Yorkshire Xaturnlists at Hampole. 



381 



The botanists found the rains of the previous two or three 

 days inadequate to repair the damage done to the wild flowers 

 by the long-continuous drought. The most interesting plant 

 found was Veronica montana — a highland species of the speed- 

 well. It was notable also that throughout the district the 

 ordinary germander speedwell is almost entirely supplanted by 

 the Veronica Toiiyniortii — a foreigner which had doubtless been 

 imported with corn seed. A rare medick [Medicago denticidata) 

 was also discovered, which probably had a similar history of 

 importation. In a wood b}^ the roadside was ploughman's 

 spikenard, and in the hedgerows, in beautiful flower, the white 

 bryon}^ — a lovely and delicate plant seldom venturing off the 

 Magnesian Limestone. Here and there were fine heads of the 

 beautiful Campanula glomerata, and the rich purple blossoms 

 of the musk thistle made a feature of special beauty. The 

 wild mignonette was noted, and the great hedge bedstraw 

 (Galium Molliigo) vv'as also seen in flower. It was unexpected, 

 howerer, that no orchis but the spotted species should be 

 visible, though this was found in many varieties of colour from 

 pure white to deep purple. The milk vetch [Astragalhis 

 glycyphyllos) was another interesting and characteristic plant, 

 which it was a pleasure to see. The rarest find of the da}^ was 

 a rush- -J uncus compressus — which constituted a new record 

 for the district. 



The ornithologists had a pleasant da}' in the woodlands. 

 Although the district is one where game-preserving is followed 

 with the utmost stringency, and everything is sacrificed to the 

 sacred pheasant and partridge, it was interesting to ascertain 

 that not all the eft'orts of the game keepers had been able quite 

 to exterminate the birds of prey, for the sparrowhawk and the 

 kestrel were observed. The turtle-dove, which finds in that 

 locality its most northerly range, was heard, but the rnost 

 interesting sight to the students of bird life coming from the 

 north was the long-tailed tits. In Bolton Woods and other 

 good West Yorkshire centres of observation, a sight of the bird 

 is an event of note. Here in the neighbourhood of Hampole 

 they seemed common, and Mr. W. H. Parkin spent a consider- 

 able time in the close observation of three large family parties, 

 and of a family of marsh tits. The spotted fly-catcher was 

 ubiquitous. The cuckoo was also heard, despite the old rhyme 

 which terminates its ' tune ' in the middle of June ; altogether 

 about 35 species of birds were observed. The absence of 



1908 October i. 



B 2 * 



