FIELD MEETINGS FOR 1909 l8l 



growth of beaked parsley ; at the end, the bridge led to a 

 hilly road. Alongside the thorn hedge a silver runnel of 

 water was trickling merrily, and under the afternoon sunshine 

 those plants which add a charm to our rustic lanes, the 

 greater stitchwort, herb Robert, yellow geum and wild 

 geranium were resplendent in bloom. 



Some score or more of ducklings under the maternal care 

 of a couple of hens paddled about, but quickly scuttled 

 through the hedge on our approach. Mounting a rough stile, 

 an upland meadow was reached, whose greenery was starred 

 by the bulbous buttercup : overhead the larks were singing, 

 and the warblers from the friendly shelter of the neighbouring 

 thickets poured forth their melody. 



At Dilston High Town, a pleasantly situated farmstead 

 overlooking the Devil's Water as it flows down into the Tyne, 

 a halt was called to examine the countryside. Equally 

 interesting was an old garden wall of the stone dyke order, 

 upon the top and side of which for a distance of fifty yards the 

 ivy-leafed toadflax had found a home, while in its upper crannies 

 the scorpion grass and shepherd's purse had rooted them- 

 selves ; the wall of cold grey stone was completely dominated 

 by the lilac tint of the flowers. 



Passing through the gate and keeping to the bridle path, a 

 pinewood fringed by beeches stretched down the hillside ; in 

 its boggy bottom the dog violet, white and blue milkwort, 

 wood sorrel, and bog stitchwort were noted. In an old dis- 

 mantled quarry near at hand, whose floor and sides are being 

 rapidly covered by vegetation, a single fine specimen of the 

 dyer's greenweed was noticed ; rooted in a cranny of the 

 quarried rock, 9 feet from the ground, it reared a brave 

 blossom of gold to the sun. 



Breasting the steep track through the wood, the foothold on 

 the slippery pine needles was uncertain. On all sides the 

 bracken was unfolding its green fronds. At the far edge of 

 the wood a heron was seen sailing leisurely overhead. 



