DAVIS: EXCURSION TO HOLDERNESS. 
271 
a very pretty sight. The sandy soil of the headland affords nourish- 
ment to several species of plants and long grass. The latter was 
interspersed with lovely patches of pink and yellow flowers ; rare 
and beautiful butterflies hovered about ; and the tern or sea swallow 
gliding, fish in mouth, towards its offspring nestled in the sand, 
presented an extremely interesting picture. 
On Monday morning the party proceeded to Hornsea, a summer 
resort for the people of Hull. It is situated on the coast, and the 
country in its neighbourhood is constituted of the stiff glacial clays 
and gravels characteristic of the whole of Holderness from the chalk 
of Bridlington to the Humber. The country is slightly undulating ; 
little rounded hills of gravel rising from an otherwise unbroken level 
of small valleys. The lower parts of the country were, until com- 
paratively recent times, covered by inland lakes, connected with one 
another, and ramifying in every direction. The construction of 
large drains and the general drainage of the surface has run off the 
water, and where was formerly a series of lakes and bogs, there is 
now a rich soil producing abundant harvests. An example of the 
old fresh- water lake still remains in Hornsea Mere, about half-a-mile 
from the shore, and from the point of view indicated it is peculiarly 
interesting. It is about a mile in length, and its deeper parts are 
below the level of the sea. Having inspected the lake, the members 
w^ere driven to Skipsea, a distance of five miles, where they were 
met by Mr. Thomas Boynton, of Ulrome Grange, and the guidance 
of the party for the remainder of the day was relegated to his hands. 
Proceeding to the shore at Whithowe, Mr. Boynton pointed out 
the site of one of the ancient lakes already mentioned. It originally 
extended far out to sea, and was of such extent and importance that 
Edward L, the lord of the manor, granted a tithe of fish to Robert de 
Chester in 1288. At present it is exposed in the cliff section, occupy- 
ing a hollow in the surrounding glacial till or clay. Its principal 
characteristic consists in the thick beds of peat, w^hich occupy and 
fill up the hollow. The peat has been formed by the gradual accumu- 
lation of vegetable matter at the bottom of the lake, and in some 
instances is nearly pure carbonaceous matter, proving that the influx 
of water bearing earthly matter in suspension was a circumstance of 
