Yorkshire Naturalists at Dent. 281 



Hydroporus tristis Pk. \ In peaty pools on Whem- 



H. picens Steph. (gy llenhali Sch.) side, about 1,800 ft. 



H . melanocephalus GyU. (mono. Brit. Cat.) r Hydrobius fuscipes L. 



H. nigrita F. was very abundant in 



■*Agabus sturmi GyU. I these pools. 



A.guitatus Pk. occurred in a slowly running peaty channel, and one 

 specimen was taken suffering from a fungus disease (together with 

 two or three-T- ^ 



A. bipustulaius L., a species of Hydroporus similarly affected). These 



were given to Mr. Mason for investigation. 

 *Sphaeridium bipustulatum F. ^ Occurred in sheepdung on the moors, 

 *Tachinus laticollis Gr. ■( together with several species of 



DeliphrurnVk. J Staphylinidae and Aphodii. 



Staphylinus erythropterus L. One under stone in Flintersgill. 

 Asiilbus canaliculatus F. With ants in Great Blake Ghyll (Mr. J. 

 Beanland). 

 Dr. Rowe reported that on the hillside down Dent dale he found a 

 species of Geotrupes on a frog ! Probably an accidental occurrence. 

 Haltica ericeti Al. (?). An example of what is probably this species 

 was taken on the side of Whemside by Mr. Mason. 

 *Galerucella tenella L. On meadowsweet, Dent dale. 

 Barynotus moerens F. \Dent dale, by sweeping. 



B. schonberri Zett. / 



*Meloe violaceus Marsh. One in Great Blake Ghyll, about 1,200 ft. 

 (Dr. Rowe). 

 The asterisk (*) denotes new vice county records, and in addition, 

 there were found five common species, which have apparently not pre- 

 viously been placed on record for V.C. 65. 



Peat Investigation.- — One of us (W.H.P.) made the following 



■ observations : — Owing to the vigorous denudation of the peat on Whem- 

 side, numerous sections are exposed, and the distribution of buried timber 

 can be followed in some detail. Birch wood occurs below the peat of 



• Greensett Moss (1,950 ft.). In this place the logs remaining are email 

 and occur in scattered patches. As the buried timber is absent in the 

 peat above at 2,000 ft., this would seem to be the former tree limit. On 

 the Northern slopes, birch in the peat is frequent to 1,800 ft. at least, 

 and there must have been a nearly continuous birch wood between Gieat 

 Blake Gh^il and Greensett Moss. ' Pine :ind Hawthorn cAso occur rarely, 

 and an unidentified tree is more frequent. Buried Birch wood exists on 

 White Shaw Moss (1,500 ft.) on the west of Whemside. 



In .ill c-ises observed, the timber is iust above tVe basal clay with from 

 ^ to 10 ft. of the Eriophorum peat above it. On one place. Birch mixed 

 with Calluna and Eriophorum formed a basal bed two feet thick. In 

 several places Cclhina was present immediately above the Birch layer. 

 In no case was any marked stratification of the upper cotton grass peat 



noticed. 



The proceedings terminated, on May i6th, with a Meeting at Head- 

 quarters undej the Chairmnnship of the President. Five new Members 

 were elected ^nd the affiliation of the Berry Brow Naturalists' Society 

 w"s cor firmed. Brief reports on the work of the various sectiony were 

 given by members already named in this report, with the addition of 

 observations on the geology of the district, and some reminiscences of 

 Adam Sedgwick, by Mr. H. E. Wroot. Votes of flanks were accorded 

 to Lord Bentinck and R. Burra, Esq., for their kindness in granting 

 permission to visit their respecHve estates, and to Mr. Hartshorn for 

 the local arrangements which had proved so satisfactory. Mr. Hartshorn 

 read a congratulatory communication from our veteran member, William 

 Home, of Leyburn, which was appreciated and duly acknowledged. 



W. H. Pearsall. 

 F. A. Mason. 



:i92i Aug, 1 



