I90 SMITH : YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS AT TANFIELD. 



flower, with other kindred spirits like Mercurialis perennis and Vinca 

 minor, and the field boundaries were covered with the graceful, 

 drooping flowers. 



Mr. T. C. Heslington now conducted a party by the river-side, 

 where vasculums were often in request to receive one of the many 

 plants so profusely scattered on the banks. 



Additions were made to the party when the noon train arrived, 

 and a few stragglers who had been 'all round the village' helped 

 to make up a party of thirty, which now commenced to walk to 

 Ripon by the banks of the Ure. Myosotis palustris, Viola canina, 

 Primula veris, P. clatior, Adoxa moschatellina, Bryonia dioica, etc., 

 were now to be seen in abundance, while in the river-side pasture 

 and orchard belonging to Mrs. Hammond and son, as well as on 

 the side of the mill-stream, were tufts of Helleborus fcetidus, Aconitum 

 napellus^ and Narcissus pseudo-narcissus. It was a pleasure to see 

 that these plants w r ere not carelessly or ruthlessly plucked, but left 

 to bloom, a kind of admiration which is highly commendable. 

 Over the little two-plank bridge connecting the two river-banks, 

 and made especially for the convenience of the mill proprietors, 

 the whole party now proceeded, noting a Tree Creeper (Certhta 

 familiaris) en route, as well as an abundant profusion oi primroses. 



The walk to Ripon was over the meadows, cornfields, or pastures 

 which skirt the river, and now and again a sandy willow garth, 

 where were found Helix itala and other shells, but all dead, as well 

 as a Waterhen on her nest. After some two hours 7 walk the party 

 came to the red marly cliffs which hang abruptly by the Ure side, 

 and in which were curiously twisted and contorted bands of fibrous 

 , psum. A camera now came into requisition, while the remaining 

 members of the party journeyed on to examine other similar gypsum 

 sections, which all occur within a length of about one hundred yards 

 on the exposed face of the river-bank. 



The plantations seemed as though covered with snow, so plentiful 

 were the blossoms of Primus spinesa, while the ground and feathered 

 game manifested their dislike to being disturbed. 



The heat and toil of the long march necessitated pushing forward 

 to Ripon by the shortest possible route, and getting on to the high- 

 road near the Bishop's Palace the party were soon making the best 

 of their way into the North road, whence an easy walk brought them 

 to the Market Square and the Studley Royal Hotel 



The party to Hackfall had the pleasure of a delightful walk over 

 the field path to Mickley, where there is one approach to the grounds 

 of Hackfall, to which Lord Ripon had kindly granted free admission 

 to members of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union. 



Naturalist, 



