BOOKS AND MAPS.— The whole area is included in Sheets 78, 79, 87, 
and 88 of the One- Inch Ordnance Map, which may be obtained geologically 
coloured. Lankester's "Account of Askern and its Mineral Springs" (1842), 
contains a sketch of its geology (p.p. 34 — 50, with coloured map), botany (pp. 
50 — 57), and zoology (pp. 54 72). What later information there appears to 
be is at pp. 212, 220, 374 of Davis and Lees' "West Yorkshire," also in Lees' 
" Flora of West Yorkshire." Copies of the circular of the meeting held at Askern 
15th June, 1893, may still be had from the Secretary, price 3d., and full details of 
the observations then made will be found in the "Naturalist" for 1893, pp. 
283 — 293. See also circular for the meeting lield at Askern on May 28th, 1886. 
HEADQUARTERS.— Askern Spa Hydro. 
ROUTES.— 
T. — Askern to Campsall, Kirk-Smeaton, Litlle-Smeaton. This route will 
traverse interesting country for Botanists, Entomologists, and Geologists. 
II. — Askern to Burgwallis and Ovvston. Also interesting to all naturalists. 
HI. — Smeaton Crags, etc. Members arriving at Kirk-Smeaton Station will do 
well to investigate the country bordering the River Went, and the Crags. 
Afterwards joining route I. at Little-Smeaton. 
IV. — Geologists (see Mr. Culpin's notes). 
Leaders will be found for all routes. 
PERMISSION to visit their properties has been kindly granted by 
F. Bacon Frank, Esq., Campsall Hall; G. T. B. Yarborough, Esq., Campsmount. 
GEOLOGY. — The Geological Section will be officially represented by 
its President, Mr. Cosmo Johns, F.G.S., and Messrs. H. Culpin and H. H. Corbett. 
Mr. Culpin writes : — Askern is a good centre for the examination of the 
Permian Rocks, and the recent deposits of the southern extension of the Vale of 
York. 
The recent deposits may be seen in the low lying lands on the east side of the 
district. There are several clay pits showing sections of blue warp. Peat beds are 
also numerous. On Rusby Moor, half-a-mile south-east of the town, the soil 
literally teems with a great variety of land and freshwater shells {PlanoTbis, 
Limncea, Hyalina, Helix, etc., etc). These lie, conveniently for the collector, 
and conspicious by their whiteness, on the dark peaty mole-hills that dot the surface. 
It is, however, to the Permian series, and to some gravel pits lying on the 
same that the attention of members present at the meeting will be more particularly 
invited. The Permian Rocks are here divided into the Upper Magnesian Lime- 
stone, on which Askern is built ; the Middle Marl, which is crossed by the 
•charming field-path leading westward to Campsall (one mile) ; and the Lower 
Magnesian Limestone west of Campsall. In the Hampole Gorge, three miles 
south-west of Campsall, the Middle Coal Measures may be seen underlying the 
Lower Magnesian Limestone. 
The Upper Magnesian Limestone is, as a rule, thin bedded and flaggy. 
In colour it varies from dull white to yellowish. A few miles further south, the 
top beds of the Upper Magnesian Limestone are fossiliferous, and it is hoped the 
same beds may be traced at this meeting. 
The Middle Marl is red, with occasional mottled bands. It contains beds of 
gypsum, and thin layers of fine sand-stone and lime-stone. 
The Lower Limestone is thick bedded and similar in colour to the Upper 
Limestone, except that some of it is more yellow and it more frequently contains 
black specks. It varies considerably in hardness. The bottom beds are fossiliferous, 
and near Hampole they yield large and fine specimens of Schizodus. 
One of the "problems" of the district occurs in a large gravel pit to the 
south-west of the town. There are beds of sand on the denuded surface of which 
reposes a great thickness of coarse Magnesian Limestone Gravel, ranging from 
large sub-angular blocks to well-rounded small pebbles. At the Askern Meeting 
in 1893, Professor P. F. Kendall " expressed the opinion that the sandstone was 
probably of Permian age, and that the gravels were produced by the action of 
streams flowing over the Magnesian Limestone, during the Glacial period." (Mr. 
J. W. Stather's report, the Naiuralisi, October, 1893). 
At Buighwallis, 1$ miles south-west by west of Askern is another gravel pit 
of well-rounded Magnesian Limestone Pebbles. 
