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1 



- GEOLOGY.- 



Mr. Thos. Tate, F. 

 F.G.S., and Mr. T- 



CiRC- 110. 



This Section will be officially represented by its Presidenl. 

 G.S., and its Hon. Sees., Rev. W. Lower Carter, M.A., 

 W. Stather, F.G.S. ■ . . 



ISlr. J. H. Lofthoiisc writes as follows : — 'At Knaresborongh the Lower 

 Magncsiaii Limestone rests upon the Plumpton Grit, the highest of the Millstone 

 Cirit series occurring in this district. Along the banks of the Nicld from the foot of 

 the Castle Hill to near Grimbald Bridge, many fine sections, showing the 

 unconforniiiy, are to be seen. The Lower Limestone, which in this district attains 

 a thickness of over 150 feet, consists chiefly of thick irregular beds of yellow lime- 

 stone, generally soft and decomposing readily near the surface. In some places 

 ■where it is seen resting on the Millstone Giit the lowest beds contain fragments of 

 the latter, and has somewhat the character of a conglomerate, being coarser in 

 texture and harder in substance than the main mass of the limestone. In this 

 district the limestone contains no fossils. Near Goldsborough Mill, and at several 

 places on the banks of the Nidd above Knaresborongh, sections of the Middle 

 Marls are to be seen. This is a very irregular deposit, and does not attain a very 

 gveat thickness in this district. The cjuarries near the Low Bridge should be 

 visited, and also those behind the bold rugged escarpment of the Lower Limestone, 

 on the south bank of the Nidd, called Grimbald Crag. Between the Nidd Viaduct 

 rind the High Bridge several outlying patches of limestone occur, but the principal 

 rocks throuVrh which the Nidd runs belono- to the Third Grits of the Millstone Grit 



Measures and their accompanying shades, 

 geologists along this route, including St. 

 Shipton's Cave, and the Dropping Well. 



There are many objects of interest to 

 Robert's Chapel and Cave, iMother 



■ BOTANY.— The Botanical Section will be oliicialiy represented by its 

 President, Mr. P. F. Lee, and its lion. Sees., ^lessrs. Albert 11. Pawson, M. B. Slater, 

 F. L. S., and Charles Crossland. 



it 



Mr. J. Farrah writes : — Plant lovers have a delightful treat in store. The ground 

 bordering each side of the river Nidd and extending from the I ow Bridgcto Grim- 

 bald Ih'idgc abounds in rarities, especially the Magnesian Limestone clilfs and the 

 glassy i^nolls on the le:t bank. The former, near Low Bridge, tower perpendicularly 

 to an immense height, the latter, in most charming irregularity, slope to the rivers 

 edge. It would be difficult, indeed, to And another place where, in so limited an 

 area, so many o[ Flora's rarest productions delight the eye of the l^otanist and oiler 

 to the studeiit of plant distribution niaterial for his profoundest studies. The leic 

 bank of the river affords : — Chelidon'uiiii iiiajus^ Arabis hirsuta, Chciranihus chcin , 

 J^escda hitL'ola.Rubus suffniiicidosa, IJcliantkemuui vulgare and at the time of writing 

 Sikne nutans spreads its laciniate petals, coyly nodding to the lingering brccz-.s rs 

 it ladens them with its delicate pcrlume. Very few botanical excursions yield such 



dainty fare as this ! 



Continuing' 



we 



shall 



sue 



/■. 



I 



criciiDi niontamint, Geranium. 



I 



sanoiunan}!, C pralciise, O. Juisil/iif/i. ^ml G. coliDuhiuum ; Euonynnus europiTiis, 

 Ononis arvtiisis, Pynus aria, Pinipinella saxifra_^a, Vibunimu opulns, Aspcritiu 

 O'^i^inchica. Scabiosa columbaria, Lactuca muralis, Atropa belladonna, Vtrbasaim 

 lliapsus, Linaria i-yinbahvia, Salvia vcrbenaca, Calami n/ba mmthifolia, Laml}!)!! 

 g-alcobdolon, Dapbnc laujvola, Urtica ti7-ins, Allium vineaie, A. scorodoprasum, 

 Koclcria crislata, Schlcrochloa rigida, &c. The rarest ferns are i—Polysfirlnim 

 dculeatum, Asplcnium irithomanes, and A. ruia-muraria. The right bank of tlie 

 river yields ■.Stellaria nemorum, Geum rivale, G. inUrniedium, Cirasa lutcliana, 

 Kibes nigrum, Couium uuiiulatum, .My r; his odorala, Galium verum, Cardnus 

 vutans, ^Campanula lalifolia, C. glomeraia, Genilana amarclla, Origanum 7'ulgan\ 

 CalamniiJui aeinos, IJlhospcrmum officinale, E-diinm z-ulgire, Oi ciiis pys amidalis, 

 0. uslulala, Gy/nnadcnia conopsea, l\iris quadrifolia, &c. In the meadows 

 ^^dIl be seen the'vernal form of Colchicum auiumnale. Amongst tbe plants that 

 should be carefully looked for are : — Malva mosc/uiia, Aspe?ula ordo?-ata, Chlo)\i 

 perj'oliata. Geranium lucidum, Astragalus glycypbyllos, Gcjiista iinctoria. Jiiyouia 

 dioici, Lactuca virosa, and Inula conyzn. A saunter through Scriven Park {the 



under the delightful shade of the avenue of noble beeches 



seat of Captain Slingsm" 



