81 



oppositifolium is generally the more common plant, it is rare here (compara- 

 tive, i.e.), and C. altemifolium — a plant I never found upon the Yorkshire 

 coal bearing strata — is common. 



We have too Primula elatior, as well as some sports of P. Vulgaris ; in 

 the London Catalogue P. elatior is entered as found in only two of the 18 

 provinces. 



The famed Asarabaeca is entered as in three districts. Hooker says, 

 " Woods in the north — Lancashire, Westmoreland, and near Halifax. The 

 Halifax habitat is long gone. It has been foimd near Thorpe Arch in York- 

 shire. The specimen in my collection of mummies is from near Halifax. 



The Deerfold locality is new, but it is a very doubtful native here. I 

 think I told you I employed a man to bring me a barrow of Daffodil roots 

 from the little meadow where Asarum grows. Among his captives were the 

 single daffodil, a double variety, flowering about a week later, and the com- 

 mon garden Turk's cap Uly ! now wild enough in the same few yards of 

 ground. 



There are many beautiful wild flowers here. When they do grow it is in 

 profusion, but there are no great variety of them. The district is not to be 

 compared with the mountain limestone of North- West Yorkshire, the richest 

 botanical ground I know. 



I will give a list of the birds I have observed on a separate sheet. I could, 

 I think, have made it longer, but I cannot find in my heart to kill the little 

 beauties merely to index their names, and so have no doubt passed over many. 



The ferns are not remarkable here except for their beauty. I think there 

 are no very rare ones. The mountain limestone districts only are really rich. 



Referring again to wild flowers. There are singularly few species of orchis. 

 Morio, mascula, aud pyramidalis are the only ones I have seen. 



I began to seek mollusks, but found so few varieties, and those of so little 

 interest, that I have neglected them. I have a tolerably large collection made 

 in Yorkshire. Many of the commoner forms are here conspicuous by their 

 absence, though the shell-less wretches aboimd. 



Pungi — what are they? I know nothing of them. There are many 

 kinds— red, green, yellow, blue. They look very uneatable, but I'm intensely 

 ignorant. 



One can't do everything, and I am growing idle ; but I think an insect 

 collector would meet with his reward here. The Camberwell Beauty was 

 taken last year at Stanage. The wasps and bees are worth looking up. Sirex 

 gigas is found, &c., &c., and I have seen some very fine longicoms. 



Yours truly, 



Charles Henry Middleton. 



P. S.— Pottery on Deerfold I forgot. Must make it the subject of another 

 letter. 



