YORKSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY 
200 YEARS AGO. 
307 
W hile we proceed with our new records and details of new 
discoveries, as recorded in the pages of The Naturalist, it is 
perhaps as well now and again to look back upon what was 
considered to be natural history, in the beginnings of that 
science. 
There has recently come into my possession a copy of a 
small quarto work, dated 1731, Vol. 6 of which contains 
particulars of the Counties of Westmorland, Wiltshire, Worces- 
tershire and Yorkshire. The Yorkshire section occupies 
pages 331-710, and contains descriptions of the three ridings, 
with maps, and occasionally crude illustrations in the text. 
At the end of this section is a folding plate with the coats of 
arms of ‘ York. Kingston-upon-Hull, Knaresborough, Scar- 
borough, Rippon. Richmond, Beverly, Thirske, Malton, 
Burrowbridge, Heydon (Hedon), North Allerton and Ponte- 
fract.’ 
This plate also contains an elaborate table, apparently 
of distances between different points in the county. This 
seems to be fairly generally accurate, but as there is no 
‘ explanation it is a little difficult to understand how the 
distance between Bridlington and Bridlington comes to be 
165 miles, and between Hull and Hull, 135. 
Though the volume is dated 1731, there seems to be evidence 
that parts at any rate were written at an earlier date ; and to 
put the period of the authorship of the following notes as two- 
centuries ago is certainly well within the mark. 
The Yorkshire section is divided into three parts, one for 
each Riding. And each section contains a chapter on Natural 
History, which is of interest, as it gives an idea of what the 
authors considered ‘ Natural History ’ to be, as well as some 
account of the appearance of the county two centuries ago. 
Unfortunately it is also apparent that much of the information 
has been compiled, as the places are not always quoted as in 
their correct Ridings ; and the reference to ‘ pit-coal ’ being 
plentiful in the East Riding shows that all the statements 
made are not from personal observation. 
In the pages there are many evidences of the different 
aspects of the county in former times, It is also a little 
unexpected to find that ‘ natural history ’ was divided into 
four sections, viz.. Air, Earth, Water and Fire ! 
Much attention was paid to the spaws and springs. ‘ Gigles- 
wick ’ was even then ‘ the most noted spring in England for 
ebbing and flowing.’ Harrogate was unknown, and its praises 
are unsung, but the ‘ sweet spaw of vitrioline well discovered 
1914 Oct. 1 . 
