Yorkshire Naturalists at Clitheroe. 
227 
Stonyhurst College, five miles from Whalley, in Lancashire, to 
which reference is made by Mr. Bisat, comprises a series of magnificent 
buildings, erected at different dates, commencing with an old Elizabethan 
mansion built in 1596. The latter afterwards became the first home of 
the English Jesuits, and to-day the College is the principal seat of 
Roman Catholic learning in this country. The Union is indebted to the 
Rector for his kindness in granting permission for members to inspect 
the contents of the College museum and library. The library contains 
a collection of more than 30,000 volumes, including many valuable 
illuminated and. other manuscripts, early examples of the art of printing 
represented by Caxton’s work, and other rare Volumes of historical value. 
Among the contents of the museum may be mentioned, as a matter of 
special interest to Yorkshire Naturalists, Waterton’s collection of birds. 
The scientific life of the College is evident in many ways ; the buildings 
include an observatory equipped with magnetic and astronomical 
instruments, and the natural history of the district has been particularly 
well worked for many years by members of its teaching staff. 
By Saturday, representatives of other Sections of the Union had 
arrived, including the President (Dr. T. W. Woodhead), most of whom 
joined the geologists in an excursion to Langho, for Dinckley Hall and 
Sale Wheel (in the Ribble). On the following day, while the geologists 
were investigating Pendle Hill, the zoologists and botanists visited 
Browsholme, via Bashall Caves, by the courteous permission of Col. 
John Parker, C.B., F.S.A. On this occasion the party, under the leader- 
ship of the President, was fortunate in having the services of Mr. Michael 
Demain, a local botanist with a good knowledge of the ornithology of 
the district. The thanks of all who joined that excursion are due to 
Mr. Wright (Col. Parker’s Head Keeper) and to his wife, who, at re- 
markably short notice, provided a brew of tea when it was badly needed. 
The district is rich botanically, as well as in bird life, at the right time 
of the year ; but the late cold season had visibly retarded the development 
of flowering plants, and migrants were lqte. In the President’s report 
with regard to flowering plants, he says, ‘ This excursion was under the 
guidance of Mr. Demain. Most of the time was spent beyond the county 
boundary, but the day around Bashall provided a good opportunity ' of 
seeing the extensive pasturelands of this region. Here the solid geology 
is extensively masked by boulder clay, and this, together with the 
high rainfall, is reflected on the vegetation. Arable land is conspicu- 
ously absent, the rushy pastures suggest defective drainage, and the 
conspicuous tree is the Alder, which grows luxuriantly along road and 
field sides, and during our visit, bearing an unusual load of catkins. 
The heathy banks of the old lane leading to Bashall woods were richly 
clothed with old fronds of the Hard -fern, suggesting a wealth of growth 
rarely seen by our members. Bashall Woods are extensive coniferous 
plantations on an old heath ground flora. Here and there are occasional 
sphagnum bogs, the mosses entangled in a net of Cranberry. A pleasant 
surprise from the general wintry aspect of the vegetation awaited us on 
approaching the edge of a large cwm-like hollow on the stream bank, 
which was covered by an extensive carpet of Daffodil in full flower. 
On the hedge banks and lanes, a few orchids and the hairy violet were 
sending up their leaves. Adoxa was sparingly in bloom and the primrose 
opening its first flower.’ 
No observations of outstanding interest were made with regard to 
the cryptogamic flora of the distr.ct, although it was evident that the 
rocky bed of the Hodder would well repay examination for its mosses 
and hepatics. 
Few fungi were seen. The trees, on the whole, presented a particularly 
healthy appearance, and parasitic polypores were rarely observed. The 
Ash is abundant, and occasional trees were found to be suffering from 
canker due to a Pyrenomycete, usually referred to Nectvia ditissima Tul., 
1922 July l 
