FIELD MEETINGS FOR 1912 375 



meadowsweet, ragged robin, cowwheat, giant bellflower, fine- 

 leaved heath, broad-leaved helliborine, wall lettuce, golden rod, 

 comfrey cultwold, dyer's greenweed (very plentiful in one field), 

 wintergreen and viper's bugloss. Few birds were seen : bull- 

 finches, redstarts, whin and stonechats, gold crests, spotted 

 flycatcher, tree creepers, magpie, and dipper were about all 

 seen of any note. Among insect life were seen the meadow 

 brown butterfly in abundance, the common blue, the small 

 heath, larvas of Vanessa nirtica feeding on nettle, a few leaf- 

 rolling larvae, some plume moths, the species of which I am not 

 certain of, the bordered-white moth, a few microlepidoptera, 

 mostly Litho-colletii,, and a few common noctuae. But though 

 no great discoveries were made, all agreed that the day had 

 by no means been wasted. The day was fine, the woods 

 looking their best. We were much interested in a plantation 

 of Japanese larches, which have been planted to test their 

 disease-resisting qualities. A very enjoyable day was brought 

 to a most enjoyable close, the members of the party being 

 entertained to tea by Mr. and Mrs. J. Ford Maling at Shotley 

 Bridge. Their kind hospitality was appreciated by all, and 

 acknowledged by a hearty vote of thanks. 



The Fifth Field Meeting was held at Brancepeth on 

 September 25th — rather later than was first intended owing to 

 my absence in Norway. Again we were favoured by a fine 

 day, a somewhat rare occurrence during a most inclement 

 summer. Leaving Newcastle at 10.4 a.m. the party arrived at 

 Brancepeth about 10.45, ar, d walked down the road, with its 

 avenues of trees, and through the village, with its comfortable 

 houses covered with creepers of various kinds, to the entrance 

 of Brancepeth Castle. I am sorry to say that I had mistaken 

 the time of the train's arrival, or rather I did not know that 

 there was a connection at Durham. The party therefore re- 

 traced their steps and entered the Stockley Gill near the Station, 

 closely following the course of the stream. Here among the 

 thick undergrowth the bulk of the botanical work was done. 



