103 



Polypodium Phegopteris, which grew in the greatest profusion on the rocks houndin,g 

 the narrow valley ; hesides laying in a stock of this, we gathered Dicranum pellu- 

 cidum, Hookeria lucens, Hypmun palustre, Jungermannia asplenioides, Jung, furcata 

 \a.\\ ^,elongata, Peltidea horizoutalis and canina, — all heautifully in fructification. 



Leaving Scawton Howie we next directed our course to Rievaulx, 3 miles. No- 

 thing particular met our view (save Verbascum Thapsus growing in the rocky places) 

 until we came to a boggy mead within a short distance of Rievaulx, where we gather- 

 ed fine specimens of Primula farinosa, Schcenus nigricans and Eriophorum pubescens. 

 At Rievaulx, on the bridge which crosses the Rye, grew Geranium pusillum ; and at 

 some distance up the river we found a few plants of Hesperis matronalis. We next 

 visited Rievaulx Abbey; I have not room here to expatiate on its beauties, or on those 

 of the romantic valley (Bilsdale) at the southern extremity of which it is situated ; but 

 I may mention that we gathered Rosa tomentosa growing nearly at the summit of the 

 ruins of the choir. We were now directed across the hills to Beckdale and Helmsley, 

 but as we had no road to follow, we were many times at a loss which way to turn, and 

 did not reach Helmsley until the evening. But our walk was far from being uninte- 

 resting : we passed along several fine and well-wooded valleys, and in one of them, 

 called Dark Gill, we found Helleborus viridis and Actaea spicata growing together in 

 great abundance. This is certainly the wildest station for the former plant I ever 

 saw, and I think no one who should see it growing there, could for a moment doubt 

 its being truly indigenous to the soil : I know several other localities for Actaa, but 

 all on either the coralline oolite or magnesian limestone. Besides the two plants last 

 mentioned, we observed here and there plants of Campanula latifolia, Pyrola minor, 

 Paris quadrifolia and Crepis paludosa. A little beyond this wood we saw on a hill- 

 side a patch of Sambucus Ebulus, but not in flower; and in another wood we found 

 quantities of Elymus europeeus and Melica nutans. By the brook-side at the bottom 

 of one of the valleys grew Myrrhis odorata. After toiling up and down hill for a long 

 time, we at last emerged into Beckdale, and commenced searching for Cypripedium 

 Calceolus, which has been gathered there, but did not succeed in finding it. In fact, 

 to examine perfectly the tract of country which we this day only passed through, would 

 require many days, and even weeks. Beckdale extends quite to the town of Helms- 

 ley, where we remained a short time for the sake of refreshment and rest, and then 

 started again for Pickering. Our road lay through a highly cultivated, and therefore 

 (to us) uninteresting country; and passing through Kirby Moorside, Symington, &:c., 

 we anived at Pickering about 10 o'clock P.M. 



At 8 o'clock next morning we left Pickering by the Whitby railway for the Hole 

 of Horcum. The part of the railway traversed by us runs up a deep valley, through 

 ground in general somewhat marshy, and two or three times crosses the brook which 

 runs through Pickering. As we went along we noticed the following plants; jEgopo- 

 dium Podagraria, Serratula tinctoria, Myrica Gale, Carex vesicaria and riparia. At 

 Raindale (7 miles from Pickering) we left the railway, and turning to the right, pro- 

 ceeded across the barren moors in the direction of the Hole of Horcum, which we 

 reached after three or four miles of very rough walking, having gathered by the way 

 Sphaerophoron coralloides (growing on large stones), and a few plants of Scyphophorus 

 cocciferus. The Hole of Horcum is " a singular basin-shaped hollow, suddenly and 

 deeply excavated, in the Moorlands, through the calcareous grit and lower strata," and 

 may be about four miles in circumference, measured on the ridges of the hills which 

 bound it. Here we expected to meet with Cornus suecica, but we unfortunately hap- 

 pened to come u]) to " the Hole " at a point exactly opposite to its locality, and being 



