1901, June 22nd. CiRC. 158. 



BOTANY. — This section will Ije officially represented by Mr. M. R. Slater, 

 F.L.S., and Mr. C. Waterfall. 



Mr. E. R. Cross writes: — Botanically speaking the district to be covered is 

 exceedingly varied. Beginning at Ayton, the walls should be thoroughly investi- 

 gated for mosses, sedums, and various mural plants. The Derwent here is slow, 

 and also dammed for tlie mill, and aquatic and bog plants abound. Leaving Ayton 

 the old castle walls and grounds should l)e explored. Here Hellebortts viridis should 

 be in fruit and Berberis vulgaris in flower, these being evident escapes from the 

 Castle garden, which has long since disappeared. Entering Yedmandale a numljer 

 of limestone loving plants at once appear, such as Orchis tislulata, Ophrys apifera, 

 Convallaria niajalis. Trientalis Eiiropaa, and AdiEa spicata. Ascending the valley, 

 above Jenny's Spring, the moors are reached, and Listera cordata should be found, 

 also Pfrola minor and /'. vudia. Continuing along the moors the head of Beedale 

 is crossed, and the walk continued down Sawdondale, where Campanula gionieraia, 

 Antennaria dioiea, Artemisia absiiithiuui will all be seen in foliage. Finishing 

 at Wykeham, Myrrhis odorata will be in full bloom, whilst the Abbey grounds are 

 given as a locality for Asaruiii Eiiropauni. Search should also be made along the 

 route for Saxifrages, Sedums, and Umbellates. In Wykeham Park large beds of 

 Eranthis hyetnalis will be found in fruit, and in the Carrs just below, Hotfonia 

 _palustris, NiipJiar hitea, and various species of Potamogons and water plants. 



Mr. H. Prodham, in addition to above, has noted the following interesting 

 plants in the district : — Saxifraga uiiibrosa, Paris qi/adrifolia, Vicia sylvatica, and 

 Lastrea 7noniaiia. 



Ferns. — Mr. D. W. Bevan adds that on the moors Adder's Tongue and 

 Moonwort occur, and in Yedmandale and Sawdondale Polypodiuni phegopteris, P. 

 dryoptcris, and Polystichtini aciileatitiii. Asplenium viride and A. trichomanes have 

 been gathered within a mile of Wykeham, but not since 1 891. The gills that will 

 be visited contain a wealth of mosses and liverworts, but local naturalists l^now 

 little about them. 



Mosses and Hepatics. — Mr. ]Nr. B. Slater, F.L.S., writes that at this sea- 

 son shaded wo(jds and moist banks, with north and east aspect, and stones by 

 streams, are the places where Mosses and Hepatics most abound. He furnishes a 

 list of species recorded in some neighbouring dales, which lack of space forbids being 

 printed. 



Fungi. — Mr. Geo. Massee, F.L.S.,ofthe Royal Herbarium, Kew, writes that 

 Verpa digitalifortnis, Pers. , grows on the bank near the Hermitage in Beedale, 

 and along with it may yet be found belated specimens of Geopyxis coccinea Mass. 

 A single specimen of Pilosace algerioisis Fries. — the second specimen recorded 

 for Europe — was collected close to the small spring or fountain with its quaint Latin 

 inscription, situated in the heart of Beedale. This fungus closely resem])les, super- 

 ficially, a good sized specimen of the common mushroom, Agarictis ca)npestris L. , 

 from which it differs in ihc absence of a ring on the stem and in other details. 

 Special attention should be paid to the presence of any parasitic fungi attacking 

 Geuni intt'niicdiiim, which is — or was — very abundant in the damper parts of 

 Beedale, as it is of great interest to ascertain the relative immunity or susceptibility 

 of hybrids with regard to parasites, as compared with that of the parents of such 

 hybrids. Craterellus comiuopioidcs Fries, occurs abundantly in Yedmandale. If 

 collected in (juantily it should be cooked, as it is one of the best of edible fungi, 

 notwithstanding its c|uaint and uninviting appearance. 



Algae. — Mr. I).W. Bevan further adds that NiicllaM\A several species oiCliara 

 grow in the Carrs below Wykeham. Batrachosperinum^ two species i>f Cluc/op/iora, 

 and J^etraspora occur. Gottittiii^ Eudoriua, Paitdorina and Pediaslrum are re- 

 corded. Cosinarimn botryiis sometimes occurs in enormous numbers at Jenny's 

 Spring, and a pond in Scarborough cemetery is perennially crowded with Clos- 

 Ici itim lunula. 



VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY.— This section will be officially represented 

 by Mr. W. Denison Roebuck, f'.L.S., its President. 



Mr. W.J. Clarke writes:- - The district being very striclly preserved, few species, 

 other than game birds, and the smaller kinds, have any chance of existence. 



Mammalia. -The I'adger still survives in ihe dales in small numbers. Foxes, 

 Weasels, Stoats, Squirrels, Rabbits, an odd Hare, Moles, and Water \'oles occur. 



Birds. — In Beedale and N'edmandale, '■'The Dipper, *Chaffinch, *Pheasanl, 

 *Song Thrush, ^P.Iackbird, Heron, Jay, *Carrion Crow, *Missel Thrush, *Kcstrol, 

 '.Sjjarrowhawk, Redstart, (been Woodpecker, ^^'oodcock, '*Long l-'ared Owl, 



