THE PHYTOLOGIST. 



Botanical Notes for 1845. By George Stacey Gibson, Esq. 



The following notes made during last summer, unconnected as they 

 are, and put down at the time with no intention of publication, I have 

 since thought contain a few facts which may prove interesting to some 

 of the readers of the ' Phytologist,' and therefore I shall make no apo- 

 logy for sending them, in their present form, for insertion. 



Helmsley is a pleasant little town situated about twenty miles from 

 York ; near it, is Duncombe Park, the seat of Lord Feversham, the 

 scenery of which is peculiarly diversified and beautiful, and the ge- 

 neral aspect of the country is one of much interest to the lover of Na- 

 ture. There are several ruins around, among which Rievaulx Abbey 

 stands pre-eminent. The views near this fine edifice are very impos- 

 ing, and situated as it is, like many similar ones, in a rich valley, with 

 the hills rising around in the form of an amphitheatre, their sides co- 

 piously clothed with the foliage of extensive woods, this must be con- 

 sidered one of the most striking ruins remaining in the country. The 

 celebrated Kirkdale cave, in which so many bones of hyaenas and 

 other animals, extinct in this country, were discovered some years ago, 

 is also situated in this neighbourhood ; there is little now to be 

 seen in it, and 1 believe it is closed. 



Near Helmsley was formerly a well-known locality for Cypripedium 

 Calceolus, and when there I took some pains to make inquiry respect- 

 ing it, and had the weather permitted, fully intended to have explored 

 the locality myself. This is in a woody glen, about three miles from 

 the town, near the rise of a small stream which runs through it. 

 Some years ago it grew there rather plentifully, but from the rapacity 

 of some individuals it has been nearly exterminated, and last year 

 only one plant of it was seen. This year the place had not been 

 much searched, but none had then been found, so that in a few years 

 at least, we may expect this beautiful native of our northern woods 

 will be quite eradicated ip another of its few remaining localities, 

 which is the more to be regretted, as it arises, in great measure, from 

 that selfish desire which cannot be too strongly deprecated, on the 

 Vol. II. 2 z 



