164 REPORT OF FIELD MEETINGS 



the Central Station, and travelled to Alnmouth by the 9.35 

 train. The morning was delightfully fine and sunny. During 

 our journey to Alnmouth we were surprised to see some of 

 the cereal crops still in stook in many places, although the 

 harvest for grain crops had been an exceptionally early one. 

 In passing the stack yards at one or two places, however, it 

 was noticed more energy had been used in the harvesting 

 operations, as the corn was not only stacked, but each stack 

 had been neatly covered. 



On detraining it Avas decided to proceed by road to Boulmer, 

 and then southwards by the coast to Alnmouth. In passing 

 through Lesbury the flower gardens and trellis-work cultiva- 

 tion of the few straggling way-side houses were greatly 

 admired, as the autumn blooms were still in very fine condition, 

 and demonstrated fully the open and genial fall of the year. 

 There was also still a vast array of wild flowers in the hedge- 

 rows and road sides. In sauntering along in such beautifully 

 warm sunny weather observing this wealth of Flora's queendom, 

 I collected specimens of the following plants in bloom during 

 this early part of the ramble : — Ragwort, Nipple-wort, White 

 Campion, Red Campion, Harebell, Hawkweed, Yarrow, 

 Sneezewort, Golden Rod, Wood Sage, Agrimony, Toadflax, 

 Tufted Vetch, Spear Thistle, Woundwort, Knapweed, White 

 and Purple Deadnettle, and a solitary bloom of Speedwell. 



Then there was a good deal of bird-life to see in this long 

 country walk. Flocks of Starlings and Rooks were frequently 

 noticed in the pastures ; Greenfinches and Yellow-hammers 

 were often in company in the hedges ; Skylarks were numerous 

 and even now and again heard in song ; numbers of Linnets 

 were on the stubbles searching for the seeds of the Plantain, 

 Red Bartsia, and Knot-grass; and large flocks of Green 

 Plovers were noticed in the turnip fields. 



The following plants were seen growing profusely as weeds 

 on some of the arable land : — Sow Thistle, Fumitory, Creeping 

 Veronica, Henbit Deadnettle, Wild Carrot, Field Madder, 

 Self-Heal, Field Scabious, Red Bartsia, Corn Spurry and 



