INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



TN all scientific work the first requisites are accuracy and defin- 

 iteness. If, then, we propose to ourselves to deal with the 

 Natural History of Cleveland,it is necessary first accurately to 

 define what we mean by the term Cleveland. This is the more 

 necessary because the term hasbeen much used in an inaccurate 

 and popular sense. This inaccurate usage of the word has been 

 in some measure induced by the facts that neither the so- 

 called Cleveland Group of Hills, nor the so-called Cleveland 

 Iron Industry keep themselves strictly within the limits of 

 Cleveland proper. What then is Cleveland proper ? The 

 Eev. John Graves in his " History of Cleveland " rightly says 

 that the Wapentake of Langbargh "comprehends all that is 

 properly termed Cleveland, " and the subsequent historians 

 take tlie same view. This, then, is the definite district with 

 which we have to deal. It is comprised within the North 

 Riding of Yorkshire, and measures about 40 miles in length 

 by 18 miles in breadth. It includes the following 33 old 

 Parishes : — Acklam (including the three Townships of Acklam, 

 Linthorpe and Middlesbrough), Appleton, Arnchfie, Ayton, 

 Carlton, Crathorne, Danby, Easington, Egton, Faceby, Guis- 

 brough, Hilton, Hinderwell, Ingleby, Kildale, Kirby, Kirk- 

 Ipatham, Kirklcvington, Loftus, Lythe, Marske, Marton, 

 Newton, Ormesby, Eudby, Seamer, Skelton, Stainton, Stokes- 

 ley, Upleatham, Whorlton, Wilton, Yarm. 



Part at least, then — and that an important part — of tlie 

 work of the " Cleveland Naturalists' Field Club " may well 

 be to work out the Natural History of the above defined 

 district, and to record in some permanent form the observa- 

 tions made regarding its Fauna and Flora. The iMembers of 

 the Club will also be well employed in bringing together any 

 records relating to the Natural History of the district that 

 may have been printed at any previous time in Books, Maga- 

 zines, or Newspapers ; or which may be slumbering in 

 Manuscript in the pages of Parish Registers or Account 



