244 



NOTE — GEOLOGY. 



interest in Sir Ralpli's eftbrts to domesticate this beautiful duck. 

 He now has nearly twenty couple of them, all either old birds which 

 have nested, or else young ones, which are pretty sure to do so. 

 Sir Ralph has been at great trouble to domesticate Teal and Pintail 

 in the same way, but without any success, and he assures us that he 

 considers it perfectly useless attempting to induce wild caught water- 

 fowl (excepting the common Wild Duck) to nest in confinement. 

 Sir Ralph has some capital instantaneous photographs at Thirkleby 

 of his wild-fowl, and has even done a tame Falcon soaring overhead 

 with such accuracy that even a broken feather in one of her wings is 

 distinctly visible, and he hopes in due course to obtain one of a 

 Falcon in the act of stooping at a Pheasant or Rook — a by no 

 means impossible feat when we consider what wonderful command 

 Sir Ralph had established over the Hawk which he flew before the 

 members. 



About seven o'clock the members drove to Thirsk Junction, 

 highly pleased with their day's enjoyment. 



NOTE— GEOLOGY. 



Dedication of a Boulder Stone.— The Queen, as is locally well- 

 known, is Countess of Sadberge, and the inhabitants of this interesting village 

 determined that one part of their jubilee proceedings should be the dedication of 

 a large boulder. A short and impressive service was held at the village church, 

 from whence Mr. Wooler, J. P., of Sadberge Hall, escorted by the local yeomanry, 

 proceeded to the village green, where the boulder has been placed. The Rev. 

 J, W. Baron, rector of Sadberge, gave a short sketch of the history of Sadberge, 

 saying that in former days it was a place of much importance ; Richard Coeur de 

 Lion was Count of Sadberge, and being inspired with a religious furore to join 

 the Crusades, sold the countships and lordships of Sadberge, with the King's 

 Castle, to Bishop Pudsey of Durham for ;^i4,ooo. From thenceforth till 1836 

 the countships of Sadberge attached to the Bishops of Durham, when in that year, 

 by the property of this See being taken from the ecclesiastics, the countship reverted 

 to the Crown. Thus William IV became Count of Sadberge, the title of Countess 

 being now held by Her Majesty. Mr. Wooler then unveiled the stone, and gave 

 a very interesting outline of the glacial period, by which means the block was now 

 at Sadberge. The following song, ' All Round the Boulder Stone,.' composed by 

 the Rev. R. M. Moorsom, formerly rector of Sadberge, was then heartily sung. 

 We have not space for more than one stanza, which runs as follows : — 



Hail to the stone that in triumph advances 



Forth from his bed in the sand and the clay ; 

 Gather around him with song and with dances, 

 Welcome the monster to light and to day. 

 Hail to our mighty stone ! 

 Fit for a monarch's throne I 

 Ages and ages he's lived all alone. 



The Hussars fired a feu-de-joie over the stone, thus completing the ceremony. 

 Upon the stone a brass plate is affixed, with an inscription relating to the circum- 

 stances of its discovery and dedication. Details of the above boulder have been 

 furnished by Dr. R. Taylor Manson, of Darlington, to the Yorkshire Boulder 

 Committee, by whom they have been passed, and already forwarded to the 

 Secretary of the Boulder Committee of the British Association, who has warmly 

 acknowledged the same. These particulars will shortly appear in the N'atiu-alist. 



Naturalist, 



