248 Yorkshire Naturalists at Tanfield. 



Pteris aquilina occupied the place. There was little grass, 

 but a great abundance of mosses and liverworts, and alongside 

 the cart track was plenty of Lysimachia nemorum, and a fair 

 sprinkling of Myosotis arvensis, Primula vulgaris, and Cam- 

 panula latifolia, while Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus ficaria, 

 and Scilla festalis were also moderately conspicious. 



On nearing the charming natural amphitheatre which is 

 known as Hackfall, the grit rocks outcrop to a great height, 

 and here Mercurialis perennis occurs in immense zones, and 

 along with Lastrea filix-mas easily predominate over all other 

 forms of vegetation. In the open place made to better admire 

 the view, the ground in the immediate vicinity is clothed with 

 Teucrium scorodonia and Solidago virgaurea, and here also 

 occur Orchis mascula and Blechnum spicant. The grit rocks 

 are prominent throughout the rest of the wood, the dominant 

 trees in this portion being Ulmus, Querctis and Fagus, and 

 the ground vegetation is almost exactly similar to that of the 

 shade woods of the S.W. Yorkshire valleys. The sloping 

 banks to the right are almost entirely dominated by Scilla fes- 

 talis, with Mercurialis perennis, Lastrea filix-mas, Holcus, and 

 Sanicula europcea. The rock ledges are the home of Luzula 

 sylvatica, Hieracium murorum, Lactuca mitralis, and Melica 

 uniflora, and the bog areas formed at the base of the rock 

 zone by the natural drainage, are dominated by Allium 

 ursinum. 



Mosses and Hepatics. — Mr. W. Ingham writes : — At a 

 small fall on the left side of the river was a large mass of Weisia 

 verticillata in fruit. This was of a lurid green, and thickly 

 encrusted with lime. It is always quoted in books as a very 

 rare fruiter, but here there was much fruit, due, no doubt, to 

 its habitat under continually dripping water. Its companion, 

 Hypnum commutatum was also encrusted with lime. 



Trichostomum crispulum, Hypnum falcatum var. virescens 

 and Trichostomum teniiirostre, were all found by Messrs. 

 Cheetham and Johnson. 



On the V.C. 65 side of the river, Mr. Barnes found the very 

 rare moss, Thuidium hystricosum, so long considered a southern 

 moss, in profusion. This find is an addition to North West 

 Yorkshire. He continued to work the north-west side of the 

 river after the party left Tanfield, and found the rare mosses 

 Bryum murale and Orthotrichum tenellum, also the above- 

 named Thtiidium in much greater profusion. 



The best Hepatic, Pedinophyllum interruptum, was also 

 found by Mr. Barnes. 



Fungi. — Mr. Charles Crossland writes :■ — ^Fifty-seven species 

 of fungi were noted, all but three being from the Tanfield 

 side of the river — V. County, N.W. There was not time to 

 investigate both sides. Coniophora puteana is the only addi- 



Naturalist, 



