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THE YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS' UNION 

 IN UPPER NIDDERDALE. 



The sixty-third meeting was planned for the investigation of the upper part of 

 the lovely valley of the Nidd, including the uniquely picturesque and interesting 

 scenery of the How Stean Beck. Every facility was afforded by Mr. George 

 Metcalfe, Mr. T. E. Yorke, and Mr. W. Harker for members to visit their estates, 

 and the first-named gentleman and a number of other Pateley Bridge friends 

 favoured the Union with their presence and co-operation during the day. The 

 scene of the excursion being eight miles from Pateley Bridge, the nearest railway 

 station, waggonettes were engaged to convey the party, which was about fifty in 

 number. The weather was fine throughout the day, and the excursion most 

 enjoyable. The main body of the members explored the valleys of How Stean 

 and the Blayshaw Beck, while a small party, ignoring the latter, passed through 

 How Stean and went forward to Goydon Pot and Manchester Hole, and found 

 that the latter was capacious enough to swallow up the whole of the waters of 

 Nidd, leaving none to go down Goydon Pot, which could in consequence be 

 entered for some distance. All the parties returned to Pateley Bridge in the 

 afternoon for the. tea and meetings, which were held at the King's Arms Inn. 

 Full justice was done to a most excellently provided meal, after which the sections 

 dispatched their business. 



The general meeting was held at 5.15 p.m. In the absence of the president, 

 who had fully intended being present, the Rev. William Fowler, M.A., an ex- 

 president, occupied the chair. The minutes having been accepted as read, several 

 new members were elected, viz : — Mr. George Metcalfe, J.P., Castlestead, Mr.W. C. 

 Clarkson, Pateley Bridge, Mr. R. Whincup, Pateley Bridge, Mr. John Trickett, 

 Dacre Banks, and Mr. Naughton, Harrogate. The Harrogate and District Naturalists' 

 Society was then admitted into the Union, after which the roll-call showed that nine 

 societies were represented, viz: — Bradford (Nat. Soc), Dewsbury, Leeds (3), 

 Liversedge, Ripon, Harrogate, and the Practical Naturalists' Society. The 

 election of a delegate to the British Association meeting was then made : it was 

 resolved to elect Mr. C. P. Hobkirk, F. L. S. , and in the event of his inability to 

 attend, that the Rev. E. P. Knubley, M.A., be appointed. Thanks were then 

 voted unanimously to the gentlemen of the district who had so generously co- 

 operated in the excursion, on the motion of the Rev. R. A. Summerfield, seconded 

 by Mr. A. Craig-Christie, F.L.S., of Edinburgh, secretary to the Scottish Natural 

 History Club, by whose presence during the day the Botanical section had greatly 

 profited. Mr. Metcalfe responded to the vote. The sectional reports were then taken. 



In the absence of the secretary (Mr. J. Backhouse) the Rev. E. P. Knubley, 

 M.A., presented the report of the Vertebrate section. During the afternoon 4 

 mammals were observed, including the Long-tailed Field Mouse and the Red 

 Field Vole. The members of this section had no opportunity of observing the 

 various species of Bats in which the valley is so rich. Of the 90 species of birds 

 which breed annually within its limits no less than 56 were observed by different 

 members of the section. Of these, 32 were residents, and included the Goldcrest, 

 Long-tailed Tit, Creeper, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, and Kingfisher ; and 24 

 were summer visitants, among which were the Ring Ousel, Dipper, Wheat ear, 

 Redstart (common), Chiffchaff, Willow Wren, Wood Wren, Grasshopper Warbler, 

 Yellow Wagtail, Pied Flycatcher, Sand Martin (in far greater abundance than 

 either the Swallow or Martin), Swift, Land Rail (nesting near Pateley Bridge), 

 Golden Plover, Common Sandpiper, and Curlew. Of reptiles only the Slow-worm 

 was noted ; and 5 of the 7 species of fish known to occur in Nidderdale were 

 added to the list. These together made a total of 66 vertebrate animals observed 

 during the day, not including Homo sapiens ; who seemed to have enjoyed himself 

 very much. Mr. Knubley added that so admirably complete a list had been framed 

 from the researches of Mr. Storey, that the section entirely failed to add any species 

 to it, in pursuance of what is always their laudable endeavour. 



For the Conchological section its secretary, Mr. John Emmet, F.L.S., reported 

 that only about a dozen species had been found during the day, owing to the dry- 

 ness of the season. One of these was, however, a very good addition to the 

 published list, Azeca tridens, a species which is partial to limestone soils. This 



Aug. 1886. 



