FIELD MEETINGS, 1950 
55 
where extensive lead mining and prospecting had taken place dniing 
the 18th and 19th centuries. The vegetation Avas much affected by the 
nibbling of rabbits and the gravelly spoil heaps associated Avith the old 
lead mines supported a considerable amount of Arenaria verna L., 
Avliich is a characteristic species in such habitats, and Viola lutea Huds. 
Avas an abundant associate along Avith a small amount of Viola lutea 
var. amoe)ia Hensl. Other species noted include: — F^arnassla palus- 
tris L., (Jultatii saxatile L., 0. puinilum Murr., Euphrasia nemorosa 
(Peis.) H. Mart., and E. confusa Pugsl. forma albida Pugsl. 
Several members of the party Ausited the nearby Harborough Hocks 
tluring the morning to check upon certain records for Eieracia which 
appear in Linton’s Flora. Of those mentioned, only H. Lachenalii 
C. C. Gmelin could be found. Pimpinella major (L.) Huds. and var. 
rosea (Koch) l)ruce Avere both observed on the edge of an arable field 
between Carsington Pasture and Harborough Rocks. 
On reassembling at the coach, the ])arty proceeded to the entrance 
to Biggin Dale Avhere lunch Avas eaten. Unfortunately the Aveather 
became very Avet and seriously curtailed actiAuties during the after- 
noon. In spite of this, many of the members Avalked through the dale 
and saw a flora typical of both calcareous grassland and calcareous 
scrub. The grassland slopes supported’ a flora in which Folygala 
serpylii folia Hose, F. vvJgaHs L., Silerie nutans L., Hypericum mon- 
tanuni L., Alchemilla vestita (Buser) Raunk., Fimpinella Saxifraga L., 
F. Saxifraga var. dissecta With., Ilieracium Lachenalii C. C. Gmelin, 
Euphrasia brevipila Burn. & Gremli, E. nemorosa (Pers.) H. Mart., 
Verbascum Thapsus L., Stachys officinalis (Jv.) Trev., Orchis mascvla 
(L.) L., Carex caryophyllea Latourr., C. flacca Schreb., Trisetum flaves- 
cens (L.) BeauA^, Helictotrichon pratense (L.) Pilger and Brachypodiuin 
sylvaticum (Huds.) Beauv. Avere noted. 
The scrub zone on the east side of the valley contained some of the 
above-mentioned species together with Fubus conjungens (Bab.) W. 
Wats., Epipactis Helleborine (L.) Crantz, Tamus communis L. and Con- 
rallaria majalis L. The most interesting find was made on the broken 
ground immediately to the north of the scrub, and consisted of a small 
quantity of Galcopsis Ladanuni L., a plant Avhich had never previously 
been recorded for the dale, and one Avhich is a rarity for the county 
as a Avhole. Members had tea at the NeAvhaven House Hotel at the 
conclusion of the afternoon’s Avork. 
Sunday, 16th July. 
Forty members and friends took part in the Sunday excursions and 
traAmlled by ])rivate coach and cars to Coombs Dale on the north slopes 
of Longstone Edge. Heav^y rainstorms during the morning again made 
observation and collecting difficult. In spite of this a Avide range of 
calcicolous species was seen in this dale AA'here extensive stretches of 
grassland and scrub are to be found. The scrub yielded Malva 
moschata L., Fubus vestif us Weihe Nees, F. Hystrix Weihe, F. saxa- 
filis L., Jnula Oony~.n T)C., Campanula Trachelium L., Myosotis sylvatica 
