/23,  C.A.C. 

Helomyza  humilis  Mg.  Austwick,  September,  1923,  C.A.C.  (J.E.C.). 
H.  fuscicornis  Zett.  ( montana  Lw.).  Pateley,  22/7/22;  Allerthorpe, 
5/9/23  ; Bishopdale,  6/8/22,  C.A.C.  (J.E.C.). 

Heteromyza  atricornis  Mg.  Nidd,  1/8/21,  C.A.C.  (J.E.C.). 

Leria  ( Blepharoptera ) rupceps  Ztt.  Allerthorpe,  25/9/20,  C.A.C.  (J.E.C.). 
Sapromyza  lupulina  F.  Farnley,  30/6/19,  C.A.C.  (J.E.C.). 

Tetanocera  unicolor  Lw.  Austwick,  15/7/22,  C.A.C. 

Chyliza  permixta  Rnd.  ( l-eptogaster  Mg.).  Crag  Wood,  25/6/24,  C.A.C. 
Lissa  loxocerina  Fin.  Crag  Wood,  15/6/21,  C.A.C. 

Henicita  annulipes  Mg.  Adel,  5/7/21,  C.A.C. 

H.  leachi  Mg.  Cowthorpe,  13/6/21,  C.A.C. 

Themira  pusilla  Zett.  Adel,  23/6/23,  Austwick,  C.A.C. 

Ochthiphila  polystigma  Mg.  Skipwith,  20/8/22,  C.A.C. 

: o : 

The  Rev.  C.  R.  N.  Burrows  writes  ‘ Upon  the  suggested  Relationships 
of  Psychides/  and  R.  S.  Bagnall  and  J.  W.  H.  Harrison  upon  ‘ New 
British  Cecidomyiidae  in  The  Entomologist’ S Record  for  July -August. 


Naturalist 


333 


SECTIONS  EXPOSED  IN  A BORING  AT  HESSLE, 

E.  YORKS. 


J.  W.  STATHER,  F.G.S. 


Towards  the  end  of  1922  the  then  North  Eastern  Railway 
Company  put  down  a boring  for  water  at  their  pumping  station 
at  Hessle,  on  the  north  Humber  shore.  This  reached  a depth 
of  1 8 1 feet,  and  as  the  core  was  practically  continuous,  18  ins. 
in  diameter,  and  was  laid  out  on  the  floor  piece  by  piece  as 
taken  out,  an  exceptional  opportunity  was  obtained  of  in- 
vestigating the  beds. 

The  water  level  varied  from  18  to  21  feet  from  the  surface, 
and  yielded  close  upon  20,000  gallons  per  hour,  but  unfor- 
tunately, owing  to  its  proximity  to  the  Humber,  was  too 
saline  to  be  of  any  practical  use,  and  much  of  the  boring  had 
to  be  plugged  with  cement. 

The  following  details  are  supplied  by  Messrs.  Isler  and  Co., 


who  carried  out  the  work  : — 

Thickness. 

Feet 

Depth 

Feet. 

Hard  Chalk  

45 

45 

Chalk  and  flint  ... 

1 

46 

Hard  chalk  with  Inoceramus  sp. 

Red  chalk  with  some  grey  chalky  streaks 

103  i 

1495 

A few  small,  well-polished  quartz 

grains  in  matrix 

II 

160J 

Fine  brown  incoherent  sand 

2 

162! 

Bluish-black  clay  containing  a few 
molluscan  borings  in-filled  with  a 

gritty  glauconitic  clay 

l8j 

181 

The  core  really  commenced  at  a depth  of  17  feet  from  the 
surface  at  this  point,  which  is  10  feet  above  Ordnance  Datum, 
as  it  commenced  at  the  bottom  of  a well  made  to  that  depth. 

An  examination  of  the  core  shows  that  the  beds  are  in  very 
hard  white  chalk  with  occasionally  small  finger  flints,  which 
entirely  disappear  at  a depth  of  60  feet,  the  only  definite 
flint  band  being  at  a depth  of  45  feet  from  the  surface. 

Fossils,  as  is  the  case  elsewhere  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
bourhood, were  exceedingly  scarce,  and  beyond  a few  fragments 
of  Inoceramus,  nothing  occurred  to  assist  in  identifying  the 
precise  zones. 

At  a depth  of  70  feet  from  the  surface,  traces  of  the  ‘ black 
band  ’ or  Bel.  plena  zone  were  unmistakable.  This  zone  is 
important,  separating  as  it  does  the  Middle  from  the  Lower 
Chalk.  Below  this,  pink  bands  and  the  familiar  * grey  bed  ’ 
described  by  Hill,  were  also  unmistakable,  and  still  further 


1924  Nov..  1 


334  Section  Exposed  in  a Boring  at  Hessle,  E.  Yorks. 

down,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  section,  were  beds  of 
the  red  chalk  proper,  containing  Belemnites  minimus  and  frag- 
ments of  Inoceramus.  At  the  base  of  this  Red  Chalk  occurred 
a bed^of  ‘ fine  brown  incoherent  sand,  2 feet  thick.’  This 


No.  1. 

LOUTH 


No.  2. 

HE5SLE 


No.  3. 

SOOTH 

CAVE 


we  did  not  see  in  place,  though  a small  heap  shown  to  us 
by  the  men,  kept  near  the  boring,  indicated  a sharp,  coarse 
green  grain. 

Immediately  beneath  this,  and  at  a depth  of  162J  feet,  a 
bluish-black  clay  was  penetrated,  in  general  appearance 
greatly  resembling  the  Oolitic  clays  occurring  at  Melton  and 


Naturalist 


Section  Exposed  in  a Boring  at  Hessle,  E.  Yorks.  335 

other  places.  This  contained  a number  of  fossils,  upon  which 
Mr.  Pringle  gives  the  following  report  : — ‘ Grammatodon  sp., 
Protocardia  morinica  ? de  Lor.,  Thracia  sp.  and  ammonite 
fragments,  but  these  shells  were  not  sufficiently  well-preserved 
to  indicate  the  zonal  position  of  the  clay.  The  Grammatodon, 
which  we  have  not  identified  specifically,  has  some  resemb- 
lance to  Blake’s  Grammatodon  longipunctata , which  came  from 
the  Lower  Kimmeridge  of  Market  Rasen.  Although  the 
ammonites  are  too  fragmentary  to  be  named,  they  strongly 
suggest  that  the  clay  belongs  to  the  Lower  Kimmeridge  Clay.’ 

On  plotting  this  section  to  scale  with  the  sections  given 
in  the  plate  accompanying  Hill’s  paper  on  the  Lower  Beds  of 
the  Upper  Cretaceous  Series  in  Yorkshire  and  Lincolnshire 
( Q.J.G.S. , Vol.  XLXV.,  1888)  several  important  features  call 
for  comment. 

In  the  first  place,  the  extraordinary  regularity  in  the 
occurrence  of  the  various  beds  as  proved  by  sections  in  South 
Lincolnshire  near  Welton,  Central  Lincolnshire  near  Louth, 
the  present  section  at  Hessle,  and  the  Sections  exposed  in  the 
railway  cuttings  at  South  Cave.  We  have  placed  two  of  these 
(Nos.  1 and  3)  in  the  accompanying  sketch,  inserting  the 
Hessle  Boring  (No.  2)  in  its  geographical  position  between 
the  others. 

The  Hessle  boring  shown  in  No.  2 of  the  accompanying 
section,  which  is  drawn  to  the  same  scale  as  the  others,  is  of 
interest  as  showing  the  depth  of  the  Red  Chalk  on  the  north 
Humber  shore,  when  it  occupies  precisely  the  relative  position 
that  it  does  at  South  Cave,  further  north,  and  also  at  Louth 
and  at  several  other  places  over  a large  area  in  Lincolnshire. 
In  thickness  also  it  is  fairly  constant.  Below  it,  at  Hessle,  the 
bed  of  sand  is  clearly  the  Carstone,  which  does  not  occur  in 
the  South  Cave  cuttings,  though  possibly  represented  by  a 
few  polished  phosphatic  pebbles  at  the  base  of  the  Red  Chalk. 

It  is  remarkable  that  while  the  Red  Chalk  occurs  at  a 
depth  of  160  feet  at  Hessle,  on  the  south  shore  of  the  Humber, 
at  South  Ferriby,  it  occurs  on  the  beach,  and  can  be  examined 
at  low  water.  At  this  point,  however,  the  Lower,  or  Grey 
Chalk  on  the  beach  is,  now  and  then,  at  a high  angle,  occa- 
sionally almost  perpendicular,  no  doubt  largely  due  to  a 
squeezing-out  process  at  the  foot  of  the  Lincolnshire  Wolds, 
where,  as  on  the  northern  escarpment  of  the  Yorkshire  Wolds, 
similar  phenomena  are  observable,  due  to  the  great  weight 
of  the  chalk  resting  on  wet  Oolitic  clays. 

In  preparing  these  notes  I have  had  the  advantage  of  assist- 
ance from  Messrs.  J.  Pringle  and  T.  Sheppard. 

: o : 

‘ Thrushes  ’ (with  plate),  by  H.  Astley,  is  the  title  of  an  important 
paper  in  The  Avicultural  Magazine  for  September. 


1924  Nov.  1 


336 

ACMJEA  TESTUDINALIS  (MULLER)  VAR.  ALBIDA 

NOV.  VAR. 

HANS  SCHLESCH,  M.A.S. 


Shell. — Outside  greyish  dull,  inside  shining  polished,  choco- 
late colour  in  centre. 

Habitat. — -Shore  of  Tjornes  at  Hallbjarnarstadir,  North 
Iceland  (collected  by  myself,  July,  1921). 

Remarks.— As  far  as  I can  see  the  colour  varieties  of  this 
northern  form  are  not  the  same  as  those  of  its  near  related 
southern  representative  A.  virginea  (Muller),  which  is 
very  variable.  I therefore  propose  the  following  names 
of  colour  varieties  in  the  northern  forms 

var.  paucipunctata,  shell  whitish  dull,  with  few  dark 
brown  figures  ; 

var.  striata,  regular  stripes  round  the  margin  ; 
var.  marmorata,  marmorated,  and  forms  a transition 
form  to 

var.  fusca,  dark  coloured. 

(All  Types  in  the  Schlesch  Collection,  Hull  Museum. ) 

: o : 


YORKSHIRE  BRYOLOGISTS  AT  HOLMB RIDGE. 

The  bryological  flora  of  Ramsden  Rocks,  near  Holmbridge,  about  ten 
miles  south  of  Huddersfield,  was  studied  in  detail  during  the  course  of 
an  interesting  week-end,  September  27th-28th.  The  district  is  a typicaL 
valley  in  the  Middle  Grits,  with  sandstone  and  shale  in  alternate  strata,, 
topped  at  about  1500  feet  with  a six  to  ten  feet  layer  of  peat.  Orthodont- 
ium  gracile yar.  heterocarpa  was  frequent  on  the  peat  among  Calluna,  and 
this  station  further  extends  its  distribution  in  southern  Yorkshire. 
Another  feature  was  the  sheets  of  Seligevia  recurvata  on  the  vertical  sand- 
stone faces.  Of  the  hepatics,  Gymnocolea  inflata  and  Lophozia  Floerkii 
were  ubiquitious.  A representative  list  of  mosses  and  hepatics  is  givem 
below. 

Mosses. 


Orthodontium  gracile  var.  heterocarpa.  Webera  albicans. 


Seligevia  recurvata. 
Brachyodus  trichodes. 
Dicranella  heteromalla. 
D.  cerviculata. 

D.  varia. 

D.  squarrosa. 


Tetraphis  pellucida. 

T.  Browniana. 

Pleuridium  alterni folium . 
Campy  lopus  flexuosus . 


Gymnocolea  inflata. 
Lophozia'  Floerkii . 

L.  ventricosa. 

Calypogeia  T rich omanis . 
Ptilidium  ciliarc. 


Hepatics. 

Alicularia  scalaris. 

Aplozia  ripavia. 

A . pumila: 

Scapania  dentata. 

S.  undulata. 

F.  E.  Milsom,  B.Sc. 


Naturalist 


MYCOLOGISTS  AT  SHEFFIELD. 


337 


A.  E.  PECK, 

Hon,  Secretary , Mycological  Committee , Y.N.  U. 

The  Fungus  Foray  of  1924  (the  317th  meeting  of  the  Union) 
was  held  at  Sheffield,  from  August  30th  to  September  4th,  by 
the  kind  invitation  of  the  Sorby  Scientific  Society.  The 
following  members  of  the  Committee  were  present  : Harold 
Wager,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.  (Chairman),  A.  Clarke,  R.  Fowler 
Jones,  F.  A.  Mason,  Thos.  Smith,  Greevz  Fysher,  E.  Snelgrove, 
B.A.,  Miss  D.  Hilary,  B.Sc.,  and  A.  E.  Peck  (Hon.  Secretary). 


The  following  also  took  part  in  the  proceedings  : Mrs. 

Greevz  Fysher,  Mrs.  T.  Smith,  Miss  M.  Brett,  M.Sc.  (Northern 


■ Back  row  T.  Smith,  Mrs.  Smith,  Greevz  Fysher,  Mrs.  Fysher,  R.  Fowler  Jones, 
D.  Hilary,  P.  Fysher,  M.  Brett. 

Front  row  : — A.  Clarke,  H.  Wager,  A.  E.  Peck,  F.  A.  Mason. 


Polytechnic,  Holloway,  London),  H.  S.  Holden,  D.Sc; 
(Nottingham  University),  D.  G.  Mclver  (Ministry  of  Agricul- 
ture, Leeds),  Mr.  P.  Fysher  (Leeds),  and  Messrs.  A.  Bayliss, 
R.  Ducker,  E.  G.  Green,  C.  H.  Wells,  H.  L.  Belbin,  A.  E. 
Dalton  and  other  members  of  the  Sorby  Scientific  Society. 

Excellent  Headquarters  were  provided  at  Abbeydale  Hall,, 
near  Dore  and  Totley  Station,  four  miles  from  Sheffield,  and 
just  within  the  borders  of  Derbyshire. 

The  weather  throughout  was  unsettled  and  rainy,  being,  in 
fact,  fairly  representative  of  the  ‘ summer  ’ of  this  year.  The 
factors  named,  and  the  rather  early  date  of  the  meeting,  are 
reflected  in  the  unusually  small  number  of  records  made,  viz.,, 
204  species  and  varieties. 


1924  Nov.  1 


u 


338 


Mycologists  at  Sheffield. 

Another  adverse  factor  was  that  Ecclesall  Wood  had, 
almost  everywhere,  a dense  undergrowth  of  bracken.  Further, 
while  several  attractive  woods  were  within  near  view  of 
Headquarters,  they  were  more  or  less  forbidden  ground,  being 
in  the  county  of  Derbyshire.  Yorkshire  Mycologists,  officially 
assembled,  usually  confine  their  operations  to  their  own 
county. 

One  little  party,  however,  ventured  over  the  border  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Beauchief  Abbey,  and  brought  back  with 
them  several  showy  samples  of  the  Fly  Agaric  (. Amanita 
muscaria),  a species  which  always  adds  to  the  attraction  of  an 
indoor  display  of  fungi.  This  fungus  .was  not  found  within 
our  home  county  district,  although  the  Birch  tree,  with  which 
it  is  usually  found  in  association,  flourishes  abundantly  in 
Ecclesall  Wood,  and  also  in  Wharncliffe  Wood.  In  both 
these  woods  the  Birch  trees  are  badly  afflicted  by  the  Birch 
polypore  ( Polyporus  betulinus),  this  being  the  only  large 
polypore  noted  during  the  visit. 

The  district  appears  to  be  singularly  free  from  tree  parasites 
of  the  larger  kind.  Only  one  specimen  of  the  ‘ Beef-steak  * 
fungus  ( Fistulina  hepatica),  a parasite  on  ancient  Oaks,  was 
met  with,  and  this  was  very  small. 

A Boletus  which  might  easily  have  passed  as  B.  chrysen- 
teron  was  recognised  by  Mr  Clarke  to  be  Boletus  Rostkovii,  the 
special  characters  of  which  are  the  obconic  stem  and  the 
exaggerated  pores.  The  writer  recognised  that  he  had  some- 
thing exceptional  when  he  brought  in  from  Ecclesall  Wood 
specimens  which  grew  from  under  the  bark  of  a Pine -stump. 
These  proved  to  be  Collybia  laxipes,  a first  record  for  the 
county.  This  species  was  also  collected  at  Wharncliffe. 

A feature  of  Ecclesall  Wood  was  the  fair  distribution  of 
the  white  and  rare  Amanita  verna,  a poisonous  species  probably 
nearly  allied  to  the  deadly  A.  phalloides  and  A.  mappa.  A 
photograph  of  this  fungus  is  reproduced  herewith.  A specimen 
of  Amanita  magnifica , regarded  by  some  as  only  a variety  of 
A.  rubescens , provided  discussion. 

Ten  species  of  Lactarius  were  found,  none  uncommon.  Of 
Russules  no  fewer  than  twenty-four  species  were  discovered, 
of  which  three  only  were  noteworthy. 

Cantharellus  aurantiacus  (relegated  to  the  genus  Clitocybe 
by  a recent  author)  provided  a few  specimens. 

Cantharellus  carbonarius  was  brought  in,  apparently  from 
Ecclesall  Wood.  Of  this  species  there  is  only  one  previous 
Yorkshire  record,  this  being  for  Wharncliffe  Wood. 

Specimens  of  Nyctalis  parasitica  were  found  on  an  old 
Russula.  Numerous  and  very  fine  specimens  of  Cor  Unarms 
{Tela.)  armillatus  from  Ecclesall  Wood  were  quite  a feature 
of  the  display  tables.  Grasslands  were  rather  neglected 


Naturalist 


Mycologists  at  Sheffield. 


339 


owing  to  their  wet  condition.  Only  two  or  three  diminutive 
specimens  of  the  ‘ Common  • Mushroom  were  collected,  not 
a single  ‘ Horse/  Mushroom,  and  no  quantity  of  a recognised 
esculent  fungus  was  encountered  throughout  the  visit. 

Ecclesall  Wood  certainly  produced  some  fine  specimens  of 


A poisonous  fungus,  .Amanita  verna. 


Collybia  maculata,  but  our  Huddersfield  representative  spoke 
rather  depreciatively  of  this  species  as  an  esculent,  and  our 
Mycophagist  members  failed  to  add  to  their  experiences. 

Recognising  a piece  of  semi-waste  ground  near  Dore  and 
Totley  Station  as  a likely  habitat  for  Coprinus  comatus,  Mr. 
Clarke  and  the  writer  searched  it  diligently,  and  eventually 
discovered  one  solitary  specimen.  This  was  subsequently 


1924  Nov.  I 


340 


Mycologists  at  Sheffield. 


placed  in  a drinking-glass  at  Headquarters,  and  its  process 
of  delequescence  observed  during  several  following  days. 

Of  Boleti,  thirteen  species  were  found,  from  the  little 
red-pored  and  peppery  Boletus  piperatus  to  the  big  9-inch 
diameter  Boletus  scaber. 

The  Jews-Ear,  Hirneola  Auricula- Judae,  was  found  on  an 
Elder  at  Rycroft  Glen,  but  apparently  nowhere  else.  A 
remarkable  feature  of  Ecclesall  Wood  at  the  time  of  our  visit 
was  the  great  abundance  of  Earth-balls,  Scleroderma  aurantium, 
and  its  varieties.  A stipitate  Earth-ball,  Scleroderma  verru- 
co sum,  provided  the  writer  with  subject  for  a photograph. 
Some  excellent  samples  of  the  Dry-rot  fungus  Merulius 
lacrymans  were  brought  in  by  some  visitors  for  identification, 
and  advice  was  sought  for  its  eradication  from  a dwelling- 
house  where  it  had  already  done  grievous  damage  to  floors  and 
wainscotting.  As  is  usually  the  case,  ventilation  under  the 
floor  had  been  neglected  and  impeded  in  the  present  instance. 
Several  members  had  had  personal  bitter  experience  of  this 
pest,  and  were  able  to  furnish  useful  advice. 

The  more  noteworthy  species  of  the  larger  fungi  are  set 
out  in  the  list  following,  with  their  respective  distinctions. 
Mr.  Clarke  has  searched  the  county  records  as  usual,  and  he  is 
responsible  for  the  annotations. 

Following  there  is  a list  of  Micro-fungi,  which  was  com- 
piled by  Mr.  F.  A.  Mason. 

Our  proceedings  received  more  than  usual  attention  from 
the  press,  and  a photograph  of  the  party  was  reproduced  in 
the  Sheffield  Daily  Telegraph  of  September  2nd.  It  was 
remarked  that  this  was  the  first  known  occasion  upon  which 
a party  of  mycologists  had  been  vouchsafed  such  distinction  ! 

At  Abbey  dale  Hall,  on  Saturday  evening,  Mr.  Mason 
delivered  an  address  entitled,  ‘ Outlines  of  Fungus  Ecology/ 
and  on  Tuesday  evening  Dr.  Wager  spoke  on  ‘ The  Distribution 
of  the  Larger  Fungi/  Members  of  the  Sorby  Scientific  Society 
attended  both  lectures. 

On  Monday  evening,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Sorby 
Scientific  Society,  at  the  Church  Rooms,  St.  James  Row, 
Sheffield,  the  present  writer  gave  his  illustrated  lecture, 
entitled  ‘ Edible  and  Poisonous  Fungi/  to  a good  audience, 
which  included  members  of  the  Rotherham  Naturalists' 
Society. 

Our  thanks  are  due  to  Councillor  E.  Snelgrove,  B.A.,  for 
kindly  acting  as  local  guide  throughout  the  meeting. 


Records. 


Amanita  vevna. 
... A . pfialloides .. 

A mappa. 

A . panthenna . 


Amanita  magnifica  Fr. 

*Clitocybe  i n fundi  b ulifo.rmi  s var . 


membranaceus . 
C.  odor  a. 


Naturalist 


Reviews  and  Book  Notices. 


341 


*Clitocybe  pithy ophila  Fr. 
t Collybia  laxipes  Fr. 

*Mycena  rubromarginata  Fr. 
*M . inclinata  Fr. 

*M.  tenuis  Bolton. 

'*M.  speirea. 

Pleurotus  petaloides . 
fP.  mutilis  Fr. 

* Russula  chamaeleontina  Fr. 

f Dacryopsis 


* Russula  fragilis  var.  fallax. 
*R.  fingibilis . 

Cantliarellus  carbonarius . 
*Nolanea  proletaria. 

*Inocybe  Godeyi  Gillet. 

* Boletus  flavidus  Fr. 

*B.  variegatus  Swartz. 

B.  Rostkovii. 

Polyporus  intybaceus  Fr. 
nuda  (Berk.)  Massee. 


* New  to  Yorks.  S.W.  f New  to  Yorks. 


Micro-Fungi,  Sheffield  Foray,  August  30th  to  September  2nd. 
Garden  and  Grounds,  Abbeydale  Hall,  Derbyshire  : — 

■Cystopus  candidus  Lev.  Erysiphe  poly goni  D.C. 

Plasmopara  epilobii  Schroet.  Puccinia  Menthae  Pers. 

Bremia  lactucae  Regel.  Nectria  cinnabarina  (Tode)  Fr. 

Peronospova  Schleideni  Unger.  Cheilymenia  coprinaria  (Cke.)  Boud. 

P . rumicis  Corda.  Coprobia  granulata  (Bull.)  Boud. 

P . parasitica  De  Bary.  Cladosporium  herbarum  Link. 

Macrosporium  tomato  Cke. 


A ' Victoria  ’ plum  tree  was  found  to  be  badly  attacked  by  ‘ Silver 


Leaf,’  a disease  due  to  the  common 
was  pointed  out  to  the  gardener. 
Fcclesall  Woods,  Yorks.  : — 
Plasmopara  nivea  Schroet. 
Peronospova  violacea  Berk. 

P.  rumicis  Corda. 

P.  v.iolae  De  Bary. 

P.  ficariae  Tul. 

Uromyces  Poos  Rabenh. 


fungus,  Stereum  purpureum , and  it 


U . ficariae  Lev. 

Hypocrea  rufa  (Pers.)  Fr. 
Hyaloscypha  hyalina  (Pers.)  Boud. 
Oidium  alphitoides  Griff,  and 

Maubl. 

Fumago  vagans  (Pers.)  Fr. 


Evolution  at  the  Grossways,  by  H.  Reinheimer.  The  C.  W. 

Daniel  Co.,  191  pp.,  6/-  net.  This  is  a collection  of  articles  which  have 
-appeared  in  Psyche,  Hibbert  Journal,  Science  Progress,  Sociological 
Review  and  Quest.  The  seven  chapters  deal  with  ‘ Evolution,  Old  and 
New  ’ ; ‘ Compensation  in  Nature  ; ‘ The  Problem  of  Succession  in 

Evolution/  ‘ Symbiosis  and  the  Biology  of  Food/  ‘ Symbiosis  and  the 
Integration  of  Life,  and  the  eternal  difference  between  good  and  evil.’ 
The  book  is  printed  on  thick  paper. 

Moonlight  Tales,  by  Gordon  English.  John  Murray,  245  pp., 
7/6  net.  In  this  book  is  a collection  of  essays  which  has  been  published 
in  English  and  American  periodicals.  ‘ Scientific  accuracy,  however,  is 
not  a professed  feature  of  the  book,  nor  does  it  aim  at  advancing  know- 
ledge.’ The  sixteen  chapters  include,  ‘The  Jungle  Cat’s  Choice,’  ‘A 
Woodpigeon’s  Nest/  ‘ Crow  Nature,’  and  several  titles  which  do  not 
convey  anything  as  to  the  nature  of  the  essays.  There  are  illustrations 
of  the  Peewit,  Jaguar,  Marten,  Squirrel,  Crows  and  Foxes. 

The  Study  of  Living  Things,  Prolegomena  to  a functional  biology, 
by  E.  S.  Russell.  Methuen  & Co.,  139  pp.,  5/-  net.  The  object  of  this 
work  is  to  outline  a study  of  living  things  which  is  neither  materialistic 
nor  vitalistic,  but  renders  possible  the  elaboration  of  a truly  autonomous 
science  of  life,  a real  biology.  The  first  part  deals  with  the  Morphological 
altitude,  physicological  method  and  classical  materialism,  the  vitalistic 
method,  the  psychological  point  of  view  and  the  biological  method. 
The  second  refers  to  the  individuality  of  the  living  thing,  the  study  of 
behaviour,  response  by  chance  of  form,  the  analysis  of  organic  activity, 
and  the  outlook  for  functional  biology.  Having  indicated  the  nature 
of  the  volume,  our  interested  subscribers  must  read  it  for  themselves. 


1924  Nov.  1 


342 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS’  UNION  : 

ANNUAL  MEETING  OF  THE  BOTANICAL  SECTION. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Prof.  Priestley  and  the  University  authorities 
the  above  meeting  was  held  in  the  Botanical  Department  of  the  Leeds 
University  on  Saturday,  October  4th.  There  was  a good  attendance, 
and  Mr.  E.  Snelgrove  took  the  chair.  The  report,  prepared  by  the 
secretaries  from  numerous  widespread  observations  and  communications,, 
was  read,  and  after  some  discussion  was  adopted.  Officers  and  com- 
mittees for  the  Section  were  prepared  for  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the 
Union  ; the  question  of  future  excursions  brought  a suggestion  that 
Easter  was  too  early  for  a general  excursion,  and  it  would  be  best-  for 
one  or  two  meetings  to  be  arranged  for  that  date,  say,  by  the  Geological 
and  the  Bryological  sections.  . 

A welcome  cup  of  tea  was  provided  very  kindly  by  Mrs.  Pearsall  and 
Miss  Scott,  to  whom  the  meeting  voted  its  best  thanks. 

After  tea.  Dr.  T.  W.  Woodhead  showed  a series  of  photographs  and 
specimens  of  flints  dealing  with  the  work  m progress  in  the  Huddersfield 
district  on  the  Peat  areas.  From  the  very  numerous  workshop  sites; 
strewn  with  chippings,  it  was  evidently  the  hill  tops  where  early  man 
first  settled.  A recent  excavation  at  Warcock  Hill  gave  a suggestive  suc- 
cession, two  types  of  flints  being  found  in  distinct  layers  in  the  same 
sand  bed,  above  these  in  the  peat  was  an  arrow  point,  and  still  higher 
up  a barbed  arrow  head  of  Bronze  Age,  type,  and  also  a small  piece  of 
bronze  and  a horn  of  Bos  pvimigenius . 

He  also  stated  that  recent  work  at  the  paved  Roman  road  over  the 
Blackstone  Edge  had  shown  that  a portion  of  this  was  actually  laid  on 
peat,  proving  that  some  of  our  peat  is  Pre-Roman.  Careful  work  of  this 
nature  will  help  towards  a clearer  knowledge  of  the  early  vegetation , of 
this  country  and  its  subsequent  variation. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Pearsall  followed  with  some  interesting , experiments  in 
growing  Cotton-grass  in  culture  solutions.  He  pointed  out  that  the 
botanist  thinks  of  a type  of  soil  as  acid,  and  distinguishes  this  by  the 
vegetation — Heather,  Cotton-grass,  etc.  ; whereas  the  agriculturalist 
knows  a sour  soil  when  Barley  will  not  grow,'  and  when  weeds  like 
Spurrey  and  Sheep’s  Sorrel  are  too  frequent.  This  sourness  can  be 
remedied  by  the  application  of  lime,  and  the  experiments  were  made 
with  the  idea  of  seeing  the  result  of  lime  on  the  growth  of  Cotton-grass. 
He  found  that  the  presence  of  some  lime  was  not  deleterious  if  the  basic 
ratio  or  proportion  of  soda  and  potash  to  lime  was  high,  but  in 
concentrated  lime  solutions  this  did  not  apply.  An  interesting  point 
shown  by  the  examples  was  the  development  of  much  branched  roots 
in  the  lower  basic  ratio  experiment,  while  the  roots  were  almost  simple- 
in  the  higher  one.  The  conclusion  was,  that  although  Cotton-grass 
was  usually  found  and  looked  upon  as  an  acid  soil  indicator,  it  could  be 
grown  successfully  in  lime  solutions  given  a high  enough  Basic  ratio. 

The  question  of  the  introduction  and  the  recent  spread  of  Impatiens 
glandulifera  had  to  be  left  for  a later  date,  as  time  had  flown  so  rapidly 
with  the  two  papers  cited  and  the  discussion  thereon. — C.  A.  C. 

: o : 

We  learn  from  Nature  that  the  University  of  Leeds  and  ‘ the  Literary 
Society  have  arranged  a joint  programme  of  lectures  and  music  for  the 
autumn  term.  The  lectures  include  one  by  Prof.  L.  Bairstow  on  some 
aspects  of  modern  aerodynamics,  one  by  Mr.  J.  S.  Huxley  on  recent  pro- 
gress in  developmental  physiology,  and  three  by  Prof.  A.  Gilligan  on 
the  geology  of  Yorkshire,  all  of  which  are  free.  Prof.  S.  Brodetsky  and 
Mr.  S.  Stoneley  are  giving  a popular  course  of  six  lectures  on  astronomy, 
and  Prof.  P.  F.  Kendall  three  lectures  on  Man  and  the  Ice  Age.’ 


- Naturalist 


343 

YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS  AT  SGARTHINGWELL 

PARK. 

W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S. 


Although  the  Circular  issued  for  the  315th  Meeting  of  the  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  particularised  Saxton  in  the  field  of  operations,  the 
excursion  of  July  12th  resolved  itself  into  an  investigation  of  Scarthingwell 
Park,  the  time  at  disposal  proving  insufficient  to  explore  either  Towton 
or  Saxton,  the  General  Meeting  only  being  held  at  the  latter  place. 
Members  met  at  Church  Fenton,  and  at  once  proceeded,  under  the  guidance 
of  Mr.  H.  Maxwell-Stuart,  to  Scarthingwell  Park,  where  they  were  given 
a very  kindly  reception  by  Mr.  Arthur  Maxwell -Stuart  and  members  of  his 
family.  Here  the  Fishpond  and  Parklands  were  thoroughly  examined, 
and  although  conditions  were  rather  too  dry  for  making  observations 
advantageously,  the  reports  which  follow  indicate  that  workers  in  certain 
sections  were  well  occupied.  These  reports  do  not  give  any  clue  to  the 
very  pleasurable  time  spent  by  members  in  seeing  the  gardens  and 
shrubberies  in  company  with  Miss  Maxwell-Stuart,  who,  for  many  years, 
has  taken  expert  interest  in  the  cultivation  of  herbaceous  plants  and 
shrubs,  and  for  whom,  almost  every  tree  on  the  estate  appeared  to  provide 
affectionate  reminiscences. 

A General  Meeting  was  held  at  Saxton  in  the  afternoon,  under  the 
chairmanship  of  Mr.  Greevz  Fysher.  Reports  on  the  work  of  the  day 
were  rendered  by  the  Chairman,  the  Rev.  C.  Ash  and  Messrs.  W.  G. 
Bramley,  W.  H.  Burrell,  Chris.  A.  Cheetham,  E.  Hepworth,  M.Sc.,  F.  A. 
Mason,  W.  A.  Sledge  and  H.  Whitehead,  B.Sc. 

Votes  of  thanks  to  landowners  who  had  so  readily  given  access  to  their 
estates,  to  the  leaders  (Rev.  Cyril  Ash  and  Mr.  H.  Maxwell-Stuart)  and 
to  the  local  Secretary  (Mr.  Riley  Fortune)  were  unanimously  accorded. 

Flowering  Plants  (W.  A.  Sledge). — The  botanical  members  of  the 
party  investigated  the  vegetation  round  the  extensive  fish-pond  in 
Scarthingwell  Park,  and  the  calcareous  pasture  lands  behind  the  Hall. 

In  the  pond  was  a quantity  of  the  large  white  Water  Lily  ( Castalia 
alba),  which,  though  an  introduced  plant,  was  well  established  and  in 
fine  flower.  In  the  .shallower  muddy  parts  of  the  pond  the  Mare’s-tail 
(Hippuris  vulgaris)  and  Water  Milfoil  ( Myriophyllum  spicatum)  were 
plentiful.  The  margins  of  the  pond  were  occupied  chiefly  by  the  Yellow 
Iris  (Iris  Pseudacorus)  and  Common  Sedge  ( Carex  acutiformis) . The 
ground  vegetation  included  an  abundance  of  Moneywort  (Lysimachia 
Nummularia) , Celery-leaved  Buttercup  ( Ranunculus  sceleratus)  and 
Distant  Spiked  Sedge  ( Carex  remota) , while  the  common  marsh  plants 
Myosotis  palustris,  Veronica  Beccabunga,  Lotus  uliginosus,  Glyceria 
aquatica  were  present. 

On  the  north-east  side  of  the  pond  where  the  beech-wood  extends  to 
the  water’s  edge,  some  fine  specimens  of  the  Bird’s-Nest  Orchis  ( Neottia 
Nidus-avis)  were  found. 

The  vegetation  on  the  drier  ground  behind  the  Hall  was  that  of  a 
typical  calcareous  pasture.  The  characteristic  plants  were  Rock  Rose 
(Helianthemum  chamaecistus) , Purging  Flax  ( Linum  catharticum) , Thyme 
( Thymus  Serpyllum) , Betony  (Stachys  officinalis),  Birds-foot  Trefoil 
(Lotus  corniculatus)  and  Sheep’s  Fescue  (Festuca  ovina).  A single 
specimen  of  the  Bee  Orchis  ( Ophrys  apifera ) was  seen  by  some  members 
of  the  party. 

Messrs.  Burrell  and  Cheetham  report  that  they  saw  a great  display  of 
Astragalus  glycophyllos  by  the  roadside  in  Saxton.  There  was  an  un- 
broken stretch  of  this  plant  for  thirty  yards,  and  with  small  intervals  the 
patch  extended  for  eighty  yards  in  length.  Hottonia  palustris  was  seen 
in  a ditch  in  Ulleskelf  Mires. 


1924  Nov.  1 


344 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Scarthingwell  Park. 


Bryology  (W.  H.  Burrell). — With  the  exception  of  Fontinalis 
antipyretica , which  was  in  great  abundance  in  the  lake,  the  only  species 
■seen  in  Scarthingwell  Park  were  Hypnum  molluscum , Eurhynchium 
confertum,  Fissidens  taxifolius  and  Pellia  epiphylla.  Arboreal  mosses 
were  conspicuously  absent. 

A roadside  quarry  at  Saxton  yielded  Dicranella  Schreberi  ; Tortula 
mutica  was  seen  on  Willows  by  the  Wharfe  near  Ulleskelf,  and  Hypnum 
cor di folium  was  plentiful  in  swampy  woodland  near  Biggin. 


Fungi  (F.  A.  Mason). — Three  types  of  gathering  ground  presented 
themselves  on  this  excursion,  viz.,  moist  decaying  vegetation  and  herbage 
bordering  the  fishpond,  beech  woods,  and  pasture.  In  the  first  situation 
the  following  species  occurred  : — 


Puccinia  Menthcs  Pers.  Erysiphe  Polygoni  D.C. 

P.  Caricis  Schum.  Helotium  herbarum  (Pers.)  Fr. 

Urocystis  anemones.  Hyaloscypha  hyalina  (Pers.)  Bond. 

Erysiphe  graminis  D.C.  Trichoderma  viride  (Pers.)  Fr. 

The  beech  woods  produced  a few  agarics,  as  well  as  a small  number 
of  saprophytic  fungi  growing  on  fallen  timber.  Here  were 
Jnocybe  rimosa  (Bull.)  Fr.  Irpex  obliquus  (Schrad.)  Fr. 

I . Godeyi  Gillet  Amanita  rubescens  Fr. 

Androsaceus  polyadelphus  (Lasch)  Hypoxylon  multiforme  Fr. 


Pat. 

Marasmius  peronatus  (Bolt.)  Fr. 
Russula  cyanoxantha  Fr. 

R.  ochroleuca  Fr. 

R.  fragilis  Fr. 

R.  virescens  Fr. 


H . coccineum  Bull. 

Diatrype  stigma  (Hoff.)  de  Not. 
Xylaria  hypoxylon  (Linn.)  Grev. 
Reticularia  Lycoperdon  Bull. 
Fuligo  septica  (Linn.)  Gmel. 


The  coprophilic  and  other  fungi  of  the  pastures  and  lawn  were  not 
abundant ; the  following  were  observed  : — 

Psathyra  corrugis  Fr.  Anellaria  separata  (Linn.)  Karst. 

Coprinus  sterquilinus  Fr.  Stropharia  semig lobata  (Batsch)  Fr. 

C . plicatilis  Fr.  Coprobia  granulata  (Bull.)  Boud. 

Panceolus  sphinctrinus  Fr.  Ascobolus  furfuraceus  Pers. 

Several  ash  trees  on  the  estate  harboured  Daldinia  concentrica  (Bolt.) 
Ces.  et  de  Not. 


Plant  Galls  (Miss  J.  Grainger). — 

Hymenoptera. 

Biorrhiza  pallida  Oliv.  On  Oak. 

Pontania  proxima  Lepel.  On  Salix  fragilis. 

Diptera  . 

Perrisia  fraxini  Kieffer.  On  Common  Ash. 

P.  acrophila  Winn.  On  Common  Ash. 

P.  crates gi  Winn.  On  Hawthorn. 

P.  ulmarics  Bremi.  On  Meadowsweet. 

P.  urtices  Perris.  On  Nettle. 

P.veroniccs  Vallot.  On  Veronica  Chamcsdrys. 

Homoptera. 

Psyllopsis  fraxini  Linn.  On  Common  Ash. 

Schizoneura  ulmi  Linn.  On  Elm. 

Acari  . 

Eriophyes  tristriatus  Nal.  var.  erinea  Nal.  On  Walnut.  The  second 
record  for  Yorkshire. 

E.  tilics  Pagenst  var.  lisoma  Nal.  On  Lime. 

Fungi. 

Puccinia  Menthes  Pers.  P . Caricis  Schunj.  Urocystis  anemones. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  at  Scarthingwell  Park. 


345 


Vertebrata  (W.  G.  Bramley). — Not  many  birds  were  in  song,  and 
only  a short  list  was  made.  The  Turtle  Dove  and  Sedge  Warbler,  Heron, 
Yellow  Hammer  and  Greenfinch  were  common,  the  Chaffinch  being 
rather  scarce.  Rooks  were  taking  new  potatoes  from  the  fields.  On  the 
pond  in  the  Park  several  broods  of  Waterhens  were  heard,  but  few  were 
seen . 

Pike,  Roach  and  Eels  were  observed  in  the  ponds,  the  former  in  shoals 
of  30  to  40  individuals  of  varying  sizes.  It  is  reported  that  they  are 
known  to  have  taken  the  young  of  the  swans  which  breed  on  the  pond. 

Other  Vertebrates  noted  during  this  excursion  include  the  Stoat, 
Rat,  Common  Shrew  (Sherburn)  and  the  Pipistrelle  and  Noctule  Bats, 
both  the  latter  also  at  Sherburn . 

Mollusca  (Greevz  Fysher). — The  day  was  very  fine  and  dry,  but  owing 
to  the  industry  of  Mr.  J.  Digby  Firth  and  the  Rev.  Cyril  Ash  and  others, 
some  terrestrial  species  were  observed. 

Collected  by  Mr.  J.  Digby  Firth  '.-^Bithynia  tentaculata,  Hygromia 
striolata  and  young,  Pyr.  rotundata,  Clausilia  bidentata,  Valvata  cristata, 
Limnaea  peregra,  Planorbis  carinatus,  P.  fontanus,  P.  contortus,  Velletia 
lacustris. 

Collected  by  Mr.  Fysher  : — Theba  cantiana,  Limnaea  auricularia  var. 

The  fish  pond  contains  great  numbers  of  Anodonta  cygnea,  and 
empty  pairs  of  a large  size  were  obtained,  but  the  means  at  our  disposal 
did  not  enable  us  to  observe  the  living  mussels. 

Mr.  Ash  mentioned. that  H . nemoralis  and  hortensis  were  very  plentiful 
in  the  district  in  wet  weather,  but  they  were  all  hiding  from  the  drought. 

The  specimens  were  submitted  to  Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor. 

Diptera  (Chris.  A.  Cheetham). — Diptera  were  not  very  numerous, 
but  a few  interesting  species  were  seen,  and  two  mosquitoes  were  added 
to  the  County  List,  viz.,  T ceniorhynchus  richiardii  Fic.  and  Ochlevotatus 
maculatus  Mg.  ( waterhousei  Theo.).  Mr.  F.  W.  Edwards  kindly  identi- 
fied these.  Among  the  Syrphids,  Helophilus  lineatus  F.  and  Chilosia 
illustrata  Harr,  have  not  often  been  recorded,  the  large  V olucella  bornby- 
lans  L.  and  pellucens  L.  were  most  noticeable,  but  Eristalis  and  Syrphus 
little  in  evidence,  in  fact  the  common  5.  ribesii  was  not  noted,  the 
scarcity  of  this  species  has  been  general  this  season.  Baccka.  elongata  F. 
(I  cannot  make  two  species  of  the  Yorkshire  Bacchas)  and  Leucozona 
lucorum  L.  were  also  taken.  Tipulas  were  disappointing,  oleracea  and 
scripta  frequent,  and  odd  ochracea,  longicornis  and  rujina,  Pachyrrhina, 
quadrifaria  frequent;  and  a few  Ptychoptera  contaminata  and  scutellaris. 
The  solitary  representative  of  the  fungus  gnats  was  Leiomyia  fascipennis . 

Leptis  had  two  species,  lineola  F.  and  tringaria  L.,  with  Chrysopilus 
cristatus  Verr.  and  Dioctria  rufipes  Deg.  as  close  relatives  ; the  Empids, 
livida  L.,  grisea  Fin.  and  Tachista  arrogans  L.  ; and  Stratiomyids,  Beris 
vallata  Forst.,  fuscipes  Mg.,  geniculata  Curt.,  and  Microchrysa  cyaneiven- 
tris  Ztt.  ; Dolichopods,  brevipennis  Mg.,  trivialis  Hal.,  griseipennis 
Stan.,  Argyra  leucocephala  Mg.,  Chrysotus  gramineous  Fin.  and  Psilopus 
platypterus  F. 

Among  the  Acalypterates  were  Sciomyza  albocostata  Fin.,  a species  I 
have  found  frequent  this  year  though  previously  only  odd  specimens, 
Acidia  cognata  W.,  Tetanocera  elata  F.,  Paralleloma  albipes  Fin.,  Pallop- 
tera  umbellatarum  F.,  and  Cetema  elongata  Mg. 

The  following  day  a visit  to  Ulleskelf  Mires  (a  promising  place) , where 
I got  Tipula  nigra  L.,  and  to  a bit  of  old  scrub  between  Wistow  and 
Bishopwood,  where  the  best  capture  of  the  week-end,  Nephrotoma  dorsalis 
F.,  was  made,  completed  the  week-end  collecting. 

: o : 

Mr.  E.  Wooler  has  a paper  on  ‘ Roman  Lead  Mining  in  Weardale. 
Discovery  of  Bronze  Lead -pouring  Ladle/  in  No.  109  of  The  Yorkshire 
Archceological  Journal. 


1924  Nov.  I 


YORKSHIRE  NATURALISTS  IN  TEESDALE 


346 


W.  H.  PEARSALL,  D.SC.,  F.L.S.,  AND  F.  A.  MASON,  F.R.M.S. 

After  an  interval  of  thirty -two  years,  Darlington  was  revisited  as 
Headquarters  for  the  316th  Excursion  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union,  held  during  Bank  Holiday  week-end,  August  2nd  to  4th.  By 
the  courtesy  of  the  Darlington  and  Teesdale  Naturalists’  Field  Club, 
a room  at  the  ‘ Friends’  School  Premises,’  in  which  the  Club  meets, 
was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Union  during  this  visit.  The  museum 
and  library  maintained  by  the  local  society  were  made  good  use  of 
by  Members,  who  much  appreciated  the  opportunity  of  consulting 
local  literature. 

Under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  C.  P.  Nicholson,  Saturday’s  excursion 
lay  through  the  ‘Wilderness,’  Blackwell,  to  Croft,  returning  by  Monkend. 
Among  those  present  on  this  excursion  were  the  President,  Mr.  Percy  H. 
Grimshaw,  F.R.S.E.,  the  President  of  the  Darlington  and  Teesdale 
Naturalists’  Field  Club  (Mr.  R.  Luck)  and  the  Hon.  Secretary  (Mr.. 
John  E.  Nowers). 

Visits  to  Piercebridge  and  Gainford,  to  Halnaby  Carr,  and  to  Barton 
Limestone  Quarries,  together  with  a visit  by  some  members  to  the  curious 
ponds  known  as  ‘ Hell  Kettles,’  completed  the  week-end  excursions. 

On  Saturday  evening,  in  the  Field  Club’s  room,  under  the  chairman- 
ship of  the  President  of  the  Union,  supported  by  the  President  of  the 
local  Society  (Mr.  R.  Luck),  one  of  the  writers  (F.  A.  M.)  gave  a lecture 
on  ‘ The  Field.  Study  of  the  Fungi.’  The  meeting  was  well  attended. 

On  Monday,  a General  Meeting  was  held  at  Headquarters,  the  Presi- 
dent in  the  chair.  Sympathetic  reference  to  the  loss  sustained  by  the 
Union  through  the  death  of  Dr.  R.  Kidston,  F.R.S.,  of  Stirling/was 
made  from  the  chair,  and  the  Hon.  Secretaries  were  requested  to  convey 
the  sincere  condolence  of  the  meeting,  as  representing  the  Union,  to 
Mrs.  Kidston. 

Interesting  reports  of  the  field  work  were  then  submitted  by  the 
President  and  Messrs.  H.  B.  Booth,  Greevz  Fysher,  J.  Hartshorn,  M.  L. 
Thompson,  F.  A.  Mason  and  W.  P.  Winter,  B.Sc.  Votes  of  thanks  were 
accorded  the  landowners  of  the  district  for  permission  to  visit  their 
estates,  to  the  officials  and  members  of  the  local  Society  who  had  enter- 
tained the  Union  and  led  its  excursions,  and  to  Mr.  J.  Hartshorn,  the 
Local  Secretary. 

Plant  Ecology  (W.  H.  Pearsall). — The  areas  visited  on  Monday, 
August  4th,  proved  to  be  interesting  but  difficult  to  describe  without 
more  detailed  examination.  Willow  Carr,  near  Croft,  from  which  a 
number  of  species  are  recorded  in  Baker’s  ‘ North  Yorkshire,’  proved  to 
be  a very  fine  remnant  of  fenland  of  the  ‘ open  carr  ’ type.  It  is,  however, 
peculiar  in  the  absence  of  Alders  and  the  scarcity  of  Phalaris  arundinacea. 
These  characteristic  fen  species  are,  in  the  Lake  District  carrs,  confined 
to  places  where  silting  takes  place.  They  evidently  require  some  soil 
condition  absent  from  Willow  Carr,  where  the  soil  is  rather  acid  and  where 
willows  and  birches  are  abundant.  Willow  Carr  resembles  some  parts 
of  Askham  Bog,  near  York,  but  in  the  latter  place,  Alder  is  quite  fre- 
quent, and  willows  are  much  less  prominent,  although  the  soil  is  equally 
acid. 

Fungi  (F.  A.  Mason). — The  species  listed  below  include  only  those 
fungi  noted  on  the  Yorkshire  side  of  the  Tees,  and  they  represent  gather- 
ings from  two  very  distinct  types  of  vegetation  (a)  the  ‘ carrs  ’ or  ‘ mgs,’ 
near  Halnaby,  to  which  reference  is  made  in  Dr.  Pearsall’s  notes,  and 
(b)  beech  woods  and  plantations  by  the  Tees,  from  Cliffe  upwards  towards 
Gainford . 

Omph alia  fibula  (Bull.)  Fr.  A . rotula  (Scop.)  Pat. 

Androsaceus  androsaceus  (Linn.)  Entoloma  sericeum  (Bull.)  Fr. 

Pat.  Galera  hypnorum  (Schrank.)  Fr. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  in  Teesdale, 


347 


Galera  hypnorum  var.  bryorum 
(Pers.)  Fr. 

Polypoms  hispidus  (Bull.)  Fr 
(large  specimens  on  ash). 

Poria  sanguinolenta  Fr. 

Fomes  igniarius  (Linn . ) . Fr . 

F.  salicinus  (Pers.)  Fr. 

Dcsdalea  confragosa  (Bolt.)  Fr. 

Puccinia  menthce  Pers. 

P.  ividis  (D.C. ) Wallr. 

P.  caricis  (Schum.)  Reb. 

Reticularia  ly  coper  don  Bull. 
In  the  beech  woods  and  plantations  : — 


Hypoxylon  semiimersum  Nke. 
Diaporthe  revellens  Nke. 
Melanomma  pulvis-pyrus  (Pers.) 
Fcke. 

Daldinia  concentrica  (Bolt.)  Ces. 
et  de  Not. 

Hysteriographium  fraxini  de  Not. 
Ciliaria  scutellata  (Linn.)  Quel. 
Heloiium  virgultorum  (Wahl.) 
Karst. 

Botrytis  cinerea  Pers. 


Armillaria  met  lea  (Fahl.)  Fr. 
Lepiota  granulosa  (Batsch.)  Fr. 
Amanita  rubescens  Fr. 

A.  muscaria  (Linn.)  Fr. 
Tricholoma  terreum  (Schaeff.)  ,Fr. 
Laccaria  laccata  (Scop.)  B.  & Br. 
Collybia  butyracea  ( Bull.)  Fr. 

C.  confluens  (Pers.)  Fr. 

Mycena  rugosa  Fr. 

M.  galericulata  (Scop.)  Fr. 

M.  galopus  (Pers.)  Fr. 

M . hcematopus  (Pers.)  Fr. 
Lactarius  blennius  Fr. 

L.  quietus  Fr. 


L.  subdulcis  Fr.. 

Inocybe  rimosa.  (Bull.)  Fr. 
Cortinarius  elatior  Fr. 

Fomes  annosus  Fr. 

F . ulmarius  Fr, 

Boletus  elegans  (Schum.)  Fr. 
B.  badius  Fr. 

B . chrys  enter  on  Fr. 

B.  subtomentosus  Fr. 

B.  luridus  (ScaefL)  Fr. 

Phlebia  merismoides  Fr. 
Thelephora  terrestris  Fr. 
Corticium  sambuci  (Pers.)  Fr. 
Clavaria  cinerea  (Bull.)  Fr. 


During  the  excursion  to  Monkend,  the  rare  rose,  Rosa  Sabini,  was 
found  to  be  very  severely  attacked  by  Sphaerotheca  pannosa  (Wallr.) 
Lev.  Four  other  species  of  parasitic  fungi  are  recorded  in  Mr.  Winter's 
list  of  plant  galls. 

Plant  Galls  (W.  P.  Winter,  B.Sc,). — 


Hemiptera. 

Chermes  viridis  Ratz.  On  Larch.  Insects  in  Colonici  stage. 
Chermes  and  Cnaphalodes  galls.  On  Spruce. 

Schizoneura  ulmi  Linn.  On  Wych  Elm. 

Aphis  atriplicis  Linn.  On  White  Goosefoot. 

A.  cratcegi  Buckton.  On  Hawthorn. 

Myzus  mercurialis . On  Dog’s  Mercury. 

Psylla  buxi  Linn.  On  Box. 

Trioza  cegopodii  F.  Low.  On  Goutweed. 

Psyllopsis  fraxini  Linn.  On  Ash. 

Aphis  viburni  Scop.  On  Guelder  Rose. 


Hymenoptera  . 

Cryptocampus  medullarius  Hartig.  On  Bay  Willow. 

Pontania  proxima  Lepel.  On  Crack  Willow  and  White  Willow. 
Cryptocampus  testaceipes  Zadd.  On  White  Willow. 

Pontania  salicis  Christ,  and  P.  femoralis  Cameron.  On  Salix  nigricans 
Smith. 

Biorrhiza  pallida  Oliv.,  Neuroterus  baccarum  forma  lenticularis  Oliv., 
Cynips  kollari  Hartig.  On  Oak. 

Rhodites  eglanterice  Hartig  and  R.  roses  Linn.  On  Dog  Rose. 

Diptera. 

Perrisia  marginemtorquens  Winn.  On  Crack  Willow. 

Rhabdophaga  salicis  Schrank.  On  Salix  nigricans  Smith. 

Perrisia  urticcs  Perris.  On  Nettle. 

P.  ulmarice  Bremi.  On  Meadowsweet. 

P.  cratcsgi  Winn.  On  Hawthorn. 

P.  viciae  Kieff.  On  Tufted  Vetch. 


3924  Nov.  1 


34§ 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  in  Teesdale. 


Contarinia  tiliarum  Kieffer.  On  Common  Lime  (on  the  Durham  side). 
Perrisia  fraxini  Kieffer.  On  Ash. 

P.  veronica  Vallot.  On  Germander  Speedwell. 

Oligotrophus  bursarius  Bremi.  On  Ground  Ivy. 

Rkopalomyia  millejolii  H.  Low.  On  Yarrow. 

Cecidomyia  sp.  [as  5864  Houard].  On  Ragwort. 

Acari  . 

Eriophyes  brevitarsus  Focken,  E.  Icevis  Mai.,  E.  nalepai  Focken.  On 
Alder. 

E.  goniothorax  Nal.  On  Hawthorn. 

E.  macrorrhyncus  Nal.  and  Phyllocoptes  acericola  Nal.  On  Sycamore. 
Eriophyes  galii  Karp.  On  Goosegrass. 

Fungi. 

Paphrina  aurea  Fr.  On  a Black  Poplar  (species  doubtful),  taken  on  the 
Durham  side. 

T.  bullata  Tul.  On  Hawthorn. 

Urocystis  anemones  Pers.  On  Creeping  Crowfoot. 

Puccinia  agopodii  Schum.  On  Goutweed. 

Vertebrate  Zoology  (H.  B.  Booth). — Bird  life  was  not  as  plentiful 
as  expected,  but  many  of  the  smaller  species  were  in  the  dense  foliage 
with  their  families,  and  keeping  as  quiet  as  possible. 

The  Yellow  Hammer  was  the  predominating  bird  of  the  district 
(just  as  it  was  at  an  August  excursion  to  Northallerton  several  years 
ago),  and  it  was  practically  the  only  bird  that  was  in  song  at  the  time. 
Other  species  noted  were  the  Kingfisher,  Common  Sandpiper,  Kestrel, 
Sparrow  Hawk,  Tawny  Owl,  Jay  and  Magpie.  The  two  last-named 
birds  occurred  together,  which  is  unusual,  as  for  some  unknown  reason, 
often  when  one  is  fairly  numerous  in  a district,  the  other  is  scarce  or 
absent.  The  best  record  was  produced  in  a preserved  specimen  of  the 
Little  Owl  which  was  shot  by  the  gamekeeper  in  the  woods  on  the  Halnaby 
estate  in  1923.  A pair  was  believed  to  be  nesting  at  the  time,  and  the 
gamekeeper  informed  me  that  he  shot  one  of  them  really  because  he  did 
not  know  what  it  was.  After  that,  every  precaution  was  taken  not  to 
drive  the  other  bird  away,  in  the  hope  that  it  might  obtain  another 
mate  ; the  lady  of  the  house  in  particular  taking  great  interest  in  the 
bird’s  welfare,  but  it  disappeared.  This  is  the  most  northerly  record  of 
-the  nesting  (or  rather  attempted  nesting)  of  this  species  in  Yorkshire, 
and  probably  also  in  the  British  Isles. 

Mollusca  (Greevz  Fysher)  .—Terrestrial  mollusca  had  not  yet  all 
hidden  away  after  the  recent  heavy  rain  which  caused  the  River  Tees  to 
Tun  so  high  that  aquatic  species  there  were  quite  out  of  reach.  Its 
tributary,  the  Skern,  has  lately  been  greatly  artiftcialized,  and  its  course 
altered  near  the  town,  so  that  its  molluscan  fauna  in  the  accessible  portion 
would  be  far  from  representative.  One  of  the  lakes  in  the  park  is  known 
to  harbour  a variety,  but  the  gatherings  made  were  from  the  Wilderness 
on  the  Tees  bank,  from  Hell  Kettles,  from  Barton  and  from  Halnaby 
Fish  Pond.  These  have  been  submitted  to  Mr.  John  W.  Taylor,  M.Sc., 
who  has  ascertained  the  following  species  : — Limax  maximus,  Helix 
aspersa,  H.  hortensis  v.  lutea,  00000,  12345  (123)  45,  1(23)45,  1 (2345), 
H.  nemoralis  var.  castanea  12345,  Helicigona  arbustorum  type  and  var. 
juscescens,  Hygromia  hispida,  H.  striolata,  Ashfordia  granulata,  Xerophila 
caperata,  Ena  obscura,  Clausilia  laminata,  C.  bidentata,  Succinea  elegans, 
Planorbis  albus,  P.  contortus,  P.  marginalus,  Limnaa  peregra,  Physa 
fontinalis , Bithynia  tentaculata,  Pisidium  subtruncatum , P.  milium, 
P.  pusillum. 

This  list  does  not  confirm  the  admirable  record  of  the  late  R.  Taylor 
Manson  in  1898,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  residence  on  the  spot  and 
continuous  observation  would  probably  extend  to  the  same  number  of 
species. 


Naturalist 


Yorkshire  Naturalists  in  Teesdale, 


349 


A visit  was  paid  to  a pond  at  Monk  Hesleden,  where  sinistral  L. 
peregra  have  been  found  from  time  to  time.  , The  result  was  disappointing. 
Domestic  ducks  now  visit  the  pond  and  seem  to  have  cleared  it  of  every 
trace  of  mollusca. 

Coleoptera  and  Hemiptera  (M.  L.  Thompson ) .—The  following 
species  of  Coleoptera  and  Hemiptera  were  met  with  in  Halnaby  Carr 
and  along  the  route  from  Halnaby  to  Croft  ; — • 


Coleoptera. 


Loricera  pilicornis  F’ 
Pterostichus  vulgaris  L. 

P.  minor  Gy  11. 

Agonum  fuliginosus  Panz. 

A theta  fungi  Grav. 

Tachyporus  obtusus  L. 

T.  pusillus  Grav. 

Stenus  impressus  Germ. 

Oxytelus  rugosus  F. 

Brachypterus  urticce  F. 
Meligethes  ceneus  F. 

Aphidecta  ( adalia ) obliterata  L. 
Coccinella  10-punctata  L. 
Cyphon  variabilis  Thunb. 
Rhagonycha  fulva  Scop. 


Phylodecta  vitellines  L. 

Phyllotreta  undulata  Kuts. 
Phyllobius  argentatus  L. 

Polydrusus  pterygomalis  Sch, 
Barypithes  araneiformis  Schr. 
Strophosomus  melanogrammus  Forst 
Ceuthorrhynchus  contractus  Marsh. 
Cidnorrhinus  4- maculatus  L. 
Cceliodes  rubicundus  Hbst. 

Orchestes  quercus  L. 

O.  fagi  L. 

Cionus  scrophularics  L. 

Apion  violaceum  Rich. 

Apion  nigritarse  Rub. 

Rhynchites  betulce  L. 


Hemiptera. 


Drymus  brunneus  Sahib. 
Gastrodes  ferrugineus  Linn. 
Anthocoris  sylvestris  Linn. 
Pithanus  maerkeli  H.S. 
Miris  holsatus  Fab. 
Leptopterna  dolobrata  Linn. 
Monalocoris  filicis  Linn. 


Calocoris  sexguttatus  Fab. 

C.  bipunctatus  Fab. 

Lygus  pabulinus  Linn. 

L.  viridis  Fall. 

L.  rubricatus  Fall. 
Plagiognathus  arbustorum  Fab. 


Lepidoptera  (T.  Ashton  Lofthouse). — Halnaby  Carr  and  the  rough 
ground  and  mixed  plantations  in  the  neighbourhood,  including  Halnaby 
Park,  looked  very  promising  to  a Lepidopterist. 

Among  the  Butterflies  the  Meadow  Brown  was  pleasantly  abundant 
on  the  rough  open  ground,  but  apart  from  this  species,  only  odd  specimens 
of  the  Green  Veined  White,  Small  Heath  and  Common  Blue  were  noticed. 

The  usual  common  moths  such  as  Eubolia  limitata,  Melanippe 
sociata,  Scop-aria  lutealis,  etc.,  were  in  evidence  ; also  sparingly  Fidonia 
piniaria,  Cidaria  fulvata  and  Uropteryx  sambucaria,  the  Swallow  Tail 
moth,  was  reported.  Two  Apamea  didyma  are  only  noted  as  they  were 
beaten  out  of  the  ‘ Gamekeeper’s  Larder  ’ by  the  coleopterist  of  the 
party,  and  had  been  either  attracted  there  by  the  ‘ smell  ’ or  for  shelter  ! 

Among  the  smaller  species,  Stenopteryx  hybridalis , Penthina  betulcs- 
tana,  P.  pruniana,  P . variegata  and  Grapholitha  ramella  were  noted  on  or 
near  Halnaby  Carr.  M . plagiodactylus , one  of  the  plumes,  was  plentiful 
on  some  rough  ground  where  scabious  was  plentiful.  Eudorea  ambigualis 
common  on  fir  trunks  ; and  beaten  out  of  the  firs,  principally  spruce,  were 
Coccyx  nanana,  only  one  record  for  this  in  Yorks,  list,  and  since  for  two 
other  Yorkshire  localities  by  myself.  Scardia  arcella,  of  which  there  are 
only  two  or  three  previous  records.  Cedestis  gysselinella,  added  by  me  to 
the  Yorkshire  list  at  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  meeting  at  Great 
Ayton  some  years  ago,  and  curiously  another  specimen  was  taken  later 
in  the  same  week  near  Guisborough. 

T'ortrix  viridana,  T.  xylostiana,  Prays  curtisellus , Cerostoma  radiatella, 
Argyresthia  albistria,  A.  nitidella  and  A.  goedartella  were  also  noted. 

Diptera  (Percy  H,  Grimshaw). — The  weather  turned'  out  very 
favourably.  There  was-plentjA ..of  sunshine,  and  about  150  species  were 


1924  Nov.  1 


35° 


Correspondence. 


taken,  of  which  several  are  new  to  the  county  list.  The  woods  and 
marshes  along  the  riverside  between  Piercebridge  and  Gainford  yielded 
a good  harvest  of  specimens,  and  Syrphidae,  the  most  attractive  group, 
were  plentiful.  Some  15  species  were  taken  belonging  to  this  family, 
including  Syrphus  lineola  Ztt.  (new  to  the  county) , Helophilus  hybridus 
Lw.,  and  Xylota  silvarum  L.,  an  uncommon  species.  The  marshy  ground 
adjoining  the  woods  at  Halnaby  was  swarming  with  mosquitoes,  and 
three  species  were  taken,  viz.,  Ochlerotatus  annulipes  Mg.,  which  was 
abundant  and  a vicious  biter,  0.  nemorosus  Mg.,  and  the  common  Culex 
pipiens  L.  Crane-flies  were  abundant,  and  represented  by  Limnobia 
trivittata  Schum.,  Tricyphona  straminea  Mg.,  Limnophila  nemoralis  Mg., 
L.  ochracea  Mg.,  Dicranomyia  mono  F.,  Tipula  fulvipennis  Deg.,  T. 
paludosa  Mg.,  and  Pachyrrhinci  lineata  Scop.  Eleven  species  of  Empidae 
and  fifteen  Dolichopochidae  were  taken  during  the  week-end,  including 
Bicellaria  spuria  Fin.,  Empis  livida  L.,  Psilopus  platypterus  Fab,, 
Argyra  leucocephala  Mg.,  A.  argentina  Mg.,  A . argyria  Mg.,  Dolichopus 
wahlbergi  Ztt.,  D.  festivus  Hal.,  Campsicnemus  curvipes  Fin.,  Chrysotus 
neglectus  Wied.,  and  5.  gramineus  Fin.  The  only  member  of  the  Phoridae 
taken,  Phora  crassicornis  Mg.,  is  new  to  the  county;  as  is  also  the  Tachinid 
Morinia  nana  Mg.,  of  which  five  specimens  were  captured.  Of  Anthony - 
iidae  in  the  broad  sense,  no  fewer  than  forty -three  species  have  been 
identified  as  taken  during  the  week-end,  the  novelties  including  Alloeos- 
tylus  sudeticus  Schnabl,  My  dee  a tincta  Ztt.,  Trichopticus  semicinereus 
Wd.,  T.  innocuus  Ztt.,  and  Limnopliora  vana  Ztt.  Many  of  the  Acaly- 
ptrate  Muscidae  were  also  collected,  but  these  have  not  yet  been  identified. 
The  district  is  apparently  a rich  one,  and  would  well  repay  attention  by 
students  of  this  order  of  insects.  Altogether  107  species  have  been 
identified,  all  of  which  were  obtained  during  the  course  of  two  short 
days  by  a single  collector. 

: o : 

New  British  Moss. — During  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
British  Bryological  Society,  August  29th  to  September  4th, 
held  this  year  at  Llanberis  for  investigation  of  the  Snowden 
district,  Miss  L.  I.  Scott,  B.Sc.,  of  the  Botanical  Department, 
Leeds  University,  made  an  addition  to  the  list  of  British 
mosses  by  gathering  Grimmia  andreaeoides  Limpr.,  a plant 
hitherto  known  only  from  a few  high  alpine  localities  in 
Switzerland,  Tyrol  and  Carinthia. — W.  H.  Burrell,  October 
4th,  1924. 

CORRESPONDENCE. 

HYMENOPTERA  ON  ALLERTHORPE  COMMON. 

Sir. — As  the  proof  of  my  article  in  the  October  Naturalist  was  un- 
fortunately not  corrected,  owing  to  my  absence  from  home,  there  are 
errors  of  spelling,  etc.,  the  most  glaring  being  Chupids*  for  Chrysids. 
A more  important  matter  is  an  error  in  the  explanation  of  the  use  of  the 
dagger  and  asterisk.  The  former  represents  a new  county  record,  and  the 
latter  a Vice-county  one,  and  not  as  stated.  Methoca  occurs  in  Surrey, 
and  this  county  should  have  been  specifically  mentioned,  but  I in- 
advertently included  it  among  those  bordering  the  coast. — W.  J. 
Fordham. 


* A chupid  error. — Ed. 


Naturalist 


35i 


NEW  BOOKS  ON  EARLY  MAN. 

Prof.  Sollas  and  his  publishers  are  to  be  congratulated  on  the  appear- 
ance of  the  third  edition  of  his  Ancient  Hunters,*  a valuable  work 
already  referred  to  in  our  pages.  We  find  that  the  Galley  Hill  and 
Ipswich  skeletons  are  now  considered  to  be  ‘ comparatively  recent  ’ 
interments.  We  also  search  in  vain  for  any  reference  to  Mr.  Moir’s 
famous  ‘ palaeolithic  ' mammoth  statuette  (which  geologists  considered 
to  be  part  of  an  ammonite)  or  to  Mr.  Armstrong’s  ancient  carvings  on 
flints  from  Grime’s  Graves.  As  so  much  importance  has  been  attached 
to  those  objects  by  their  discoverers,  surely  we  might  have  had  some 
reference  to  them  in  this  new  edition  ? Apparently  the  author  accepts 
the  authenticity  of  the  famous  ‘ Maglemose  Harpoons  from  Holderness,’ 
as  he  states  ‘ two  harpoons,  more  Magdalenian  than  Azilian  in  character, 
have  been  found  beneath  the  peat.’  All  the  same,  we  observe  that  the 
figures  of  the  two  bone  harpoons  which  ornamented  the  back  of  the  cover 
of  the  last  edition,  do  not  appear  on  the  present  one  ! Possibly,  of  course, 
merely  a coincidence.  English  Archaeologists,  however,  will  particularly 
value  the  book  from  the  excellence  of  the  description  of  the  continental 
sites,  many  of  which  have  recently  been  visited  personally  by  Prof.  Sollas. 

The  Early  Iron  Age  Inhabited  Site  at  All  Cannings  Cross  Farm, 
Wiltshire,  by  M.  E.  Cunnington.  Devizes  : G.  Simpson  & Co., 

Ltd.,  204  pp.,  25/-  net.  The  extraordinary  series  of  specimens  unearthed 
at  All  Cannings  Cross  has  long  been  of  value  to  archaeologists,  as  it 
relates  to  the  Hallstatt  and  La  Tene  period,  and  probably  represents  a 
much  more  complete  set  of  specimens  of  this  age  than  has  been  recorded 
anywhere  else  in  the  British  Islands.  The  objects  are  of  a particu- 
larly interesting  type,  and  especially  the  pottery,  which  contains 
many  unusual  features,  and  some  of  the  vessels  have  much  in  common 
with  the  later  Saxon  pottery.  The  various  objects  of  bone,  stone,  iron, 
clay,  etc.,  are  illustrated  on  upwards  of  fifty  large  plates,  which  form 
a valuable  part  of  the  volume.  Mrs.  Cunnington  is  to  be  congratulated 
on  the  thoroughness  with  which  the  description  of  the  objects  found 
during  twelve  years’  excavations  has  been  made.  The  illustrations  will 
assist  in  dating  many  objects  hitherto  doubtful. 

Insects  : their  Structure  and  Life,  by  George  H.  Carpenter, 
D.Sc.  J.  M.  Dent  & Sons,  Ltd.  Second  edition,  price  10/6  net.  This 
is  essentially  a student’s  book,  and  a very  good  one.  In  the  six  long 
chapters  it  contains  (323  pages),  Dr.  Carpenter  has  brought  together  an 
array  of  facts  which  seems  to  embrace  everything  necessary  for  anyone 
wishing  to  commence  the  study  of  Entomology  in  its  wide  aspect  ; but 
to  most  specialisation  will  have  to  come  afterwards.  An  idea  of  what 
the  book  contains  will  at  once  be  gathered  from  the  headings  of  the 
chapters,  as  follows  : — I.  ‘ The  Form  of  Insects  ’ ; II.  ‘ The  Life-History 
of  Insects  ’ ; III.  ‘ The  Classification  and  Evolution  of  Insects  ’ ; IV.  ‘ The 
Orders  of  Insects  ’ ; V.  ‘ Insects  and  their  Surroundings  ’ ; VI.  ‘ The  Pedi- 
gree of  Insects.’  Each  of  these  chapters  deals  thoroughly  with  its  subject, 
and  we  can  think  of  scarcely  anything  that  has  been  omitted,  so  thor- 
oughly exhaustive  is  it.  But  what  strikes  one  most  on  going  through  the 
book  is,  how  very  much  of  it  is  from  the  work  of  other  entomologists 
rather  than  from  the  author’s  own  study  and  observation.  Chapter  I. 
is  largely  based  on  Miall  and  Denny’s  book  on  the  Cockroach,  and  this 
sort  of  thing  applies  more  or  less  throughout  the  book.  No  fewer  than 
237  ‘ References  to  Literature  ’ are  given  at  the'  end  of  the  book, 
from  which  authors  much  of  Dr.  Carpenter’s  book  has  evidently  been 
culled.  Even  the  four  coloured  plates  in  the  work  were  previously  quite 
familiar  to  most  lepidopterists  who  keep  up  with  entomological  literature  ; 

* Macmillan  & Co.,  1924  (697  pp.,  25/-  net.) 


1924  Nov.  1 


352 


Northern  News. 


and  in  the  profusion  of  black-and-white  figures  in  the  text,  the  great 
majority  have  been  taken  from  the  works  of  other  authors,  all  duly 
acknowledged,  of  course.  Surely  it  would  have  been  easy  to  obtain 
four  original  coloured  plates  and  many  new  figures  to  illustrate 
the  subjects  treated  on  at  little  extra  expense.  In  the  short  space  which 
can  be  given  in  The  Naturalist  it  is  impossible  to  review  such  a book  as 
this  at  all  adequately,  and  most  aspects  of  it  must  remain  untouched. 
The  classification  of  the  Orders  of  Insects  is  somewhat  different  from  that 
to  which  we  have  been  accustomed,  but  that  is  a matter  which  is  largely 
dependent  on  an  author’s  ideas  as  to  what  should  be  its  basis.  But  we 
venture  to  think  that  the  arrangement  of  the  Lepidoptera  as  given  in 
this  book  (pp.  194  to  210)  is  not  in  the  least  likely  to  be  followed  by 
students  in  this  country,  in  their  cabinets.  An  arrangement  which 
commences  with  the  lowest  family  of  the  Micro  lepidoptera,  and  finishes 
with  the  Satyrid  butterflies  would  look  so  utterly  unnatural  in  the 
cabinet,  as  almost  to  make  Doubleday  and  Stainton  rise  from  their 
graves  ! The  fact  is  that  no  satisfactory  arrangement  can  be  made  from 
any  characteristic  based  on  one  idea.  We  are  glad  to  see  that  Dr. 
Carpenter  uses  the  term  variety  in  its  proper  sense.  We  say  this  because 
two  out  of  the  three  of  our  entomological  journals  often,  in  one  of  them 
almost  habitually  so,  use  the  term  incorrectly.  A variety  is,  of  course, 
local  or  constantly  recurrent  variation  from  the  type  of  a species,  whilst 
an  aberration  is,  as  the  word  implies,  a casual  variation  which  may 
never,  or  rarely  occur  again.  As  an  instance,  to  write  or  speak  of  Cidaria 
-suffumata  ab.  piceata  is  altogether  wrong,  and  yet  many  of  our  best 
lepidopterists  always  do  this.  The  book  is  nicely  got  up,  well  and  clearly 
printed,  and  for  its  special  purpose  is  in  every  way  excellent. — G.T.P. 
: o : 

H.  Donisthorpe  gives  some  ' Notes  on  the  European  Species  of  the 
Coleopterous  Genus,  Euryusa  Erickson,’  in  The  Entomologist’s  Monthly 
Magazine  for  October. 

G.  C.  Robson  gives  a well  illustrated  account  of  the  Mollusca  in 
Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries,  Part  43.  There  are  excellent 
pictures  of  land,  fresh -water  and  marine  shells. 

. In  the  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy , recently  published,  is 
a paper  ‘ On  Deoxycatechin-tetramethylether  and  Dihydroveratrylidene- 
3.5-Dimethoxycoumaranone.  One  of  the  three  authors  of  the  paper  is 
is  a lady. 

We  regret  to  hear  of  the  death  of  M.  Cossmann,  whose  critical  notices 
of  various  Palaeontological  publications  have  been  welcomed  by  students 
for  a considerable  number  of  years.  These  principally  appeared  in  the 
Review  de  Palaeontologie , which  he  edited,  and  other  similar  publications. 

A Dominion  correspondent  draws  attention  to  the  fact  that  at  the 
recent  meeting  of  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union,  a paper  was  read  on 
‘Neglected  Acquatic  Fungi.’  He  presumes  the  printer  thought  that 
they  required  another  ‘ see.’  We  have  heard  Bishops  called  by  different 
names  at  one  time  and  another,  but  this  seems  a new  one. 

We  see  from  The  Petroleum  Times  for  September  20th  an  account  of 
a successful  demonstration  of  the  work  of  the  Pirbright  oil  separator. 
Judging  from  this  report,  the  question  of  the  pollution  of  the  sea  by 
waste  oil  would  be  avoided  if  these  separators  were  universally  adopted, 
in  addition  to  which  there  would  be  a saving  in  the  oil  fuel. 

We  should  like  to  congratulate  Mr.  W.  N.  Cheesman,  J.P.,  of  Selby,, 
on  his  election  as  President  of  the  British  Mycological  Society.  In- 
cidentally this  is  also  a compliment  to  the  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union. 
Mr.  Cheesman  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Society.  We  believe  it 
was  at  his  house  at  Selby  ‘ over  a cup  of  tea  ’ that  the  Society  was  first 
mooted.  Now  there  are  well  over  350  members.  He  has  served  on  the 
Council  and  has  been  Vice-President. 


Naturalist 


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No.  815 

No.  589  of  current  Series 


DEC.,  1924. 


Contents page 

Notes  and  Comments  (illustrated)  : — Type  Specimens  of  Lepidoptera  ; 

Rearing  Rare  Falcons  ; Extinct  Plants  and  Evolution  ; Pliocene 
Crag  in  Ireland  ; British  Waders  ; The  ‘ Marvel  ’ Series  ; Romance 
of  the  Rostrum  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  353-356 

A New  Swamp -Fauna  from  Spain  (illustrated) — F.  A . Bather,  D .Sc., 

F.R.S.  ...  357-358 

Notes  on  some  Neocomian  Cephalopoda  from  Speeton — F.  W. 

Whitehouse,  M.Sc.,  and  A . G.  Brighton,  B ,A  , ...  ...  ...  359-360 

Rare  Trilobites  from  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  (illustrated) — 

W . B . R . King , M .A  . , F .G .S . ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  361-363 


Field  Notes  : — -Blasia  pusilla  Linn,  in  Cumberland  ; Scenopinus  fenes- 
tralis  L.  in  Yorkshire  ; Ulex  minor  Roth,  in  Yorkshire  ; Long-eared 
Bat  ; Snow  Buntings  in  Yorkshire  ; Vanessa  and  Sparrow  ; Macro- 
cheles  submotus — new  name  for  M.  cognatus  Falcr.  (nom.  prceocc)  ; 

Dispersal  of  Mollusca  hyXommeree  .. . ...  ...  ...  356,  358,  363 


In  Memoriam  : — Ro^'rt  .KiTston , LL  . D . , ( D.  S&x  F . R . S 

° \ 


( 


Book  Notice 

News  from  the  Ma'gazi  fr§G- 1 
Northern  News 
Illustrations  ... 


.1924  hi 

/ 


F.G.S 


...  364-366 
356 
367 

• ••  358,  368 
354 


Title  Page,  List  of  Contributors  and  Index  to  this  Volume. 


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BOOKS  WANTED. 

Journ.  Micrology  and  Nat.  Hist.  Mirror.  1914 — 

Keighley  Naturalists’  Society  Journal.  4to.  Part  1. 

Lancs,  and  Cheshire  Antiq.  Soc.  Vols.  IV.,  V.,  VIII.,  XXVI. 

Louth  Ant.  and  Nat.  Soc.  Reports,  1-12,  19. 

Liverpool  Geol.  Association  Proc.  Parts  1,  3,  16. 

Liverpool  Nat.  Journ.  Parts  1,  3,  and  20. 

Manchester  Geol.  Soc.  Trans.  Vols.  XV.,  XVL,  XXIII. 

Naturalists’  Guide  (Huddersfield).  Parts  1-38. 

Naturalists’  Record.  Set. 

Newbury  District  Field  Club  Transactions.  Vols.  III.  and  on. 

North  Staffordshire  Field  Club  Reports  for  1869,  1871-2,  1876. 
Peterborough  Natural  History  Society.  Reports  1-8,  11-12,  14-26. 
Quarterly  Journal  of  Science.  1878-9,  1882-3.  an<I  1885. 

Quekett  Club  Journ.  1st  Series,  No.  25. 

Royal  Cornwall  Geological  Society  Trans.  VoL  V.  to  date  (or  parts). 
Salisbury  Field  Club.  Transactions,  Vol.  II. 

Scottish  Naturalist.  1881-1891. 

Simpson’s  Guide  to  Whitby.  1st  ed.,  1862. 

Smith's  New  Geological  Atlas  of  England  and  Wales.  1819-21. 

Stirling  Natural  History  Society.  Vols.  2,  8,  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Sussex  and  Hants.  Naturalist.  17  parts. 

Sussex  Arch.  Collections.  II. -III. 

T Weddell’s  Bards  and  Authors  of  Cleveland.  Parts  9-12. 

Union  Jack  Naturalist.  Any. 

Vale  of  Derwent  Nat.  Field  Club.  Old  Series,  Vols.  I.  and  III. 
Wakefield  Lit.  and  Phil.  Soc.  Reports.  Set. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Club  Proc.  (York).  Set.  1867-70. 

Yorks.  Nat.  Union  Trans.  Part  1. 


Apply — Editor.  The  Museum,  Hull. 


35S 

NOTES  AND  COMMENTS. 

TYPE  SPECIMENS  OF  LEPIDOPTERA . * 

Catalogue  of  the  Type  Specimens  of  Lepidoptera  Rhopa- 
locera  in  the  British  Museum.  Part  I.,  Satyridae.  We  learn 
from  the  preface  that  the  present  work  is  the  ‘ outcome  of  a 
decision,  arrived  at  some  two  years  ago,  to  catalogue  and  label 
all  the  Type  specimens  of  Rhopalocera  in  the  British  Museum 
(Natural  History).  Until  recently  many  undoubted  Type 
specimens  stood  in  the  Collections  without  any  indication  of 
their  especial  value  ; and,  as  a consequence,  in  the  past,  not 
a few  were  discarded  and  replaced  by  ‘ better  ’ specimens. 
It  was  largely  through  a desire  to  ensure  against  any  possibility 
of  a recurrence  of  such  treatment  in  the  future  that  the  work, 
was  undertaken.’ 

REARING  RARE  FALCONS. 

In  the  ‘ 290th  Bulletin  of  the  British  Ornithologists’  Club,* 
it  is  recorded  that  at  a recent  meeting,  ‘ Professor  P.  P. 
Sushkin,  of  the  Academy  of  Petrograd,  exhibited  some  very 
beautifully-coloured  photographs  of  a family  of  the  extremely 
rare  Falco  altaicus  Menzb.  He  said  that  the  family  was 
obtained  from  a nest,  at  an  altitude  of  about  2500  metres, 
during  the  Sushkin  expedition  of  1914  in  south-east  Russian 
Altai.  The  adult  male  was  killed  and  five  downy  young 
taken  and  successfully  reared.  Most  of  them  survived  to  the 
fully  adult  stage  of  plumage,  records  being  kept  of  intermediate 
stages  by  means  of  descriptions  and  photographs.  Extremes 
of  individual  variability  are  exhibited  by  this  family  : (1) 

some  birds  in  adult  plumage  are  barred  above,  and  present 
bluish  tints  proper  to  the  northern  jerfalcons  ; (2)  others  are 

dark,  and  while  being  nearly  uniformly  bluish-slate  above 
are  heavily  marked  below  on  a darkened  ground-colour  ; (3) 
some  birds  which  are  barred  above  exhibit  a preponderance 
of  red  colours,  recalling  the  central  Asian  forms  of  F.  cherrug 
group.  Adult  coloration  is  assumed  after  the  first  moult, 
subsequent  changes  being  insignificant.  As  to  the  nomen- 
clature, the  dark,  nearly  unbarred  type  has  been  described  as 
F.  altaicus  Menzb.,  and  this  name  must  stand  as  having 
priority.  The  barred  type  has  been  described  as  F . lorenzi 
Menzb.,  and  this  name  becomes  a synonym.  As  to  taxonom- 
ical  values  and  relations,  F.  altaicus  must  be  accorded  specific 
rank,  its  breeding-area  (W.  Sayan,  Altai,  Tarbagatai,  Russian 
and  Chinese  Turkestan)  covering  a part  of  the  breeding-area 
of  the  F . cherrug  group.  It  is,  to  a certain  extent,  intermediate 
between  that  group  and  the  northern  jerfalcons,  since  strongly 
reddish  specimens  are  individual  reversions  to  the  primitive 


* By  N.  D.  Riley  and  A.  G.  Gabriel.  London  : British  Museum 
(Natural  History),  62  pp.,  4/6. 


1924  Dec.  1 


X 


354 


Notes  and  Comments. 


type.’  It  seems  very  awkward  for  the . ‘ splitters  ’ when 
different  ‘ species  ’ come  out  of  the  same  nest  ! 


Probably  few  sciences  have  made  such  strides  in  recent 
years  as  has  Palaeobotany,  and  in  the  forefront  of  its  workers 
is  Dr.  D.  H.  Scott.  Two  years  ago  the  author  gave  a course 
of  public  lectures  on  this  subject  at  the  University  College  of 
Wales,  Aberystwyth,  upon  which  this  book  is  based.  As 
those  familiar  with  Dr.  Scott’s  work  know,  his  volume  is  by 
no  means  technical,  and  the  large  number  of  exceedingly 
beautiful  and  striking  illustrations  makes  it  particularly 
interesting.  Among  these  are  restorations  of  fossil  plants  ; 


Williamsonia  whitbiensis.  «. — Restoration  of  male  flower,  showing  the  whorl  of 
stamens,  united  below,  and  bearing  pollen-sacs  on  their  free  limbs,  b. — A single  stamen 
seen  from  above,  showing  the  simple  structure,  with  a double  row  of  pollen-sacs.  After 
Nathorst. 


photographs  of  actual  specimens,  and  photo-micrographs 
showing  plant  structures.  One  of  the  blocks  we  are  permitted 
to  reproduce  herewith. 


In  the  Abhandlungen  des  Archiv  fur  Molluskenkunde,  pub- 
lished in  Frankfurt,  Mr.  Hans  Schlesch,  of  Copenhagen,  has 
an  important  monograph  on  the  Pliocene  Crag  formation  in 
Iceland  and  its  Molluscan  Fauna  (‘  Zur  Kenntnis  der  pliocanen 
Cragformation  von  Hallbjarnarstadur,  Tjornes,  Nordisland 
und  ihrer  Molluskenfauna  ’).  In  this  the  author  describes  an 
interesting  series  of  shells,  which  he  has  presented  to  the 
Museum  at  Hull.  Among  them  is  a species  of  Admete  shep- 
pardi,  a new  species  recently  described  in  this  journal  by 
Mr.  A.  Bell,  based  on  specimens  found  in  England. 

* ‘ Extinct  Plants  and  Problems  of  Evolution,’  by  Dukinfield  Henry 
Scott.  London  : Macmillan  & Co.,  xiv.-f  240  pp.,  10/6  net. 


EXTINCT  PLANTS  AND  EVOLUTION . * 


a 


b 


PLIOCENE  CRAG  IN  ICELAND. 


Naturalist 


Notes  and  Comments. 


355 


BRITISH  WADERS.* 

Perhaps  one  remarkable  feature  in  connection  with  the 
works  on  natural  history  in  recent  years  has  been  the  appear- 
ance of  elaborately  illustrated  volumes,  which  have  been 
produced  at  a price  one  would  have  considered  prohibitive, 
JEvidently,  however,  there  are  people  sufficiently  interested 
to  purchase  these  sumptuous  volumes.  The  .Cambridge  Uni- 
versity Press  has  now  produced  ‘ British  Waders/  This 
consists  of  fifty-one  plates,  reproductions  from  excellent 
water-colour  drawings,  and  each  is  accompanied  by  one  or 
two  pages  of  letterpress.  The  paintings  are  delicately  repro- 
duced, the  lack  of  too  vivid  colours  being  an  agreeable  feature. 
It  is  difficult  to  pick  out  any  outstanding  plates,  but  those  of 
Oystercatcher,  Turnstone  and  Avocet  particularly  appeal  to  us. 

THE  MARVEL  SERIES,  f 

Messrs.  Thornton-Butterworth  have  issued  these  three 
volumes  in  their  ‘ Marvel  ' series,  each  containing  about 
250  pages,  with  numerous  illustrations  (6/-).  The  first  origin- 
ally appeared  with  the  title  ‘ Animal  Curiosities  * in  1922, 
and  the  second  book  published  in  1921,  both  being  reviewed 
in  these  columns  at  the  time.  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  title 
of  a book  should  be  altered  in  this  way,  as  those  interested 
may  easily  purchase  it  under  the  assumption  that  they  are 
-getting  a new  publication.  The  last-named  volume  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  issued  previously,  and  contains  fourteen 
chapters  dealing  with  such  subjects  as  How  Plants  Feed  ; 
Sensitive  Plants  ; Going  to  Sleep  ; Leaves  ; The  Story  of 
the  Flower  ; Some  Strange  Marriage  Rites  and  Customs  ; 
The  Seed  and  the  Fruit  ; The  Dispersal  of  Seeds  ; How  Plants 
Protect  Themselves.  There  are  many  good  illustrations  from 
photographs,  as  well  as  figures  in  the  text.  The  work  is  an 
attempt  to  popularise  the  study  of  the  more  interesting  plants, 

ROMANCE  OF  THE  ROSTRUM  .J 

This  is  an  account  of  Stevens'  Auction  Rooms,  of  the 
various  members  of  the  firm,  together  with  a fascinating 
account  of  the  extraordinary  variety  of  natural  history  speci- 
mens which  have  passed  through  the  firm's  hands.  An  idea 
of  the  nature  of  the  miscellaneous  character  of  the  material 
dealt  with  can  be  gathered  from  the  illustrations,  which 


* By  E.  C.  Arnold.  London  : Cambridge  University  Press,  vii.+ 
102  pp.,  70/-  net. 

| ‘ Marvels  of  Natural  History/  by  W.  S.  Berridge  ; ' Marvels  of 

the  Animals  World,’  by  W.  S.  Berridge  ; and  ‘ Marvels  of  Plant  Life/ 
by  E.  Fitch  Daglish. 

t Compiled  by  E.  G.  Allingham.  London  : H.  F.  & G.  Witherby, 
333  pp.,  20/-  net. 


1924  Dec.  1 


356 


Field  Notes. 


include  : A photograph  of  thirty-four  Maori  heads  collected 
by  Major-General  Robley  ; A Great  Auk  ; Goliath  and  other 
Beetles  ; Eggs  of  Aepyornis  maximus,  etc.  ; Bronzes  from 
Benin  ; Blue  silk  vest  worn  by  Charles  I.  at  his  Execution  ; 
Breeches  worn  by  George  II.  at  the  Battle  of  Dettingen  ; 
Chinese  Screen  made  of  Kingfisher  feathers  ; and  a ‘ Carved 
Native  Model  of  Queen  Victoria  from  South  Africa.  ’ The  book 
is  exceedingly  interesting,  particularly  that  part  relating  to 
insects,  birds  and  ethnology. 

: o : 

Blasia  pusilla  Linn,  in  Cumberland. — On  September 
19th  last,  while  with  the  Rev.  C.  H.  Binstead,  I found  this 
Hepatic  growing  in  considerable  quantity  in  an  old  sandstone 
quarry  near  Aspatria.  It  was  on  the  ground  in  damp,  shaded 
places,  among  old  blocks  of  sandstone.  Blasia  is  not  common 
in  this  county.— Jas.  Murray,  Kelsick,  Wigton. 

Scenopinus  fenestralis  L.  in  Yorkshire. — I took  a 
single  specimen  of  this  Dipteron  on  a shop  window  in  Leeds 
during  October.  This  is  only  the  second  occurrence  of  this 
species  in  Yorkshire,  it  being  previously  taken  by  the  Rev. 
R.  H.  Meade  at  Bradford,  about  i860.  It  should  occur  quite 
commonly  in  the  county,  and  it  is  surprising  that  it  has  not 
been  taken  before,  as  all  the  text-books  refer  to  it  as  being 
common,  and  generally  distributed  on  windows.  I am 
indebted  to  Mr.  C.  A.  Cheetham  for  verifying  my  identification 
of  this  species. — W.  D.  Hincks,  9 Grange  Avenue,  Chapeltown, 
Leeds. 

Ulex  minor  Roth.,  in  Yorkshire. — Mr.  J.  Green,  of 
Thornton  Dale,  well  known  as  an  ardent  and  capable  natura- 
list, has  just  forwarded  to  me  a piece  of  ‘ Furze,’  in  flower,  for 
identification.  As  we  noticed  it  did  not  conform  to  the  or- 
dinary type  of  Furze,  Ulex  europceus , specimens  were  submitted 
to  certain  botanical  authorities,  who  have  unanimously  named 
the  plant  Ulex  minor  Roth.  It  grows  very  sparingly  among 
U . europceus  in  a field  at  Thornton  Dale,  where  Mr.  Green 
found  it.  No  mention  of  this  species  occurs  in  Baker’s  * Flora 
of  North  Yorkshire,’  although  he  records  U.  Gallii,  a near 
relation,  as  being  rare.  F.  A.  Lees,  for  the  West  Riding, 
states  that  U.  minor  is  very  rare,  while  Robinson’s  ‘East 
Riding  Flora  ’ makes  no  reference  to  any  Whin  but  the 
ordinary  U.  europceus.  Mr.  Green  has  been  investigating  the 
fauna  and  flora  of  Thornton  Dale  for  many  years,  and  has 
found  no  fewer  than  634  flowering  plants,  ferns  and  horsetails 
in  that  interesting  district.  All  doubtful  identifications  have 
been  submitted  to  the  highest  botanical  authorities,  so  that 
there  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  identity  of  the  plants  named 
in  his  list. — R.  J.  Flintoff,  Bridlington,  October  30th. 

Naturalist 


/ 


357 


A NEW  SWAMP -FAUNA  FROM  SPAIN. 


F.  A.  BATHER,  D.SC.,  F.R.S. 


There  has  recently  been  discovered  in  Spain,  at  the  sulphur 
mines  of  Libros,  in  the  province  of  Teruel,  an  interesting  bed 
of  bituminous  shale,  which  appears  from  its  fossil  contents  to 
have  been  deposited  in  a quiet  swamp,  liable  to  occasional 
flooding  by  freshets.  The  fauna  has  been  described  by  the 
Rev.  Professor  Longinos  Navas,  S.J.,  of  Saragossa  (see 


Oligocene  Frogs  from  Spain. 

Photographs  by  ‘ The  Sphere.’ 


especially  Bol.  Soc.  Tberica  Cienc.  Nat.,  Marzo-Abril,  and 
Nov.-Diciembre,  1922),  and  since  he  has  been  good  enough 
to  present  some  excellent  specimens  to  the  British  Museum 
(Natural  History),  where  they  are  for  the  present  installed  in 
a table-case  newly  established  for  the  display  of  ‘ Recent 
Acquisitions/  this  brief  note  may  interest  readers  of  The 
Naturalist. 

The  most  numerous  fossils  belong  to  a new  species  of  frog, 
Rana  pueyoi,  and  are  in  a wonderful  state  of  preservation. 
There  are  all  stages  from  the  tadpole  to  the  full-grown  adult. 
The  skeleton  is  clearly  seen,  and  the  whole  outline  of  the  body 
plainly  defined  ; there  are  even  some  bluish-grey  patches  with 
a fine  granulation,  which  seem  to  be  imprints  of  the  skin. 


1924  Dec.  1 


35&o  A New  Swamp -Fauna  from  Spain. 

In  the  adults  the  cranium  attains  a length  of  24  mm.,  with  a 
width  of  40  mm.,  and  the  vertebral  column  to  the  end  of  the 
pubis  is  63  mm.  long.  These  frogs  lie  in  various  positions, 
usually  indicating  that  the  muscles  were’  contracted,  and  this 
suggests  that  they  were  suddenly  overcome  by  a deposit  of 
mud,  a view  confirmed  by  a the  fact  that  some  individuals 
retain  in  the  position  of  the  intestine  shells  of  Limnaea  which 
they  had  not  been  allowed  time  to  digest.  The  species 
resembles  Rana  aquensis  Coquand,  from  the  Middle  Oligocene 
of  Aix,  Provence,  but  the  absolute  and  relative  proportions 
are  somewhat  different.  Another  species,  apparently  repre- 
sented by  a unique  specimen,  is  rather  smaller,  and  has  a 
much  narrower  cranium  ; it  is  named  Rana  quellenhergi . 

Another  amphibian  belongs  to  a new  genus  of  Salamanders 
resembling  the  Lower  Miocene  Polysemia  of  H.  v.  Meyer,  and 
called  Oligosemia.  Two  specimens  of  the  type-species,  0. 
spinosa,  are  among  the  specimens  presented.  The  general 
shape  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  recent  Molge  palmata. 

Among  the  other  fossils  are  the  fragmentary  remains  of  a 
snake,  one  of  the  Colubridse,  not  precisely  determined,  but 
compared  to  the  genus  Pilemophis  Rochebrune.  This  is  the 
first  fossil  snake  recorded  from  Spain. 

Particular  interest  attaches  to  the  remains  of  two  birds — 
both  water-fowl.  One  is  the  skull  of  a swan  or  a goose.  The 
other  is  the  nearly  complete  skeleton,  with  traces  of  feathers, 
of  a rail  of  the  sub-family  Gallinulinae,  for  which  the  new 
genus  Thiornis  is  instituted.  The  fossil  includes  in  the 
position  of  the  stomach  some  flint  pebbles  and  remains  of 
undigested  food. 

Arthropods  are  represented  by  a beetle,  a Libellulid  larva, 
a fly  (?)  and  the  distinct  impression  of  a spider,  possibly  an 
Araneus. 

There  appears  to  be  some  doubt  as  to  the  age  of  this  deposit. 
It  has  formerly  been  assigned  to  the  Upper  Miocene,  but  Dr. 
Navas  considers  it  to  be  Oligocene.  It  reminds  one  in  some 
respects  of  the  Brown  Coal  of  Rott,  near  Bonn,  which  is 
Lower  Miocene. 

: o : 

Long -eared  Bat. — On  August  25th  last,  the  Rev.  Alfred 
Booth  brought  to  the  Museum  a Long-eared  Bat,  which  had 
been  picked  up  dead  that  morning  on  the  Longley  Park  Golf 
Course.  This  is  not  a common  species  locally. — Charles 
Mosley,  Huddersfield. 

: o 

Messrs.  Wheldon  and  Wesley  have  issued  a valuable  Catalogue  of 
Books  on  Zoology,  Part  I.,  Vertebrata  (80  pp.) 


Naturalist 


359 

NOTES  ON  SOME  NEOGOMIAN  CEPHALOPODA 
FROM  SPEETON. 

F.  W.  WHITEHOUSE,  M.SC.,  AND  A.  G.  BRIGHTON,  B.A. 

The  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the  classical  cliff-section  of 
the  Speeton  Clay  has  been  graphically  described  by  all  who 
have  visited  it  in  late  years.  Detailed  and  accurate  collecting 
is,  however,  by  no  means  impossible  ; and  on  a recent  visit, 
although  there  was  no  exposure  of  the  beds  on  the  foreshore, 
and  very  little  of  the  D and  lowest  C beds  was  visible  in  the 
cliff,  the  upper  beds  from  C9  to  the  top  of  lower  B were  ex- 
amined in  detail. 

Everyone  who  examines  the  exposure  must  pay  a tribute 
to  Mr.  Lamplugh’s  excellent  description  of  the  lithology  and 
general  fauna.  Certain  lithological  horizons,  for  example,  the 
ironstone  band  with  abundant  crioceratids  at  the  top  of  C7 
and  the  various  nodule  bands  in  B,  are  of  fundamental  im- 
portance in  collecting.  Dr.  Spath  has  recently  revised  the 
Speeton  Ammonoidea,  correlating  the  section  with  the  zones 
of  the  North  German  Neocomian  ; and  as  a result  the  identi- 
fication of  beds  by  the  ammonite  fauna  is  now  far  more  satis- 
factory. In  most  cases,  however,  more  definite  information 
of  the  range  of  ammonite  species  within  the  beds  is  needed. 
A rich  fauna  may  still  be  collected,  and  it  is  hoped  that  future 
workers  will  note  the  exact  position  of  specimens  above  or 
below  the  well-marked  lithological  datum-lines. 

For  recognising  the  main  divisions  (B.  C.  D.,  etc.),  the 
Belemnites  are  of  paramount  importance  ; but  it  should  be 
noted  that  the  divisions  as  generally  recognised  are  no  doubt 
possible  because  of  the  peculiar  palao-climatic  fluctuations 
which  affected  the  area.  In  the  Speeton  section  the  Cylind- 
roteuthidce*  (i.e.,  the  ‘ lateralis  type  ’ of  Belemnite)  which 
dominate  the  D beds  are  replaced  throughout  C by  the  Has- 
tatidce  (‘ jaculum  type’),  but  reappear,  and  again  dominate 
the  fauna  in  lower  B.  Cylindroteuthidce , however,  have  been 
recorded  occasionally  from  the  C beds  ; and  in  contemporary 
deposits  from  northern  regions  (e.g.,  the  Hauterivian  beds  of 
the  Simbirsk  district  in  Russia),  Cylindroteuthidce  are  domin- 
ant. Except  for  such  forms  as  N.  cristatus  (Pav.)  and  iV. 
pistillirostris  (Pav.),  which  occur  at  the  base,  the  various  forms 
of  Neohibolites  (i.e.,  the  ‘Belemnites  jaculum ’ assemblage) 
appear  to  range  throughout  C,  so  that  it  does  not  seem  possible 
that  the  various  beds  of  this  division  may  ever  be  distinguished 
one  from  another  by  their  Belemnite  content.  But  in  D and 
B the  wealth  of  belemnoid  forms  is  hardly  appreciated  ; and 


1924  Dec.  1 


Including  Pachyteuthince  as  a sub-family. 


36o 


Book  Notice. 


when  the  fauna  is  worked  out  in  detail  it  will  almost  certainly 
give  valuable  data  for  correlation,  and  may  serve  as  a check 
upon  Ammonite  sub-divisions.  The  important  family  Oxy- 
teuthidcz  Stolley*  is  first  known  in  lower  B where  Oxyteuthis 
and  some  undescribed  genera  connecting  it  with  the  Cylind- 
roteuthidcB  appear. 

The  two  persistent  families,  Lytoceratidce  and  Phyllocera- 
tidce,  which  characterise  the  Mediterranean  province,  are 
remarkably  rare  in  the  English  Neocomian.  A specimen  of 
Lytoceras  aff.  vogdti  Karakasch  (now  in  the  Sedgwick  Museum) 
from  the  Tealby  Limestone  is  the  only  representative  of  the 
Lytoceratidce  hitherto  recorded,  while  no  example  of  the 
Phylloceratidce  is  known  from  the  deposits.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  results  of  the  authors’  work  at  Speeton  was  the 
discovery  of  two  further  Lytoceratids.  f An  imperfect  speci- 
men of  Lytoceras  cf.  subfimbriatum  (d’Orb.)  Sar.  and  Schond. 
was  found  in  situ  six  feet  above  the  base  of  C6  ; while  a second 
specimen,  L.  sp.  ind.  ( ? aff.  id.)  was  found  lying  loose  on  the 
surface  of  the  lower  part  of  C7 . The  Mediterranean  Neocomian 
is  further  characterised  by  a peculiar  belemnite  fauna  (mainly 
represented  by  the  genera  Duvalia  and  Mesohibolites)  which 
hitherto  has  been  thought  to  be  unrepresented  at  Speeton.  A 
single  specimen  of  Mesohibolites  cf . varians  (Schwetzoff) , how- 
ever, was  found  three  feet  above  the  base  of  C7. 

: o : 

Galapagos  : World’s  End,  by  William  Beebe.  London  : G.  P. 
Putnam’s  Sons,  xxL-l-443  pp.,  £2  2s.  This  sumptuously  illustrated 
volume  is  a record  of  a trip  to  Galapagos,  one  of  the  less  frequented  parts 
of  the  earth.  The  expedition  was  initiated  and  financed  by  Harrison - 
Williams,  and  the  volume  records  the  accomplishments  of  the  twelve 
members  of  the  party  who  were  successful  in  securing  many  valuable 
living  creatures  for  the  collection  in  the  Zoological  Park  in  New  York. 
The  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  also  benefited  by  an  enormous 
number  of  valuable  specimens,  large  and  small.  Twenty-two  valuable 
scientific  contributions  have  already  been  made  on  different  subjects  as 
a result  of  the  expedition,  but  the  present  volume  is  a summary  of  the 
achievements  of  the  party  written  in  a more  popular  style.  The  giant 
tortoise,  for  which  these  islands  were  once  so  famous,  are  dealt  with  fully. 
There  are  hundreds  of  giant  tortoises  in  Albemarle,  and  there  is  evidence 
of  the  destruction  caused  by  the  natives  of  Ecuador  in  killing  these 
animals  for  oil.  The  giant  Iguanas,  Sea  Lions,  etc.,  come  in  for  much 
attention,  the  coloured  plates  of  the  former  being  a feature  of  the  book. 
The  fishes  are  remarkable,  and  there  is  much  variety  in  colour,  some  of 
the  plates  of  the  latter  being  remarkably  brilliant.  The  Galapagos 
Islands,  the  importance  of  which  was  pointed  out  by  Darwin  and  Wallace, 
probably  represent  as  interesting  a natural  history  area  as  is  to  be  found 
anywhere,  hence  the  volume  will  particularly  appeal  to  readers  of  this 
journal. 

* The  name  Oxyteuthidce  may  have  to  replace  the  name  Dimitobelidce 
Whitehouse  ; but  the  genus  Aulacoteuthis  Stolley  cannot  possibly  be  a 
member  of  the  family.  (F.  W.  W.). 

| Specimens  mentioned  in  the  paper  are  now  in  the  Sedgwick  Museum. 


Naturalist 


36i 

RARE  TRILOBITES  FROM  THE  CARBONIFEROUS 

LIMESTONE. 

W.  B.  R.  KING,  M.A.,  F.G.S., 

Sedgwick  Museum,  Cambridge. 

Some  of  the  last  survivors  of  the  great  group  of  the  trilobites 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Carboniferous  rocks  of  England.  These 
usually  belong  to  one  of  three  closely  allied  genera,  namely, 
Phillipsia,  so  called  after  the  pioneer  of  Yorkshire  Geology, 
Griffithides  and  Brachymetopus  ; occasionally,  however,  sur- 
vivors of  other  genera  occur,  notably  Proetus  and,  more  rarely, 
single  specimens  probably  referable  to  the  genus  Cyphaspis. 

In  the  present  note  two  forms  from  the  reef -knoll  limestones 
of  Cracoe  and  Settle  will  be  considered,  that  from  the  former 
locality  is  a head,  and  was  described  in  1890  by  Miss  Coignou 
as  Cyphaspis  acanthina*  while  that  from  Settle  is  a pygidium, 
which  was  collected  by  a field-mapping  class,  conducted  by 
the  author  this  summer,  from  the  reef-knoll  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  gorge-like  part  of  the  Scaleber  Valley  above  Scaleber  Force. 

Both  these  specimens  are  peculiar  among  Carboniferous 
trilobites  in  that  they  possess  spines.  It  has  been  pointed  out 
by  various  authors  that  a spinose  state  is  frequently  associated 
with  the  old  age  of  a genus  or  race,  so  that  it  is  not  surprising 
to  find  spiny  or  tuberculate  forms  among  the  Carboniferous 
trilobites  ; in  fact,  the  majority  of  the  species  shows  consider- 
able tuberculation  on  the  glabella  or  minute  spines  on  the 
axis  and  plurse  of  the  thorax  and  pygidium.  Very  few  speci- 
mens, however,  have  been  discovered  which  have  any  marked 
spiny  border  to  the  head  or  which  have  a pygidium  with 
anything  but  an  entire  margin,  with  the  exception  of  Phillipsia 
eichwaldi  var.  mucronata  in  which  the  well-marked  border  is 
produced  to  form  a short  blunt  spine  or  mucro. 

In  Cyphaspis  acanthina  is  a survival  of  a genus  which 
was  abundant  in  the  Devonian  seas  and  many  of  the  forms  of 
that  time  possessed  a well-developed  fringe  with  stout  short 
projecting  teeth. 

The  Cracoe  specimen  can  therefore  be  considered  as  a 
survival  from  the  Devonian,  which  has  not  undergone  serious 
modification.  It  may  then  be  asked,  can  the  pygidium  from 
Settle  also  belong  to  this  species?  A study  of  the  pygidia  of 
the  Devonian  Cyphaspis  lends  no  support  to  this  suggestion. 
All  Cyphaspis  pygidia  appear  to  be  of  a simple  type  and  always 
have  an  entire  margin,  whereas,  as  will  be  seen  below,  the 
Settle  pygidium  is  of  a complex  advanced  type,  not  of  the 
kind  into  which  a Cyphaspis  pygidium  might  be  expected  to 
evolve. 


* Coignou,  Quart.  Journ.  Geol,  Soc.,  1890,  p.  422,  fig.  5. 


3924  Dec.  1 


362  Rare  Trilobites  from  the  Carboniferous  Limestone. 

The  Settle  pygidium  (see  fig.  1)  is  only  -J-  inch  across  arid 
little  more  than  -§-  inch  long  ; that  is  to  say  about  half  the 
size  of  a small  pea.  It  has  a marked  axis,  well  arched  above 
the  level  of  the  rest  of  the  pygidium*  and  consisting  of  twelve 
distinctly  defined  rings  ; these  are  ornamented  with  a row  of 
fine  granules.  The  pleural  portion  consists  of  four  well- 
marked  ribs  with  intervening  hollows.  These  ribs  are  con- 
stricted immediately  before  reaching  the  raised  rim,  which 
marks  the  outer  edge  of  the  pygidium.  We  thus  get  in  general 
effect  an  outer  ridge,  a broken  inner  hollow,  and  the  main 
portion  occupied  by  the  four  ribs  and  their  intervening  hollows. 

The  first  two  ribs  are  associated  with  the  first  two  rings 


Fig.  1. 


of  the  axis,  the  third  rib  appears  to  be  in  the  nature  of  a 
compound  rib,  seeing  that  it  springs  from  opposite  the  next 
three  axial  rings  ; while  the  fourth  rib  appears  to  have  no 
definite  relationship  to  the  axis. 

The  ribs  are  ornamented  with  large,  low,  irregfilar  tuber- 
cules.  The  marginal  ridge  is  slightly  swollen  opposite  the 
ribs,  and  opposite  the  axis  there  project  from  it  two  delicate 
spines.  It  is  this  feature  as  much  as  any  other  which  seems 
to  preclude  any  connection  with  the  genus  Cyphaspis. 

It  is  difficult  to  suggest  a genus  or  even  a family  to  which 
this  pygidium  may  be  referred.  Proetus,  a form  common  in 
the  Devonian  and  also  recorded  from  the  Carboniferous  and 
Permian,  does  in  some  species  have  a double  forked  final 
segment  in  the  pygidium  ; but  all  species  which  have  this 
feature  also  have  all  the  plural  portions  spinose. 

A spinose  pygidium  from  the  Carboniferous  of  America 
is  described  by  Prof.  E.  W.  Claypole  under  the  name  Dalman- 
ites  ? cuyahogae*  From  the  figure  given  it  is  clear  that  this 
form  has  no  affinities  with  the  specimen  under  discussion. 


* Claypole.  Geol.  Mag.,  1884,  p.  303. 


Naturalist 


Field  Notes. 


363 


The  systematic  position  of  the  Settle  specimen  must,  it 
appears,  wait  until  further  material  has  been  discovered,  and 
it  is  largely  to  draw  attention  to  these  rare  and  often  minute 
forms  that  the  present  note  has  been  written,  and  the  author 
would  be  very  grateful  to  hear  of  any  specimens  which  throw 
further  light  on  this  obscure  form. 

: o : 

Snow  Buntings  in  Yorkshire,— On  the  3rd  inst.  (Nov- 
ember), I was  one  of  a party  driving  grouse  on  the  moors  to 
the  north-west  of  Scarborough,  when  a flock  of  about  twenty 
Snow  Buntings  passed  along  the  ground  close  to  the  line  of 
butts.  Several  of  them  were  evidently  adults,  but  the  ma- 
jority appeared  to  be  birds  of  the  year. — W.  H.  St.  Quintin. 

Vanessa  and  Sparrow*. — To-day  I saw  a Vanessa  on  the 
wing  (probably  atalanta , of  which  species  there  have  been  a 
few  about  lately).  It  was  careering  at  a height  of  about 
twenty  feet  down  the  middle  of  a street  lined  with  houses. 
Suddenly  from  a spout  a House  Sparrow  made  straight  for 
the  butterfly  as  though  to  capture  it.  But  when  it  got  within 
six  inches  or  so  of  its  expected  prey,  the  sparrow  held  off 
hesitatingly  for  some  seconds,  and  ultimately  left  the  field 
without  having  attempted  to  catch  the  insect.— Charles 
Mosley,  Huddersfield,  October  5th,  1924. 

Probably  Vanessa  (Pyrameis)  atalanta  is  an  unpalatable 
species  to  birds,  and  its  colours  ‘ warning  colours/  which  the 
sparrow  had  failed  to  see  until  it  came  to  close  quarters. — 
G.T.P. 

Macrocheles  submotus — New  Name  for  M.  cognatus 
Falcr.  (nom.  praeocc.) — Adverting  to  the  two  mites 
described  and  figured  as  new  species  in  The  Naturalist  for 
April,  1923,  pp.  152-3,  I find,  to  my  regret,  that  the  specific 
name  of  one  of  them  had  already  been  utilised  for  an  Argentine 
species,  belonging,  however,  to  a different  subgenus,  by  Berlese 
(M.  coprholaspis)  cognatus  Berl.  Redia,  1918,  Vol.  XIII., 
p.  159,  so  that  a new  name  will  be  required  for  it.  To  that 
end  I now  propose  M.  submotus Wm.  Falconer,  Waterloo, 
Liverpool. 

Dispersal  of  Molluscs  by  Commerce. — In  the  latter 
part  of  August,  1924,  numbers  of  living  snails  were  found  in 
a bunch  of  bananas  by  a local  fruiterer.  He  saved  a single 
example  for  me  to  see,  saying  they  were  all  alike.  Mr.  J.  A. 
Hargreaves  identified  the  specimen  as  Hemitrochus  graminicola, 
from  Jamaica.  A few  days  previously  I had  a living  snail 
given  which  had  been  brought  to  Scarboro’  in  a basket  of 
Orleans  plums  which  were  sent  from  the  neighbourhood  of 
Paris.  This  proved  to  be  the  common  Helix  nemoralis  of  our 
hedgerows. — W.  J.  Clarke. 


1924  Dec.  1 


364 


3n  flDemottam* 

ROBERT  KIDSTON,  LL.D.,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.,  F.G.S. 
(1852-1924). 

The  unexpected  death  of  Dr.  Kidston  is  a serious  loss  to  the 
science  of  paleobotany.  Apparently  in  the  best  of  health,  he 


had  gone  on  a visit  to  Gilfach  Goch,  in  South  Wales,  to  ex- 
amine a large  series  of  fossil  plants  at  the  house  of  his  friend, 
Mr.  David  Davies.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  however,  he  was 
taken  ill  with  influenza,  and  before  the  seriousness  of  his 
condition  was  fully  realized,  he  died  of  heart -failure  on  July 
13th. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  Dr.  Kidston  was  engaged  on  the 
great  task  of  preparing  a monograph  of  the  Carboniferous 
Plants  of  Great  Britain.  Fortunately  he  had  just  finished  the 
fi?st  volume  before  he  left  his  home  in  Stirling  for  South 


Naturalist 


In  Memoriam : Robert  Kidston,  LL.D.,  D.Sc.,  etc.  365 

Wales.  Four  parts  of  this  work,  profusely  illustrated  by 
collotype  plates,  have  already  been  published  by  the  Geolog- 
ical Survey  of  Great  Britain.  The  fifth  and  sixth  parts  will 
shortly  appear. 

Dr.  Kidston  was  born  at  Bishopston  House,  Renfrewshire, 
on  June  29th,  1852,  and  was  educated  at  Stirling  High  School. 
Later  he  was  engaged  in  business,  and  had  some  useful  exper- 
ience in  a banking  house.  His  interest  in  botany  led  him  to 
attend  classes  in  that  subject  at  Edinburgh  University,  under 
Hutton  Balfour.  He  had  already  commenced  to  collect 
Carboniferous  plants,  and  was  in  touch  with  the  Geological 
Survey  Office  in  Edinburgh.  Eventually,  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Dr.  Peach,  then  acting  Palaeontologist  in  Edin- 
burgh, all  Carboniferous  plants  collected  by  the  Survey  in 
Scotland  were  sent  to  him  for  determination.  Being  endowed 
with  private  means,  he  was  able  to  devote  his  whole  time  and 
attention  to  his  subject,  and  was  thus  soon  in  a position  to 
speak  with  authority  ; and  from  1880  onwards  more  than 
a hundred  of  his  papers  have  appeared. 

His  collection  of  fossil  plants  grew  steadily  until,  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  it  had  reached  the  number  of  nearly  7000 
specimens . N ot  only  were  British  collectors  sending  specimens 
constantly  to  him,  but  workers  abroad,  in  the  United  States 
and  in  Europe,  were  also  adding  to  his  numbers.  Only  the 
best  examples  of  each  species  were  kept  ; and  these  were 
fully  labelled,  registered  and  indexed.  It  is  almost  certainly 
the  most  representative  collection  of  its  kind  formed  by  one 
man.  His  library  of  palseobotanical  literature  also  was  nearly 
complete  ; and  from  this  he  had  prepared  a bibliographic 
index  of  every  species.  Thus  equipped,  he  worked  regularly 
from  morning  until  nearly  midnight.  Holidays  abroad 
brought  him  in  touch  with  the  leading  palaeobotanists  on  the 
Continent. 

Of  his  numerous  publications  only  a few  need  be  mentioned 
here  : summaries  of  his  more  important  results  already  find 
their  place  in  the  text-books  on  palseobotany.  Among  his  early 
works  is  the  Catalogue  of  Palaeozoic  Plants  in  the  Geologi- 
cal Department  of  the  British  Museum  (1886).  In  the  follow- 
ing year  appeared  his  important  paper  on  the  fructification  of 
ferns.  Subsequent  investigation  in  this  direction  led  to 
great  discoveries.  Two  quarto  memoirs  on  the  Fossil  Flora 
of  the  Yorkshire  Coalfield  were  published  in  Transactions  of 
the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh  in  the  years  1896  and  1897. 
In  1890  the  first  of  a series  of  reports  on  the  Yorkshire  Carbon- 
iferous Flora  appeared  in  the  ‘ Transactions  of  the  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  ’ ; and  a useful  sketch  of  the  Flora  of  the 
Carboniferous  Period  was  published  by  the  Yorkshire  Geol- 
ogical Society  in  their  Proceedings  (1901  and  1902).  Dr. 


1924  Dec.  L 


366  In  Memoriam  : Robert  Kidston,  LL-.D.,'  D.Sc.,  etc. 

Kidston  arranged  the  Carboniferous  Plants  in  the  Brussels 
Museum,  and  published  in  1911  an  account  of  the  Coal  Measures 
plants  of  Hainault  (Belgium)  in  the  Memoirs  of  the  Royal 
Belgian  Museum  of  Natural  History. 

With  Dr.  W.  J.  Jongmans  as  joint  author,  he  produced  a 
handsomely-illustrated  ‘ Monograph  of  the  Catamites  of 
Western  Europe/  published  by  the  Dutch  Government  in 
1915,  with  the  unusual  number  of  158  plates.  Dr.  Kidston 
collaborated  also  with  Prof.  W.  H.  Lang,  of  the  Victoria 
University  of  Manchester.  The  plants  of  the  famous  Rhynic 
Chert  Bed  were  described  by  them  jointly  in  a series  of  papers 
in  ‘ The  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh/ 
The  early  loss  of  Prof.  D.  T.  Gwynne -Vaughan  was  felt  very 
much  by  Dr.  Kidston,  with  whom  he  had  done  much  important 
structural  work.  Together  they  had  published  the  history  of 
the  fossil  Osmundaceae,  which  appeared  as  another  of  the 
handsome  memoirs  in  the  Edinburgh  Transactions. 

Dr.  Kidston  was  an  expert  photographer,  as  the  illustra- 
tions of  his  works  testify.  His  collection  of  photographic 
negatives  (nearly  4000  in  number)  is  preserved  with  the  same 
care  in  labelling  and  indexing  as  are  his  fossil  plants. 

With  the  object  of  using  the  various  floras  and  species  as 
zonal  indices,  Dr.  Kidston  paid  particular  attention  to  the 
horizons  from  which  the  plants  were  collected.  Elaborate 
records  of  the  distribution  of  each  species  in  the  various  coal- 
fields were  prepared  by  him  in  manuscript,  and  were  intended 
to  form  the  basis  of  a stratigraphical  resume  for  his  Survey 
Monograph,  when  the  systematic  portion  was  finished. 

Dr.  Kidston’s  scientific  work  entitled  him  to  distinguish 
rank  among  palaeobotanists  ; his  personality  won  for  him  an 
equally  honoured  place  in  the  esteem  of  those  who  knew  him. 
Entirely  without  affectation,  he  was  sincerely  courteous  to 
all,  and  averse  to  any  form  of  pretence.  His  early  business 
training  showed  its  influence  in  his  handling  of  everyday 
affairs  ; he  was  prompt  in  correspondence,  and  his  methodical 
habits  made  him  an  ideal  curator  for  his  own  collection.  He 
had,  moreover,  an  extensive  knowledge  of  finance.  A familiar 
figure  in  Stirling,  he  was  a J.P.  for  the  county,  and  had  been 
Joint  Secretary  of  the  Stirling  Natural  History  and  Archaeol- 
ogical Society  since  its  foundation  in  1878.  His  wife  and  two 
daughters  survive  him. 

Many  honours  fell  to  his  lot.  He  was  made  an  honorary 
LL.D.  of  the  University  of  Glasgow  in  1908,  and  the  Victoria 
University  of  Manchester  conferred  the  honorary  D.Sc.  on  him 
in  1921.  The  Geological  Society  of  London  awarded  him  the 
Murchison  Fund  in  1887,  and  the  Murchison  Medal  in  1916. 
He  was  elected  a Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society  in  1902. — 
C.P.C. 


Naturalist 


367 


NEWS  FROM  THE  MAGAZINES. 

‘ Observations  on  a Female  Cuckoo,’  by  G.  R.  Humphreys,  appear 
in  The  Irish  Naturalist  for  November. 

Prof.  J.  H.  Priestley  writes  on  ‘ The  Ecology  of  Moorland  Plants  ’ 
in  Nature,  November  8th,  p.  698. 

Mr.  H.  Mortimer  Batten  describes  ' The  Lapwing  ’ in  The  Journal  of 
the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  for  October. 

The  first  four  papers  in  The  Entomologist  for  November  refer  to  South 
America,  the  Argentine,  Brazil,  etc.,  and  Costa  Rica  respectively. 

F!  E.  Weiss  and  D.  Rosen  write  on  ‘ The  Supposed  Constancy  of  the 
Hybrid  between  the  Common  and  the  Water  Avens,  Geum  urbanum  x 
rivale,  in  Nature,  No.  2866. 

Colonel  H.  G.  Lyons’  recent  Address  to  the  Museums  Association  on 
‘ The  Aim  and  Scope  of  the  Science  Museum,’  appears  in  The  Museums 
Journal  for  November. 

Mr.  H.  Donisthorpe  continues  his  useful  ‘ Notes  on  the  Myrmecophiles 
found  with  Acanthomyops  brunneus  Latr.,  in  Britain,’  in  The  Entomo- 
logist’s Record  for  October. 

The  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist  for  September  contains  a sheaf 
of  new  records  to  the  fauna  and  flora  of  the  two  counties.  There  is  a 
valuable  paper  on  the  Diptera  by  H.  Britten. 

The  Quarterly  Journal  of  the  Geological  Society,  No.  319,  contains  a 
paper  on  the  Upper  Visean  Corals  of  the  Genus  Caninia,  by  H.  P.  Lewis, 
in  which  a number  of  north-country  examples  are  figured  and  described. 

At  the  Royal  Society  in  1663,  ‘ The  History  of  Whale  Fishing,  and 
of  the  making  of  Whale-oil,  was  delivered  in  by  the  secretary,  from 
Mr.  Gray,  of  the  Greenland  Company,  who  had  been  in  those  parts,  and 
was  present  at  the  killing  of  whales  and  the  making  of  oil.’  ( Nature , 
November  1st.) 

Among  the  contents  of  the  Transactions  and  Proceedings  of  the  Botanical 
Society  of  Edinburgh  (Vol.  XXIX.,  Pt.  1)  we  observe  Carex  microglochin 
Wahl.,  a species  new  to  Scotland,  and  Scottish  Taraxaca,  both  by  Dr. 
G.  C.  Druce  ; Notes  on  Potagameton,  by  A.  Bennett  ; and  Additions  to 
the  Flora  of  Orkney,  by  Col.  H.  H.  Johnston. 

The  New  Phytologist , issued  on  October  30th,  contains  ‘ A Study  in 
the  Endodermis  in  the  Filicineae,’  by  j.  H.  Priestley  and  Frances  M. 
Radcliffe  ; ‘ The  Diffusion  of  Ions  from  Living  Plant  Tissues  in  relation 
to  Protein  Iso-electric  Points,’  by  W.  FI.  Pearsall  and  J.  Ewing,  and 
‘ Flowering  in  the  North  of  England  in  1922  and  1923,'  by  R.  H.  McCrea. 

There  has  recently  been  issued  The  Journal  of  the  Manchester  Geo - 
graphical  Society,  Vols.  XXXVII-XXXVIII,  Parts  1-4.  1921-32  ’ (280 
pp.),  in  which  the  proceedings  of  that  useful  society  are  published  for 
a further  two  years.  It  contains  various  papers  read  to  the  society  during 
that  period,  and  an  interesting  Delegates’  report  of  the  British  Associa- 
tion meeting  in  Edinburgh  in  1921,  and  Hull  in  1922. 

The  Rochester  Naturalist,  No.  130  (edited  by  J.  H.  Evans,  59  Corpora- 
tion Street,  Rochester,  pp.  38-70,  if-),  contains  interesting  notes  on 
* The  Cuckoo,’  by  C.  J.  Scholey  ; ‘ An  Ancient  Boat  from  Murston,’  by 
G.  E.  Dibley  ; ‘ Helicella  neglecta  Drap.  at  Luddesdown,’  by  A.  S. 

Kennard  ; ‘ Eocene  Deposits  of  Upnor,’  by  A.  Wrigley  ; and  ‘ Archae- 
ological Discoveries  and  Researches  in  the  Regional  Survey  Area,’ 
compiled  by  J.  H.  Evans. 

The  Antiquaries  Journal  for  October  has  a record  of  Discoveries  at 
Cissbury,  an  Anglo-Saxon  jug,  English  alabaster  carvings,  and  the 
preservation  of  seals.  There  are  figures  of  a ‘ sculptured  stone  from 
Alderney.’  Judging  from  the  illustrations  we  are  inclined  to  agree  with 
the  verdict  of  the  local  geologist  who  ‘ unfortunately  declared  the  mark- 
ings on  the  stone  to  be  due  to  natural  causes.’  We  observe  that  it  has 
been  submitted  to  the  archaeo logical  department  of  the  British  Museum, 
but  we  think  the  opinion  of  the  Geological  Department  should  be  sought. 


1924  Dec.  1 


368 


NORTHERN  NEWS. 

Our  readers  will  share  our  sorrow  and  sympathy  with  Mr.  Riley 
Fortune,  F.Z.S.,  on  the  recent  death  of  Mrs.  Fortune. 

A Seventh  Edition  of  British  Museum  (Natural  History)  ‘ Instructions 
for  Collectors,  No.  4,  Insects  ’ (12  pp.,  6d.)  has  been  called  for. 

The  collection  of  rocks  and  rock-slices  formed  by  the  late  Sir  Jethro 
Teall  has  been  presented  to  the  Sedgwick  Museum,  Cambridge,  by  Lady 
Teall. 

The  death  is  announced  of  Lord  Abercromby,  an  authority  on  pre- 
historic pottery,  and  author  of  ‘ The  Bronze  Age  Pottery  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland.’ 

The  fourth  edition  has  been  issued  of  the  British  Museum  (Natural 
History),  Instructions  for  Collectors  : No.  8,  Spiders,  Centipedes , Peri- 
patus,  etc.  (4  pp.,  3d.) . 

‘ The  Hull  Museum  and  Education  ’ is  the  title  of  a paper  by  Mr. 
T.  Sheppard  in  the  illustrated  Handbook  to  the  Hull  Education  Week, 
November,  1924  (A.  Brown  and  Sons,  6d.). 

Mr.  E.  Leonard  Gill,  formerly  Curator  of  the  Hancock  Museum, 
Newcastle,  recently  assistant  at  the  Royal  Scottish  Museum,  Edinburgh, 
has  been  appointed  Director  of  the  South  African  Museum,  Cape  Town. 

The  Forty -sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  Bradford  Historical  and  Antiquar - 
ian  Society  records  that  the  present  membership  is  137,  and  congratulates 
the  Editor  and  Vice-President,  Dr.  J.  Hambley  Rowe,  on  being  elected 
a Fellow  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries. 

With  commendable  promptitude  C.  Davies  Sherborn’s  Index  Anim- 
alium  (Part  V.,  containing  entries  C-Ceyl.,  pp.  945-1196,  price  1 off)  has 
been  published  by  the  British  Museum.  Quite  apart  from  the  herculean 
task  of  preparing  the  list,  the  proof-reading  alone  is  an  undertaking  few 
but  Mr.  Sherburn  could  tackle. 

The  Annals  of  the  South  African  Museum,  Vol.  XIX.,  Pt.  III.,  are 
entirely  occupied  by  an  account  of  South  African  Trypaneid  Diptera  in 
the  Museum  Collection,  by  Professor  M.  Bezzi  ; and  Vol.  XX.,  Part  2 
contains  ‘ The  Fresh-water  Entomostraca  of  the  Cape  Province  (Union 
of  South  Africa) , ’ by  G.  O.  Sars. 

In  connection  with  the  late  F.  A.  Lees’  Supplement  to  the  Flora  of 
Yorkshire,  which  that  author  proposed  to  issue  a few  years  ago,  the  late 
W.  Ingham  brought  up  to  date  the  Supplementary  List  of  Mosses  for  the 
three  ridings.  This  manuscript  was  lent  out  and  its  present  whereabouts 
has  been  forgotten.  If  any  readers  of  The  Naturalist  can  assist  in  tracing 
it,  perhaps  they  will  communicate  with  the  office  of  this  journal. 

Parts  XLIV.  and  XLV.  of  Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries  are 
devoted  to  the  Mollusca,  and  illustrate  many  quaint  forms  of  the  fresh- 
water and  marine  species,  some  of  which  are  represented  on  coloured 
plates.  The  same  publisher’s  Trees  and  Flowers  of  the  Countryside , Part 
XII.  has  an  excellent  coloured  plate  of  Elecampane,  a rare  plant  which 
is  found  in  moist  fields  and  copses  in  some  parts  of  England  and  Ireland. 

An  illustration  of  ‘ Shells  of  Ammonites,’  reproduced  ‘ by  permission 
of  James’s  Press  Agency,’  and  accompanied  by  the  legend  that  ‘The 
Ammonites  once  formed  a large  group,  which  was  allied  to  the  primitive 
ancestors  of  Naulitus.  They  are  now,  however,  extinct,  and  are  known 
only  by  fossil  remains  which  are  found  plentifully  in  many  countries, 
including  England,’  occurs  in  Hutchinson’s  Animals  of  All  Countries , 
part  XLVI. 

The  Report  of  the  Director  of  the  Warrington  Museum  for  the  two 
years  ending  30th  June,  1924,  although  ‘ considerably  curtailed  owing 
to  high  cost  of  printing,’  gives  an  excellent  classified  list  of  additions 
to  the  collections,  and  as  frontispiece  has  a photograph  of  ‘ School  Class 
at  work  in  the  new  Extension  of  the  Zoology  Room,’  from  which  we 
gather  that  the  clean  nature  of  the  floor  suggests  a paucity  of  visitors  ? 
We  hope  we  are  mistaken. 


Naturalist 


CLASSIFIED  INDEX. 


369 


COMPILED  BY  W.  E.  L.  WATTAM. 

It  is  not  an  index  in  the  strictest  sense  of  that  term,  but  it  is  a 
classified  summary  of  the  contents  of  the  volume,  arranged  so  as  to 
be  of  assistance  to  active  scientific  investigators  ; the  actual  titles 
of  papers  not  always  being  regarded  so  much  as  the  essential  nature 
of  their  contents. 

CONTRIBUTORS. 


Bailey,  J.,  54"55- 
Barnett,  F.,  127 

Bather,  F.  A.,  d.sc.,  f.r.s.,  7-10,  255, 
357-358 

Bisat,  W.  S.,  f.g.s.,  86-88,  182-184, 

329-331 

Booth,  H.  B.,  f.z.s.,  m.b.o.u.,  24-25, 
94,  101,  127,  210,  348 
Bramley,  W.  G.,  273,  345 
Brighton,  A.  G.,  b.a.,  359-360 
Brown,  J.  M.,  b.sc.,  f.c.s.,  f.e.s., 
58,  124-126 

Butterfield,  E.  P.,  94,  188,  247,  31 1 
Butterfield,  R.,  f.e.s.,  58 
Burnley,  A.  I.,  275 
Burrell,  W.  H.,  f.l.s.,  145-150,  272, 
344.  350 

Butcher,  R.  W.,  b.sc.,  175-180,  211- 
214 

Carter,  C.  S.,  18,  253 
Chatwin,  C.  P.,  364-366 
Cheesman,  W.  N.,  j.p.,  f.l.s.,  248 
Cheetham,  C.  A.,  n-15,  58,  59-60,  75, 
84-85,  248,  271,  327-328,  342,  345 
Clark,  G.  W.,  31 
Clarke,  Alfred,  6 

Clarke,  W.  J.,  f.z.s.,  26-27,  I23.  3I2> 
321 

Dallman,  A.  A.,  f.e.s.,  240,  271 

Edmondson,  F.  H.,  30,  57 

Falconer,  W.,  f.e.s.,  59,  73-74,  88, 
151-156,  215-218 
Firth,  Joe,  18 
Flintoff,  R.  J.,  243 
Fysher,  Greevz,  249,  270,  273,  345, 
348-349 

Fordham,  W.  J.,  m.r.c.s.,  l.r.c.p., 
d.p.n.,  f.e.s.,  303-306,  350 
Fortune,  R.,  f.z.s.,  31,  79-80,  94, 
180-190,  247,  281-283,  298-299,  312 
Forrest,  H.  E.,  31 1 


George,  T.  N.,  233-239 

Gibson,  E.  B.,  312 

Grainger,  Miss  J.,  344 

Greaves,  Walter,  6 

Griffiths,  B.  M.,  d.sc.,  f.l.s.,  245-247 

Grimshaw,  P.  H.,  273-275,  349-350 

Hallowell,  E.,  17-18 
Hawkesworth,  E.,  76-77 
Hinchliff,  Mildred,  201-209 
Hincks,  W.  D.,  356 
Holmes,  John,  75 
Howard,  George,  144 
Howkins,  Miss  E.  M.,  18 
Hobson,  B.,  313 

Irving,  J.,  m.d.,  74-75 

Jackson,  J.  W.,  m.sc.,  f.g.s.,  307-308 

King,  W.  B.  R.,  m.a.,  f.g.s.,  41-44, 
81-83,  361-363 

Lamplugh,  G.  W.,  f.r.s.,  f.g.s.,  279 
Lofthouse,  T.  A.,  f.e.s...  349 

Mason,  F.  A.,  f.r.m.s.,  23-30,  45-47, 
57-60,  73-77,  181,  249-250,  269-272, 
272-278,  310,  343-345.  346-350 
Milsom,  F.  E.,  b.sc.,  73,  95,  244,  277, 
336 

Morley,  Ben,  21-22,  58-59,  61 
Mosley,  Charles,  358,  363 
Murray,  James,  50,  157-158,  283 

Pearsall,  W.  H.,  d.sc.,  f.l.s.,  23-30, 
57-60,  73-77,  181,  249-250,  269-272, 
272-278,  343-345.  346-350 
Peck,  A.  E.,  74,  331 
Porritt,  G.  T.,  f.l.s.,  f.e.s.,  58,  77-78, 
123,  144,  287,  311,  351-352 
Priestley,  J.  H.,  b.sc.,  201-209 
Procter,  C.  F.,  29-30 

Roberts,  T.  N.,  210 


1924  Dec.  1 


370 


Classified  Index. 


CONTRIBUTORS — continued. 


Robinson,  J.  F.,  59-60,  73 
Roe,  T.  B.,  190 
Rowntree,  J.  H.,  275 

Schlesch,  Hans,  m.a.s.,  31  i,  336 
Selous, ; E.,  62 

Sheppard,  G.,  ph.d.,  f.g.s.,  158,  269- 
270 

Sheppard,  T.,  m.sc.,  f.g.s.,  50,  51-54, 
55,  122-123,  170-172,  185,  186,  188, 
241-243,  251-252,  253,  265-268, 

313-314 

Sledge,  W.  A.,  343 
Smith,  S.  H.,  27-29,  270 
Snowden,  F.,  243,  253 
Spath,  L.  F.,  D.sc.,  f.g.s.,  173-174 
Stainforth,  T.,  b.a.,  b.sc.,  270-271 
St.  Quintin,  W.  H.,  j.p.,  d.l.,  62-63, 
253 


Stather,  J.  W„,  f.g.s.,  75,  76,  278, 
333-335 

Stather,  Major  A.  J.,  75 

Taylor,  E.  W.,  19-20,  141-143 
Thompson,  M.  L.,  f.e.s.,  57,  275,  349 
Town,  W.  G.,  169-170 

Wade,  E.  W.,  26 

Walsh,  G.  B.,  b.sc.,  140,  219-223 

Watt,  H.  B.,  62 

Wattam,  W.  E.  L.,  137-140,  277-278 
Wheldon,  J.  A.,  223,  287 
Whitehouse,  F.  W.,  m.sc.,  359-360 
Wilson,  A.,  48-50 
Winter,  W.  P.,  b.sc.,  347-348 
Woodhead,  T.  W.,  ph.d.,  m.sc.,  f.l.s., 
249-250 

Woodward,  A.  S.,  ll.d.,  f.r.s.,  105- 
117 


BOOK  NOTICES. 


ARCHEOLOGY. 

Allcroft,  A.  H. — Down  land  Pathways, 
174 

Brewis,  Parker. — British  Brooches  of 
the  Backworth  type  in  the  Black 
Gate  Museum,  Newcastle -on -Tyne, 
261-264 

Cunnington,  M.  E. — The  Early  Iron 
Age  Inhabited  Site  at  All  Cannings 
Cross  Farm,  Wiltshire,  351 

Fox,  Cyril. — The  Archaeology  of  the 
Cambridge  Region,  15 

Sollas,  Prof. — Ancient  Hunters,  351 

BIOLOGY. 

British  Journal  of  Experimental  Bi- 
ology, 97 

Cambridge  Philosophical  Society,  Bi- 
ological Sciences,  103 

Dendy,  Arthur,  d.sc.,  f.r.s. — The 
Biological  Foundations  of  Society, 
326 

Huxley,  Julian. — -Essays  of  a Biolo- 
gist, 16 

Russell,  E.  S. — The  Study  of  Living 
Things,  Prolegomena  to  a functional 
biology,  341 

BIRDS. 

Arnold,  E.  C.,  British  Waders,  355 

Bird  Calls,  99 

Comparative  Oologist,  etc.,  264 

Coward,  J.  A. — Birds  and  their 
Young,  65 

Dewar,  T M. — The  Bird  as  a Diver, 
259 


Gordon,  Seton-. — Hebridean  Memo- 
ries, 161 

Garstang,  Prof.  W. — Songs  of  the 
Birds,  321 

Gardiner,  L. — Wild  Life  in  Devon,  36 

Hudson,  W.  H. — Rare,  Vanishing  and 
Lost  British  Birds,  97 

Ingersoll,  E. — Birds  in  Legend,  Fable 
and  Folklore,  88 

House,  C.  A. — Canaries,  158 

Kearton,  R. — Wild  Bird  Adventures, 
38 

Low,  G.  C. — The  Literature  of  the 
Charadriformes  from  1894  to  1924, 
232 

Pitt,  Frances. — Shetland  Pirates  and 
other  Wild  Life  Studies,  39 

Ralfe,  P.  G. — Supplementary  notes 
to  ‘ The  Birds  of  the  Isle  of  Man,' 
323 

Ramsay,  R.  G.  W. — Guide  to  the 
Birds  of  Europe  and  North  Africa, 
16 

Slater,  John  H. — Bird  Life  throughout 
the  Year,  129 

Tait,  W.  C. — The  Birds  of  Portugal, 
254 

Witherby,  Messrs. — A Practical  Hand- 
book of  British  Birds,  130 

DIATOMS  AND  DESMIDS. 

West’s  Desmids,  Vol.  V.,  166 

ECHIN  ODERMATA . 

Kohler,  R. — Les  Echinodermes  des 
Mers  d 'Europe,  255 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index.  371 

BOOK  NOTICES — continued. 


FLOWERING  PLANTS 

Daglish,  E.  F.—  Marvels  of  Plant  Life, 
355 

Step,  Edward. — Trees  and  Flowers, 
225,  283 

FISH. 

Macf arlan’e , J.  M.— Fishes,  the  source 
of  Petroleum,  314 

FUNGI 

Bennett,  F.  T.,  b.sc. — Outlines  of 
Fungi  and  Plant  Diseases,  310 

GEOLOGY. 

Buckley,  F. — A Microlithic  Industry 
of  the  Pennine  Chain,  Related  to 
the  Tardenois  of  Belgium,  194-195 
Buckman,  S.  S.,  f.g.s. — Type  Am- 
monites, 50,  229,  288 
Bvans,  J.  W.  and  Davies,  G.  M. — 
Elementary  Crystallography,  158 
Platt,  Wm. — A Popular  Geology,  209 
Reynolds,  S.  H. — Bristol  Geology  and 
Geography,  315 

Tutton,  A.  E.  H. — The  Natural  His- 
tory of  Crystals,  209 
"Washington  (U.S.A.)  National  Re- 
search Council. — Catalogue  of  Pub- 
lished Bibliographies  in  Geology, 
1896-1920,  293 

HYMENOPTERA. 

Buckhurst,  A.  S.  and  others. — British 
Hymenoptera,  40 

Step,  Edward. — Go  to  the  Ant  : a 

Popular  Account  of  the  Ant  in  all 
Countries,  254 

LEPIDOPTERA. 

Carpenter,  G.  LI.,  d.sc. — Insects  : 
their  Structure  and  Life,  351 
Eltringham,  H.,  d.sc.  — Butterfly 
Lore,  77-78 

Greene,  Rev.  Joseph.  — The  Insect 
Hunter’s  Companion,  287 

MAMMALS . 

Animals  of  All  Countries,  196-197, 
3i9 

Berridge,  W.  S. — Marvels  of  the 
Animal  World,  355 
Christy,  C. — Big  Game  and  Pygmies, 
3i4^ 

Gardiner,  L. — Wild  Life  in  Devon,  36 
Hornsby,  W.  T. — Tales  from  Nature’s 
Wonderland,  326 


Johns,  C.  A. — Picture  Book  of  Ani- 
mals, 47 

Pitt,  Frances — Shetland  Pirates,  and 
other  Wild  Life  Studies,  39 
Sherborn,  C.  D. — Index  Animalium, 
Part  IV.,  259 

MARINE  BIOLOGY. 

Dove  Marine  Laboratory,  Cullercoats, 
Northumberland,  Report  of,  320 
Johnstone,  James. — An  Introduction 
to  Oceanography,  104 
Johnstone,  James. — The  Marine 
Plankton,  232 

Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries. 
— The  Marine  Deposits  of  the 
Southern  North  Sea,  38 
Port  Erin  Biological  Station. — A Short 
History  of  the  Irish  Sea  Herring 
Fisheries,  161 

MOSSES. 

Crabtree,  J.  H. — British  Mosses  and 
how  to  identify  them,  254 

MUSEUMS. 

Bradford,  Annual  Report  of,  64 
British  Museum  (Publications  of), 
Index  Animalium,  Vol.  II.,  36  ; 
British  Birds,  299  ; British  Flower- 
ing Plants,  322  ; Catalogue  of  the 
Type  Specimens  of  Lepidoptera 
Rhopalocera,  Part  I.,  Satyrid®,  353 
Colchester,  Publications  of,  No.  1,  102 
Grantham,  Report  of,  288 
Hull,  Publications  of,  Nos.  126-136, 
54-55 

Liverpool,  Publications  of,  63 
Manchester,  Publications  of,  No.  86, 
32 

Northampton,  Annual  Report  of,  61 
Norwich  Castle,  Report  of,  256 
Plymouth,  Publications  of,  128 
Rochdale,  Report  of,  268 
Wales,  National  Museum  of,  Publica- 
tions of,  69-70. 

Warrington,  Report  of,  368 

PALEOBOTANY. 

Scott,  Dr.  D.  H.— Extinct  Plants  and 
Problems  of  Evolution,  354 

PHYSIOLOGY. 

Johnstone,  Mary  A. — Physiology  for 
Girls,  1 


1924  Dec  1 


372  Classified  Index. 

BOOK  NOTICES — continued. 


SCIENTIFIC  HISTORY. 

Bradford,  The  book  of,  321 
Crawford,  M.  H. — Little  Nurseries  in 
the  Fields,  161 

Ecology,  Journal  of  (July,  1924),  296 
Herdman,  Sir  W.  A. — Founders  of 
Oceanography  and  their  Works, 
199-200 

Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Naturalist, 
227 

Lincolnshire  Notes  and  Queries,  322 
Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries 
— Quantitative  Studies  of  the  Fauna 
of  the  Sea  Bottom,  No.  1,  229 
Stone,  Herbert — A Text-book  of  Wood 
168 

Wheeler,  W.  M. — Social  Life  among 
the  Insects,  47 

SOCIETIES. 

Birmingham  Natural  History  and 
Philosophical  Society,  Transactions 
of,  306 

Birmingham  and  Midland  Institute 
Scientific  Society,  Transactions  of, 
295 

Bristol  Naturalists’  Society,  Proceed- 
ings of,  306 

Bristol  University,  Proceedings  of  the 
Spelseological  Society  of,  292 
Bridlington  Angustinian  Society, 
Journal  of,  297 

British  Association,  Report  of  Confer- 
ence of  Delegates  of  Corresponding 
Societies,  1923,  101  ; Advancement 
of  Science,  299-300 

British  Mycological  Society,  Trans- 
actions of,  214,  306 
Caradoc  and  Severn  Valley  Field 
Club,  Transactions  of,  315 
Chester  Society  of  Natural  Science, 
Literature  and  Art,  Transactions  of, 
268 

Derbyshire  Archaeological,  etc.,  Soci- 
ety, Journal  of,  200 
Dumfriesshire  and  Galloway  Natural 
History  and  Antiquarian  Society, 
Transactions  of,  268 
Felsted  School  Scientific  Society, 
Report  of,  268 

Glasgow  Royal  Philosophical  Society, 
Proceedings  of,  214 
Isle  of  Wight  Natural  History  Society, 
Transactions  of,  61 
Leicester  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society,  Transactions  of,  268 
Llandudno,  Colwyn  Bay,  etc.,  Field 
Club,  Proceedings  of,  166 :- 


Lincolnshire  Naturalists’  Union , 
Transactions  of,  225-226 
Liverpool  Biological  Society,  Trans- 
actions of,  94 

Liverpool  Geological  Society,  Pro- 
ceedings of,  5-6 

Manchester  Microscopical  Society, 
Transactions  of,  80 
Manchester  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society,  History  of,  259 
Marlborough  College  Natural  History 
Society,  Report  of,  255 
Mining  Engineers,  Institution  ofr 
Transactions  of,  302 
National  Trust,  Report  1923-24,  257 
North  Lonsdale  Field  Club,  Trans- 
actions of,  1 29 -1 30 

Northumberland,  Durham  and  New- 
castle-upon-Tyne Natural  History 
Society,  Transactions  of,  325 
Palaeontographical  Society,  126 
Perthshire  Society  of  Natural  Science, 
Transactions  of,  214 
Peradeniya  Royal  Botanical  Gardens, 
Publications  of,  286 
Plymouth  Marine  Biological  Associa- 
tion : Guide  to  Plymouth  Aquari- 

um, 293 

Rotherham  Naturalists’  Society, 
Annual  Meeting  of,  160 
Scottish  Marine  Biological  Associa- 
tion, Transactions  of,  80 
Ray  Society,  Publications  of  (West’s 
Desmids,  Vol.  V.),  166 
Torquay  Natural  History  Society, 
Transactions  of,  80 

Whitby  Literary  and  Philosophical 
Society,  Report  of,  257  4 

Worthing  Archaeological  Society,  An- 
nual Report  of,  214 
Yorkshire  Philosophical  Society,  An- 
nual Report  of,  102,  224 

VERMES. 

Friend,  Hilderic.  — - British  Earth- 
worms, and  how  to  identify  them,  1 

MISCELLANEOUS, 

Allingham,  E.  G. — Romance  of  the 
Rostrum,  355 

Avebury,  Lord,  Essays  on,  232 
Beebe,  Wm. , Galopagos  : — World’s 
End,  360 

Beer,  G.  R.  de,  Growth,  315 
Beckett,  Arthur — The  Spirit  of  the 
Downs,  37 

Berridge,  W.  S. — Marvels  of  Natural 
History,  355 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 


373 


BOOK  NOTICES — continued. 


Boyle,  M.  E. — Man  before  History, 
254 

Bradley,  A.  G. — Highways  and  By- 
ways in  the  Lake  District,  310 

Bureau  of  Bio-Technology,  Bulletins 
of,  160 

Coates,  H.  G. — Charlie  Mackintosh, 
354 

Cooke,  D.  and  R. — The  Oil  Trusts  and 
Anglo-American  Relations,  223 

Cooper,  A.  N. — The  Curiosities  of 
East  Yorkshire,  284 

Cooper,  J.  P. — With  Dickens  in 
Yorkshire,  315 

Dawson,  Major  A.  J. — Britain’s  Life- 
boats, 31 

Edwards,  Wm. — The  Early  History 
of  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire, 
285 

English  Catalogue  of  Books,  1924,  174 

English,  Gordon — Moonlight  Tales, 
34i 

Geikie,  Sir  Archibald — A Long  Life’s 
Work  : An  Autobiography,  260 

Hobson,  Bernard — The  East  Riding  of 
Yorkshire,  284 

Hodge,  A.  E. — Vivarium  and  Aquari- 
um keeping  for  Amateurs,  127 


Hudson,  W.  H. — The  Book  of  a 
Naturalist,  77  ; A Shepherd’s  Life, 
296 

Johnson,  W.— The  Nature  World  of 
London,  254 

Johnstone,  M.  A.,  b.sc.,  f.l.s.- — The 
Physical  Training  of  Girls,  200 
Journal  of  Ecology,  98 
Kearton,  Cherry.  — Photographing 
Wild  Life  across  the  World,  16 
MacDonald,  J. — Lawns,  Links  and 
Sportsfields,  16 
Open  Air  Magazine,  72 
Reinheimer,  H. — Evolution  at  the 
Crossways,  341 

Sheppard,  T.,  m.sc.,  f.g.s.— Hull  : 
Britain’s  Third  Port,  285-286 
Shipley,  Sir  A.  E. — Life,  77 
Sibree,  James — Fifty  Years  in  Mada- 
gascar, 174 

Smith,  W. — Ancient  Springs  and 
Streams  of  the  East  Riding  of 
Yorkshire,  98 

Spielmann,  P.  E. — The  Genesis  of 
Petroleum,  244 

Taylor,  Fred,  r.i. — Yorkshire,  193 
Thomson,  J.  A.,  ll.d.— What  is  Man  ? 
254 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


ANTHROPOLOGY . 

Eoanthropus  dawsoni,  Restoration  of 
Skull  of,  and  cast  of  Brain  Cavity, 
Plate  III. 

Galley  Hill  Skull,  52 
Gibralter  Skull,  52 
Homo  mousterensis  hauseri,  Restora- 
tion of  Skull  of,  51 

Jaw,  Series  of  Casts  showing  con- 
struction from  Chimpanzee  to  Mod- 
ern Man,  53 

ARCHEOLOGY. 

Bronze  Founder’s  Hoard  from  Hat- 
field Broad  Oak,  Essex,  102 
Bronze  Socketed  Chisels  and  Gouges 
from  Roseberry  Topping,  285 
Copper  ( ? ) and  Bronze  Age  Imple- 
ments in  National  Museum  of 
Wales,  70 

Development  of  Safety  Pin  in  the 
Blackworth  type  of  Brooch,  263 
* Driffield  ’ Palstave,  67 

BIRDS. 

Bird  Calls,  99 
Birds,  Songs  of,  321 


Chough’s  Nest,  323 
Dotterel  (Endromias  morinellus), 
Plate  Y. 

Kentish  Plovers  and  their  Nesting 
Place,  Plate  IX. 

Redshank  on  Nest,  38 
Raven,  69 

Rook’s  Nest  on  Church  Spire  at 
Boston  Spa,  189 
She  Id  Ducks,  Plate  IV. 

DIATOMS. 

Descriptive  Diagram  of  the  Plankton 
of  the  River  Wharf e,  177 

FLOWERING  PLANTS 

Calluna,  Serial  sections  across  root 
of  sterile  seeding  of,  Plate  XIII. 
Cotyledon  umbillicus,  Plate  II. 
Timber  Sections,  Plate  VIII. 

FISH. 

Acanthodes  wardi  Egerton,  107 
Ceratodus  forsteri  Krefft,  115 
Cheirodus  granulosus  Young,  .114 
Cladoselache  fyleri  (Newberry),  108 
Edestidae,  Illustrations  of  front  dental 
arch  of,  114 


1924  Dec.  1 


374  Classified  Index. 

ILLUSTRATIONS — continued. 


Edestus  mirus  Hay,  hi 
Edestus  newtoni  A.  S.  Woodward,  no 
Helicoprion  bessonowi  Karpinsky, 
iii 

Megalichthys  hibberti  Agassiz,  116 
Protodus  scoticus  (Newton),  in 
Rhadinichthys  ornatissimus  (Agassiz) , 

1 T3 

Wolf -Fish,  197 

FUNGI . 

Amanita  verna,  339 

Geaster  rnfescens  var.  minor  Pers.,  45 

FLOWERING  PLANTS 

Bee  Orchis,  Plate  XIV. 

GEOLOGY. 

Hessle  Boring,  E.  Yorks.,  Section  of, 
334 

Irish  Sea  Glacier,  167 
Oligocene  Frogs  from  Spain,  357 
Paracrioceras  statheri  Spath,  173 
The  Settle  pygidium,  362 
Tisoa  siphonalis,  9 
Toxoceratoides  sheppardi  Spath,  173 
Typical  deep-sea  and  shallow  water 
deposits,  Plate  VII. 

Williamsonia  whitbiensis,  showing  (a) 
restoration  of  male  flower  ; and  (b) 
a single  stamen,  354 

HYMENOPTERA. 

Hawthorn  Sawfly  Grubs,  Cradles  of, 
Plate  XI. 

Sirex  gigas,  40 
Sirex  juvencus,  40 

LEPIDOPTERA. 

Aricia  medon  Esp.,  Varieties  of,  325 
Egg  of  ‘ White  Admiral  ’ Butterfly 
(Magnified),  78 

Egg  of  ‘ Holly  Blue  ’ Butterfly 
(Magnified),  78 

NOTES  AND 

January. — British  Earthworms  and 
how  to  identify  them — Physiology 
for  Girls- — Skeleton  25,000  Years 
Old  ? — Mouth  seven  inches  across— 
Relics  found— Museums  Association 
— Conference  of  Delegates — ‘ Re- 
search ’ — Birds  of  Prey — Dr.  J.  E. 
Stead — 10,000,000  Years  Ago — A 
Mother  ? — Liverpool  Geologists  — 
Exit  ‘ Discovery  ’—A  Shelley  Ode, 
1-6 


MAMMALIA. 

Otter  Cubs,  36 
Pine  Marten,  39 

Sheep,  Old  Wiltshire  Horned,  296 

MARINE  BIOLOGY. 

Animal  communities  of  the  level 
Sea-bottom  near  Plymouth,  35 

MOLLUSGA. 

Cardium  edule,  233,  234,  235,  236, 
237,  238 

Helix  aspersa,  Plate  II. 

PORTRAITS, 

VIEWS,  GROUPS,  ETC. 

Booth,  G.  A.,  f.z.s.,  etc.,  282 
Boult,  J . W.,  187 
Downs,  The  Spirit  of  the,  37 
Herdman,  Sir  Wm. , 281 
George,  C.  F.,  m.r.c.s.,  122 
Hawley,  Sir  H.  C.  W.,  Bart.,  187 
Kidston,  Robert,  LLJD.,  D.Sc.,  etc.r 

364 

Map  of  Pre-glacial  Humber,  134 
Milner,  F.,  164 

Microscope,  Early  Binocular  Dissect- 
ing, 251 

River  Captures  in  N.W.  Yorks.  (Lunds 
area),  Maps  of,  41,  43 
Robin  Hood’s  Bay,  Yorkshire,  Plate 
VI. 

Stead,  Dr.  J.  E.,  4 
Stiles,  M.  H.,  164 
Watson,  Arnold  T.,  f.l.s.,  185 
Wilberforce  Museum,  Hull,  286 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  My- 
cological  Committee,  Members  at 
Sheffield  Meeting  of,  337 
York,  A Street  in,  Plate  XII. 

VERMES. 

Earthworms,  British,  Plate  I. 

COMMENTS. 

February. — The  British  Association 
■ — -Wayside  and  Woodland — Cuckoo 
Habits — Protection  of  Wild  Birds — 
Marine  Animal  Communities  — 
Samples — Wild  Life  in  Devon — 
Index  Animalium — The  Spirit  of 
the  Downs— Marine  Deposits  of  the 
North  Sea — Wild  Bird  Adventures 
— Shetland  Pirates — A Norfolk  ‘ Al- 
batross ’ — British  Hymen  optera, 
33-4° 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 

NOTES  AND  COMMENTS — continued 


375 


March. — Birds  and  their  Young — 
The  Youthful  Naturalist — Scottish 
Naturalists — Born,  not  made? — A 
Derbyshire  Cavern  — ' Danish  ’ 
Bronze  Celt  in  England — Not  from 
a Barrow — Other  Examples— Raven 
— Welsh  Bronze  Implements— Silk 
from  Slate  Dust — ‘ Discovery  ’ — 
Government  Publications — Foreign 
Publications — Open  Air,  65-72 

April. — Rare,  vanishing  and.  lost 
British  Birds — Halifax  Naturalists 
- — Journal  of  Experimental  Biology 
— Journal  of  Ecology — Yorkshire 
Spas,  etc. — Bird  Calls— Geological 
Literature — -Errata — An  Example- 
Omissions  — British  Association 
Work — Essex  Bronze  Implements — 
Yorkshire  Philosophers — Biological 
Sciences- — Thrinax  mixtra  and  T. 
macula — Rock  Salt  in  Yorkshire — 
Rare  Plants — Oceanography  , 97-104 

May. — Bird  Life  throughout  the 
Year  — Prehistoric  Remains  — A 
Practical  Handbook  of  British  Birds 
— British  Climate — A Greenland 
Halibut — Science  and  the  Fishing 
Industry — The  Wrigglers  — Frozen 
Fingers — Petrography  of  the  Trias 
— Migration  of  Eels — Dr.  Schmidt’s 
Discoveries — The  Pre-glacial  Hum- 
ber— Geological  Exhibits  — Mute 
Swans — Ancient  Man  in  North 
America — The  Geological  Museum, 
London,  129-136 

June . — ' Little  Nurseries  in  the  Field  ’ 
— Hebridean  Memories — Irish  Sea 
Herring  Fisheries — Witchcraft  and 

Divining — Bore-holes  re-divined 

Bronze  People — Dr.  F.  A.  Bather 
— Doncaster  Scientific  Society  — 
Doncaster  Museum — Nature  and 
Art — An  Aquarium  de  luxe — Irish 
Sea  Glacier  — West’s  Desmids  — 
Kimmeridge  Clay  Zones— Timber, 
161-168 

July. — -Yorkshire— Kent’s  Cavern — 
Sabre-toothed  Tiger — Where  are 
they  now  ? — Pennine  Microliths — 
General  Conclusions — -A  Discovery 
— More  ‘ Discoveries  ’ — Harmonic 
Raised  Beaches  — The  Ilkley 
Sculpturings  — Wolf-fish  — Broad- 
casting Nightingales  — Darlington 
Naturalists  — Egg-  Collectors  - — - 
Founders  of  Oceanography — Derby- 
shire Naturalists  — The  Physical 
Training  of  Girls,  193-200 


August — Trees  and  Flowers — Life 
History  of  the  Eel— Lincolnshire 
Naturalists  — Ambition  — The 
Nature  Lovers  Fellowship  — Funds 
again  ! — Facts  and  Figures — Seven- 
teenth Century  Ornithology — Barn- 
acles^ — Opening  of  Todmorden  Mu- 
seum— Type  Ammonites — Fishery 
Investigations — Pollen  in  Peat — 
List  of  Species — The  British  Asso- 
ciation— Early  Science  at  the  Royal 
Society — Corn  Smut  in  1663 — Lord 
Avebury— Charadriformes  — Marine 
Plankton,  225-232 

September — The  National  Trust — 
The  Whitby  ‘ Lit.  and  Phil.’ — New 
Fish  from  the  Nottingham  Keuper 
— Stem  Anatomy  of  Tradescantia 
fluminensis  Veil. — Index  animalium 
— Early.  Science— Manchester  Lit. 
and  Phil. — Birds  as  Divers — Sir 
Archibald  Geikie — ‘ Neolithic  ’Man 
again — Science  and  Wembley  — 
British  Brooches— Safety  Pin — La 
Tene  Types — Oology — Carnelian’s 
Jewel-Casket,  257-264 

October. — C3  Men  — Weather  and 
Granite  — Gilbert  White  — - Saxon 
Spinners— Early  Wool  Exports — 1 
Natural  Resources  in  relation  to 
the  Arts — Local  Architecture  — 
English  Sculpture — Wigan — Muse- 
ums and  Sales — Spelaeology  — The 
Plymouth  Aquarium — A Biblio- 
graphy of  Bibliographies — Motors 
and  Marriage  — Windy  Knoll  — • 
Fossil  Blood  Stains — Rambling — -A 
Birmingham  Society — A Shepherd’s 
Life — Journal  of  Ecology  — The 
London  Naturalist — -St.  John  of 
Bridlington — Water  and  Wine-A-f 
Food  of  the  Blackbird — Not  as 
Black  as  painted — British  Museum 
(Natural  History)  Publications — - 
The  advancement  of  Science— The 
Spittal  at  Filey  Brig — -Not  Roman 
— A Sixty-feet  Gastropod — Pliocene 
— Pleistocene,  289-302 

November — The  Book  of  Bradford— 
Songs  of  Birds — Prehistoric  Find 
at  Withernsea — British  Flowering 
Plants — Lincolnshire  Notes  and 
Queries — Manx  Birds — A Taxider- 
mist’s Advertisement — Ladies  and 
Gentlemen,  Sixpence  each — North- 
umberland Naturalists — The  Biolo- 
gical Foundations  of  Society — Tales 
from  Nature’s  Wonderland,  321, 326 


1924  Dec.  1 


376 


Classified  Index. 


NOTES  AND  COMMENTS — continued. 


December. — T}rpe  specimens  of  Lepi- 
doptera — Rearing  Rare  Falcons — 
Extinct  Plants  and  Evolution — - 


Pliocene  Crag  in  Iceland — British 
Waders — The  ‘ Marvel  ’ Series — Ro- 
mance of  the  Rostrum,  353-356 


SPECIES  AND  VARIETIES  NEW  TO  SCIENCE 
BROUGHT  FORWARD  IN  THIS  VOLUME. 


ARACHNIDA. 

Substitution  of  Macrocheles  submotus 
in  lieu  of  M.  cognatus  Falcr.  (nom. 
praeocc.)  (see  The  Naturalist,  April, 
1923,  pp.  152-3),  W.  Falconer,  363 

GEOLOGY. 

New  Speeton  Ammonites,  Paracrio- 


ceras  statheri  Spath  and  Toxocera- 
toides  sheppardi  Spath,  figured  and 
described,  L.  F.  Spath,  173 -174 

MOLLUSGA  (MARINE) 

Acmaea  testudinalis  (Miiller)  var.  al- 
bida  nov.  var.,  found  at  Hallbjar- 
narstadir,  described,  Hans  Schlesch, 
336 


SPECIES  AND  VARIETIES  NEW  TO  BRITAIN  BROUGHT 
FORWARD  IN  THIS  VOLUME. 


MOSSES. 

Grimmia  andreacoides  Limpr.,  found 
at  Llanberis,  W.  H.  Burrell,  350 

PLATYZOA . 

Microstomum  viride  Bened  at  Head- 


ingley,  Leeds,  Microstomum  canum 
Fuhr. , at  Smithy  Mills,  Meanwood, 
Leeds,  and  Castrada  viridis  Volz, 
at  Lawnswood,  Leeds,  F.  Barnett, 
127 


CHESHIRE. 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of  Eng- 
land (Yorkshire  excepted)  during 
1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard,  118-121 


Societies. — Chester  Society  of  Nat- 
ural Science,  Literature  and  Art, 
Transactions  of,  268 


CUMBERLAND. 


Geology.- — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 
118-121 

Mosses  and  Hepatics — Hepaticae  of 
Carlisle  District,  J.  Murray,  157- 


158  ; Species  noted  between  Ireby 
and  Mealsgate,  J.  Murray,  283; 
Blasia  pusilia  Linn,  at  Aspatria, 
J.  Murray,  356 

Societies. — North  Lonsdale  Field 
Club,  Transactions  of,  129-130 


DERBYSHIRE. 


Archaeology. — Note  on  description 
of  a Sepulchral  Cave  at  Tray  Cliff, 
Castleton,  66-67 

Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 


ing 1922  and  1923,' T.  Sheppard, 
118-121  ; Notes  on  some  ' Pendle- 
side  ’ Fossils,  J.  W.  Jackson,  307- 
308 

Societies . — Derbyshire  Archaeologi- 
cal, etc.,  Society,  Journal  of,  200 


DURHAM. 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 
118-121 


Societies. — Northumberland,  Dur- 

ham and  Newcastle-on-Tyne  Natur- 
al History  Society,  Transactions  of, 
325 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 


377 


ISLE  OF  MAN. 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 
118-121  ; Notes  on  some  ‘ Pendle- 


side  ’ Fossils,  J.  W.  Jackson, 
307-308 

Scientific  History. — Ralfe’s  Supple- 
mentary Notes  to  ‘ The  Birds  of  the 
Isle  of  Man,’  323 


LANCASHIRE. 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 
118-121  ; Notes  on  some  ‘ Pendle- 
side  ’ Fossils,  J.  W.  Jackson, 
307-308 

Museums. — Liverpool,  Publications 
of,  63  ; Manchester,  Publications 
of,  No.  86,  32  ; Rochdale,  Report  of, 
268  ; Warrington,  Report  of,  368 


Personal  Notices . — In  Memoriam 
Notice  of  G.  A.  Booth,  f.z.s.,  f.e.s., 
m.b.o.u.,  with  portrait,  R.  Fortune, 
281-283 

Societies. — Liverpool  Biological  So- 
ciety, Transactions  of,  94  ; Liver- 
pool Geological  Society,  Proceedings 
of,  5-6  ; Manchester  Literary  and 
Philosophical  Society,  History  of, 
259  ; Manchester  Microscopical  So- 
ciety, Transactions  of,  80 


LINCOLNSHIRE. 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard,  118- 
12 1 ; Skull  of  Goat  from  Warp  Clay 
at  East  Halton,  T.  Sheppard,  253 
Mollusca  (Land  and  Freshwater) — 
Vitrea  lucida  and  other  species  at 
Market  Rasen,  C.  S.  Carter,  18 
Lepidoptera. — Thanaos  tages  (Dingy 
Skipper)  near  Louth,  C.  S.  Carter, 
253 


Mammalia. — Skull  of  Goat  from 
warp  clay  at  East  Halton,  T. 
Sheppard,  253 

Museums. — -Grantham,  Report  of, 
288 

Scientific  History.  — Lincolnshire 
Notes  and  Queries,  322 
Societies . — Lincolnshire  Naturalists’ 
Union,  Transactions  of,  225-226 
Personal  Notices. — In  Memoriam 
notice  of  C.  F.  George,  m.r.c.s., 
with  portrait,  T.  Sheppard,  122-123 


NORTHUMBERLAND . 


Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of  Eng- 
land (Yorkshire  excepted)  during 
1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 118-121 


Societies.  — Northumberland,  Dur- 
ham and  Newcastle-on -Tyne  Nat- 
ural History  Society,  Transactions 
of,  325 


NOTTINGHAM. 


Geology  .—Bibliography  with  respect 
to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 
ing 1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 


118-121  ; Note  on  a New  Catop- 
terid  Fish  from  the  Keuper  at 
Woodthorpe,  257 


WESTMORLAND. 

Geology. — Bibliography  with  respect  ing  1922  and  1923,  T.  Sheppard, 

to  the  Geology  of  the  North  of  118-121 
England  (Yorkshire  excepted)  dur- 

YORKSHIRE. 


Acari. — Plant  Galls  of  the  Hudders- 
field District,  W.  Falconer,  217  ; 
Plant  Galls  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  To 
Scarthingwell  Park,  J.  Grainger, 
344  ; Plant  Galls  noted  on  visit  of 


Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Lower  Teesdale,  W.  P.  Winter,  348 
Anguillulidae . — Plant  Galls  of  the 
Huddersfield  District,  W.  Falconer, 
217 

Anthropology. — Remains  of  Early 


1924  Dec.  1 


378 


Classified  Index . 


YORKSHIRE — continued. 


Man,  additions  to  the  collections 
at  Hull  Museum,  illustrated,  T. 
Sheppard,  51-54 

Arachnida . — Annual  Report  of 
Arachnida  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  W. 
Falconer,  59  ; Chernes  scorpioides 
Herm.  at  Harwood  Dale,  first 
County  record,  G.  B.  Walsh,  140  ; 
Substitution  of  Macrocheles  sub- 
motus  in  lieu  of  M.  cognatus  Falcr. 
(nom.  proncc. ) (see  The  Naturalist, 
April,  1923,  pp.  152-3),  W.  Fal- 
coner, 363 

Archaeology. — Note  on  a ‘ Danish  ’ 
Bronze  Celt  found  at  Driffield,  with 
illustration,  67-68. 

Birds. — Leach’s  Petrel  and  Little 
Auk  at  Halifax,  W.  Greaves,  6 ; 
Birds  and  Plants  near  Sowerby 
Bridge,  E.  Hallowell,  17-18  ; Re- 
port of  meeting  of  Vertebrate 
Section  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union,  held  at  Leeds,  October, 
1923,  E.  W.  Taylor,  19-20  ; Of 
further  meeting  held  at  Leeds, 
February,  1924,  E.  W.  Taylor, 
141-143  ; Annual  Report  of  Verte- 
brate Section  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union,  1923,  as  to  West 
Riding,  contributed  by  H.  B.  Booth, 
as  to  East  Riding  by  E.  W.  Wade  ; 
as  to  North  Riding  by  W.  J . Clarke  ; 
as  to  York  District  by  S.  H.  Smith, 
24-29  ; Annual  Report  of  Wild 
Birds  and  Eggs  Protection  Com- 
mittee of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  F.  H.  Edmondson, 
30,  57  ; Note  on  Wild  Bird  Prose- 
cution at  Withernsea,  34  ; Varieties 
of  Blackbird  at  Thorparch,  R. 
Fortune,  94  ; Crossbills  near  Thorn - 
ton-le-Dale,  94  ; White  Blue  Tit- 
mouse at  Thornton-le-Dale,  H.  B. 
Booth,  94  ; Quails  in  the  Wilsden 
District,  E.  P.  Butterfield,  94  ; 
White -breasted  variety  of  Cormor- 
ant at  Scarborough,  W.  J.  Clarke, 
123  ; Separation  of  the  Sexes  of  the 
Chaffinch  in  winter,  E.  P.  Butter- 
field, 188  ; Nesting  of  Rook  on 
Church  Spire  at  Boston  Spa,  R. 
Fortune,  189  ; Grouse  in  Harrogate, 
R.  Fortune,  189  ; Nesting  of  Lesser 
Spotted  Woodpecker  at  Frizinghall, 
Bradford,  H.  B.  Booth,  210  ; 
Osprey  at  Scarborough,  T.  N. 
Roberts,  210  ; Black -throated  Di- 


ver at  Littlebeck  and  Langdale 
End,  F.  Snowdon,  243  ; Birds  in 
Nidderdale,  E.  P.  Butterfield,  with 
footnote  by  R.  Fortune,  247  ; 
Spoonbill  at  Whitby,  F.  Snowdon, 
253  J Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Holme  - on  - Spalding  Moor,  270  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Ravenscar, 
W.  G.  Bramley,  273  ; Swifts, 
Large  gathering  of  at  Harrogate, 
R.  Fortune,  312  ; Effects  of  waste 
oil  on  the  Bird  life  of  the  Yorkshire 
Coast,  W.  J.  Clarke,  312  ; Bird  life 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Scarthingwell  Park, 
W.  G.  Bramley,  345  ; Bird  life 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natur- 
alists’ Union  to  Lower  Teesdale, 
with  special  mention  of  attempted 
nesting  of  Little  Owl,  H.  B.  Booth, 

348  ; Snow  Buntings  at  Scarbor- 
ough, W.  H.  St.  Quintin,  363  ; 
Vanessa  and  House  Sparrow,  C. 
Mosley,  363 

Coleoptera . — Report  of  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union, 
Entomological  Section,  held  at 
Leeds,  October,  1923,  B.  Morley, 
21-22  ; Annual  Report  of  Coleoptera 
Committee  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  M.  L.  Thompson, 
57  ; Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield 
District,  W.  Falconer,  151-156  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding  Moor,  T.  Stainforth,  270- 
271  ; Plant  Galls  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Holme-on-Spalding  Moor,  A.  A. 
Dallman,  271  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ Union 
to  Ravenscar,  P.  H.  Grimshaw, 
274  ; M.  L.  Thompson,  275  ; 
Galeruca  (Adimonia)  tanaceti  L. 
taken  on  Allerthorpe  Common, W.  J. 
Fordham,  309-310  ; Silpha  thorac- 
iea  Linn.,  in  association  with 
Phallus  impudicus,  A.  E.  Peck, 
331  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Lower  Teesdale,  M.  L.  Thompson, 

349 

Gollembola .— Cyphoderusus  ( = Beck- 
ia)  albinos  Nic.,  in  nests  of  Wood 
Ant  at  Harwood  Dale,  G.  B.  Walsh, 
140 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 

Y ORKSHIRE — continued. 


379 


Crustacea . — Porcellio  scaber  in  nests 
of  Wood  Ant  at  Harwood  Dale, 
G.  B.  Walsh,  140 

Desmids . — The  Plankton  of  the  River 
Wharfe,  with  descriptive  diagrams 
and  tables,  R.W.  Butcher,  175-180, 
211-214  ; Free-floating  Micro-flora 
or  Phyto-Plankton  of  Hornsea  Mere, 
R.  M.  Griffiths,  245-247 

Diatoms . — The  Plankton  of  the  River 
Wharfe,  with  descriptive  diagrams 
and  tables,  R.W.  Butcher,  175-180 
21 1 -214  ; Free  Floating  Microflora 
or  Phy to -Plankton  of  Hornsea  Mere, 

B.  M.  Griffiths,  245-247 

Diptera. — Annual  Report  of  Diptera 

Committee  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  C.  A.  Cheetham, 
58  ; Notes  and  Additions  to  the 
County  List,  C.  A.  Cheetham, 
84-85  ; Stenopteryx  hirundinis  L. 
at  Scarborough,  Lipoptena  cervi  L. 
at  Helmsley,  and  Melophagus  ovinus 
L.  at  Hull,  etc.,  G.  B.  Walsh,  190  ; 
Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield 
District,  W.  Falconer,  151-156, 
215-216  ; Species  noted  on  visit 
of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union 
to  Ravenscar.  P.  H.  Grimshaw, 
274-275  ; Yorkshire  Tipulids,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  327-328  ; Further  ad- 
ditions to  the  County  List,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  332  ; Plant  Galls  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natualists’ 
Union  to  Scarthingwell  Park,  J. 
Grainger,  344  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Scarthingwell  Park,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  345  ; Plant  Galls  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Lower  Teesdale,  W.  P. 
Winter,  347  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Lower  Teesdale,  P.  H. 
Grimshaw,  349-350  ; Scenopinus 
fenestralis  L.  at  Leeds,  W.  D. 
Hincks,  356 

Fish. — Annual  Report  of  Fishes.,  etc., 
Committee  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  S.  H.  Smith  and 

C.  F.  Procter,  29-30  ; The  Animals 
of  the  Carboniferous  Period,  with 
special  references  to  discoveries  in 
Yorkshire,  illustrated,  A.  S.  Wood- 
ward, 105-117  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Scarthingwell  Park,  W.  G. 
Bramley,  345 


Flowering  Plants. — Pennine  Peat, 
C.  A.  Cheetham,  11 -15  ; Further 
article,  illustrated,  W.  H.  Burrell, 
145-150  ; Birds  and  Plants  near 
Sowerby  Bridge,  E.  Hallowell, 
17-18  ; Additions  to  the  Flora  of 
the  Sedbergh  District,  A.  Wilson, 
48  ; Annual  Report  of  Botanical 
Section  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  C.  A.  Cheetham  and 
J.  F.  Robinson,  59-60,  73  ; Annual 
Report  of  Botanical  Survey  Com- 
mittee of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  1923,  W.  H.  Pearsall, 
73  ; Note  on  rediscovery  of  Al- 
chemilla  pastoralis  Buser  in  Tees- 
dale, 104  ; Archangelica  sylvestris 
and  Viola  calcarea  Greg.,  new 
County  records,  F.  Barnett,  127  ; 
Further  notes  upon  the  Vascular 
Plants  characteristic  of  Peat,  M.. 
Hinchliff  and  J.  H.  Priestley, 
201-209  ; Gagea  lutea  Ker.  (■— | 
fascicularis  Salisb.)  and  its  parasite 
near  Doncaster,  A.  A.  Dallman, 
240  ; Report  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Earbv,  T.  W. 
Woodhead,  249-250  ; Report  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Holme-on-Spalding  Moor, 
W.  H.  Pearsall,  271-272  ; Report 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Ravenscar,  A.  I.  Burnley, 
275-276  ; W.  H.  Pearsall,  276-277  ; 
Report  of  Annual  Meeting  of 
Botanical  Section  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union,  held  at  Leeds, 
October,  C.  A.  Cheetham,  342  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Scarthingwell 
Park,  W.  A.  Sledge,  343  ; Ulex 
minor  Roth,  at  Thornton  Dale, 
R.  J.  Flintoff,  356 

Fungi. — Coprinus  radians  Fr.  at 
Hon  ley,  A.  Clarke,  6 ; Omphalia 
pseudoandrosacea  (Bull.)  Fr.,  first 
County  record,  and  Erysiphe  tor- 
tilis  Fr.,  at  Edlington  Wood,  near 
Doncaster,  Miss  E.  M.  Howkins, 
18  ; Geaster  rufescens  var.  minor 
Pers.  at  Leeds,  with  illustrations, 
first  County  record,  F.  A.  Mason, 
45-47  ; Annual  Report  of  Mycol- 
ogical  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  A.  E. 
Peck,  74;  Uromyces  ambiguus 
Lev.  on  Allium  oleraceum  at  Leeds, 
and  Urocystis  colchici  Schleeht  at 


1924  Dec.  1 


38° 


Classified  Index. 


Y ORKSHIRE — continued. 


Barwick-in-Elmet,  T.  B.  Roe,  190  ; 
Plant  Galls  of  the  Huddersfield 
District,  W.  Falconer,  217-218  ; 
Note  on  Uromyces  Gagea  Beck,  on 
plants  near  Doncaster,  A.  A. 
Dallman,  240  ; Didymium  tubula- 
tum  at  Selby,  W.  N.  Cheesman, 
248  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Earby,  F.  A.  Mason,  250  ; Phallus 
impudicus  visited  by  Silpha  thor- 
acica  Linn,  A.  E.  Peck,  331  ; 
Yorkshire  Mycologists  at  Sheffield, 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  Fun- 
gus Foray,  1923,  including  Pleur- 
otus  mutilis  Fr.,  and  Dacryopsis 
nuda  (Berk.)  Massee,  new  County 
records  and  list  of  species  new  to 
S.W. Yorks.,  with  illustrations,  A. 
E.  Peck,  337-341  ; Species  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Scarthingwell  Park,  F.  A. 
Mason,  344  ; Plant  Galls  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Scarthingwell  Park,  J. 
Grainger,  344  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Lower  Teesdale,  F.  A. 
Mason,  346-347  ; Plant  Galls  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Lower  Teesdale,  W.  P. 
Winter,  348 

Geology. — Pennine  Peat,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  11-15  ; Further  article, 
illustrated,  W.  H.  Burrell,  145- 
150  ; River  Captures  in  the  Lunds, 
W.  B.  R.  King,  41-44,  81-83  1 
Report  on  Peat  Investigation  Com- 
mittee of  British  Association,  T. 
Sheppard,  55  ; Annual  Report  of 
Geological  Section  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  J. 
Holmes,  A.  J.  Stather  and  J.  W. 
Stather,  75  - 76  ; A Yorkshire 

" Carboniferous  (Bowland  Shale) 
Fauna  in  Oklahoma,  U.S.A.,  W.  S. 
Bisat,  86-88  ; Note  on  Rock  Salt 
in  Yorkshire,  103-104  ; The  Ani- 
mals of  the  Carboniferous  Period, 
with  special  reference  to  discoveries 
in  Yorkshire,  illustrated,  A.  S. 
Woodward,  105-117  ; Note  on  the 
Pre-glacial  Humber,  with  map, 
134  ; Necomian  Ammonites,  T. 
Sheppard,  170- 172  ; New  Speeton 
Ammonites,  Paracrioceras  statheri 
Spath,  and  Toxoceratoides  shep- 
pardi  Spath,  figured  and  described, 


L.  F.  Spath,  173-174  ; Yorkshire 
Carboniferous  Goniatites,  with  spec- 
ial reference  to  the  work  at  York- 
shire Naturalist  Union  meeting  at 
Earby,  W.  S.  Bisat,  182-184  ; A 
note  on  the  Ilkley  Sculpturings, 
196  ; Report  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding  Moor,  G.  Sheppard,  269- 
270  ; Report  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Ravenscar, 
J.  W.  Stather,  278  ; The  Spittal  at 
Filey  Brig,  300-301  ; Notes  on  some 
‘ Pendleside  ’ Fossils,  J.  W.  Jack- 
son,  307-308  ; Note  on  the  Barnsley 
Coal  Bed  reached  at  Thorne  Moor 
End,  near  Doncaster,  312  ; The 
Lower  Carboniferous  Succession  in 
the  Settle  District,  W.  S.  Bisat, 
329-33 1 ; Sections  exposed  in  a 
Boring  at  Hessle,  East  Yorks.,  with 
illustration,  J . W.  Stather,  333-335  ; 
Notes  on  some  Neocomian  Cepha- 
lopoda from  Speeton,  F.  W.  White- 
house  and  A.  G.  Brighton,  359-360  ; 
Rare  Trilobites  from  the  Carbon- 
iferous Limestone  at  Settle  and 
Cracoe,  with  illustration,  W.  B.  R. 
King,  361-363 

Hemiptera . — Annual  Report  of  Hem- 
iptera  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  J.  M. 
Brown,  58  ; Yorkshire  Hemiptera 
in  1923,  including  new  County 
records,  J.  M.  Brown,  124-126  ; 
New  Yorkshire  Records  of  Hemip- 
tera, G.  B.  Walsh,  219-223  ; Species 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Ravenscar,  P.  H. 
Grimshaw,  274  ; Plant  Galls  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Lower  Teesdale,  W.  P. 
Winter,  347  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Lower  Teesdale,  M.  L. 
Thompson,  349 

Homoptera. — Plant  Galls  of  the 
Huddersfield  District,  W.  Falconer, 
216-217  ; Additions  to  the  County 
List,  G.  B.  Walsh,  219-223  ; Species 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natur- 
alists’ Union  to  Scarthingwell  Park, 
J.  Grainger,  344 

Hymenoptera . — Report  of  Annual 
•Meeting  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union,  Entomological  Section,  held 
at  Leeds,  October,  1923,  B.  Morley, 
21-22  ; Annual  Report  of  Hymen- 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 

Y ORKSHIRE — continued. 


381 


optera  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  R. 
Butterfield,  58  ; Plant  Galls  of  the 
Huddersfield  District,  W.  Falconer, 
151-156  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Ravenscar,  P.  H.  Grimshaw,  274  ; 
Methoca  ichneumonides  Lat.,  and 
other  Hymenoptera  taken  on  Aller- 
thorpe  Common,  including  numer- 
ous new  County  records,  W.  J. 
Fordham,  303-306  ; Further  noted 
thereon,  W.  J,  Fordham,  390  ; 
Ephialtes  tuberculatus  Fourc.  taken 
at  Pateley  Bridge,  first  County 
record,  W.  J.  Fordham,  309  ; Plant 
Galls  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Scarthingwell 
Park,  J.  Grainger,  344  ; Plant  Galls 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Lower  Teesdale, 
W.  P.  Winter,  347 

Isopoda. — Porcellio  scaber  in  nests 
of  Wood  Ant  at  Harwood  Dale, 
G.  B.  Walsh,  140 

Lepidoptera. — Report  of  Annual 
Meeting  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union,  Entomological  Section,  held 
at  Leeds,  October,  1923,  B.  Morley, 
21-22  ; Annual  Report  of  Lepidop- 
tera Committee  of  Yorkshire  Natur- 
alists’ Union  for  1923,  B.  Morley, 
58-59  ; Deilephila  livornica  at 
Normanton,  G.  T.  Porritt,  123  ; 
Note  on  Yorkshire  species  of  the 
Hydroecia  nictitans  group,  G.  T. 
Porritt,  144  ; Plant  Galls  of  the 
Huddersfield  District,  W.  Falconer, 
151-156  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Ravenscar,  P.  H.  Grimshaw,  273  ; 
J.  H.  Rowntree,  275  ; Chelonia 
plantaginis  at  Blackhills  and  Hy- 
polepia  sequella  at  Bingley,  E.  P. 
Butterfield,  with  footnote  by  G.  T. 
Porritt,  31 1 ; Acherontia  atropos 
at  Todmorden,  E.  B.  Gibson,  31 1 ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Lower  Tees- 
dale, T.  A.  Lofthouse,  349 

Lichens . — Additions  to  the  Lichen 
Flora  of  the  Sedbergh  District,  A. 
Wilson,  49-50  ; Sandsend  Lichen 
Records,  W.  E.  L.  Wattam,  137- 
140  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Ravenscar,  W.  E.  L.  Wattam, 
277-278 


Mammalia. — Report  of  meeting  of 
Vertebrate  Section  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union,  held  at  Leeds, 
October,  1923,  E.  W.  Taylor, 
19-20  ; Of  further  meeting  held  at 
Leeds,  February,  1924,  E.  W. 
Taylor,  141-143  ; Annual  Report 
of  Mammals,  etc.,  Committee  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  for 
1923,  S.  H.  Smith  and  C.  F.  Procter, 
29-30  ; American  Grey  Squirrel  in 
Yorkshire,  H.  B.  Watt,  with  ad- 
ditional note  by  W.  H.  St.  Qu intin, 
62-63  ; Pine  Marten  on  Simons 
Fell,  Wharfedale,  R.  Fortune,  94 
The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous 
Period,  with  special  reference  to 
discoveries  in  Yorkshire,  illustrated, 
A.  S.  Woodward,  105-117  ; Ingle- 
borough  Pine  Marten  records,  H.  B. 
Booth,  127  ; Last  of  the  Red  Deer 
at  Bolton  Abbey,  H.  B.  Booth, 
210  ; Red  Squirrel  and  liability  to 
Epidemics,  W.  H.  St.  Quintin,  253  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding  Moor,  S.  H.  Smith,  270  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Ravenscar, 
W.  G.  Bramley,  273  ; Whiskered 
Bat  at  Scarborough,  W.  J.  Clarke, 
331  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Scarthingwell  Park,  W.  G.  Bramley, 
345 

Micro -Biology . — Annual  Report  of 
Micro-Biology  Committee  of  York- 
shire Naturalists’  Union  for  1923, 
W.  H.  Pearsall,  74 

Marine  Biology. — Annual  Report  of 
Marine  Biology  Committee  of  York- 
shire Naturalists’  Union  for  1923, 
Dr.  J.  Irving,  74 

Mol lus ca  (Land  and  Freshwater). 

— Leeds  Mollusca  Records,  F. 
Barnett,  127  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Earby,  G.  Fysher,  249  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding  Moor,  G.  Fysher,  270  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Ravenscar, 
G.  Fysher,  273  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Scarthingwell  Park,  G. 
Fysher,  345  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 


1924  Dec. 


382  Classified  Index. 

Y ORKSHIRE — continued. 


ion  to  Lower  Teesdale,  G.  Fysher, 
348 

Mosses  and  Hepatics  .—Additions 
to  the  Moss  Flora  of  the  Sedbergh 
District,  A.  Wilson,  48-49  ; Annual 
Report  of  Bryology  Committee  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  for 
1923,  F.  E.  Milsom,  73  ; Yorkshire 
Bryologists  at  Grassington,  F.  E. 
Milsom,  95  ; Yorkshire  Bryologists 
at  Ingleton,  F.  E.  Milsom,  244  ; 
Species  noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  to  Holme-on- 
Spalding  Moor,  W.  H.  Burrell, 
272  ; Species  noted  on  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Ravenscar,  F.  E.  Milsom,  277  ; 
Mosses  and  Hepatics  noted  at 
Ramsden  Rocks,  near  Holmbridge, 

F.  E.  Milsom,  336  ; Report  of 
Annual  Meeting  of  Botanical  Section 
of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union, 
held  at  Leeds,  October,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  342  ; Species  noted  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Scarthingwell  Park,  W.  H. 
Burrell,  344 

Museums. — Bradford,  Annual  Re- 
port of,  64  ; Doncaster  Museum, 
History  of,  164  ; Hull,  Publications 
of,  Nos.  126-136,  54-55 

Myriopoda. — Julus  pulchellus  Leach 
in  nests  of  Wood  Ant  at  Harwood 
Dale,  G.  B.  Walsh,  140 

Neuroptera,  etc. — Report  of  Annual 
Meeting  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  Entomological  Section,  held 
at  Leeds,  October,  1923,  B.  Morley, 
21-22  ; Annual  Report  of  Neurop- 
tera, etc.,  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  by 

G.  T.  Porritt,  58  ; Species  noted,  on 
visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Un- 
ion to  Ravenscar,  P.  H.  Grimshaw, 
274 

Orthoptera. — Report  of  Annual 
Meeting  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  Entomological  Section,  held 
at  Leeds,  October,  1923,  B.  Morley, 
21-22 

Personal  Notices. — -In  Memoriam 
notice  of  John  Edward  Stead,  d.sc., 

D.MET.,  F.R.S.,  F.I.C.  and  F.C.S., 
with  portrait,  4 ; Election  of  Mr.  E. 
Snelgrove,  b.a.,  as  a member  of  the 
Sheffield  City  Council,  32  ; Ap- 
pointment of  F.  Elgee  as  Curator 
of  Middlesbrough  Museum,  64  ; In 


Memoriam  notice  of  Wm.  Morfitt, 
of,  Atwick,  64  ; In  Memoriam 
notice  of  Harry  Moore,  f.r.m.s., 

G.  Howard,  144  ; In  Memoriam 
notice  of  Arnold  T.  Watson,  f.l.s., 
with  portrait,  T.  Sheppard,  185- 
186  ; In  Memoriam  notice  of  Sir 

H.  C.  W.  Hawley,  Bart.,  with 
portrait,  T.  Sheppard,  186  ; In 
Memoriam  notice  of  J.  W.  Boult, 
with  portrait,  T.  Sheppard,  188  ; 
In  Memoriam  notice  of  G.  A. 
Booth,  f.z.s.,  f.e.s.,  m.b.o.u.,  with 
portrait,  R.  Fortune,  281-283  ; 
Election  of  W.  N.  Cheesman,  j.p., 
f.l.s. , as  President  of  the  British 
Mycological  Society,  352 

Plankton. — The  Plankton  of  the 
River  Wharfe,  with  descriptive 
diagrams  and  tables,  R.W.  Butcher, 
175-180,  211-214  ; Free-floating 

Microflora  or  Phyto -Plankton  of 
Hornsea  Mere,  B.  M.  Griffiths, 
245-247 

Plant  Associations  and  Ecology. — 

Pennine  Peat,  C.  A.  Cheetham, 
1 1 -15  ; Further  article,  illustrated, 
W.  H.  Burrell,  145 -150  ; Annual 
Report  of  Botanical  Survey  Com- 
mittee of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  for  19^,  W.  H.  Pearsall, 
73  ; Re-colonisation  of  a part  of 
Peckett  Wood,  Plebden  Bridge, 
after  burning,  W.  G.  Town,  169- 
170  ; Types  of  Vegetation  noted 
during  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Earby,  T.  W. 
Woodhead,  249-250  ; Types  of 
Vegetation  noted  during  visit  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Holme-on-Spalding  Moor,  W.  H. 
Pearsall,  271-272  ; Types  of  Vege- 
tation noted  during  visit  of  York- 
shire Naturalists’  Union  to  Ravens- 
car, W.  H.  Pearsall,  276-277  ; 
Report  of  Annual  Meeting  of 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union 
Botanical  Section,  held  at  Leeds, 
October,  C.  A.  Cheetham,  342  ; 
Types  of  Vegetation  noted  on  visit 
of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union  to 
Lower  Teesdale,  W.  H.  Pearsall, 
346 

Plant  Galls . — Annual  Report  of 
Plant  Galls  Committee  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  W. 
Falconer,  73-74  ; Plant  Galls  of 
the  Huddersfield  District,  W.  Fal- 


Naturalist 


Classified  Index. 


383 


Y ORKSHI  RE — - continued . 


■coner,  151-156,  215-218  ; Species 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Holme-on-Spalding 
Moor,  A.  A.  Dallman,  271  ; Species 
noted  on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Natura- 
lists’ Union  to  Scarthingwell  Park, 
J . Grainger,  344  ; Plant  Galls  noted 
on  visit  of  Yorkshire  Naturalists’ 
Union  to  Lower  Teesdale,  W.  P. 
Winter,  347-348 

Platyzoa. — Species  found  in  York- 
shire, three  of  which  are  new  British 
records,  F.  Barnett,  127 
Reptilia . — Annual  Report  of  Reptiles, 
etc.,  Committee  of  Yorkshire  Nat- 
uralists’ Union  for  1923,  S.  H. 
Smith  and  C.  F.  Procter,  29-30  ; 
Large  Viper  at  Darnholme,  R.  J. 
Flintoffv  243 

Research. — Annual  Report  of  Com- 
mittee of  Suggestions  of  Yorkshire 
Naturalists’  Union  for  1923,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  75  ; Yorkshire  Rivers 
Investigation,  C.  A.  Cheetham,  248 
Scientific  History. — The  Curiosities 
of  East  Yorkshire,  by  Canon  A.  N. 
Cooper,  284  ; The  East  Riding  of 
Yorkshire,  Bernard  Hobson,  284  ; 
Handbook  to  York,  J.  E.  Morris, 

284  ; The  Early  History  of  the  North 
Riding  of  Yorkshire,  Wm.  Edwards, 

285  ; Hull,  Britain’s  Third  Port, 
T.  Sheppard,  285-286  ; The  Book 
of  Bradford,  321 

Societies . — Bridlington  Augustinian 
Society,  Journal  of,  297  ; Darling- 
ton and  Teesdale  Naturalists’  Field 
Club,  Annual  Meeting  of,  198-199  ; 
Doncaster  Scientific  Society,  His- 
tory of,  164  ; Leeds  Philosophical 
and  Literary  Society,  Annual  Meet- 
ing of,  224  ; Halifax  Scientific  So- 
ciety, Jubilee  Meeting  of,  97  ; Hull 
Scientific  and  Field  Naturalists’ 
Club,  Annual  Meeting  of,  320  ; 
Rotherham  Naturalists’  Society, 


Annual  Meeting  of,  160  ; South- 
west Yorkshire  Entomological  So- 
ciety, Annual  Meeting  of,  B. 
Morley,  61  ; Whitby  Literary  and 
Philosophical  Society,  Report  of, 
257  ; Yorkshire  Philosophical  So- 
ciety, Annual  Report  of,  102,.  224 
Yorkshire  Naturalists’  Union. — 
Meeting  of  Vertebrate  Section,  held 
at  Leeds,  October,  1923,  19-20  ; 

and  February,  1924,  E.  W.  Taylor, 
141-143  ; Annual  Meeting  of  Ento- 
mological Section,  held  at  Leeds, 
October,  1923,  B.  Morley,  21-22  ; 
Annual  Report  for  1923,  F.  A. 
Mason,  W.  H.  Pearsall  and  E. 
Hawkesworth,  23-30,  57-60,  73-77  ; 
Annual  Meeting  at  Barnsley,  De- 
cember, 1923,  56  ; ‘ The  Animals 
of  the  Carboniferous  Period,  with 
special  reference  to  discoveries  in 
Yorkshire,’  illustrated,  being  the 
Presidential  Address,  1923,  of 
Arthur  Smith  Woodward,  ll.d., 
f.r.s.,  delivered  at  Barnsley,  105- 
117  ; Yorkshire  Naturalists  at 
Earby,  W.  H.  Pearsall  and  F.  A. 
Mason,  181,  249-250;  Meeting  of 
Bryo logical  Committee  at  Xngleton, 
F.  E.  Milsom,  244  ; Yorkshire 
Naturalists  at  Holme-on-Spalding 
Moor,  W.  H.  Pearsall  and  F.  A. 
Mason,  269-272  ; at  Ravenscar, 
W.  H.  Pearsall  and  F.  A.  Mason, 
272-278  ; Bryological  meeting  at 
Ramsden  Rocks,  near  Holmbridge, 
F.  E.  Milsom,  336  ; Mycological 
meeting  at  Sheffield,  with  illus- 
trations, A.  E.  Peck,  337-341  ; 
Annual  Meeting  of  Botanical  Com- 
mittee held  at  Leeds,  October,  C.  A. 
Cheetham,  342  ; Yorkshire  Natur- 
alists at  Scarthingwell  Park,  W.  H. 
Pearsall  and  F.  A.  Mason,  343-345  ; 
in  Lower  Teesdale  W.  H.  Pearsall 
and  F.  A.  Mason,  346-350 


MISCELLANEA. 


Archaeology  (Prehistoric). — The 

Cradle  of  the  Human  Race,  241-243 
Birds. — Instances  of  Inverted  Sexu- 
ality, E.  Selous,  62  ; Fame  Islands 
as  a Public  Trust,  R.  Fortune, 
79-80  ; Mute  Swans,  135  ; Seven- 
teenth Century  Ornithology,  228  ; 
Food  of  the  Blackbird,  R.  Fortune, 
298-299  ; Swifts,  large  gathering  of, 


at  Stratford-on-Avon,  R.  Fortune, 
312  ; The  rearing  of  Falco  altaicus 
Menzb,  353-354 

Botany. — Rare  plants  exhibited  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Linnean  Society  of 
London,  104  ; New  Species  of 
Statice,  S. , transwalliana  found  in 
Pembrokeshire,  121  ; Vascular 
Plants  characteristic  of  Peat,  M. 


1924  Dec.  1 


384  Classified  Index. 

MISCELLANEA — continued. 


Hinchliff  and  J.  H.  Priestley,  201- 
209  ; Pollen  in  Peat,  230-231  ; Stem 
Anatomy  of  Tradescantia  fulminen- 
sis  Veil.,  258 

Coleoptera Oxypoda  nigrocincta 
Reg.  added  to  British  List,  noted, 
308 

Correspondence. — Fox  Hunting,  G. 
W.  Clark,  with  footnote  by  R. 
Fortune,  31  ; Instances  of  Inverted 
Sexuality,  E.  Selous,  62  ; American 
Grey  Squirrel  in  Yorkshire,  H.  B. 
Watt,  with  additional  note  by 
W.  H.  St.  Quintin,  62-63  1 Separa- 
tion of  the  Sexes  of  the  Chaffinch  in 
Winter,  E.  P.  Butterfield,  188  ; 
Lichen  Nomenclature,  J.  A.  Whel- 
don,  223  ; Birds  in  Nidderdale, 
E.  P.  Butterfield,  with  footnote  by 
R.  Fortune,  247  ; Key  to  the 
Harpidioid  Hypna,  Corrections  in, 
J.  A.  Wheldon,  287  ; Reply  to 
review  of  ‘ The  East  Riding  of 
Yorkshire,’  Bernard  Hobson,  with 
footnote  by  Thos.  Sheppard,  313- 
314  ; Hymenoptera  on  Allerthorpe 
Common,  W.  J . Fordham,  350 

Fish. — Greenland  Halibut  (Reinhard- 
tius  hippoglossoides)  ,a  fish  appar- 
ently new  to  the  British  fauna,  130- 
13 1 ; Migration  of  the  Common  Eel, 
133  ; Bonito  taken  near  Menai 
Bridge,  Anglesey,  H.  E.  Forrest,  31 1 

Fungi. — -Corn  Smut  in  1663,  231 

Geology. — -Tisoa  siphonalis  Marcel 
de  Serres,  a supposed  Liassic  Anne- 
lid, illustrated,  F.  A.  Bather,  7-10, 
158  ; Peat  Investigation  Committee 
of  the  British  Association,  T.  Shep- 
pard, 55  ; A Yorkshire  Carboniferous 
(Bowland  Shale)  Fauna  in  Okla- 
homa, U.S.A.,  W.  S.  Bisat,  86-88  ; 
The  Animals  of  the  Carboniferous 
Period,  with  special  reference  to  dis- 
coveries in  Yorkshire,  illustrated, 
A.  S.  Woodward,  105-117  ; Kent’s 
Cavern,  193 -194  ; Pliocene  Crag 
formation  in  Iceland,  354  ; A new 
Swamp -Fauna  from  Spain,  with 


illustration  of  Oligocene  Frogs,  F.  A. 
Bather,  357 

Magazine  Notes. — 31,  85,  95,  126, 
136,  159,  190,  191,  252,  253,  255, 
278,  302,  308,  316,  318,  326,  332, 
335,  342,  345,  352,  367 

Mammalia. — Red  Squirrel  and  Lia- 
bility to  Epidemics,  W.  H.  St. 
Quintin,  253 

Microscopy. — An  early  Binocular 
Dissecting  Microscope  given  to 
Hull  Museum,  with  illustration,  T. 
Sheppard,  251-252 

Mollusca  (Land  and  Freshwater). 

— Pupilla  muscorum  L.  monst  sin- 
istrorsum  of  Christianshavns  Void., 
Copenhagen,  H.  Schlesch,  31 1 ; 
Margaritana  margaritifera  Linne  at 
Hopedale,  Labrador,  H.  Schlesch, 
3ii 

Mollusca  (Marine). — Variation  in 
the  shell  of  the  Common  Cockle, 
T.  N.  George,  with  illustrations. 
233-239 

Museums . — Annual  Conference  of 
the  Museum  Association  held  at 
Wembley,  T.  Sheppard,  265-268 

Mosses  and  Hepatics. — -Corrections 
required  in  Key  to  the  Harpidioid 
Hypna,  J.  A.  Wheldon,  287 

Northern  News. — 32,  96,  121,  128, 
144,  150,  160,  192,  224,  256,  283, 
286,  287,  288,  312,  318-320,  328. 
352,  368 

Personal  Notices . — In  Memoriam 
Notice  of  C.  F.  George,  m.r.c.s., 
with  portrait,  T.  Sheppard,  122- 
123  ; Appointment  of  Dr.  F.  A. 
Bather  as  Head  of  the  British 
Museum  (Natural  History),  South 
Kensington,  163  ; In  Memoriam 
Notice  of  Sir  Jethro  Justinian 
Harris  Teall,  f.r.s.,  sc.d.,  etc., 
279-280  ; of  Sir  William  Herdman, 
f.r.s. , with  portrait,  280-281  ; of 
David  Woolacott,  d.sc,,  281  ; of 
Robert  Kidston,  ll.d.,  d.sc.,  f.r.s., 

. f.g.s.,  with  portrait,  C.  P.  Chatwin, 
364-366 


CORRIGENDA* 

Page  139,  lines  8 and  10,  for  1 Xanthoria,’  read  ‘ Physcia.’ 

,,  223,  line  35,  for  ‘ puberulenta,’  read  ‘ pulverulenta.’ 

,,  278,  line  27,  for  ‘ seam,’  read  ‘ scars.’ 

Note  letter  from  Mr.  J.  A.  Wheldon  as  to  corrections  requisite  in  his  ‘ Key 
to  the  Harpidioid  Hypna,’  appearing  in  The  Naturalist,  1921  and  1922,  287. 

Note  letter  from  Dr.  W.  J.  Fordham  as  to  corrections  in  ‘Hymenoptera 
on  Allerthorpe  Common,’  (pp.  303-306,  The  Naturalist,  1924) , 350. 

Naturalist 


W.  F.  H.  ROSENBERG 

IMPORTER  OF  EXOTIC  ZOOLOGICAL  SPECIMENS 

57  HAVERSTOGK  HILL,  LONDON,  N.W.3,  ENGLAND, 
and  at  25  Cromwell  Place,  S.W.7., 

Begs  to  announce  the  publication  of  a new  Price  List  of  Birds’  Eggs,  including 
about  700  species  from  various  parts  of  the  world. 

This  List  will  be  mailed  free  on  application,  as  will  the  following  : — Birds’ 
Skins  (5,500  species),  Lepidoptera,  with  supplement  (8,000  species),  Apparatus 
and  Natural  History  Requisites. 

New  Price  Lists  of  Mammals,  Reptiles,  Fishes,  etc.,  are  in  course  of  pre- 
paration. All  Museums  and  Private  Collectors  should  write  for  these  lists. 
All  specimens  sent  on  approval. 

Kindly  state  which  Lists  are  required  and  give  name  of  this  Periodical. 


The  EARLY  HISTORY 
of  the  NORTH  RIDING 

By  WM.  EDWARDS,  M.A. 

Demy  4 to  (g"  X n%") , 283  PaSes>  with  16  plates,  frontispiece  in  sepia,  and 
Map  of  the  North  Riding  at  end.  Full  cloth  10/6  net,  post  free  11/3. 
Edition  de  luxe,  full  leather,  gilt  top,  21/-  net,  post  free  21/9. 

Contents  : — I.  Prehistoric  Times — II.  The  Romania-Ill.  The  Anglican 
Kingdom  of  Northumbria  — IV.  Pre-Conquest  Monasteries  — V.  The 
Northmen — VI.  The  Norman  Conquest  and  Settlement — VII.  Political 
History  under  the  Normans  and  Early  Plantagenets — VIII.  The  Feudal 
System — IX.  The  Barons — X.  North  Riding  Castles — XI.  Thomas,  Earl 
of  Lancaster — XII.  The  Danger  from  the  Scots — XIII.  The  Foundation 
of  the  Religious  Houses  (I.)— XIV.  The  Foundation  of  the  Religious 
Houses  (II.) — XV.  The  Life  and  Work  of  the  Monks — XVI.  The  Wealth 
and  Power  of  the  Religious  Houses — XVII.  Churches  and  Chantries  in 
the  Middle  Ages — XVIII.  Town  Life  in  the  Middle  Ages — XIX.  Country 
Life  in  the  Middle  Ages— XX.  The  Forests— XXI.  Early  Yorkshire  Pedi- 
grees—Index  of  Place  Names  ; Index  of  Personal  Names  ; Index  of  Subjects. 

The  Manchester  Guardian  says  : — “This  is  a readable,  popular  history  from  the  New 
Stone  Age  to  the  fifteenth  century,  with  chapters  on  the  feudal  system,  on  the  num- 
erous monasteries  in  the  district,  and  on  the  daily  life  of  monk  and  layman  in  the 
Middle  Ages.  In  the  period  to  which  it  relates  the  Riding  was  the  scene  of  many 
foreign  invasions  and  of  much  civil  war,  and  the  author’s  object  has  been  to  show  the 
relation  of  the  local  history  to  that  of  the  nation.  The  volume  contains  many  illus- 
trations, and  the  price  is  astonishingly  low  for  so  handsome  a work.” 

London:  A.  BROWN  & SONS,  Ltd.,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.4 

AND  AT  HULL  AND  YORK 


Issued  Monthly,  illustrated  with  Plates  and  Text  Figures, 

To  Subscribers,  15/-  per  annum,  post  free* 

The  Scottish  Naturalist 

With  which  is  incorporated  11  The  Annals  of  Scottish  Natural  Historv.” 

A Monthly  Magazine  devoted  to  Zoology. 

Edited  by  James  Ritchie,  M.A.,  D.Sc.,  F.R.S.E.,  Keeper  Natural  History 
Dept.  Royal  Scottish  Museum  ; William  Evans,  F.R.S.E.,  Member  of  the 
British  Ornithologists’  Union  ; and  Percy  H.  Grimshaw,  F.R.S.E.,  F.E.S., 
Assistant-Keeper,  Natural  History  Dept.,  Royal  Scottish  Museum.  Assisted  by 
Evelyn  V.  Baxter,  H.M.B.O.U.  ; Leonora  J.  Rintoul,  H.M.B.O.U.  ; Hugh  S. 
Gladstone,  M.A.,  F.R.S.E.,  F.Z.S.  ; W.  Eagle  Clarke,  I.S.O.,  LL.D. 

EDINBURGH— OLIVER  & BOYD,  TWEEDALE  COURT. 

LONDON— GURNEY  & JACKSON  33,  PATERNOSTER  ROW. 


WATKINS  & DONCASTER 

NATURALISTS, 

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APPARATUS,  CABINETS,  BOOKS  & SPECIMENS, 

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Catalogue  (96  pages)  sent  post  free  on  application, 

ANCIENT  SPRINGS  and 
STREAMS  of  THE  EAST 
RIDING  of  YORKSHIRE 

THEIR  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  TRADITIONS 

BY  THE  LATE 

Rev.  WILLIAM  SMITH 

T96  pages,  Crown  8vo,  Illustrated,  Art  Cloth  Boards,  lettered  in 
Gold.  6/-  net,  post  free  6/6. 

“ A very  welcome  addition  to  folk  and  antiquarian  lore  is  supplied  by  the 
Rev.  W.  Smith’s  Ancient  Springs  and  Streams  of  the  East  Riding  of 

Yorkshire Books  such  as  this  are  all  too  rare,  and  will  become  rarer 

still  as  we  lose  touch  with  the  past.  For  this  preservation  of  folklore  we  are 
deeply  indebted  to  the  gifted  author.  It  is  not  addressed  to  savants,  but  to 
those  who  would  be  informed  concerning  customs  and  beliefs  of  a far-off  past. 
There  is  not  a dull  page  in  it  from  cover  to  cover  ; we  only  wish  that  there  had 
been  more  of  it.” — Sheffield  Daily  Telegraph. 

London  : A.  BROWN  & SONS,  Ltd.,  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  E.C.4 

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The  Entomologist’s  Monthly  Magazine 

PRICE  TWO  SHILLINGS  MONTHLY. 

EDITED  BY 

G.  C.  Champion,  F. Z.S.  R.  W.  Lloyd. 

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G.  T.  Porritt,  F.L.S.  K.  G.  Blair,  B.Sc.,  F.E.S. 

H.  Scott,  M.A.,  Sc.D.,  F.E.S. 

This  Magazine,  commenced  in  1864,  contains  Standard  Articles  and  Notes  on 
all  subjects  connected  with  Entomology,  and  especially  on  the  Insects  of  the 
British  Isles. 

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A.  Brown  & Sons,  Ltd.,  at  5 Farringdon  Avenue,  in  the  City  of  London. 

Dec.,  1924. 

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