36 

 YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION AT HECKMONDWIKE. 



The fiftieth annual congress of the Yorkshire Naturahsts' 

 Union was held at Heckmondwike on Saturday — the place 

 where it had its birth just half a century ago. There were over 

 300 members and associates present, including delegates from 

 38 affiliated societies. 



At the meeting of the general committees held in the after- 

 noon, Mr. G. T. Porritt was in the chair. Mr. T. Sheppard, 

 F.G.S., the hon. secretary, submitted the annual report, which 

 showed that there were 3731 members and associates. The 

 excursions for igi2 were arranged as follow : — Riccall Common, 

 on May 4th ; Filey and Bridlington, Whit week-end ; Tanfield, 

 on June 15th ; Askern, on July nth ; Low Gill, on August 

 Bank Holiday ; and Sandsend for Mulgrave (fungus foray), 

 September 21st to 26th. The next annual meeting will be 

 held at Hull, on Dec. 14th, 1912. The resignation of Mr. T. 

 Sheppard as hon. secretary was accepted with regret, and in con- 

 sideration of his many services during the past nine years he was 

 elected an honorary life member of the union. Mr. W. Cash,. 

 F.G.S., the eminent palseobotanist, was similarly honoured. 



The officers for 1912 were elected as follows : — President,. 

 Mr. J. W. Taylor, of Leeds ; treasurer, Mr. H. Culpin, 

 of Doncaster ; secretaries, Messrs. T. W. Woodhead, Ph.D., 

 and W. E. L. Wattam, Huddersfield ; editor, Mr. T. Sheppard. 



For the List of new members of the Permanent General 

 Committee, and other information, reference should be made 

 to ' The Naturalist,' for January, pp. 17-32. 



The members of the Heckmondwike and Spen Valley 

 Naturalists' Societies had arranged an excellent exhibition of 

 local natural history, etc., specimens, and also held a conver- 

 sazione in honour of the visit of the union to its birthplace. 

 Refreshments were provided. 



In the morning Mr. John Niven kindly invited the members 

 to visit his colliery at Mirfield. 



In the evening there was a crowded audience in the new- 

 schools at Heckmondwike, when the members were welcomed 

 by Councillor T. Elliott and Mr. H. T. Nottingham. In the 

 regrettable absence through illness of the retiring president, 

 Mr. Alfred Harker, M.A., F.R.S., of Cambridge, his address 

 M'as read by Mr. E. Hawkesworth. He dealt with ' Petrology 

 in Yorkshire,' and in a lucid and entertaining manner referred 

 to the history of the microscopic study of the rocks of the 

 county (see pp. 37-44). 



Subsequently there was an exhibition of nature photographs 

 by the aid of the cinematograph, through the good offices of 

 Messrs. W. Bagshaw and W. Goodall. The LTnion's thanks 

 are certainly due to the Heckmondwike and the Spen Valley 

 Societies for their hearty help, and particularly to Messrs. A. 

 Moore and G. W. Parker, who made all the local arrangements, 

 and made them well. 



Naturalist, 



