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YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS AT TANFIELD. 



The third excursion for tlie present year was held on Saturday, 

 the 15th June. The headquarters were at Tanfield, near 

 Ripon, and, considering that the area suggested for investiga- 

 tion included the celebrated Hackfall Woods, it was natural 

 that the botanists attended in greatest numbers, though the 

 conchological section was also well represented. The members 

 were again favoured with a bright, sunny day, though with 

 a wind which made itself felt in the more open parts of the 

 valley. Those interested in Vertebrate Zoology had as guide 

 Mr. Riley Fortune, F.Z.S., and the botanists placed themselves 

 under the guidance of the local schoolmaster, Mr. H. Tomlin- 

 son, and were also favoured with the company of Mr. W. D. 

 Arton, of Tanfield Lodge, upon whose estate they passed the 

 whole time, and to whom they were indebted for his kindness 

 in pointing out the localities of many of the most interesting 

 plants, and also allowing them the privilege of inspecting 

 the ' gardens attached to his charmingly situated residence. 

 In these grounds Mr. Arton has carefully preserved a portion 

 of a finely-carved Saxon Cross, and at Stubbin Farm the mem- 

 bers also inspected the base of a Saxon Cross, which the present 

 occupier has preserved. 



The attendance was hardly up to expectations, a score 

 being present, and those who stayed over the week-end were 

 able to add to the records made on Saturday . 



The President, Mr. J. W. Taylor, occupied the chair at the 

 evening meeting. Representatives of eight affiliated societies 

 responded to the roll call, and one new member was elected. 



Mr. Roebuck referred to a visit which the President and 

 he had paid to his old friend Miss Emily Harrison, whose list 

 of ferns of Hackfall was published in The Naturalist for June 

 1856. She still resides at Mickley Hall, is eighty-eight years 

 of age, and, though deaf, is in good health. She is not only 

 an accomplished botanist, but equally well versed in her 

 knowledge of the land and freshwater mollusca of the dis- 

 trict, of which she still retains her collection. 



Cordial thanks were accorded to Mr. Riley Fortune, F.Z.S., 

 for the excellent local arrangements made by him ; to Mr. 

 H. Tomlinson, for acting as one of the guides ; to Mr. W. D. 

 Arton, for permission to go over his estate, and the kindness 

 shown to the members during the excursion ; and also to the 

 Marquis of Ripon, Sir Willans Nussey, and Miss Staveley, 

 for permission to visit their estates. 



Flowering Plants. — Mr. J. Hartshorn writes : — A dis- 

 trict noted for the variety and richness of its vegetation and 

 flora did not disappoint the botanists. It was decided to work 

 up the stream on the north side (vice county 65). Having 



Naturalist, 



