REPORT OF FIELD MEETINGS 153 



this rather rough part of the ramble proceeded through the 

 thick brushwood of Brambles, Thorns, Hollies, Hazels, Briars, 

 Woodbines, dried Brackens and Hemlocks of last year, they 

 were delighted with the luxuriance of the spring flowers. 



Banks were blue with Wild Hyacinths; boggy hollows 

 carpeted with Golden Saxifrage ; Wood Anemones everywhere, 

 but showing symptoms of fading; Wood Forget-me-nots in 

 the moist shady spots in profusion ; patches emerald with Dog 

 Mercury ; Ramsons in galore, but mostly in spathe ; and Red 

 Campions lighting up the recesses of the dells in the opening 

 of their first blooms. After reaching the foot of the woody 

 slope, a footpath was followed by the margin of the river, 

 underneath the high viaduct bridge of the Derwent Valley 

 Railway, into a coppice wood of Hazels, White and Black 

 Thorns, Guelder Rose, Briars, Hollies, Bird-cherry, Willows, 

 Crab Trees, Gorse and Broom. The nest of the Brown 

 Linnet found in a whin bush, and containing one egg, is 

 especially noteworthy, as this bird, once common in the valley, 

 is of rare occurrence now, particularly during the nesting time. 

 From the Gibside woods, on the opposite banks of the 

 stream, came the notes of the Crow, Rook, Jay and Magpie, 

 while we noticed the Greenfinch, Redpoll, Wren, Willow Wren, 

 Whitethroat, Wagtail, Blackbird and Song Thrush on the 

 Lockhaugh side. 



The steep cliffs and escarpments of the Coal Measures on 

 the south side of the river were of particular interest to the 

 geologists. As we were now frequently passing over moist 

 spots, many Cuckoo-flowers, Marsh Marigolds, Woodrushes 

 and Sedges were observed. One of the marshy lowland fields 

 in particular contained a great many species of the Sedge 

 family. 



After a lingering stay in this beautiful lowland spot, where 

 we followed the circuitous bend in the river for some distance, 

 we ascended a steep grassy slope, from the summit of which 

 a very fine view of the valley and the well-wooded lands 

 Gibside was obtained. In now passing rather hurriedly along 



