NATURAL HISTORY AT ANSTON STONES. 



261 



amnicum (numerous), P. fontinale (numerous), Anodonta anatina (plentiful), 

 Neritina fliiviatilis (one), Bythinia tentaculata and Valvata piscinalis (both 

 plentiful), Planorbis albiis (a few), P. vortex, P. carinaitis, Physa foiitmalis, and 

 Linmcsa pereg7'a (all in plenty), and a few small L. stagnalis. Of other water 

 shells were found Ancylus fiitviatilis in the Stones Dyke at Wood Mill, and Mr. 

 W. Eagle Clarke, F.L.S., brought a large Anodonta cygnea from Harthill pond. 

 The slugs were Avion ater, A. ho7'tens2s, and Liuiax agrestis, both at Kiveton and 

 Anston. The land shells which were obtained, both at Kiveton Park and at 

 Anston Stones, were Vitrina peltucida, Zonites cellarius, Z. nitidnlics, Z. 

 ciystallinus, Z. piwiis (one, Anston), Helix acideata (Kiveton), H. nemoralis, 

 H. Jiortensis, H. concinna, H. hispida, H. pulchella (Kiveton), H. rottmdata, Pupa 

 tunbilicata, Vertigo minittissiina (Kiveton), Clansilia rugosa, Zna Inbrica^ and 

 Achatina aciatla (Kiveton). 



For the Entomological section, Mr. G. T. Porritt, F.L.S., of Huddersfield, its 

 president, reported that only a few common species had been observed, and 

 Herbida cespitalis was the only one in any abundance. It was in fine condition 

 and very variable. 



For the Botanical section the report was given by Mr. P. F. Lee, Dewsbury, 

 one of the Secretaries of the section, to the following effect. The first excursion 

 of the year is generally on too early a date for much to be done in botany. One of 

 the botanical parties took a twelve-mile round in the opposite direction to Anston, 

 skirting the three or four natural-like sheets of water beyond Harthill, and so on to 

 Shireoaks. Near this busy mining village, the party paused to examine what they 

 believed to be the old ' Shire ' Oak, a massive, hollow, dead bole, bound with 

 hoop iron, and situate on the point of junction of three counties, Derby, 

 Nottingham, and York. On the way some pretty scenery was enjoyed, and 

 many fiiirly good plants, either in flower or sufficiently advanced from the baby 

 state to swear by, were gathered. One charming pastoral vale (it alone repaying 

 the long and rather tiring walk), fringed to the right and to the left with bleached 

 limestone crags, standing in relief against the sombre spreading arms of the yew, 

 with its trout-stream meandering along, yielded good flowering specimens of 

 Erophila vulgaris DC, Viola odorata (both blue and white varieties), Primtila 

 veris^ one of the hybrids {P. variabilis Goupil) often taken for the true Oxlip of the 

 south-eastern counties, Daphne lattreola, and Lanmun ainplexicaule. The first 

 and the last just named (the Vernal Whitlow-grass, and the Henbit Deadnettle), 

 along with Veronica agrestis, sub-species polita Fries, and Lithospermum arvense, 

 in bloom too, were growing happily together, within a two-feet radius, on the 

 sloping bank of the last one of the picturesque lakelets visited, where the 

 wearied botanists and ornithologists laid themselves down to smoke the pipe of 

 peace and to note the continued plash of leaping trout. On a limestone cliff, 

 near a badger's hole (for his footprints were visible), Aspleniiim adiantinii-nigruni, 

 and young plants of Ploughman's Spikenard {Inula conyza) were observed, while 

 in a copse hard by there vi^ere great patches of the fertile fronds of Equisetwn 

 arvense, and of that fleshy root-parasite, Lathrcea squatnaria, and a large colony 

 of that delicious fungus the Morel {Morchella esculentd). Not the least enjoyable 

 feature of the day was the profuse blossoming, in every hedgerow, of the Sloe and 

 the Bullace {Prmms spinosa and P. insititid). At Anston Crags Cystopteris 

 fragilis was gathered. The total number of Phanerogams and higher Cryptogams 

 of the London Catalogue, reached 127. The Rev. Hilderic Friend, M.A., F.L.S., 

 of Worksop, supplemented Mr. Lee's report by giving a list of the micro-fungi 

 which he had observed, viz. : — ALciditwi compositarwn var. lapsani, AL. 

 ranunculacearum, AL. urticcz, Uredo potentillaruni, Puccinia anemojtis, P. uinbelli- 

 ferarum, Trichobasis lapsance, Erysiphe graminis, ' Pero7tospo?-a schleideniana^ P. 

 parasitica, P. ficarice, Pj'oto/Jiyces ari, and Uroniyces ficarice. 



The report of the Geological section was given by one of its Secretaries, Mr. S. 

 A. Adamson, F.G.S., of Leeds, who stated that the members of the section had had 

 a most practical and valuable field-day. They had as their leader Dr. Clifton 

 Sorby, F.R.S., of Sheffield, and had facilities afforded and kindness shown by the 

 proprietors of the Kiveton Park and the Shireoaks Collieries. Arriving at Kiveton 

 Park station, a waggonette conveyed the geologists to the first-named collieries, 

 passing on the way the fault by which the Rotherham red rock is brought against 



June 1885. 



