CORRESPONDING SOCIETIES 455 



to be striven for, all must be grateful for the good beginning that has been 

 made by the generous gifts of these benefactors. The land already acquired 

 for the public includes open meadow land, the river and river banks, as well 

 as woodland and scrub, so that a great variety of plants, birds, insects and 

 other wild life is open to observation and study. I am mainly concerned 

 with the vegetation, and shall deal with the plants found in Dovedale which 

 are typical of a Midland limestone dale. 



In early spring, Dovedale will reveal some interesting plants to the 

 botanist. The Mountain Pepperwort (Hutchinsia) will be found in flower 

 among the limestone cliffs, while the rue-leaved Saxifrage adorns the walls. 

 In moist situations both forms of Golden Saxifrage are abundant and later 

 in the year the Mossy Saxifrage and the Meadow Saxifrage are common. 

 The early flowering Green Hellebore is very scarce in Dovedale and the 

 sweet-scented Mezereon is equally rare. In early summer the woodlands are 

 sweet with the scent of Lilies-of-the-Valley and with Woodruff. In shady 

 places the Mountain Currant, rare in Britain, may be found in flower, and 

 in more sunny situations among the screes the white flowers of the Rock 

 Bramble will be seen, to be followed in autumn by its scarlet berries. In 

 similar situations the Lesser Rue, scarce except in limestone districts, is 

 comparatively abundant, and so is the blood-coloured Cranesbill, and in the 

 meadow-land the Birdsfoot Trefoil and Lady's Finger or Kidney Vetch ; 

 while in adjacent dales Jacob's Ladder is to be found. The late summer 

 and autumn bring the Broadleaved Campanula and the Great Mullein, 

 but the Small Teasle is local and rare. The Spindle Tree with its brightly 

 coloured fruits is also very scarce in Dovedale. Of orchids, the early 

 Purple Orchis, the Spotted Orchis and the Butterfly Orchis are common in 

 the meadow-land, while in the shade the Helleborine is not uncommon. 

 These are only some of the plants that we can search for and shall enjoy 

 finding in what has been preserved for us and for posterity in Dovedale by 

 generous donors. 



Mr. F. A. Holmes exhibited and described a map of Dovedale and the 

 neighbouring Manifold Valley, indicating the area under the control of 

 the National Trust and calling special attention to further portions of the 

 area which it is earnestly hoped would be secured for safe custpdy and 

 permanent preservation in its natural state for the benefit of the nation 

 as a National Park. 



Capt. C. W. Hume. — The rabbit problem in Britain. 



Variation in abundance of the rabbit. — Market statistics suggest that the 

 abundance of the rabbit is characterised by cyclical fluctuations having 

 a period of about seven years, superimposed upon a steady increase. Two 

 theories that have gained wide currency are contradicted by the facts : 

 (i) abundance is not closely correlated with rainfall, and reaches a peak 

 sometimes after dry years and sometimes after wet years ; (ii) the recent 

 peak of abundance has not been caused by a diminution of trapping due to 

 a fail in prices, for the numbers trapped have rapidly increased each year 

 since 1932. Presumably disease and predators are major factors in deter- 

 mining the cycle. 



If history repeats itself, the rabbit-population is likely to fall temporarily 

 in the near future, rising subsequently till it reaches a new high record in 

 1943 or 1944 if co-ordinated efforts to control the increase be not made. 

 Variation of abundance with locality appears to be correlated with economic 

 factors. 



