CiRC. No. 129. 



umber huiims of dead leaves. The rock Pyrus tree will only be flaunting its silk- 

 cotton buds ; and the Wild Lettuce of the crumbling scarp above the highway just 

 north of the Ijvidge will probably be hardly discernible. But the Daffodil of the 

 ings liable to flood will still be hanging pensively its egg-yellow trumpets frilled 

 with perianthal segments of chillier jaune. Yet a few earlier wildings will be in 

 their first bloom, although, significant of their alien origin, they will be mosth- 

 denizens where found, not true indigenes. The Periwinkle ( Vinca niitioi-'} and the 

 Sweet Coltsfoot {rc/asitesfragraiis) should be seen in flower by the pathways of the 

 Hall grounds. The JNIezereon and the Laurel Daphne, too. The inconspicuous 

 Moschatel will be found where sought for in M'arm sheltered hedge-bottoms, and 

 three sorts of Violet (/lirta, odorata, and yiz'iiiiaiia) should be 'on view' — perfect 

 pictures tho' ' hung " far bei< )W ' the line ' on the cinereous background of Nature's 

 gallery. The tasselled Water-Crowfoot in the goit by the ' dam-stones ' near the 

 Bobbin Mill, may be showing a few blossoms chilly and fugacious ; but neither it 

 nor Stellaria nemoniin, wtx yet the Woodruffe, will be in evidence conspicuously. 

 The rare spring flower ui the district — Gagea lutea — in the little dene by the Paper 

 Mill on the road running east from Boston towards Newton and the White Crag, 

 investigated by Dr. Martin Lister — one of the fathers of Yorkshire science — over 

 200 years ago, may be detected by its yellow stars (green outside) if the season is a 

 late one and the day bright and sunny. Out of bloom its unicolorous ribbed grass- 

 like foliage is very difficult to see among the herbage of such shady slopes as it 

 affects. The Yew trees of the adjoining ings (Oglethorpe) are a salient feature of 

 the landscape — uncommon tree as it is, out of planted shrubberies, in most parts 

 of Yorkshire. In the lanes near Flint Mill Geraninin cohinibimtm grows in plenty, 

 and the silver-plate Cerastimn ai~vense in many spots adjacent, but both show pre- 

 ferences for a sandy soil, and the date is full early for either. 



Mosses and Hepatics. — Mr. LI. J- Cocks writes that the following are 

 among the more interesting of the Mosses mentioned in Lees' West Riding Flora as 

 occurring at Boston Spa and Thorp Arch : — Gymnosto7mim tenne, Pottia ]iei7)iii 

 (gathered here by Dr. Spruce), Barbitla spadicea, Scle?opodium caipitosuui, Eiirliyn- 

 cJiiuni c7-assiuerviiini, Hypnum polymoiphitvi. Reference may be. made to a paper 

 contributed by the late J. S. Wesley to the ' Naturalist,' of September, 1879, 011 t'^e 

 Mosses of Wetherby and four miles round — which embraces the district now to be 

 explored. The Hepatics have apparently received very slight attention and it is 

 to be hoped that there will be some students of this class present as there is no 

 ■doubt that an investigation of the slopes about Flint Mill and Horn Bank would 

 yield good results. 



Lichens. — No records apparently. 



Fungi. — No records available. 



Algae. — There are no records, but a pond between Hall Wood and the Wliarfe 

 should afford plenty of material for examination. 



VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY.- 



[ Birds. — Ornithologists will find numerous species of birds along the banks of 

 the river and in the Bramham Woods ; the presence of the earlier spring migrants 

 and the nidification of various resident species will be matter for observation and 

 record. 



Mammals. — The Otter inhabits -the river ; the Badger has occurred, the 

 Dormouse may l)e looked for in secluded thickets ; the Water Shrew and Watei 

 Vole, Stoat, Foumart. Hedgehog. Squirrel, and various Bats, all occur in greater 

 or less plenty. 



Fishes. — The fishes include Trout and Grayling in the Wharfe ; various 

 coarse fish also, and in the streams may be taken such minor fish as the angler 

 despises but which are full of interest to the Naturalist. 



Reptiles. — The Ringed Snake, Slow Worm and Viper all occur, the latter 

 being the rarest of the three. The batrachians also occur, and the Palmated Newi 

 ^not yet on record) should be looked for. 



