6 pr/M the Yorkshire Naturalists'' 



lovely spot known as Blake Lee, and which concluded with 

 these words, "There is a petrifying well just behind the 

 house." "Just behind the house " turned out to be across 

 half-a-dczen fields, necessitating climbing over three stone 

 walls, and three gates specially spiked to tear one's clothes. 

 Then one had to stride over a waterfall and seizing hold 

 of the end of a wall give a judicious swing to the other 

 side, and drop a few feet to the bank of a merry 

 gambolling brock. This had to be crossed by wading, 

 and then was reached a grassy bank amid the verdure of 

 which was trickling the petrifying water. This was the 

 well : nothing to look at, at first, but which repays exami- 

 nation. The water, strongly impregnated with carbonate 

 of iron, percolates the grassy bank, and the result is that 

 the whole of it, though locking soft as any other grassy 

 bank, is already half turned into ironstone, and is hard as 

 rock. Many of the naturalists brought specimens away, 

 as a memento of the one solitary grass bank which, when 

 the denudation about it has done its work, will in years 

 to ccme be a huge ironstone rock. We went back to 

 Blake Lee by keeping to the banks of the brook, enjoying 

 the walk much better than the gate climbing and the 

 jumping by the way we took when looking for "just be- 

 hind the house." 



In the evening the various sections of the Union held 

 meetings, and compared notes as to what had been ob- 

 served on the excursions. Societies from the following 

 places were represented : — Huddersfield, Dewsbury, 

 Heckmondwike, Ovenden, Elland, Honley, Bradford, 

 Leeds, Greetland, Liversedge ; in all fourteen societies 

 were represented. Afterwards there was a general 

 meeting, presided over by Professor W. C. Williamson, 

 F.E S., the president of the Uaion. Some formal resolu- 

 tions were duly submitted to the " contest of the eyes and 

 nose," and the " ayes" had it all their own way. 



Mr. Thos. Hick, B.A., B.Sc, of Hairogate, was then 

 called upon to give the report cf the sub-committee upon 

 the address to be presented to Dr. Darwin on the fiftieth 

 anniversary of the issue of his great work. Mr. Hick 

 said : G-entlemen, In accordance with the instructions 

 given at the Boston Spa meeting, we have considered the 

 best form the address should take, and the other matters 

 connected with it. We are prepared to recommend the 

 Union to have it printed, or engrossed on a parchment 

 sheet, put into a neat Morocco case, and then handed over 

 to Dr. Darwin, either by a small deputation, or in some 

 other way most convenient to Dr. Darwin himself. We 

 do not think it wise to call upon the Union to pay the cost 

 of this, and we have got together a few subscriptions 

 which will enable us to get the address up in a neat and 

 simple manner worthy of the occasion. The committee 

 have also to suggest that you appoint another committee, 



