Messrs. C. F. Procter and S. H. Smith, F.Z.S., will lead the Vertebrate 
Zoologists ; Messrs. R. D’Oyley Good, M.A. and T. Stainforth, B.A., B.Sc., 
will act as guides for the Botany and Entomology Sections. 
THE DISTRICT. — Mr. S. H. Smith writes : — The village is situated 
some ten miles South East of York, and three miles from Riccall Station on 
the L. & N.E.R. main line. The old stone built Church of St. Helen em- 
bodies many styles of architecture, early Norman and Perpendicular, and 
has a Saxon tower. There is some ancient glass and other remains of 
antiquarian interest. Skipwith Hall is a fine brick -built mansion of Queen 
Anne period. 
The common is an extensive tract of sandy land with a veneer of peat ; 
much of it in an almost primeval state, well covered with coarse grasses, 
heather and bracken, with woodland areas chiefly composed of larch, pine 
trees and birches. The expanse is generally flat and is only a few feet 
above sea level. 
There are numerous marshy places and ponds long famous among 
naturalists as a happy hunting ground for specimens of their various interests. 
Near the village some mounds are known as Dane Hills and there are also 
some tumuli of early British origin. The Rivers Derwent and Ouse are 
quite near, and both have close association with the mediaeval history of 
the neighbourhood, Riccall in particular being remembered as the base 
of the invading armies which culminated in the battle of Stamford Bridge, 
1066 a.d . Two miles distant lies East Cottingwith, the birthplace and 
home of the late Snowden Slights, the well-known old wildfowler whose 
notes of bird life of the Derwent Valley have been duly recorded in his 
biography. 
GEOLOGY. — Mr. J. W. Stather, F.G.S., writes — -The area of this 
excursion is mapped as Keuper Marls, but very little solid rock can be seen 
owing to the widespread superficial deposits, consisting of warp, lacustrine 
clay, sand and gravel. These deposits cover nearly the whole surface 
between York and the Humber forming the great plain west of the Wolds, 
which is only broken by the low hills about York, and the morrianic ridge 
running through Escrick, and the isolated hill of Holme-on-Spalding Moor. 
This hill which is composed of Keuper Marl, rises out of the fiats to a height 
of 150 feet above sea level, and forms a conspicuous object in the landscape. 
The gravels which cap the hill are mostly composed of material from the 
west, while those on its flanks are generally local rocks. The geological 
interest of this excursion lies in the examination of these gravels, and 
similar deposits in the area, and the determination of the conditions under 
which they were deposited. 
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY.— Mr. S. H. Smith supplies the following 
notes : — The common abounds with all the usual resident and summer 
visiting birds, and at the date of the excursion even the latest visiting 
species will have arrived, although it is too early to expect to witness any 
of their nesting. The chief feature is the colony of Black -Headed Gulls 
now established for many years. The number fluctuates considerably, 
probably because of the difficulty of food supply, this causing the gulls 
to have a wide range over the surrounding district. They also have an 
adverse effect on the Lapwing whose eggs they take as well as the Lapwing’s 
food. There are generally from four to five hundred Black-Headed Gulls 
nesting on the ‘ gull ponds ’ although this number is sometimes greatly 
exceeded. 
Numbers of Mallard and Teal Ducks nest on the common and there 
are a few pairs of Shoveller Ducks and Pochard. Of late years Bitterns 
have been noted, but so far they have not successfully nested there. 
The keeper, Mr. J. Morris, tried to establish Red Grouse on the common, 
but was unable to carry through the project beyond rearing and turning away 
the first broods. Grouse do not appear ever to thrive at less altitudes than 
five hundred feet above sea level. 
Redshanks and Snipe nest on the marshy places, and other species which 
may be seen are Herons, Short Eared Owl (nests sometimes), Long Eared, 
Tawny, Barn and Little Owl, Nightjar, Turtle Dove, Kestrel and Sparrow 
Hawks ; Marsh and Hen Harrier have occurred within recent years. 
The Nightingale is a rare visitor, while Grasshopper Warblers (rare), 
(vi) 
