EOEBUCK : KlOCALL CoMMON. 



39 



secretary of the Goole Society, who, from his familiarity with the 

 locality, had been requested to make the arrangements for the 

 excursion, read a most interesting paper on the natural and archaeo- 

 logical features and the history of the district. At the conclusion of 

 Dr. Parson's address, Mr. Wm. Todd, a vice-president of the Leeds 

 society, proposed, and Mr. E. Lamplough, of Hull, seconded a vote 

 of thanks, which was carried by acclamation, after which the excur- 

 sionists dispersed. 



The botanists, including Dr. Parsons, Dr. F. Arnold Lees, F.L.S., 

 Mr. Todd, and Mr. Abbott, went eastwards towards Skipwith. They 

 verified the habitat of Mentha Pulegium^ and saw a solitary root of 

 the royal fern, which, with a view to prevent extermination, was not 

 disturbed. Mr. Lees killed a viper on the heath, some two or two- 

 and-a-half feet in length. The zoologists proceeded westwards 

 towards Eiccall, making their way to a series of roadside ponds near 

 the Vicarage. Here in one little pond they found four species of 

 duckweeds — Lemna minor, L. gibba. L triscula, and L. polyrhiza, the 

 latter sometimes attaining to the large size of half an inch in 

 diameter. The shells from these ponds included numerous examples 

 of Limnaa stagnalis, and various species of Planorbis ; while the close 

 vicinity of a tidal river was shown by the occurrence of the maritime 

 dock (Rumex maritimusj. A deep drain near these ponds, communi- 

 cating with the Ouse, and consequently filled with brackish water at 

 every upflow of the tide, abounded in young eels, and also produced 

 numerous young flounders or flat fish. Numbers of both fishes were 

 caught by Mr. John Grassham, for the beneflt of the aquaria in the 

 possession of various members, and more especially for the aquaria 

 at the Yorkshire Exhibition. 



At flve o'clock, by appointment, the members assembled at the 

 Parish Church of Eiccall, and were cordially received by the Vicar, 

 the Eev. J. E. Farrow, who most kindly favoured them with an 

 address on the architectural history of the building. 



A large number of plants were collected during the day by the 

 botanists. The conchologists reported the absence of numerous 

 shells which they might reasonably have expected to meet with, such 

 as Helix rufescens and H. Mspida, and explained the smallness of their 

 takings by the fact of the weather being warm and dry, and conse- 

 quently unfavourable to the appearance of land snails. HipparcJiia 

 titJionus was the best butterfly seen, while of other insects few were 

 collected. A larva of some unknown species of Acronycta was taken 

 by Dr. Parsons and Mr. Lees. 



