Varley : List of Rare Birds. 



25 



Gray Phalarope {Phalaropus lohatiis). — One shot on the reservoir 

 near Denby, November 20th, 1873, and presented to me by the Eev. 

 Job Johnson, of that place. 



BaiUon's Crake {Grex Baillonii). — One shot on Home's Dam, Kirk- 

 heaton. May 29th, 1874, by Mr. George Challand. 



Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus). — Three shot in Dalton, January 

 1873 and 1874. 



Leache's Petrel (Thalassidroma Leachii). — One shot near Halifax, 

 November 13th, 1874, and sent to me by Christopher Ward, Esq., 

 F.L.S., of Halifax. 



THE LUDDENDEN VALLEY. 

 By Rodger Earnshaw, Ovenden, near Halifax. 



The Luddenden Valley, although less frequented in its middle part 

 than most of the dales in the parish of Halifax, is by no means 

 devoid of that natural beauty which renders many of the others such 

 pleasant resort for hundreds of people during the various holidays of 

 the year. Most of those who have been into the valley, either on 

 business or on pleasure, have entered it at the foot and proceeded no 

 further than Luddenden or Booth ; or at the head, and have confined 

 themselves to the neighbourhood of Castle Carr, and the Halifax 

 Corporation reservoirs immediately above that place : leaving the 

 middle of the valley unexplored. No doubt the principal reason for 

 this is the fact that the roads between Luddenden and Castle Carr 

 are none of the best, even for pedestrians, whilst to those who travel 

 in vehicles, they present many difficulties, not the least of which is 

 that a portion, being only a bridle-stye, can only be travelled in 

 vehicles by favour. The valley, however, has natural beauties and 

 attractions, which make it worth the while to lovers of these to risk 

 all the difficulties consequent on its exploration ; and, perhaps, a 

 short description of it will not prove unacceptable to both the 

 residents in the valley itself, and to the inhabitants of the parish at 

 large. I shall, however, confine my remarks to the middle and upper 

 portion of the valley, from Booth to Fly-flats. On leaving Booth 

 we should take the road on the Midgley side of the valley, by 

 Catherine House and Harrowbutlee : on this road we soon see Holme 

 House, a large residence situated in the bottom of the valley, which 

 above this point becomes very lovely, being much wooded. On the 



