4 HULL SCIENTIFIC AND FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB. 
country called John a More Long to Whitgift Ferry, a long and 
dreary way.” John a More Long Lane is now the road from 
Rawcliffe Bridge to Thorne, and the Moor is about a mile from 
it, the intervening space being warp land. Charles’s second 
journey through the district was when travelling from York to 
Nottingham, when he crossed the ferry at Whitgift, proceeded to 
Goole, and thence along the great bank to Thorne. 
Prince Henry, the eldest son of James I., visited Hatfield 
Chase and Thorne in 1609, and was entertained by the authorities. 
After some time spent in hunting, he was shown another way of 
destroying the deer. Men were sent out to drive the poor 
animals from the wcods and coverts into the Mere (a large pond 
or lake to the east of Thorne). Men in boats ventured among 
them, cutting the throats of as many as they chose, and bringing 
them to land. I can understand the desire of a sportsman to 
make a big bag, but this was simply slaughter. Many complaints 
were made by the officials of the Chase, who had power over the 
neighbouring districts, that the inhabitants of Wroot, Thorne, 
Fishlake, Sykehouse, Rawcliffe, Airmin, Hook and Goole killed 
many of the deer; in fact, both deer and swans were much 
troubled by the rough, uncivilised inhabitants, who were 
unaccustomed to restraint. Remains of deer have occasionally 
been found in the peat. Part of a skull dug out of the moor 
was formerly in York Museum, and some years ago Mr. H. 
Bennett brought me some bones and hair with a portion of peat 
on which they had rested. On paying a visit to the spot we 
obtained another bone and more hair. Some naturalists at 
Leeds examined the bones, and declared them to be portions of 
the head of a fallow deer. The depth at which they were found 
was 2ft. gin. As that part was well drained, the original depth 
was probably four or five feet. The peat water had altered the 
bones very much; they were quite flexible. The head of the 
fallow deer (Dama vulgaris) has since been found in a similar 
condition ; the brain and tongue were extraordinarily complete 
and perfect, and resembled leather.* 
Ihave now to speak of the natural history of the Moor. I 
have already named some of the trees found under the peat. The 
same kinds are now found growing above. You may, perhaps, 
have noticed I did not include the elm. That tree was not then 
known in England, nor were the chestnuts. Many bushes and 
plants of interest are still to be seen. The sweet gale or bog 
* See “The Naturalist,” June, 1892, pp. 167-170. Further deer remains 
(leg-bones, hair, etc.) were exhibited at a meeting of the Club on April 27th, 
1898. These had recently been found in the peat at Goole, and are probably 
referable to the fallow deer.—Ep. 
