254 Yorkshire Naturalists at Askern. 



members, and proved of great use in inspecting at close quarters 

 the inner margin of the reed vegetation, by which the pool is 

 surrounded, and also in searching the deep mud for molluscs. 



A large number of members attended the meeting held 

 later in the day at the Railway Hotel, Askern. The President, 

 Mr. J. W. Taylor, occupied the chair, and sectional reports 

 were given on the day's work by Mr. H. Culpin, Dr. T. W. 

 Woodhead, Prof. J. H. Priestley, Messrs. C. Cheetham, W. N. 

 Cheesman, W. Denison Roebuck, H. H. Corbett, E. G. Bay- 

 ford, and Dyson. In all sections except Entomology, interest- 

 ing results were obtained, and the meeting was obviously 

 enjoyable and successful. The President expressed the pleasure 

 of the members in being favoured by the presence of Mr. T. 

 Bunker, of Goole, who for so many years has been a steady 

 supporter of the Union, and one of its oldest members. Hearty 

 thanks were accorded to Major Anne and Messrs. Humble 

 and Wallis, for the privileges granted, and to the leader and 

 local secretary, Mr. Corbett. 



Respecting the pre-historic earthworks on Sutton Common, 

 Mr. C. E. C. Anne writes : — About three-quarters of a mile 

 south of Askern, on the low-lying marshy tract known as 

 Sutton Common, are some interesting earthworks. These, 

 apparently, form two distinct camps, east and west of each 

 other, and are defended on all sides by ditches and earthen 

 ramparts. The camp to the east of the Common is the larger, 

 and the more interesting, as here the remains are particularly 

 distinct, and one can clearly see the hut circles placed round the 

 edge of the camp, behind the defences. 



In this camp the defences on the north-east are three times 

 as strong as elsewhere, and here are seen no fewer than fotir 

 ditches, and three earthen ramparts thrown up between them. 

 This strengthening of the defences is particularly striking, 

 and extremely well-preserved. It is suggested that the country 

 on the north-east was less marshy, and hence the camp was 

 more liable to attack from that quarter. 



Within the defences the ground is raised above the sur- 

 rounding land, and would be quite dry, even in times of flood. 



Two entrance gateways in the defence can clearly be dis- 

 cerned on the north and east — the latter being defended without 

 by a flanking earthwork. 



The hut circles differ from each other in size, and some are 

 oblong. Remarkable quantities of oak ashes are found on 

 excavation, and would almost lead one to conclude that the 

 stockades and dwellings had, at one time, been razed to the 

 ground by fire. 



The distance between the camps is, perhaps, from eighty 

 to one hundred yards — the western camp being similar to the 

 other, but of about half the area. 



Naturalist. 



