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YORKSHIRE NATURALISTS AT COXWOLD 

 AND KILBURN. 



Rev. T. AINSWORTH BRODE, B.A., 



Vica.7- of St. John's, York. 



The Whit-Monday Excursion of the Yorkshire Naturalists' 

 Union is generally a popular and well-attended outing-, and this 

 year's fixture was no exception to the rule. Those who were 

 not deterred by the doubtful character of the weather had their 

 reward in a very enjoyable day. The weather was not perfect, 

 but a mackintosh and a pair of stout boots were provision 

 enough to make against the one or two heavy showers which 

 were the only really unpleasant features of the day. As our 

 worthy President said, ' Think what it might have been ! ' 

 Then again, beyond the natural beauties of the locality and 

 apart from the objects of varying interest to members as 

 naturalists, there was the added pleasure of seemg the pretty 

 village of Coxwold, the fine church with its octagonal tower, 

 and the house where Laurence Sterne wrote 'Tristram Shandy' 

 in 1758 ; and to some of the party the no less pleasure of visiting 

 Byland Abbey (which was built about 1180 a.d. by some monks 

 who originally came from the Abbey of Furness), the ruins of 

 which are even now of great beauty. On these and other points 

 of antiquarian interest those who were able to spend the week-end 

 in the neighbourhood scored considerably. 



The main body of naturalists, under the able guidance of Mr. 

 J. Richardson, went by a pathway behind the village of Coxwold 

 across the fields and into the lane by Kilburn Thicket to 

 Oldstead. There they parted into two divisions, one of which 

 went to Scotch Corner and on to Roulston Scar, returning to 

 Coxwold via Kilburn ; and the other, reinforced at Oldstead by 

 some entomologists and belated botanists, went up Oldstead 

 Bank, and finding the time short, made for Coxwold by the lane 

 between Oldstead and High Kilburn, joining the returning 

 geologists just outside Kilburn village. 



Mr. T. W. Woodhead, F.L.S., reported that the botanists 

 had an excellent day, but it soon became evident that the time 

 at their disposal was all too short to examine in detail the large 

 and interesting tracts of country included in the excursion. In 

 consequence of this fact attention was largely confined to the 

 hedgerows, which proved luxuriant and varied, and well repaid 

 research. After leaving the station, where a fine patch oi 



1902 September i. 



