lO YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION— ANNUAL REPORT FOR I 893. 



excursions is largely due. Their efficiency has been materially 

 assisted by the adoption of a system of Annual Minute Eooks, which 

 at the close of each year are to be deposited in the Library, when 

 a new one will be issued. 



The Hon. Secretaries will be glad if those members who have in 

 their possession any of the Minute r>ooks, Tapers, and records of 

 the various sections for previous years, will kindly return them to the 

 Hon. Secretaries as soon as possible. 



The Secretaries of the Vertebrate Section report that the work 

 of the year has been carried out with the customary amount of 

 vigour and success. 



The Hon. Secretaries of the Conchological Section report that tlie 

 investigations of their Section at the excursions of the Union, taken 

 during the year, have been manifestly discouraging, owing to the 

 ground having been so excessively dry tliat empty shells have only 

 been taken in districts which, ordinarily, are noted for their productive- 

 ■ ness of moUuscan life. 



At the same time, it is gratifying to observe that at each excursion 

 of the Union the local lists have been considerably augmented, and 

 that even under such unfavourable conditions as described, the- 

 season has not expired without furnishing ?ome object lessons, whiclx 

 may be of service in years to come. 



The Secretaries of the Entomological Section report that, despite 

 certain unfavourable conditions, the work done this year has quite 

 equalled, if not surpassed, that of previous years. Several rn^w 

 additions have been made to the Yorkshire lists, and the other- 

 branches of this section have received equal attention. It is 

 gratifying to note that the number of Coleopterists m tlie County 

 has mcreased very considerably during the last two or three years, 

 ovving in a great measure, we believe, to the publication of Fowler's 

 'Coleoptera of the "British Islands.', The most noticeable fact in 

 Entomology this year has been the finding of numbers of species in 

 unusual situations, owing doubtless to the extreme drought. The 

 number of dead larvre that have been found this year, owing to the 

 same cause, augurs rather unflrvourably for next year's collections. 



For Phanerogamic Botany, the Secretary, Mr. Albert H. Pawson, 

 gives tlic following report :— The season of 1893 began very early 

 owing ^to the unusually warm and bright spring, and at tlie Aysgarth 

 excursion, on May 22nd, we found ourselves among tlie summer- 

 flowers. At Askern, on June 15th, and at Kirkby Moorside, on July 

 lotli, we experienced almost tropical heat. All these excursions were- 

 well attended by our botanical members, and we were tolerably 

 successful in examining the flora of these very interesting districts.. 



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