186 MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 



white stone, and surmounted by a lettered balustrading, formed by the 

 words il Nisi Dominus ozdicaverit" &c. Close by is the church, entered 

 through an elaborate doorway of the latest Norman ; the north aisle is 

 Decorated ; the nave, south aisle, and chancel Perpendicular. It contains 

 several beautiful monuments, notably a recumbent figure of Lady 

 Margaret Leveson-Gower, by Marochetti, surmounted by an angel in 

 relief on the wall ; a noble colossal seated figure of an Angel of the 

 Resurrection, by Tenerani ; a Purbeck marble effigy of David de Esseby, 

 (about 1268,) the earliest knightly figure in the county ; and a full-sized 

 brass of William de Ermine, (1-101,) wearing a cope. 



Leaving Castle Ashby, the party were driven in the carriages to 

 Yardley Chase Farm, where an excellent luncheon was provided. Close 

 to the farm, two remarkably fine old oak trees, called " Gog " and 

 " Magog," were inspected with great interest. From thence the party 

 walked to " Cowper's oak," beneath the shadow of which the poet is said 

 to have written many of his works. The rest of the afternoon was spent 

 in botanising and insect-collecting in Yardley Chase, an ancient forest, 

 one of a series extending along the southern border of the county of 

 Northampton, on the high ground forming the watershed between the 

 Nene and the Ouse. At half-past three, the members re-entered the 

 carriages and returned to Northampton, via Denton and Brafield, and a 

 meat tea at the Plough Hotel concluded a most delightful and interest- 

 ing excursion. Amongst the botanical specimens obtained may be 

 mentioned — Ranunculus arvensis, Specularia hybrida, and Lithospermum 

 arvense, found in a field near Whiston Church, and the following taken 

 in and near the woods of Yardley Chase : — Poly gala vulgaris var. depressa ; 

 Rosa micrantha, Sanicula europaa, Valeriana officinalis var. Mikanii ; 

 Hypochoiris radicata, Paris quadrifolia, Orchis mascula and maculata, 

 Habenaria chlorantha, Listera ovata, Epipactis palustris, (sp ?) ; and 

 Hypericum tetrapterum not in flower ; Garex remota,pallescens, glauca, and 

 sylvatica, Sclerochloa distans ; and Lastrea spinubosa. 



Insects were not so abundant in the Chase as might have been 

 expected, both from the weather and from the character of the country ; 

 and the Entomological section, represented— sad to say ! — by one member 

 only, had a comparatively easy time of it. To a certain extent, how- 

 ever, the " catch " made up in quality for what it lacked in quantity, 

 including as it did two decidedly good butterflies, Leucophasia sinapis and 

 Hesperia paniscus. Other butterflies seen or taken during the day were 

 Gonepteryx Rhamni, Anthocharis Gardamines, Argynnis Selene, Saturn/ 

 Egeria, Chortobius Pamphilus, and Lyeana Alexis. Moths were decidedly 

 scarce, the only species of any note being Halias prasinana and Cabera 

 pusaria ; and a large amount of diligent beating for larvae among the 

 sallows and oaks produced, not Iris, as had been fondly hoped, but such 

 every-day things as Phigalia pilosaria, Hybernia defoliaria, (of course,) 

 and a single specimen of Eupithecia abbreviata. The time, however, was 

 too short to allow of a fair examination of the locality ; and it is most 

 probable that a longer visit might result in the addition of not a few 

 rarities to the collector's cabinet. 



