97 



THE 1CE=B0RNE BOULDERS OF YORKSHIRE. 



J. H. HOWARTH., J. P.. F.G.S. 



Halifax. 



At the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Naturahsts' Union in 

 1906, it was decided on its own recommendation to re-christen 

 the Yorkshire Boulder Committee, and to call it in future 

 ' The Glacial Committee.' The alteration did not effect much 

 change in the constitution of the Committee, but was intended 

 theoretically to broaden the basis of research, and practicahy 

 to make the title more accurately describe the work to which 

 the members had of recent years devoted their principal atten- 

 tion. 



After twenty years of active research, the present seems a 

 fitting time to review the work of the Boulder Committee''', 

 and to present the results in a more condensed form than the 

 long and scattered series of reports afford. 



It falls to the lot of the present writer, therefore, to under- 

 take this duty, as the last and only survivor of the four Honor- 

 ary Secretaries since the Committee was formed. His three 

 predecessors, Mr. Samuel A. Adamson, Mr. Samuel Chad wick, 

 and Mr. Thomas Tate have all passed over to the majority. 



On the 23rd November, 1886, in response to a circular 

 issued by Mr. S. A. Adamson, a meeting was held in the 

 Mechanics' Institute, Leeds, and the Yorkshire Boulder Com- 

 mittee was then duly formed, and has been in active work 

 ever since. 



During these twenty years the whole county has been 

 exa.mined, and much of it again and again. It will probably be 

 correct to say that there is hardly an acre of ground, certainly 

 not a square mile, within the county, which has not been 

 searched for traces of glacial phenomena by members of the 

 Committee, and others interested in their behalf. The open 

 moors and fells, the peaceful valleys, the secluded glens and 

 wild mountain gorges have all been hunted. Railway cuttings, 

 trenches for waterworks, deep borings, drainage operations, 

 brick works, building foundations, in short, sections of all 

 kinds (many made for the purpose) , have been noted and 

 watched with patient and persistent care. 



In addition to this, many excursions have been made out- 



* For a detailed account of this Committee's work, see ' The Yorkshire 

 Boulder Committee and its work : a Retrospect,' by T. Sheppard, ' Nat.', 

 1902, pp. 217-222. 



iq)S March i 



' G , 



