62 



MYCETOZOA OF THE AUSTWICK DISTRICT. 



A. R. SANDERSOiJ. 



The district of Austwick near Clapham, by which is included 

 the tract of country within a radius of about five miles of the 

 -village of Austwick, is singularly well adapted for the study of 

 mycetozoa. 



The varying altitude of the land surface 400 ft. to 2,000 ft., 

 includes the low-lying mosses — Red Moss (Austwick Moss), 

 Lawkland Moss, Helwith Moss, and from these, 450 ft., all 

 gradations to the mountain heights of Moughton and Ingle- 

 boro, 2,000 ft., offering a variety of situation as regards alti- 

 tude, suitable for both lowland and sub-alpine species. 



A more important feature is the variety of the wooded ar6as. 

 Many of the drier limestone parts are covered with a more 

 or less dense hazel scrub, containing in some portions, a fair 

 sprinkling of ash and often much undergrowth. The hill 

 slopes (Ingleboro and Moughton), include areas of mixed 

 woodland, some of considerable age, containing Oak, Birch, 

 Beech, Ash, Sycamore, Mountain Ash, Larch, Pinus and 

 Abies, such are, Moughton Plantation and Arco Wood to 1,000 

 ft. In a few places, notably on the summit of Moughton 

 ,(1400 ft.), there is a dense patch of well-grown Juniper, many 

 of the trees being of considerable size. On the slopes of Ingle- 

 boro and under Norber, are considerable areas of coniferous 

 woodland, Raeside plantation on Ingleboro. 1,250 ft., and 

 Dear-bought Plantation under Norber, 600 ft. 



The numerous Ghylls provide narrow belts of mixed wood- 

 land, chiefly Ash, Mountain Ash, Birch, Oak and Hazel. The 

 variety of woodland provides a consequent variety of diet or 

 habitat, for a large number of species of mycetozoa many of 

 which have a decided preference for particular species of 

 wood. In most cases the woods abound with fallen trees and 

 branches in different states of decay, while where felling has 

 been undertaken in the past, the boles have been left to decay 

 naturally. The mycologist finds a happy hunting ground in 

 the many woods and ghylls, while the wet mosses, rich in 

 decaying vegetation, add their share to the number of species. 

 It is perhaps not surprising, then, that such a comparatively 

 small district should yield over sixty species of mycetozoa, 

 and the majority of these can be counted on at the proper 

 season year after year. Probably the most important factor, 

 however, in turning up so many species, is the thorough 

 searching the district has been subject to, for, thanks largely 

 to the valuable help of Messrs. C. A. Cheetham and W. H. 

 'Burrell, it has been thoroughly well worked at all seasons for 

 the past seven years. 



Perhaps the most outstanding feature is the extraordiriairy 



Naturalist, 



