266 Natural History of Middleton-in-Teesdale. 



The Yorkshire side of the Tees, after passing Widdy Bank 

 Farm and before reaching Falcon Clints, is probably excellent 

 ground for rare mosses. During the short time spent there, 

 deep tufts of Barbula rubella var. ruberrima and Bryum fili- 

 forme were collected. Both these mosses are buried up to their 

 apices in wet sand, and the Bryum is much finer than the same 

 species high up in the crevices of Falcon Clints on the Durham 

 side. 



Mr. Anderson brought down from Cronkley Fell a large- 

 state of the Hepatic Marsupella aquatica, also Mylia Taylori 

 and Metzgeria conjugata. 



III. Cauldron Snout over Widdy Bank Fell. — There 

 was no time to search for mosses in this route. Two good 

 plants were found, viz., Barbula rubella var. ruberrima and 

 Hypnum fluitans var. Lindbergii, a new variety of Harpidium 

 lately described by Renauld in the ' Revue Bryologique.' 



IV. Along Lunedale to Grassholme. — In the quarry 

 en route was a large yellow form of Tortula subulata with the 

 seta an inch or more in length, and its leaves much larger than 

 the type. 



On the limestone cliffs by the side of the Lune were Dicra- 

 nuin Bonjeani var. juniper if olitim ; Orthotrichum cupiilatum 

 var. niiduni ; Weisia viridula ; Hedwigia ciliata ; Eurhynchium 

 myosuroides, a large form ; Hypnum cupressiforme var. resu- 

 pinatum ; and the rare Hepatic, Lejeunea cavifolia var. planius- 

 cula. There was much Encalypta vulgaris on the walls in the 

 return journey. 



V. Shacklesborough Moss. — This extensive Sphagnum 

 Bog would require a long time for its study. There is no doubt 

 that the bog is on the increase in the growth of Sphagna. 

 In one part of the way across was a large tract of ground where 

 the heather had been burnt. Around the dead heather stems 

 was a copious growth of Sphagnum acutifolium var. versicolor 

 with long stems. This seems to point to a copious annual 

 rainfall, and this means excellent conditions for the growth of 

 Sphagna. Again, the drainage channels were filled with the 

 vivid green Sphagnum rectirvum, a bog moss that delights in a 

 plentiful supply of water. 



Although remains of Birch only were found in the exposed 

 peat of this treeless expanse, it seems highly probable that 

 pure Sphagnum peat would be found under the present Sphag- 

 num growth. 



Naturalist, 



