BOOKS AND MAPS.— The whole area is included in Sheets 87 of the 

 One-Inch Ordnance Map, which may be obtained geologically coloured. See 

 also " Notes on the Geological Survey of the Yorkshire Coalfield," Davis and 

 Lee's "West Yorkshire," Lee's '-'Flora of the West Riding," and the recently 

 published Botanical j\Iap of Leeds and Halifax District by Dr. W. G. Smith. 

 The Union last visited the locality in September, 1878, and a full account of the 

 excursion was published in the Naturalist, October, 1878, pp. 46-48. 



THE DISTRICT to be investigated comprises one of the most beautiful 

 combinations of woodland, hill, and crag to be found in Yorkshire. The River 

 Don has cut a deep valley roughly parallel to the strike of the Greenoside Rock, 

 and through the softer shales, etc., below. Nearly the whole of the area is 

 covered with wood in which oak is the dominant tree, with birch as a sub- 

 dominant, and a fair number of fine old hollies. These clothe the long slope of 

 the soft rocks where the ground is strewn over with huge fragments of the hard 

 grit of the Greenoside rock, which have become detached from time to time during 

 the long period of the valley's erosion. As the visitor ascends any of the numerous 

 paths through the woods, magnificent views of the surrounding country are con- 

 stantly opening before him until the grand escarpment at the top is reached. 

 Here the hard, gritty, Greenoside rock is weathered into all manner of turrets and 

 spires, the general effect being very fine. 



ROUTES. — The party will leave Deepcar Station on the arrival of the 

 ll-o a.m. from Penistone and the 11-5 a.m. from Sheffield. Members arriving by 

 later trains can join the others at headquarters eitheir from Deepcar or Oughty- 

 bridge Stations. 



It is not necessary to define particular routes for this excursion. Take any of 

 the paths upwards from the entrance of the wood and the Crags with Wharnclifte 

 Lodge, the headquarters, will be reached. Entomologists, bryologists, and 

 mycologists would perhaps do best by keeping to the lower paths parallel to'the 

 railway for about a mile, and then taking one of the ascending paths. 



PERMISSION to visit his property has been kindly granted by the Earl of 

 Wharnclifte. 



GEOLOGY. — The Geological Section will be officially represented by its 

 President, Mr. E. Hawkesworth. 



Mr. Corbett writes : — The Don Valley in this part of its course runs in a 

 S.W. by S. direction, and the rocks having a dip generally from west to east, form 

 a bold escarpment on the left side of the river. The strata are all of the lower 

 coal measure series, and consist of alternating beds of gannister (worked for fire- 

 brick in many parts of the valley), sandstones, and shales. Above these and 

 forming the well-known Wharnclifte Crags is a thick bed of grit, known as the 

 Greenoside Rock. This rock is strongly current bedded and weathers into huge 

 roughly cubical blocks that form the Crags. The whole of the long slope of tiie 

 softer shales, etc. below is strewn with detached masses of the Greenoside rock, and 

 it is worthy of note that the blocks in the lower part of the valley are on the 

 whole less angular than those nearer the summit. This suggests the idea that they 

 have not rolled or slid from above, but have been, gradually lowered and removed 

 from their original position during the widening of the valley and consequent 

 retreat of the escarpment during its gradual erosion. 



PALAEONTOLOGY. — At the Y.N.U. excursion in 1878 the late Mr. James 

 Spencer, of Halifax, reported that the rocks of the district of the day's ramble, 

 lielonging to the lower coal measures, contain a rich suite of organic remains — 

 the gannister coal being well known for its fossils, both animal and vegetable. 

 The roof of the coal contains an abundance of marine shells and fishes, while the 

 coal itself contains certain round balls, rich in vegetable remains. He found on 

 the day of excursion, Dadoxyloii oldhamii, Lepidodetidron selaginoides, Sigillaria 

 'vasculare, S. orgamim, Amyelon, fernstems, and spores in abundance ; while the 

 baum-pots had yielded Goniatites looneyi, Orthoceras, Nautilus, and other shells. 

 The same day, Dr. H. Franklin Parsons, F.G.S., found in the shales at Wharnclifte 

 Anthracosia, Gonialiies listen, Avuiilopecien papyraceus, Posidonomya, axid. Stiginaria 

 decides. 



