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ISSN 0049-5891

THE VASCULUM

Vol. 69, No. 1 Price £3.00 per annum, post free

APRIL 1984

Edited by:

T. C. DUNN, M.B.E., M.Sc.,

The Poplars, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham.

BY THE WAY

Secretaries of Societies and other contributors to the "Vasculum" are invited to

send their notes to the Editor before 15th June, 1984.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS

Subscriptions to the N.N.U. and Volume 69 of the Vasculum, the first part of which

you are now reading, are now due. Please do not wait for a postal reminder, but send it NOW. It

will save a lot of trouble, it saves expense and the Treasurer Editor will be very grateful. May we

also remind you about the Jubilee Publishing Fund first notified in the last issue (December

1983).

MEETINGS 1984

The following Field Outings have been arranged for 1984:

June 2nd. Neasham area, near Darlington (provisional).

June ?. A Jubilee Field Meeting that will be well advertised, for both young and old,

non-members welcome, and led by a well-known personality, we hope.

July 14th. Hollinside, Durham. Visits to the University Botanical Gardens, Zoology

Field Station, and Hollinside Woods, including 'Badger City'. Leaders, Dr. Lewis Davies and Mr.

Peter Maudsley.

September 8th. Thornley and South Paddock Woods (nr. Rowlands Gill). Leader,

Mr. M. Eyre.

September 22nd. Autumn Junior fungus foray in Hollinside Woods, Durham. Leader,

D. Hall.

There will also be a sixth meeting, mainly for juniors, to study the marine life at

Cullercoats. The date has not yet been fixed because the tide tables are not yet available. Leader,

Mr. Peter Davis

2

W. A. CLARK

William Andrew Clark died at his home in Ryton on 19th November, 1983, aged 72.

Those who attended his funeral and were present when the Board of Faculty of Science of

Newcastle University stood in silence, knew they were honouring a botanical friend and a

University teacher who had made his mark as a man of immense kindness, openness and common

sense.

He will be long remembered with affection by generations of students and colleagues

because of the patience, thoroughness and enthusiasm he brought to his 'hobby and profession".

He took time to think things through and his conclusions, honestly made, were usually correct.

For all these qualities his advice and counsel were regularly sought and they ideally fitted him for

his favourite University role of Senior Tutor. He was generally a quiet, mild mannered man who

had learned to shrug off trifling irritations, but at the same time he was not afraid to protest

strongly against injustice. This he always did bluntly and never remotely underhand; with Bill

Clark you knew exactly where you stood.

Dr. Clark was born on 26th September 1911 in Girvan, Ayrshire, the only son of

Thomas and Mary Ann Clark. By the time he reached school age the family had moved to Alva in

Clackmananshire where he attended the Academy from 1916 to 1923. A second move took the

family to Dundee and there his secondary education was continued at the Harris Academy until

1929. No one seems to know who or what was responsible for first arousing his interest in, and

love for, plants, but botany was his choice of subject when he became an undergraduate at

University College (now Dundee University). After graduation he studied for the degree of Ph.D.

which was awarded in 1936. For a few months of that year he was Assistant Lecturer in Liverpool

and then, in October, he joined, as Lecturer, the Department of Botany (later Plant Biology) at

Armstrong College, Newcastle (later King's College and after 1963 Newcastle University). He

was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1955 and was Senior Tutor in Science from 1958 until his

retirement in September 1976. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of

the Linnaen Society. Within the University he will be remembered for his work as Senior Tutor,

for his lecturing skill, for his 30 years as guiding influence of the Philosophical Society and for

being instrumental in securing for it the magnificent bequest made by his friend R. B. Cooke.

William was a wiry active person, of perfect build for hill walking, which after he

graduated he followed enthusiastically in the Scottish mountains. His fitness, stamina and

perseverance was often put to the test during the 1930's when he was an important member of the

Newcastle group which made the detailed investigations into the composition and origins of the

flora of the Inner and Outer Hebrides. He had a rare eye for a plant and he was especially good at

winkling out the alpines.

After the war he deliberately set about learning the flora of the northern counties of

England, and consequently was much in demand as leader of field meetings of the Botany Section

of the Natural History Society of Northumbria. He was a founder member of the Northumberland

and Durham Naturalists' Trust (later of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust) in 1962 and for many

years he was Chairman of the key Conversation Policy Committee. He was invaluable to the

Trust regarding site protection and he was strongly critical of those land managers (including the

Forestry Commission) who were insensitive to conservation arguments!! When the controversy

and debate took place prior to the construction of the Cow Green reservoir in Upper

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Teesdale he gave sound advice in support of the protection of this long recognised area of

outstanding botanical interest.

One of Bill's greatest interests was gardening. He not only enjoyed the results of

gardening but also the actual hard graft of digging, planting etc. An allotment holder during the

war, afterwards he turned this enthusiasm into more specialist lines, concentrating on cultivating

native alpine flora and exotics that interested him. He was associated with the Alpine Garden

Society, winning many prizes at local and national events; and for all his professional life he

maintained his connections with the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

He was married at Lamesley Church near Birtley on 15th April 1941 to Helena

Heslop (Dolly) Harrison, who was the daughter of Professor J. W. Heslop Harrison F.R.S. and

great niece of another outstanding northern naturalist, the Rev. J. E. Hull. Tragically Dolly died

after a long illness just two months after William. The love and affection of all their friends goes

in sympathy to their only child, Mrs. Ann Christian Dewison.

G. H. BANBURY

Geoff Banbury, who died on 30th November 1983, was almost as well known to

local naturalists as he was to the staff and students of Durham University.

Geoff was an undergraduate at University College, London during the war and then

saw service with the War Department and the R.A.F. In 1945 he started his research at King's

College, working on penicillin as part of Sir John Cockcroft's group and later became an assistant

lecturer in the botany department there. This part of his life alone provided him with a much

greater store of lively anecdotes than most of us acquire in a life-time. After he started work in

Durham University he had short periods of secondment to lbadan in Nigeria and Fourah Bay in

Sierra Leone. Both visits added still more to the tales of botanical and human affairs. It is perhaps

also because of the African periods that his practicals on dung fungi made use of lions and

elephants of Lambton Lion Park, rather than the more everyday animals of County Durham.

Geoff's particular research interests were on the effects of light and gravity,

especially on fungal growth. He took special delight in the use of interesting items of equipment,

whether it was the electron microscope which he introduced to the University or some special

machine he had designed himself to study the effects of gravity or tides. He was an active

member of the British Mycological Society and an enthusiastic leader of fungal forays, where he

would do his best to convince the novice that a dubious-looking toadstool would make excellent

eating. As a result of a number of forays in the Durham area in recent years, he received many

phone queries and visits to present him with specimens. He always managed to convey his

enthusiasm to the visitor, whether the specimen was yet another stinkhorn or a rare Russula.

Geoff had a number of medical disabilities as a result of the diabetes from which he

suffered for more than twenty years; these included the loss of sight in one eye about a year

before he died. Nevertheless he maintained his zest for life and interest in biological matters

throughout the period. Geoff always claimed to be a Gladstonian liberal. I never found out just

what this is, but he was certainly a very pleasant person with whom to work. He will be missed

much by all who knew him.

4

THE SOCIETIES

BIRTLEY AND CHESTER-LE-STREET NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

On November 28th, Mr. B. Unwin talked on the Spring Migration of birds through

Israel's Rift Valley. This was an account of a special job done in a part of the world which offered

perfect weather as well as a chance to see unusual species.

After the interval for Christmas, Mr. A. McKeag gave us a popular version of

Mendel's work and how he discovered the foundation of modern genetics. On February 10th. Dr.

J. Richards showed slides of Australian wildlife with comments in his usual racy style. This was

followed on 21st Februarry by Tony Tynan talking about his favourite animals, the amphibians.

March 6th was the last night of the outside lecturers when Dr. J. J. Hopkins talked about the

Wildlife and Countryside Act. The Annual General Meeting on March 20th concluded the indoor

sessions for the season. Reports by the officers were given and accepted, and new officers for the

coming year were elected.

NOTES AND RECORDS

NOTES

The Clearwing Moths, Sesiidae. Not many Lepidopterists can claim to have seen a single wild

individual of the 15 species of Clearwings listed for Great Britain, yet some of these are without doubt present in

our counties. None, however, appear to be plentiful, and since they all mimic bees and wasps they tend to be

passed over by collectors as well as avoided by potential predators. To obtain good specimens of most of them,

the mature caterpillars or the chrysalids have to be collected and the moths reared. This is a problem, too, for the

caterpillars cannot by collected or reared by the methods usually adopted for other species. The caterpillars are

somewhat maggotlike, and live in stems, branches and roots of trees and shrubs, or in the crowns and roots of

lowgrowing plants. The majority, possibly all, are nearly two years in arriving at full growth, by which time a high

proportion have been parasitised. All species emerge from the pupa early in the morning and then only when the

sun is shining. The adults fly with great speed and dart away into the blue at the slightest disturbance.

In the north-east there should be a possibility of seeing the Hornet Clearwing, Sesia apiformis Cl.

whose caterpillar feeds in the trunks of black poplar and sallows. It has been recorded from Birtley and Bishop

Middleham Quarry.

The Lunar Hornet Clearwing, Sesia bembeciformis Hb. is probably our most widespread and

plentiful species. Its caterpillar mines the trunks of sallows, and old workings can be found about 6 in. to 12 in.

above ground level on most well grown plants of Salix caprea, Salix atrocinerea and Salix nigricans. It is reputed

also to use Salix aurita, but this species would appear to be somewhat small in stature for it. We have only seen

mines in the larger shrubs. Recently, fresh workings were detected on Waldridge Fell in some numbers on S.

caprea and S. atrocinerea.

The Red-tipped Clearwing, Synanthedon formicaeformis Esp. also uses Salix species as its host

plant, but in this case the mines are usually on thinner stems and branches and up to three or four feet above

ground. They used to be present in Salix viminalis along the river banks at Chester-le-Street 30 years ago, but a

recent search failed to find anything but old workings. There are also old records for Eastgate, Kelloe and Wylam.

The Current Clearwing, Synanthedon tipuliformis Cl. is probably quite common in gardens where

there are old bushes of red-currants and gooseberries. There are several old records of this species, but no recent

ones.

The 6-belted Clearwing, Bembecia scopigera Scop. has only once been recorded, in 1946

(Vasculum Oct. 1946). Its caterpillar feeds on the roots of Birdsfoot Trefoil and should be looked for where there

are extensive banks of this plant in July and August. The record referred to above was on a bankside near Birtley,

but it would seem that suitable habitats would be most plentiful on the magnesian limestone of Durham.

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We would be pleased to hear of any recent observations of these insects and recommend our

younger workers to try this group. There is ample scope here for new records and exciting discoveries.

T.C.D.

The Bog Orchid, Hammarbya paludosa, (L.) O. Kuntze. This tiny orchid, seldom reaching 2in.—

4in. high is extremely difficult to find anywhere, even where it is known to be plentiful as in the Western Isles. In

our counties only a single station in Northumberland is at present known. When looking through an old copy of

the Vasculum (April 1949), I came across an appeal from the late Professor J. W. H. Harrison urging botanists to

keep a lockout for specimens in other suitable habitats in the north-east. He had spotted an old record of the plant

in the upper valley of the Derwent. Since then nothing further has been heard of it, either from N.N.U. members

who have looked for it and failed to find it or from any of our Field Clubs well placed to find it.

It is, however, very easily overlooked and we would urge interested people to keep trying. It is very

small, inconspicuous, with greenish flowers and wherever I have seen it there has always been a single specimen

in any one place. The places to look are in acid shagnum bogs on cushions of the mosses growing there.

T.C.D.

A lament for our old country lanes. Older members will remember the old country lanes,

sometimes the remains of old turnpike roads, long since abandoned for the new, metalled, straighter roads

designed for modern traffic. These old lanes were really only suitable for horse transport and so were not wide

enough for two vehicles to pass. They were bounded on each side by a tall hedge and always had a generous

stretch of rough vegetation on either side, often with a ditch. It wound about in a drunken fashion and was often

awash with wild plants such as Cow Parsley, Hogweed, Greater Stitchwort, Tansy, Ground Ivy, Hedge

Woundwort, White Deadnettle, Herb Robert, Birds-foot Trefoil, Tufted Vetch, Meadow Vetchling and Meadow

Sweet in the ditch.

Such a place was a haven and highway for wildlife. Birds nested in the hedges, voles and mice ran

about in the hedge bottoms with weasels hunting for them, and many species of insects could be seen at the

flowers.

Sadly, these lanes have almost completely disappeared. Modern farming practices have eitther

grubbed them out completely or 'tidied-up' the hedge and verges so well that very little is left of the old luxurious

growth. Sadder still there seems to be no end to the destruction even today with all the publicity about nature

conservation. When will we wake up to the need to call a halt to it all?

R.Pirt.

Collared Doves. The spread of this species has been one of the success stories of recent years. A

few days ago I was greeted by a cooing chorus at 7 a.m. just as I was making an effort to come to life. On looking

out of the window, there was the bird sitting on top of the rose arch in the garden. Later, during breakfast, I was

entertained by its efforts to gather materials from the flower borders and then disappear into the top of a Lawson's

Cypress just over the wall in my neighbour's garden.

Now all is quiet and I suspect the hen bird has begun to incubate. Odd birds have visited the garden

for several years now, but this is the first time they have attempted to nest. I shall look forward to the appearance

of the chicks.

T.C.D.

Rose Bedeguar Galls. Generally speaking galls were not too plentiful in 1983. However, a visit to

Brasside in October was a success in that several very large, beautiful examples of the Bedeguar Gall were found

on Rosa canina L, a rose species which they seem to favour. I have never, for example, found bedeguars on any of

the downy, straight-spined species of rose like Rosa villosa L. (mollis Sm.), or Rosa sherardii Davies.

T.C.D.

Blotch-mines in Primula. Quite recently on a visit to Hawthorn Dene, it was noticeable that

practically every primrose plant had one or more leaves disfigured by extensive blotch-mines. These usually

began near the margin as a thin white line which zig-zagged about, becoming thicker as it did so and ending up as

a huge blotch taking up most of the centre of the leaf. In the wide tunnels and the blotch, darker streaks of trass

could be discovered between the upper and lower epidermis. In all cases the inhabitant had left.

These blotches were all due to larvae of the Agromyzid fly (Diptera), Phyomyza primulae Rob.

T.C.D.

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Migrating Geese. February and March are the months that reawaken the migratory urge in wild

geese. Their movements have captivated the imagination of man for thousands of years.

On February 29th I saw two separate skeins flying due north, one at 12.50 p.m. and the other at

1.20 p.m. There were about 300 in the first skein and 200 in the second. The weather was perfect, with a clear sky,

little cloud and the birds were at a height suitable for anyone to see.

I wondered if these particular groups would eventually arrive in Greenland after their marathon

journey.

R. Pirt.

Canada Goose at Chester-le-Street. On February 1st 1984 I was pleased to see a larger than usual

flock of birds on the River Wear at Chester-le-Street. From a distance it appeared to be a group of about 30

mallard but as I drew near the whole lot took to the air and assumed their characteristic V-formation flight. One

bird, however, was left behind. A closer look showed this to be a Canada Goose, evidently not so easily scared as

the ducks.

T.C.D.

A new oak gall for v.c. 66. On Waldridge Fell on March 1st, 1984, several examples of a gall

which was new to me were noticed on the young oaks. Two specimens were taken for identification. In

appearance they look like small brown dried peas, with an outer scaly cover and placed on the ends of small twigs

where one would usually find winter buds, indeed they were mixed with normal winter buds. The galls could not

be identified as they were not shown in my copy of Darlington's Plant Galls. They were sent to Fred Stubbs for

identification and back came the reply by return of post. He writes:

‘Your specimens from Waldridge Fell are very interesting, the first v.c. 66 record for Andricus

lignicola. However, I am not surprised that you should find it, as it has become quite widespread in North

Yorkshire, and I had specimens the other week from the Isle of Man.

This gall does not appear in Darlington's first edition, as it was not on the British list until 1972; he

does include it in his second edition. This gall differs from a 'failed' marble gall in being scaly, especially in the

earlier stages. Also it has a greyish cast often with red flecks, contrasting with Andricus kollaris tan colour and

smoother surface.

T.C.D.

An insect attack on larches? The Larch Sawfly, Caphalcia lariciphila, has been taken round

Durham the first in 1979 along Hollinside Lane. It is an insect that spread to South Britain from Europe and since

has spread northwards. It is known now in South Scotland. Wherever it has spread in Britain so far, after a few

years residence at low density, it increases hnarkedly to cause defoliation of larches. They have had an epidemic

sized outbreak in N. Yorkshire near Helmsley and I await the same thing happening around Durham—any year

now! The University has planted quite a lot of larch in Hollinside Lane, where we took it in 1979.

Lewis Davies.

RECORDS

COLEOPTERA -BEETLES

The following list has been compiled from specimens collected at Briarwood Banks, Northumberland. 67

Carabidae Carabus violaceus L. Common in woodland.

Nebria brevicollis (Fab.) Abundant in most situations.

Nebria gyllenhali (Schoen.) Somewhat local.

L oricera pilicornis (Fab.) Common.

Bembidion geniculatum Heer. Local.

Bembidion tibiale (Duff.) Common.

Bembidion tetracolum Say, Common.

Bembidion guttula (Fab.) Common.

Pterostichus cristatus (Dufour)—common in north east England, local elsewhere.

Pterostichus madidus (Fab.)—abundant in most situations.

Abax parallelepipedus (P. & M.)—common in woodland.

Agonum albipes (Fab.)—common near water.

Agonum assimile (Pay)—common in woodland.

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Hydrophilidae

Helophorus aquaticus (L.)— common by water.

Histeridae Hister unicolor L.—in dung etc., local (Joy, 1932).

Paralister carbonarius (Hoff. J.)—in carcasses etc., local (Joy, 1983).

Silphidae

Nicrophorus vespilloides Herbst—said to be local (Fowler, 1887-91; Joy, 1932); we have found it

common.

Oiceoptoma thoracicum (L.)—in carcasses etc., not common (Fowler, 1887-91).

Staphilinidae

Olophrum piceum (Gyll.)—in moss etc., common.

Anotylus rugosus (Fab.)—in vegetable refuse, common.

Othius punctulatus (Goeze)—in moss etc., common.

Philonthus decorus (Grav.)—very common.

Philonthus splendens (Fab.)-in dung etc., local (Joy, 1932).

Quedius maurorufus (Grav.)-in dead leaves etc., not uncommon (Fowler, 1887-91).

Tachinus signatus Grav.—common, vegetable refuse.

Scarabiidae

Aphodius prodromus (Brahm)—in dung, common.

Aphodius sphacelatus (Panz.)—in dung, common.

Elateridae

Athous haemorrhoidalis (Fab.)—abundant in deciduous woodland.

Agriotes pallidulus (III.)—common in deciduous woodland.

Dalopius marginatus (L.)—common in deciduous woodland.

Cantharidae Podabrus alpinus (Pay.)—in woods, locally common (Fowler, 1887-91).

Cantharis decipiens Baudi—said to be local (Fowler, 1887-91; Joy 1932)—we have found it

common.

Cantharis paludosa Fall.—somewhat local, visits flowers.

Cantharis pellucida Fab.—common.

Rhagonycha fulva (Scop)—very common on flowers.

Rhagonycha lignosa (Muell.)—common.

Malthodes flavoguttatus Kies.-local (Fowler, 1887-91,-Joy, 1932).

M. D. Eyre and M. A. Walker, May 1981.

CECIDIA-GALLS Andricus lignicola (Htg.) Agamic gall of this Cynipid Wasp. 66

Many specimens seen on young oaks growing on Waldridge Fell on 1.3.84. This appears to be the first record for v.c. 66.

T.C.D.

LEPIDOPTERA-BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS

Agriphila straminella D. & S. (cuImella auct.) 67,68

Common during 1983 at Beltingham Gravels and Holystone Nature Reserve (67); Cocklawburn and Newton-by-the-

Sea(68).

Agriphila tristella D. & S. 67,68

At Beltingham Gravels (67); Newton-by-the-Sea and Cocklawburn (68).

Crambus perlella Scop. 68 At Newton-by-the-Sea, 1983.

Catoptria falsella D. & S. 67

Not a common moth with us, one at light Beltingham Gravels.

Scoparia subfusca Haw. (cembrella auct.) 68

Cocklawburn Reserve 1983.

Scoparia ambigualis Treits. 67,68

Beltingham Gravels (67) and Cocklawburn Reserve (68).

Scoparia pyralella D. & S. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea, at light.

Pyla fusca Haw. 67

Holystone Reserve. Udea olivalis D. & S. 67Common at Beltingham Gravels, 1983. 67

8

Udea elutalis D. & S. 67.68

Beltingham Gravels (67) and Newton-by-the-Sea (68).

Udea ferrugalis Hb. 68

Uncertain occurrence, mostly as an immigrant, Newton-by-the-Sea.

Acentria nivea Cl. 68 Newton-by-the-Sea.

Eurrhypara hortulata L. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Evergestis forficalis L. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Aphomia sociella L. Bee Moth. 68

Larva parasitic in the nests of bumble bees, Newham Bog.

Chilo phragmitella Hb. 68

The first record for v.c. 68, as far as we can ascertain. Newham Bog. Not previously knowr north of the Tees, this therefore

being the most northerly record for this species.

Eudonia palfida Curt. 68

Another unusual species. Newham Bog. Platyptilia gonodactyla D. & S. 68

Cocklawburn Reserve.

Platyptilia ochrodactylya D. & S. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Platyptilia paltidactyla Haw. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Stenoptilia bipuncyidacttia Scop. 67

Beltingham Gravels.

Aphelia paleana Hubn. 68

Cocklawburn Reserve.

Aphelia unitana Hubn. 68 Recently separated from the above species, distribution not yet fully known. Newham Bog.

Aphelia viburnana Hubn. 67

Generally a moorland species. Holystone Reserve.

Pandemis cerasana Hb. 67

Holystone Reserve.

Pandemis heparana D. & S. 67,68

Holywell Ponds (67) and Newton-by-the-Sea (68).

Aclens rhombana D. & S. 67,68

Holystone Reserve (67) and Newton-by-the-Sea (68).

Aclens emargana Fab. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Aclens variegana D. & S. 67 Beltingham Gravels.

Eana osseana Scop. 67,68

Beltingham Gravels (67) and Newton-by-the-Sea (68).

Clepsis spectrana Tr. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Croesia bergmanniana L. 68

Newton-by-t he-Sea.

Dicrorampha plumbana Scop. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea.

Bactra lanceolana Hub. 68

Newton-by-the-Sea. Eucosma hohenwartiana D. & S. 68

Cocklawburn Reserve and Newton-by-the-Sea.

Hedya nubiferana Haw. 68

Cocklawburn Reserve and Newton-by-the-Sea.

Olethreutes lacunana D. & S. 67 68

Beltingham Gravels (67), Newton-by-the-Sea, Cocklawburn Reserve and Newham Bog.

The records from Newton-by-the-Sea come from captures in a light trap operated by M. Freeman.

All other specimens were taken by Dr. J. Parrack. All species det. T. C. Dunn.

9

ISSN 0049-5891

THE VASCULUM

JULY 1984

Vol. 69, No.2 Price £3.00 per annum, post free

Edited by:

T. C. DUNN, M.B.E., M.Sc„

The Poplars, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham.

BY THE WAY

Secretaries of Societies and other contributors to The Vasculum' should send

their notes to the Editor before 15th November, 1984.

THE BEES, WASPS, ANTS AND SAWFLIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM A

FINAL PLEA FOR INFORMATION

This is your last chance to add your records to the County list of bees, wasps ants and

sawflies. The revised list has been in preparation for several years and wil be finished during the

winter of 1984/5. This, therefore, is the last season for collecting all those new species and adding

records for your area. There are still many un recorded 10km. squares for more records of even

the most common species are urgently required. If you are not sure about the identity of your

specimens, send them away.

Specimens, with their place and date of capture, should be placed in smal tubes,

boxes, envelopes, or twists of paper and sent inside a Post Office-proof container to me at the

Nature Conservancy Council, Calthorpe House, Calthorpe Street Banbury, Oxon. OX16 8EX.

Alternatively larger collections can be left with Peter Davis at the Hancock Museum.

Specimens will be returned if required, and all help will be gratefully acknow

lodged. If you require more information please write to me, or ring me on Banbury (0295) 57601

(Office) or Banbury (0295) 72084 (Home). David Sheppard

HELENA HESLOP CLARK (1906-1984)

Mrs. Clark was known to her family, friends and colleagues as Dolly; and when she

died on 3rd January 1984, everyone shared the feeling of a very great loss. Doll was a warn

person; understanding, loyal, fair-minded and affectionate, and above all cheerful. Constantly

during her life, and particularly during her long and painful

10

illness, she demonstrated these qualities in a way that made one ashamed of one's own

deficiencies. She will be long remembered for being able to poke fun without hurting and to

smooth ruffled feathers with a happy word and a smile.

Mrs. Clark was born in Middlesbrough on 31st December, 1906, the only daughter of

John William and Christian Watson Heslop-Harrison. There were two younger brothers. Dr.

George Heslop-Harrison, F.R.S.E. (who died in 1964) and Professor John Heslop-Harrison,

F.R.S. When her father joined the staff of Armstrong College (now Newcastle University), the

family moved back to Birtley and Dolly continued her schooling at Chester-le-Street Secondary

School before becoming a student at the College in 1924. She graduated with honours in Botany

in 1927 and was awarded the prestigious Earl Grey Fellowship which enabled her to embark on

research work. For this she gained the degree of M.Sc. in 1929.

Later that year she began a very long and distinguished association with the

Department of Agriculture when she was appointed to teach Agricultural Botany. She retired in

1972 but continued to serve as a member of the Board of the Faculty of Agriculture until failing

health made it no longer possible.

In the lecture room, she was one of those few whose enthusiasm conveys itself to the

listener. She was a natural teacher with the gift of simple presentation. Wrapped against the

weather in coat and headscarf, she was in her element in the field, effectively showing that it was

perfectly possible to identify grasses from vegetative fragments. Most of her students were

persuaded and became themselves proficient!

Dolly brought the same unassuming but sure skills to her researches. Her interests

were in the origins of cultivated cereals and in the archeological evidence on this problem.

Fragments of pottery patterned by deliberate or accidental impressions of grain were

painstakingly scrutinised and documented. From these she deduced the identity of the grain and

its date and geographic distribution. The investigations were elegant and she formed friendships

with the small band of workers with similar interests throughout the world, notably in Denmark

and Japan. As a consequence, her office was sometimes an obstacle course of frequently massive

'finds' awaiting identification.

She was working on a book on the archaeology and pre-history of cereals until

prevented by failing health. Happily, all her material has not been lost but passed for safe-keeping

to her nephew, Dr. John S. Heslop-Harrison whose present intention is to assess the possibility of

completing the work for publication.

Like her father. Professor J. W. Heslop-Harrison, F.R.S. and her great uncle, the Rev.

J. E. Hull, D.Sc., she was an ardent supporter of the Northern Naturalists' Union. Dolly was a very

popular lecturer, whose name appeared regularly for many years on the programmes of all the

societies in the N.N.U., and of many other organisations. In addition to a variety of natural history

topics, Mrs. Clark also spoke, with authority, on local folklore, place names, her travels abroad,

and on British and Foreign dolls. This interest in dolls stemmed from watching craftsmen at work

making wooden toys while she was staying with the family of one of her father's entomological

connections in Freiberg, Saxony. Over the years she built up a unique doll collection, examples

from which were often out on loan to museums. Dolly was herself good with her hands; and one

of her passions in younger days was tapestry work, several examples of which decorated her

home at Ryton.

11

In 1941, Dolly was married to Dr. William Andrew Clark, who died suddenly on

19th November, 1983. The sincere condolences of her wide circle of friends, colleagues are

former students, go to her daughter, Mrs. Ann Christian Dewison, and to her brother.

LANCELOT PENMAN HIRD, 1908-1984

Lance Hird, one of the longest serving members on the N.N.U. Council, died

suddenly on March 17th, 1984.

He will be remembered for his tremendous enthusiasm on field meetings and his

loyalty to the Union. He never missed a meeting unless it was an impossibility. In the field he

would be found in the thick of the discussion about the identity of a plant or a particular bird.

Apart from his botany and ornithology he was an excellent all-round naturalist, interested in all

forms of wildlife and even of matters geological. Often he would be seen flat on the ground with

his camera trained on an unusual flower or other interesting object. In this way he amassed a huge

collection of high quality colour transparencies which he frequently used to illustrate talks to the

constituent societies of the N.N.U. and other bodies. All these skills were entirely selftaught and

one could only marvel at the extent of his knowledge.

He was also very well known in gardening circles. He was a nationally recognised

judge of flower and vegetable shows, and a noted rose grower and prize winner. He had a rose

named after him. He was also a long-standing member and officer of Whickham Gardeners'

Association, where his expertise was in great demand.

He was also a true friend who made new members feel at home on field trips, always

ready to give advice and share his knowledge and enthusiasms with others. Each year he spent

two short holidays on Holy Island, in spring and again in autumn, to see the flowers and the

migrating birds. This resulted in his publishing 'A List of Holy Island Plants', about ten years ago.

He will be sorely missed by his wife, son and daughter.

JACK THOMPSON, 1913-1984

When Jack Thompson died on 25th March 1984, his family and all his many friends

suffered a great loss for he had been loved by all who knew him.

Born and brought up in Barnoldswick on the border between Yorkshire and

Lancashire, he won a scholarship to Skipton Grammar School from whence he proceeded to the

College of Pharmacy at Manchester. When the war began he was soon recruited into the Army

hospital service as a dispenser and was posted to Singapore in October 1941, where he was to

remain as a P.O.W. in a Japanese prison camp for the remainder of the war. There was little doubt

that the physical hardships suffered during this period, with consequent attacks of beri-beri, led to

the suffering and confinement to a wheelchair during the last ten years of his life.

After the war he came to work and live in Durham County, having met and married

Matty Knowles. He practised pharmacy in Murton, Birtley, Leek and Wrekenton before retiring at

the end of 1975.

It was whilst living at Birtley that he came to know Professor J. W. Heslop Harrison

and soon he was an enthusiastic field worker for the N.N.U. Jack's specialities were fungi,

flowering plants, plant galls and above all, photography. We used to say

12

that he could make a camera talk. Much of his equipment was of the stamp-edging and string type

but it worked wonderfully well. When the gradual onset of paralysis began to restrict his

movements in 1974, he refused to give in to it and continued for some time to attend N.N.U.

meetings and go to work. His courage during these years was enormous and in spite of it all he

was never heard to complain or utter a bitter word about the Japanese. How he remained so

cheerful we shall never know. Even when he became completely confined to home and a

wheelchair he was always good for a wry joke and we will remember that little flickering smile

which usually presaged a sly leg-pull for one of us. During this time he developed his literary

talents, writing nature trails for Sunderland's Parks and little articles for the Vasculum. Only a few

days before his death he was tremendously pleased to have an article published in the London

magazine "Field".

More recently, side effects of his failing strength began to take their toll. He is sadly

missed by his wife, his daughter Ann and all his friends.

THE SOCIETIES

NORTHERN NATURALISTS' UNION

The sixtieth Annual Meeting was held in the Hancock Museum, Newcastle upon

Tyne, on 31st March, 1984, by kind invitation of the Natural History Society of Northumbria.

During the preliminary business meeting the Treasurer reported a small surplus on

the year's working, but this was quite satisfactory in view of the large non-recurring expenditure

on stationery that would not occur again for about five years. No increases in subscriptions were

proposed. During the election of officers. Dr. Burtt relinquished the presidency whereupon Sir

James Steel, president-elect, took the chair.

There followed a lecture given by Mr. Tony Tynan, on the 'History of the Hancock

Museum'. It all started when Marmaduke Tunstall (1743-1790), who had gathered together a large

personal museum in London, inherited a large house at Wycliffe on the Tees in N. Yorks. Here he

built a special extension to the house in which to display his collection. At this time he became

very friendly with Thomas Bewick, the engraver. Bewick was commissioned to paint the

Chillingham Bull and used many of the birds in the museum for his engravings. Eventually the

collection was bought by George Allen and transferred to Blackwell Grange in Darlington. The

next step was the result of another purchase, this time by G. T. Fox, who gave it to the Literary

and Philosophical Society. Because it was expensive and difficult to maintain it suffered from

neglect for a time until a number of scientists, mostly naturalists, agreed to take care of the

collections. They formed the Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham and Newcastle

upon Tyne. This proved to be a great success and grew rapidly with much support from local

landowners, commerce and industry. Eventually brilliant naturalists like Joshua Alder and John

and Albany Hancock became involved in the society and the museum. It was John Hancock

13

who began the years of collecting money and planning for the museum to be housed in a separate

building. When the time for constructing the present building came at last, he planned and

supervised the process from start to finish. It is most fitting that years later it came to be called the

Hancock Museum.

After a suitable vote of thanks, the meeting adjourned to look at the exhibits, notably

the live insects of N. Cook and the beautiful hawkmoths of M. Mann. Mr. D. Hall, the Secretary,

had gathered together a collection of photographs to illustrate the activities of the N.N.U. over the

past sixty years. The tea, which was admirably served by Mrs. Hall and Miss Vincent, included a

special 60th birthday cake, a large slice of which was presented to each member taking tea.

At the same time a large pizza was raffled by Mrs. Judith King, houseplants and cacti

were sold by M. Mann and K. Dover, while Mr. Dunn supervised a bring and buy book stall.

Altogether a sum of £98.30 was collected by these activities, a splendid contribution

to the extra money required for the publication of the special Jubilee October edition of the

Vasculum.

The 167th Field Meeting was held on the river banks at Wylam on June 2nd, 1984.

The party of about 30 members and friends met Dr. Burtt at the north end of the

bridge across the Tyne at 2.30 p.m. and were led eastwards along the north bank.

Riverside vegetation was in great profusion and immediately several suspected

garden throw-outs were encountered. These were such plants as Columbine and Dusky

Cranesbill. The latter was very variable in colour, confirming its garden origin. Wild plants of the

riverside included Myosotis scorpioides (Water forget-me-not), Hesperis matronalis (Dame's

Violet), Cardamine amara (Large Bitter Cress), Cardamine flexuosa (Wood Bitter Cress),

lmpatiens glandulifera (Himalayan Balsam), Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (Ox-eye Daisy),

Oenanthe crocata (Hemlock Water Dropwort), Crepis paludosa (Marsh Hawksbeard), Armoracia

rusticana (Horse Radish), Helictotrichon pratense (Meadow Oat), Equisetum palustre (Marsh

Horsetail), Petasites hybridus (Butterbur), Lathyrus pratensis (Meadow \/etchling),Stellaria

nemorum (Wood Stitchwort), Stellaria holostea (Greater Stitchwort), Mimulus guttatus (Monkey

Flower), Mentha aquatica (Water Mint), Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet), Lysimachia

vulgaris (Yellow Loosestrife), Salix purpurea (Purple Willow), Salix nigricam (Black or Dusky

Willow), Bromus sterilis (Barren Brome), Glechoma hederacea (Ground Ivy), Thiaspi alpestre

(Alpine Penny-cress), Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) and Ononis repens (Restharrow).

It was soon noticed that the stinging nettles were thickly infested with fat green

caterpillars which were probably those of the Snout moth, (Hypena proboscidalis), and a very

much smaller Tineid larva of Anthophila fabriciana. The adull of the latter was also seen on the

wing.

Butterflies spotted were Orange-tip, Large Skipper, Large White, Green-veined

White, Small Heath, Small Copper and Wall Brown. Some of the larger moths disturbed from the

undergrowth were Ruby Tiger, Silverground Carpet, Mother Shipton, and Brimstone. Near

George Stephenson's Cottage a sandy bank was pitted with the holes of solitary bees of Andrena

sp., Halictus sp. etc. The large Empid fly was on the wing and a worn example of Bombilius

major, a bee-fly which parasitises Andrena was also seen about the banks. At one point Mr. Guy

Nesbitt and Miss Margaret

14

Nesbitt watched a Lesser Whitethroat flying in and out of a patch of tangled bramble and tall

herbage, a typical nesting-site for this species.

At the end of the meeting we were all invited to Holeyn Hall, the home of Bill and

Anne Brough, for tea. This was a splendid finale to a lovely afternoon, particularly as Holeyn Hall

was the residence of Sir Charles Parsons of turbine fame, and Lady Parsons was the first President

of the N.N.U. Our sincere thanks to the Broughs was suitably exoressed bv Dr. Burtt as we were

leaving.

ANNFIELD PLAIN AND DISTRICT NATURALISTS' CLUB

The 1984 season of field meetings got off the ground on March 17th with a walk

between Haydon Bridge and Hexham. The day was fair but cold as Miss J. Wade led the party out

of Haydon Bridge. The snowdrops were in full bloom and other plants seen included coltsfoot,

stinking hellebore, dog's mercury, large bittercress and several willow species in catkin. The

ornithologists were rewarded with the sight of robin, mallard, oyster catcher, swan, lapwing,

heron, chaffinch, pheasant and goosander. The highlight of the afternoon was the view of a fox

hunting for rabbits until he became aware of us, when he slunk off into the forest.

On March 31st we took the bus to Boulmer and walked to Newton-by-the-Sea. It had

been snowing at Annfield Plain but it was fair at Boulmer and many were able to sit on the beach

for lunch, then a brisk walk along the cliffs to the north. New flowers recorded were daffodil,

scurvy grass, celandine, daisy and primrose. There were many birds to see from the cliffs and

when we passed the sea-bird colony at Dunstanburgh there was a great deal of activity from

shags, cormorants, fulmars, eiders and kittiwakes. At Newton-by-the-Sea another colony of birds

on the pond could be watched from a hide.

April 14th saw us in N. Yorkshire being led by Mr. R. Purvis from Aysgarth to Mill

Gill Force, Askrigg and Carperby. The day was cold but fair and some fine views of Wensleydale

and James Herriot country were obtained. Now we came across wood anemone, speedwells,

youngbutterbur flowers and young sprouts of sweet cicely. The moorland birds such as curlew,

lapwing, oyster catcher, wheatear and buzzard were in evidence whilst by stream and woodland

we saw chaffinch, pheasant, geese, nuthatch, dipper and even a peacock.

On 28th April the bus was taken to the N. Yorkshire Moors to see the Farndale

daffodils. This was a sunny warm day when golden flowers were everywhere. Apart from the

main object of our outing there were also drifts of Forsythia in gardens and lesser celandines and

primroses in the wild.

The fifth walk of the season was on 12th May in the Lake District. The young people

went climbing in Grisedale whilst the less energetic enjoyed a picturesque walk from Grange in

Borrowdale to Portinscale and Keswick. This was another sunny, warm day and by now the

dandelions created a marvellous yellow band along all the roads, whilst fields of rape were

showing their brilliant yellow flowers in many of the fields. Many species of wild flowers were

now fully out and the recorded list was a long one. Buzzards and ravens were seen on the wing,

whilst rabbits, hare and red squirrels were also very active.

15

NOTES AND RECORDS

NOTES

Crows and their relations in Durham — a conservation problem. In a woodland Common Bird

Census plot within Durham City various members of the Corvidae have their nesting sites. Over ten years, rooks

have gradually decreased in numbers to about one third. Some have taken up new sites elsewhere but still quite

close to the old rookery. Apart from gathering nesting material from trees within the area, foraging for food is well

away from the census plot.

One pair of jays occasionally nests in a dense ivy covered patch above a small gorge and the adult

birds can be seen slipping quietly down into the gorge to find food for the young. This small area, although full of

cover, does not support as great a community of passerines as one would expect. When the jays are nesting the

numbers appear to lessen considerably.

Magpies, on the increase in the area, from one to several pairs, are predators with an eye for eggs

and nestlings. They hunt both woodland and its surrounds, being responsible for many losses. These include many

by a pair of collared doves which made twelve attempts before managing to rear ONE youngster to fledgling

stage.

Jackdaws appear to be fluctuating slightly in numbers and with few exceptions nest around or near

the perimeter of the census plot. They seem, apart from collecting food, to spend much time in defending their

own nests against carrion crows. Less direct contact has been had with their feeding habits, except in winter when

they invade the bird table or chase other birds carrying food. They seem to have caused less harm to the passerine

community than the crow and magpie.

The carrion crow is the one whose presence has had the most effect. From originally no birds in the

area, there are now up to four pairs, alt raising young successfully. One pair has always been within view during

the breeding season, as ..he nest can be seen from the house in the top of one of several trees nearby. Over the

years, different pairs at this site have shown different habits. For the first few, the birds specialised in picking

apple twigs for nest building. They chose twigs from certain trees which had the right amount of flexibility, broke

them off at suitable lengths and took them to the, nest. Other activities noted included pulling up rows of leeks,

one by one, each plant being about afoot (1/3 metre) high, with what appeared to be great satisfaction. Later in the

season, the whole family of crows would descend again on the apple trees (usually the green Lord Derby), and

peck and pull at the basal stalk until the apple dropped, then they would move to the next. This happened several

years in succession, with only green and not other coloured apples being attacked. Also, for three years, a

persistent crow had an urge to remove the contents of the next boxes, even if it meant undoing the side catches

and removing part of the front by tugging hard. The crow would fly to the top of the greenhouse, (the box being

situated on one side), and let the piece of wood slide down the glass and watch it disappear before returning to the

box and its contents.

Except for the last two years, the carrion crows spent a lot of time near their nest, so were

frequently seen sitting at a viewpoint watching for any bird to dive into a bush or hedge. The crow would follow

to see if there was a nest. This led to the stage when there might be a dozen nests in the gardens adjacent to the

woodland, with a bird sitting on eggs, but as soon as the young hatched and required feeding, the crow would find

the nest and remove the contents. Until the young crows were fully fledged and had left the area, there were

scarcely any fledglings of other birds. After the crows had moved, the cover had also improved and late nests were

much more successful. This contrasts markedly with another similar area in the city where no crows were present

and predation was less with the result that fledglings appeared long before those in the crow area.

Below the crow's nest the obvious remnants have been found, from adult stock dove and starling,

young rooks to smaller remnants of many species. In the last two years, the crows have spent more time finding

food further away so their damage has not been so easy to assess.

An increase in the crow and magpie population in this area has not helped the numbers of birds in

this woodland plot and its surroundings. Many factors also contribute, but quite a few of the resident birds, helped

to overwinter by garden feeding have difficulties in breeding, due to the effects of predators, including man and

the weather.

H. M. Johnson.

Have Swallows and House Martins decreased in the North East? Over the last two or three

years there has been a spectacular decline in the numbers of swallows and house martins seen and breeding in and

around Durham City. Two years ago, there were thirty five house martins' nests in one colony alone and others

nesting nearby. Last year, there were five nests at the colony.

16

This year, three pairs only have been seen in the vicinity, even though the remnants of a few old

nests are still visible. Also, house martins have not been observed at other traditional sites. A few have been

reported from elsewhere, but around Durham City there seems to be a further drop in the martin population.

Swallows have also suddenly become extremely scarce. Their numbers were decreasing but many

of the traditional sites in and around Durham now have no birds at all, nor have they been observed in most areas.

The first migrants arrived at approximately the usual time, disappeared, then the residual population appeared later

in May, well after the swifts! The first swallow to be seen singing on a telegraph wire was on June 1st.

Many reasons for the hazards en route to and from Britain have been given but a very sharp decline

in numbers of both of these superb birds is reason to question if this is a widespread phenomenon. The number of

insects on the wing would indicate no shortage of food. Any comments on the population would be gladly

received.

H. M. Johnson.

Editor's Note: While the number of insects on the wing may seem enough for the birds,there has

been a tremendous drop in overall numbers due to the use of chemicals in agriculture and in urban hygiene. We

would point to the almost complete disappearance of the hosuefly as an example.

T.C.D.

Bird Notes. My most interesting observations during the early months of 1984 were a male

Gadwall on the Big Waters, Seaton Burn on March 6th and an Avocet at Caistron on March 25th.

April opened with cold NE winds but subsequently became dry and sunny although towards the

coast temperatures were kept down by cool easterly winds. Drought conditions persisted well into May, no

appreciable rain falling at Gosforth until the 21st.

I was away from home in early April, but on my return found Willow Warblers well distributed in

the Seaton Burn/Dinnington area on the 21st. A Sedge Warbler was in song and a Swallow present at the Big

Waters on the 25th. A Chiffchaff was singing at Gibside on the 28th.

There were two Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff in Jesmond Dene on May 1st, and on the 3rd a

Common Sandpiper was seen and a Whitethroat heard at the Big Waters. I heard a Wood Warbler at Stocksfield

on May 16th when I was informed that a Cuckoo had been seen in Low Gosforth. On the 19th one was calling

most of the afternoon in the Dinnington/Blagdon area, and a pair of Whinchats were in residence at the Big

Waters.

Swallows and related species appear to be down in numbers. There are reports of their absence

from many areas in Scotland. It is feared that they have met with a serious disaster: possibly caused by the drought

in the area to the south of the Sahara preventing them from building up sufficient reserves of fat to enable them to

make a safe crossing of the desert area. The Swifts have not appeared at their usual breeding site at West

Gosforth, although I did hear some birds flying overhead near Stocksfield on May 16th.

C. J. Gent.

Another Clouded Yellow. I wish to report the sighting of a single specimen of Clouded Yellow Butterfly

on the 31st August 1983 at Hurworth Burn Reservoir, County Durham.

A. H. Edwards.

Tawny Owls given a helping hand. About three years ago I erected a number of nest boxes on a farm

near my home, with the kind co-operation of a friendly farmer. A large nest box was placed in an old barn hoping

to attract barn owls which I had seen flying around the farm buildings at night. I had not been able to visit the

farm for about six months, so I was very pleased to hear that owls had nested in the box.

When at last I was able to pay another visit the owls had reared their brood and left the box, but they had

been tawny owls and not the rarer barn owls that I hoped for. One of the chicks had fallen from the box and

refused to stay in it in spite of several attempts by the farm staff. Eventually it was placed on a ledge in the barn

away from the farm cats. We are not certain how many young were reared but the chick that fell from the box

certainly did survive. It was seen two weeks ago eating half a rat on the gate post at the farm.

M. Mann

RECORDS

AVES-BIRDS

Sylvia atricapilla. Blackcap. 68

Solitary male, regular visitor to my garden in Wooler, GR 36/990.279 14th February-15th March

1984. Not seen here in winter by me before, but a few previous winter sightings in the area have been reported.

(cf. Brady, F„ The Birds of Berwick upon Tweed and District, 1975)

J.T.B. Bowman

The Vasculum

The North Country Quarterly of Science and Local History

Edited by

T. C. DUNN, M.B.E., M.Se.,

The Poplars, Chester-Ie-Street, Co. Durham

VOL. 69, No. 3 OCTOBER 1984

CONTENTS

Page

Sixty Years of the Northern Naturalists' Union, D. Hall 17

Some Pioneer Investigations with Professor Harrison on Pit Heaps and Magnesian

Limestone Sites in Co. Durham, J. A. Richardson

25

The Birds of Castle Eden Dene, M. E. Blunt 35

A Survey of Triturus Cristatus (Warty, or Great Crested Newt) and other Amphibians

in Northumberland, J. Durkin and J. A. Cooke.

46

Some Observations of the Variations of the Nomenclature of the Limestones of the

Pennine Dales in the North of England, G. Evans

51

The Ecology of Colliery Waste Deposited on the Durham Coastline at Hawthorn

Hive, S. F. Forster, J. A. Cooke

56

Bird Population in the Green Belt at Low Gosforth, Tyne and Wear, C. J. Gent 65

Entomological Investigation of Three Northumberland Wildlife Trust Reserves, J. D.

Parrack

67

Osmotic Potential Variation in Relation to Distribution of Aster Tripolium l. (Sea

Aster) at Timber Beach Salt Marsh, Sunderland, J. A. Burgess, I. Copeland

80

Nature Conservation on the Durham Coast- The Future, J. A. Cooke, S. Gray 84

A Study of Plant Litter Production at Herrington Woods and Castle Eden Dene, D.

Hall

87

The Spiders and Harvestmen of Some Peat Areas and Upland Grasslands in Co.

Durham and Adjacent Areas of Cumbria, J. C. Coulson, J. E. L. Butterfield, R.

Ungpakorn .

101

SUBSCRIPTIONS WERE DUE 1st JANUARY, 1984 and should be sent to The Editor

17

EDITORIAL

Here is the much publicised Jubilee Edition of' the Vasculum - the largest edition

published to date. We hope you enjoy reading it and approve of the cover design, which is a copy

of that used up to 1940.

The edition has not appeared as if by magic but by much sweat and toil by the

various authors who have rallied to the call in such a loyal way. The cost in pounds sterling has

also been considerable. Without a large grant from the Royal Society it would not have been

possible to complete the project. We would also mention a substantial grant from Peterlee

Development Corporation and our sincere thanks to these two organisations must here be

recorded.

The constituent societies also added what they could afford and many members

generously added extra amounts to their annual subscription. We thank them all. A single

magazine has cost about £3.63 to print, so those members who were unable to afford anything

extra will realise how well they have been served this year. We trust we shall continue to have

your support.

SIXTY YEARS OF

THE NORTHERN NATURALISTS' UNION (1924 - 84)

D. Hall, 14 Fairburn Avenue, Houghton-Ie-Spring

Reviewing three score years in the life of a Society that has five field meetings, two

indoor meetings as well as a Council meeting each year can be somewhat daunting but the three

good old minute books have proved their worth.

THE EARLY DAYS

Once upon a time, as a result of correspondence between members of the Wallis

Club, an outdoor field club, and the Darlington and Teesdale Naturalists' Field Club, a

conference was held at Armstrong College, Newcastle, on a Saturday in April, 1924 to form a

union of similar societies in the area. It was presided over by Walter Hodgson, the Darlington

Club's Vice-President, with F. C. Garrett of the Wallis Club acting as the secretary. Since the

Wallis Club, named after a famous Northumbrian curate-cum-naturalist-cum-antiquarian, had

only been founded two years earlier, it must have been the stimulus for the union to come. Three

other Societies were represented at the conference; the N.H.S. of Northumberland and Durham,

the Vale of Derwent Naturalists' Field Club and the Sunderland Naturalists' Association.

A second conference met at the Hancock Museum on May 10th when representatives

from the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, the Vale of Derwent Naturalists' Field Club and the

Hexham Grammar School Society were also present.

The final conference was also held at the Hancock Museum on Saturday May 24th, J.

E. Nowers of the Darlington Club presiding, when it was decided to establish 'The Northern

Naturalists' Union' and a code of rules was adopted for consideration by the Societies. Three

Societies present can lay claim to being the earliest members

18

as the representatives were empowered to join at the meeting; they were the Wallis Club, the

Darlmgton and Teesdale N.F.C. and the Vale of Derwent N.F.C.

The first field day was on Saturday, July 5th, 1924 and the visit to HawthornDene

was arranged in co-operation with the Northumberland and Durham NHS The journey was by

train to Easington and tea was provided at the Stapleton Arms,Hawthorn, for ls.-3d. - six and a

quarter pence in metric money which does not seem to go as far. A full report was printed in the

Vasculum X, 121.

The first General Meeting was held at Darlington on November 15th Richard Luck,

the President of the Darlington Club in the chair with a lecture in the afternoon by Dr. Millard

Griffiths, tea at the Imperial Café, then an evening Conversatione and Exhibition of specimens, so

early naturalists had plenty of stamina.

The first Annual General Meeting took place on 31st January 1925 at the University

Laboratories in Durham when about 60 members were shown over the new laboratories by

Professor Masson and Dr. Millard Griffiths. The meeting was chaired by Lady Parsons who was

the first President of the Union. Tea was provided in Hatfield Hall by the Council of the Durham

Colleges.

The Council Meeting held on October 17th, 1925 at 18, Ellison Place was chaired by

Dr. J. W Heslop-Harrison who was to guide the Union's affairs for many years to come. The

Autumn Meeting was at Sunderland when the Cleveland Naturalists' Field Club was admitted to

the Union.

At the second A.G.M. held in Armstrong College in February 1926 it was reported

that there were seven affiliated Societies and 43 individuals in the Union. Rather surprisingly, the

Northumberland and DurhamN.H.S. did not become a member until 1929. When the Hexham

Natural History and Antiquarian Society joined in 1930 every Natural History Society in

Northumberland and Durham was now a member.

In 1933 the West Park Natural History Society became a member and holds the

distinction of being the only school society that was a full member of the Union, carrying out

much field-work and keeping printed records.

In 1934 a start was made to form Sections in the Union and a Conchological Section

was established. An Entomological Section followed in 1935 and an Algal Section in 1936.

It was in 1929 that Referees and Recorders were first appointed and no less than

eighteen subject areas were covered. When the lists were revised in 1935 it now seems

unbelievable that twenty eight Recorders and twenty four Referees volunteered (Vasculum XV, p.

70 and Vasculum XXI, No. 2 p. 69).

Other pre-war Societies to join the Un ion were the Sunderland Technical College

Scientific Society in 1935 and the Weardale and District Naturalists' Field Club In 1938, although

the latter was dissolved in 1949.

THE WAR YEARS

There was a temporary cessation of meetings and so presumably the September Field

Meeting scheduled for September 1939 at Barrasford did not take place. The President carried on

for another year and the Secretary had resigned so Dr. K. B. Blackburn became the new Secretary

in 1940 and carried on for sixteen years. The Vasculum was suspended for the duration and so In

1942 ‘The Vasculum Substitute'

19

made its appearance, Professor Heslop-Harrison becoming the Editor. The word 'Substitute' was

dropped in 1960.

By 1945 four new school societies had been welcomed to the Union and Junior Excursions were

arranged from then on, usually two a year, Wylam and Cullercoats being the favourite venues.

In 1943 the newly-formed Annfield Plain and Stanley Naturalists' Club joined the Union and the

Birtley Natural History Society followed in 1948 to become the first post-war member. In 1969 it

became Birtley and Chester-le-Street Natural History Society.

MODERN TIMES

The newly-formed Sunderland N.H.S. became a member in 1963. Hartlepool N.H.S.

joined in 1974 as did the Westwater Lakes Society which unfortunately had to fold up due to

leasing difficulties by about 1980. Haydon Bridge Nature Club and Border N.H.S. joined in 1975

and the Weardale Field Study Society joined in 1977 but had to withdraw in 1982 for financial

reasons.

The marine Junior Meetings have continued since they were started at the end of the

war. From the mid-fifties until the mid-sixties the leader was Dr. Betty Moss. Since then John

Bradley led the Wellingtoned Brigade from 1968-80 and more recently Mr. Peter Davis has been

involved. Use has been made of the Marine Laboratory at Cullercoats on several occasions

recently.

The second junior meeting was abandoned from 1954 until 1962 when Professor

Heslop-Harrison led an excursion to Castle Eden Dene. From 1963-1968 Tom Dunn led the

meetings at Waldridge Fell. In an attempt to get away from the competition with school

examinations the second meeting was switched to the autumn and a fungus foray has been held

from 1970 until the present day at Hollinside Woods led by the present Secretary, Dennis Hall.

1978 was a good year when about 60 turned up.

PUBLICATIONS

From the formation of the Union in 1924, the Vasculum was used to record its

activities. This journal had been established in 1915 and run as a private venture with a panel of

editors led by Rev. Dr. J. E. Hull. This arrangement continued right up to the last full pre-war

edition in 1940, when it folded up because of war-time difficulties. When it started up again in

1942, the Vasculum Substitute was an abridged edition edited by Professor J. W. Heslop-

Harrison. This he continued to do until 1967 when the present Editor, T. C. Dunn took over,

although Tom had been assisting the Professor for several years. (Mr. Dunn is now seeking an

assistant to train for the future. Have we any volunteers?)

After a year or two of jornt meetings with the N.H.S. of Northumberland and

Durham regarding bringing out joint Transactions it was decided to produce the Union's own.

The first one is dated 1931 although it was 1932 before it appeared. Dr. F. C. Garrett was the first

Editor. Libraries and other Societies became publication members.

At a special Council Meeting in July 1971 it was decided that the Union should go

ahead with publishing longer articles of a semi-research nature in an extended edition of the

Vasculum rather than in the costly Transactions which had died in 1953. The first one came out as

the October Edition for 1971, a prompt achievement. It has gone from strength to strength

although some financial problems have been

20

encountered. The very extended October edition that you are reading now testifying to its virility

HONORARY MEMBERS

There have been four members elected to be Hon. Life Members and another four

members have been elected Hon. Life vice-Presidents. The Hon. Life Members were: J. E.

Nowers (Hon. Sec. of the Darlington Club and a past-President of the Union) in 1937; the Rev. J.

E. Hull (an Editor of the Vasculum) also in 1937; Dr. F. C. Garrett (Secretary for 14 years) in

1939 and finally Professor Heslop-Harrison in 1961. The first Hon. Life Vice-President was W.

Ellerington of Consett Society in 1957. R. B. Cooke was honoured similarly in 1971 on attaining

his 90th birthday and in recognition of his many beautiful displays of flowering shrubs at the

A.G.M. from the mid-fifties and into the seventies. In the same year Fred Wade, a past-President

of the Annfield Plain and Stanley Naturalists' Club was so honoured. The late Jack Thompson was

the most recent to be bestowed with the honour in 1978. A former Field Secretary, Jack was

confined to a wheelchair yet remained cheerful to the end.

An honour of a different sort was bestowed in 1981 on our Treasurer, Tom Dunn,

who was made an M.B.E. in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Conservation.

PAST OFFICERS OF THE UNION PRESIDENTS

There have been 49 Presidents in the 60 years and they are listed below. An

interesting one is Ralph Lowe who has the secret of eternal youth. He was elected President in

1967, 42 years after attending his very first A.G.M. in 1925 at Durham when he was just a lad. He

is clearly our longest-serving member.

1925 Lady Parsons 1951 Prof. J. A. R. Cragg (Durham)

1926 Lady Parsons 1952 Mrs. A. N. Gibby (Durham)

1927 B. Millard Griffiths (Durham) 1953 Mrs. H. H. Clark (Newcastle)

1928 J. E. Nowers (Darlington) 1954 J. E. Ruxton

1929 J. W. H. Harrison (Newcastle) 1955 J. A. Richardson (Birtley)

1930 T. A. Lofthouse (Cleveland) 1956 Dr. A. Todd

1931 Rev. J. E. Hull 1957 Prof. J. W. Heslop-Harrison

1932 G. Bennett Gibbs (Sunderland) 1958 T. N. Scaling

1933 R. B. Cooke (Newcastle) 1959 Weldon Watts

1934 R. H. Sargent (Dartinqton] 1960 T. C. Dunn

1935 Miss K. B. Blackburn (Newcastle) 1961 Prof. J. H. Burnett

1936 Guy L. Drury (Darlington) 1962 Miss M. Oates

1937 Prof. A. D. Hobson (Newcastle) 1963 C. J. Gent

1938 A. W. Bartlett (Newcastle) 1964 E. Alker

1939 W. Charlton (Cleveland) 1965 J. Thompson

1940 W. Charlton 1966 F. Bell

1941 G.Guy(Consett) 1967 R.H.Lowe

1942 J. B. Nicholson (Darlinqton] 1968 Rev. G. Graham

1943 Miss W. M. Lomas (Durham) 1969 Dr. J. L. Crosby

1944 D. R. Hughes (Weardale) 1970 Dr"W. A. Clark

1945 E. L. Davison (Cleveland) 1971 Dr. W. A. Clark

1946 Prof. J. W. H. Harrison 1972 E. Hinton-Clifton

1947 Dr. W. A. Clark (Newcastle) 1973 E. Hinton-Clifton

1948 Dr. W. M. Morison 1974 J. Bradley

1949 J. J. Robson (Consett] 1975 J. Bradley

1950 Prof. D. H. Valentine (Durham) 1976 Dr. T. Geyer

21

1977 Dr. T. Geyer 1981 Dr. L. Davies

1978 Dr. A. Lunn 1982 Dr. E. T. Burtt

1979 Dr. A. Lunn 1983 Dr. E. T. Burtt

1980 Dr. L. Davies 1984 Sir James Steel

Most Presidents held Office for one year until 1970 when two-year stints were

required. The first President served for two years and it was a wonderful coincidence that at the

end of the recent Field Meeting at Wylam we were invited to tea at Holeyn Hall which had been

Lady Parson's residence. Another exception was at the outbreak of war when W. Charlton carried

on another term. Professor Heslop-Harrison served two separate spells and the late Will Clark

managed one better, serving in 1947 and a double dose from 1970-72. His late wife, 'Dolly', was

the daughter of Professor Heslop-Harrison and she was elected President in 1953.

SECRETARIES

Six members have performed this duty. F. C. Garrett of the Wallis Club served from

1925 until 1938. The next, G. L. Drury only managed a year or so when war broke out. Dr. K. B.

Blackburn served from 1940 until 1956 when Mrs. A. N. Gibby took over until ill-health forced

her retirement in 1971. We can see her yet in the field writing down the plants as they were found.

She also conscientiously represented the Union at the British Association meetings for many

years. T. C. Dunn did a holding operation for a year until D. Hall was persuaded to serve in 1972

and up to the present. Anyone interested in taking over in 1987 will find it a sinecure. Get your

names down now!

TREASURERS

There have only been three 'Moneybags' in our history, which might prove

something. They plead poverty and we always respond. C. P. Nicholson of Darlington was the

first Treasurer and he was succeeded by J. E. Ruxton, an entomologist who served until 1953

when the current extortioner, Tom Dunn, another entomologist, was elected. He is looking for a

successor in 1987 and although he deserves to be put out to grass after all his work for the Union,

he can never be replaced because the Union's welfare is his prime concern.

FIELD SECRETARIES

The post was set up in 1965 to relieve the General Secretary of some of the work

involved in that post. Ted Alker was the first Field Secretary and he took over immediately after

serving as our President. However he was soon to leave the area and he was replaced the

following year by another retiring President, Jack Thompson of the Birtley Society. Jack was an

excellent field worker but he was fighting an uphill battle against paralysis and he found that he

could not be active himself in the field. Dr. J. P. Doody took over in 1976 and when he left the

area in 1979 the Union had John and Judith Bradley as joint secretaries. The current Field

Secretary, Derek Pickering, was appointed in 1981.

RULES, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP

The current rules date from 1971 when the major change was for the President to

serve for two years after serving one year as President-elect. Changes from the original rules were

also made in 1937 and in 1963.

22

At the first A.G.M. in 1925 the Subscription was set at 7/6d which must have been

quite a sum in those days. In 1943 the subscrition, was reduced for the duration of the war to, 5/-;

.and a special junior rate of 2/6 was set up. In 1953 the subscription was raised to 10- ~to finance

the Transactions restarted then. By 1972 the £1 barrier was reached and in 1976, the £2 barrier,

the enlarged October Vasculum having an insatiable appetite. The £3 subscription appeared in

1983. The most difficult time financially was 1974-5 when there was a deficit of over £100 due to

the crippling, cost of the Vasculum.However; by 1979 there was a balance of over £300.

Membershlp, has steadlly increased over recent years thanks to the efforts of Tom

Dunn and currently stands at about 168 members, ten affiliated Societies seven schools as well as

36 libraries ,etc. who are Vasculum subscribers. Pre-war there were about 100 members at the-

best with seven libraries taking the Vasculum in 1939. If only more members of the affiliated

Societies would join the Union as full members the potential of the Union would be very strong.

HESLOP'-HARRISON MEMORIAL LECTURES

The annua1 lectures commenced' in October 1968 and this year will see the 17th

successive lecture commemorating the memory of the 'Prof' as he was known. He was a founder

member of the Union and a great field naturalist of repute. For many years before his death in

1967 at the age of 86 he guided the Union's affairs. The lectures got off to an unfortunate start

when the inaugural lecturer, Dr. Kettlewell, of Oxford was unable to attend due to illness. After

initially holding the meetings at Durham University it then became the practice to hold the

meetings in different areas with the affiliated Societies acting as host in turn. Details are tabulated

below of the past lectures and venues as well as the next one to be held in October at Hartlepool.

Date Speaker Title Venue

1968 Dr. H,.B. D -, Kettlewell 'A modern appraisal of the

evolution of Industrial,Melanism

in the Lepidoptera'’

Durham

(Speaker- ill so-lecture was given by Mr. T C. Dunn on a similar topic) 1969 Dr. M. W. Holgate 'Past and present floras and

faunas of the Antarctic'

Durham

1970 Dr. W. J. Eggeling 'Some problems of Conservation' Darlington

1971 Prof. J. Heslop-Hafrison ' ‘A newlook at Insect-eating

plants'

Chester-le-Street

1972 Dr. C.B. Williams 'Insect migration' Consett

1973 Mr. Ian Armstronq 'Northumberland and its birds' Sunderland

1974 Dr. David Bellamy. 'There's more in bogs than water' Annfield Plain

1975 Mr, Peter Yeoman 'Bats' Middlesbrough

1976 Dr. W. A: Sledge 'Problems of geographical

distribution'

Hartlepool

1977 Dr.G.A.L. Johnson ‘Recent Advances in the

Geological Studies of Northern

England'

Darlington

1978 Prof. Geo. Varley 'The contribution of Naturalists to

the progress of Science'

Chester·le-Street

1979 Dr. S. W. Greene ‘Plant Life in Antarctic tactic

regions'

Durham

1980 Mr. J. R. Hornsbv 'The creation' of a Nature

Reserve'

Consett

1981 Dr. J. L. Crosby 'A'naturalist looks at Evolution' Middlesbrough

1982 Dr. J.A. Richardson " ProfessorHarrison - a part of his life' .

Sunderland

23

1983 Prof. G. E. Russell 'The control of pests and diseases' Annfield Plain

1984 Prof. G. A. Swan 'A botanist in the Alps' Hartlepool

THE CONSERVATION ASPECT

The Union has kept a wary eye on various escapades in its history as for example in

1936 when concern was expressed over damage at Blackhall Rocks and a protest was sent to the

Air Ministry about a Holy Island Bombing Scheme. Seal culling in the Farnes in 1958 caused a

storm as did the threat to Seal Sands and North Gare starting in 1974. The possible dumping of

nuclear waste in the Cheviots in 1977 was monitored and other recent concerns have been otter

hunting and badger baiting in the area, motor-cycling over moorlands, mining for minerals on

Waldridge Fell and even house-building near Gosforth Park Nature Reserve.

RECENT ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

The Cleveland N.F.C. celebrated its Centenary Year in 1981 and they kindly offered

to host the Harrison Memorial Lecture in Middlesbrough. They organised a well-attended Union

Field Meeting at the Wynyard Estate and a display of Union material was put on at the Dorman

Museum.

Previous to this was the 150th Birthday of the Natural History Society of

Northumbria in 1979. Their headquarters, the Hancock Museum, where the Union regularly holds

its A.G.M., recently celebrated its Centenary in August in 'olde worlde' style with a mock replay

of the Official Opening by the Prince of Wales in 1884.

The Union's Diamond Anniversary this year was marked by a display of material on

the early days of the Union at the A.G.M. in the Hancock Museum as well as by a very tasty

special birthday cake made by Miss Vincent who for more years than we can remember has been

involved with the splendid teas provided at the A.G.M. A book and plant sale was held and the

proceeds, along with many donations and income from other enterprises, have provided ample

funds for the bumper October Vasculum that you are now reading. For the Juniors, as well as

those young at heart, T.V. personality David Bellamy assisted by Dennis Coggins led a special

extra field meeting to Upper Teesdale looking at Iron Age excavations, the special flora of Cow

Green and Widdybank Fell as well as the 'Kettle holes' at Romaldskirk.

SENIOR FIELD MEETINGS

The first Field day was on Saturday, July 5th, 1924, when the visit to Hawthorn Dene

has already been described. From 1925 until 1936 there were always two field days, one in June

and the other in July. The leaflets often carried elaborate information about the area to be visited

as well as detailed instructions on how to get there which was not always an easy matter. An extra

late summer meeting or autumn meeting was started from 1937 and this is still the norm today,

although there were no doubt many additional Sectional Meetings in the 1930s as well as one or

two in more recent years to record galls.

The dates and venues of the field meetings complete this review of our sixty years. 1924 Hawthorn Dene (July) 1927 Great Ayton (June)

1925 Billingham Marsh (June) Gibside (July)

Sweethope Lough (July) 1928 Langdon Beck (June)

1926 The Sneap (June) Hawthorn Dene (July)

24

Frosterley (July) 1951 Apperley Dene (June)

1929 The Sneap (June) Billingham Bottoms (July)

Allenheads (July) Riding Mill (September)

1930 Dryderdale (June) 1952 Shincliffe & CroXdale (June)

Blanchland (July) Frosterley (July)

1931 Devil's Water (June) Beamish (September) Egglestone (July) 1953 Plessey (May)

1932 Windlestone Park (June) Hawthorn Hive (June)

Edmondbyers (July) Juniper Valley (September)

1933 Stanhope and Frosterley (June) 1954 Blanchland(May)

The Sneap (July) Pittington (June)

1934 Pigdon Banks (June) Crimdon (September)

Greatham Marsh (July) 1955 BothalDene (May)

1935 Blanchland (June) Hamsterley (July)

Dryderdale Hall (July) Harehope Burn (September)

1936 Raby Park (June) 1956 Lambton Woods (May)

Ross Links (July) Cassop (July)

1937 Broadwood Hall (June) Dipton Woods (September) Crag Lough (July) 1957 Lumley Castle (May)

Edmundbyers (August) Castle Eden Dene (July)

1938 Browney Valley Shincliffe Woods (September)

Cheviot 1958 Apperley Dene (May)

Eastgate Richmond (July)

1939 Upper Teesdale (June) Bedburn (September)

Muggleswick (July) 1959 Pigdon (May)

Barrasford (September) (Cancelled due to war?) Upper Teesdale (July)

1940 Croxdale Woods (May) Riding Mill (September)

Chopwell Woods (June) 1960 The Sneap (May)

Corbridge (July) Embleton (July) 1941 Lumley Woods (May) Middlehope Burn (September)

Quarrington Hi/I (June) 1961 Hermitage Woods (June)

Urpeth Bottoms (July) Bollihope (July)

1942 Gibside (May) Satley (September)

Weardale? (June) 1962 Causey Arch (May)

Butterby Marsh (July) Aycliffe Quarry (July)

1943 Chopwell Devil's Water (September)

Butterby? 1963 Whittle Dene (May)

Cassop Shadforth (July)

1944 Wylam Joe's Pond (September)

Butterby 1964 Rainton Park Wood (May) Allansford Craster (July)

1945 Billingham (May) Seaton Carew (September)

Juniper Valley (June) 1965 Cleveland area (May)

Dilston (July) Fulwell Quarry (July)

1946 Riding Mill (May) Riding Mill (September)

Consett (June) 1966 Castleside (May)

Hawthorn Dene (July) Upper Teesdale (July)

1947 Lumley (May) Piercebridge (September)

Dryderdale (June) 1967 Cow Green (May)

Brasside (July) Gainford & Dyance Wood (July)

1948 Ravensworth (May) 1968 Barnard Castle (May)

Hamsterley Mill Woods (June) Hexham (July) Blackhall Rocks (July) Salter's Gate (September)

1949 Urpeth Bottoms 1969 White Kirkley (May)

Wynyard Park (June) Castle Eden (July)

The Sneap (June) Budle Bay (September)

1950 Cocken (May) 1970 Tunstall Hill (May)

Shadforth (June) Mickle Moss (July)

Gibside (September) Bishop Middleham (September)

25

1971 Stanhope Dene (May) 1978 Howick Woods (June)

Plankey Mill (July) Ninebanks (July)

Boulmer (September) Castleside-Waskerley Railway (Sept.)

1972 (June) Hawthorn Dene 1979 Howns Gill (June)

Holystone (July) Wolsingham (July)

Deepdale Woods (September) Kyloe Woods (September) 1973 Saltersgate (May) 1980 Derwent Walk (May)

Harbottle Crag (July) Wingate Quarries (July)

North Gare (September) Blanchland (September)

1974 Castle Eden Dene (June) 1981 Wynyard Estate (May)

Bollihope (July) Rainton Park Wood (July)

Harbottle Crag (September) Dipton Mill Wood (September)

1975 Mere Burn, Ebchester (May) 1982 Warden (May)

Bonnyrigg Hall (July) Wooler (July)

Brignall Banks (September) Windlestone Hall (September)

1976 Pigdon Woods & Font Burn (May) 1983 West Boat (June)

Knitsley Fell (July) Waldridge Fell (July)

Hawthorn Dene (July evening) Thornley Woods (September) Alnwick-Wooler Railway (September) 1984 Wylam (June)

1977 Shipley & Great Wood (May) Hollinside Botanic Gardens (July)

Wolsingham (July) Thornley Woods (September)

Moorhouse Woods (July evening)

Alnwick-Wooler Railway (September)

SOME PIONEER INVESTIGATIONS

WITH PROFESSOR HARRISON ON PIT HEAPS

AND MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE SITES IN COUNTY DURHAM

by J_ A_ Richardson,

Department of Plant Biology, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne

INTRODUCTION

Professor J. W_ Heslop Harrison F_R.S. (1881-1967) was known to a great many

people during his long life as scientist, naturalist, teacher, colleague and friend. It is the writer's

intention to refer briefly to a few personal recollections and gleanings of these roles which may

not be generally known and which recall his flair for investigation over a wide field. At the same

time it gives one the opportunity in this Anniversary edition of the Vasculum to remind readers of

his outstanding service to the Northern Naturalists' Union from its inception.

In 1915 he was a founder and one of the four original editors of this magazine which

aimed to provide a forum to cater for naturalists working in and around the northern counties. It

was intended to be both popular and scientific and to encourage readers, both amateur and

professional, to carry out observations in the field. From the beginning Harrison and his co-

editors made the Vasculum especially attractive because it appeared regularly and frequently and

consequently offered certain and rapid Publication of notes and records. During the second world

war and afterwards Professor Harrison almost single-handed kept the Vasculum going in a

'Substitute' form. In time the magazine returned to about its normal form with Mr. T_ C. Dunn

acting as co-editor before taking over as Editor in 1967.

26

Dunn (1983) has reminded us that for nearly 60 years Harrison dominated the natural

historv scene in this part of the world (and in more distant parts too) . This he achieved through

his University position, his connections with the Vasculum, by his public lectures, by his work as

biology examiner in schools and teacher training colleges, but most of all by his participation n

and devotion to the NNU and all its activities.

Professor Harrison acquired an early interest in natural history from his mother, his

uncle (the Reverend J. E. Hull, DSc) and from his neighbour the Birtley naturalistCharles Robson;

but It was when he went to Middlesbrough as a graduate Chemistry master that he got into his

stride as a field worker. His knowledge of plant and Insect life was prodigious, and when the high

quality of his work was recognised and he turned hls attention to the experimental side, he was

recalled to his College in Newcastle where he occupied the Chair of Botany. For his research on

insects (which contributed to knowledge of hybridity, melanism and non-Mendelian inheritance)

and on flowering plants (where he mastered the difficult taxomomy of the willows and the roses

and jointly discovered sex chromosomes) he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

In 1932 he began his ecological and biogeographical studies in the Inner and Outer

Hebrides and this lasted until the middle 1950's. By then the wheel had turned full circle and he

was once again devoting much of his time to local natural history. Not that he had ever deserted

this life-long interest for during all this time (1915 to 1950) he was contributing records, notes

and articles to the Vasculum. Nor had he ceased to encourage students and society members to

take up the research lines which he endlessly suggested.

Even in the best worked districts, he argued, the distribution of the commonest

species is often uncertain. No one can guarantee, except in a few places, that a given species will

be found. It is clear that past records cannot be expected to keep account of the changes that are

continually taking place. Large tracts of land go into or out of cultivation; are laid bare or covered

over; woodlands are planted and felled; areas are drained or flooded. Industrial sites like pit heaps

and quarries become prominent temporary features and then they are gone. All these events and

many others lead to changes in local flora and fauna, and constantly, in the Vasculum, Harrison

was leading the way with accounts of his careful and systematic enquiry into our present plant

and animal resources. He carefully recorded, by scores of entries in the Vasculum (see e.g.

Volumes 32 to 50). the changes in distribution and total numbers of a wide range of plants.

Included amongst many others were the following:- Dactylorhiza fuchsii (spotted orchid),

D.purpurella (marsh orchid) and their hybrid swarms; Ophrys apifera (bee orchid); Senecio

erucifolius (Oxford ragwort); Salix phylicifolia (tea- leaved willow); Chamaenerion angustifolium

(rose-bay willow herb); Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam).

PIT HEAP RECLAMATION

Harrison, who had lived all his life in the towns, villages and countryside of the

North East, was probably more aware than most people of the extent of the disfigurement caused

to the landscape by industrial activities. Constantly he protested about the ruination of some

coastal denes by tipping pit waste into them and about the disgraceful damage suffered when

tipping operations were extended to the beaches. Nevertheless, he recognised that interesting new

habitats were being offered by

27

blast furnace slag heaps, polluted streams, clay holes, pit heaps, quarries etc.

Harrison (1937) was intrigued by, and regularly visited, the small woodlands which

had developed on the abandoned sites of the 'gin-pits' on Birtley Fell. He was responsible for

initiating some of the earliest investigations into the natural succession of plants which occurs

from the early colonists through to the members of the climax community; and how the

interacting factors of soil chemistry and physics, climate, aspect and the seed intensity of the

colonizers affected the rate of the process (Richardson 1956, 1976). Many years before, Smythe

(1925), with Harrison's encouragement, had recorded in the Vasculum the consequences of the

presence of sulphur in burnt and unburnt shales; one of these was later found to be an important

restraint on plant growth.

From a lifetime's experience in the field Harrison knew exactly which native species

were able to survive the inhospitable conditions of a derelict pit heap; yet strangely, in the 1950's

when local authority planners embarked on schemes to clothe offending pit heaps with vegetation,

the advice of botanists was not sought. Harrison (1959) was obliged to point out this obvious and

often costly mistake, the unsuitability of the species selected and to refer to species of proven

worth on pit heap sites. A good example is Sorbus aria (whitebeam); this tree does well on most

heaps while its cogenor S. aucoparia (rowan) is almost as useless as Acer pseudoplatanus

(sycamore) for initial planting purposes.

Towards the end of his life the method of accelerating the process of natural

succession by deliberately planting grasses, shrubs and trees on existing pit heaps was gradually

superseded by comprehensive reclamations (Richardson, 1977). In such schemes very large

heaps, 3m. tonnes 60m high, were reshaped and contoured by earthmoving machines prior to

replanting for agricultural pasture, woodland or nature reserve grassland. Although Harrison

performed none of the laboratory or field experiments, which made all this possible, his place in

this story is assured because of the way he readily passed on his field observations, his ideas and

his enthusiasm in order that others might do so.

MAGNESIAN LIMESTONE

In 1950 J. E. Lousley wrote a book entitled 'Wild Flowers of Chalk and Limestone'

in which, although containing over 250 pages, he devoted only a part of a single paragraph to the

Magnesian Limestone area of County Durham. He made two points, one that 'the area might still

yield interesting plants if it received the attention it appears to lack'. Secondly, he wrote

'unfortunately it is not a district which appeals to the botanist on holiday'.

For Professor Harrison and the N.N.U. these were serious matters to be noted. One,

that our local botanists were not competent; two, that the area had not been continuously worked

and three, it would require outside botanists to come to Durham to complete the work. His reply

(1950) was characteristically swift, rough and well documented. He showed, by references to the

outings of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club and the N.N.U.; to the writings of assiduous

workers going back to Baker and Tate and Winch, and to Vasculum articles and records that a

succession of competent botanists had in fact studied the rich flora in the area.

Although he wrote 'it can be asserted with safety that very little in the way of

novelties can be expected to turn up in such a well worked area as the Durham Magnesian

Limestone', it soon became clear that he was not altogether satisfied that there

28

was nothing new to be found. Lousley's words had become a challenge and led directly to a

systematic examination by us of old and new quarries, cuttings and rocky outcrops from South

Shields inland down to Ferryhill, Aycliffe and beyond. We also took in all the surviving scraps of

Magnesian Limestone grassland and of course the coastal cliffs and denes. Starting with the

existing plant records and locations we made use of old tithe maps, the whole range of Ordnance

Survey maps and our own intuition to carry out the searches.

Altogether we examined 27 rough pastures, some were quite large others merely

scraps of land at the rims of quarries (Richardson, 1980) on cliff edges and steep slopes which

remained after the needs of industry and farming hadeen satisfed

The remarkable discovery was made that these Magnesian Limestone grasslands

contained plants whose distribution was essentially northern (like Sesleria albicans blue-moor

grass) or southern (like Zerna erecta, upright brome) and they were unique to east Durham. For

example, at Merryknowle growing together were Seslerie, Zerns, Brachypodium pinnatum and B.

sylvaticum. All are calcicole; Sesleria is northern, B. pinnatum and Zerna are southern and B.

sylvaticum is general in distribution It is doubtful if this combination is to be found elsewhere in

the British Isles. In east Durham an overlap occurs in the limits of distribution of two distinct

calcareous grassland types.

Sesleria was generally dominant and grew with a moderate number of characteristic

companion species. In time we realised that while the floras in all of the Sesleria stations

conformed to the same general composition (see Harrison and Richardson, 1953 for lists) they

were not uniform. For example at Old Quarrington Astragalus danicus and Rosa pimpinellifolia

appeared in quantity, at Garmondsway it was Anacamptis pyramidalis and Cirsium eriophorum;

at Thrislington (see below) it was Epipactis atrorubens; at Highland House, Zerna erecta; at

Pittington, Plantago maritima; at Quarrington Hill, Primula farinosa. No doubt the number of

these local variations, found in the old semi-natural grasslands, will be increased by the

communities which are steadily forming on abandoned spoil heaps and in quarries (Rich- ardson,

1956).

Little or no progress has been made towards explaining how the interactions of slope,

aspect, soil pH, moisture retaining capacity, calcium/magnesium ratios upon the local flora have

produced these variations.

However forward steps were made by the careful researches of Shimwell (1968) who

analysed and classified the east Durham grass lands (and compared them with other basic

grasslands}, and Booy (1973) who worked out botanical solutions for the reclamation of

abandoned tips and quarry sites and made recommendations for conservation. Shimwell revisited

all the sites discovered in 1953 and confirmed the uniqueness of the grasslands there. He gave the

east Durham grassland plants the status of an Association Seslerio-Helictotrichetum in his

classification and demonstrated how it provided essential links between the southern limestone

grasslands (Class: Festuco-Brometes) and arctic-alpine grasslands of the north (Class: Elyno-

Seslerietea). He named the site at Thrislington (see below) as the best example of the Association.

Furthermore his careful analysis showed that the variations from the typical Sesleria grassland

(Sesterio-Helictotricnon] which we had recorded were real and not apparent and he described

three distinct Sub-Associations and several variants from within the Association.

Zerna erecta was locally dominant on small pieces of grass land at Bishop

Middleham,

29

Old Cassop and Pittington, and on two large sites at Mainsforth and Garrnondsway. Whereas the

Sesleria dominated grasslands of east Durham are thought to be native associations it is doubtful

whether this is so in the case of Zerna grassland. At Garmondsway although the available

information was against the view that the site has been ploughed out or heavily grazed during the

last 60 years, it was extremely difficult to explain the assemblage of plants except on the basis of

ploughing or heavy grazing at some time in the past.

Dark red helleborine

Epipactis atrorubens is a plant of northern distribution that deserves special mention.

It is not found in Teesdale, or anywhere else in Durham apart from the Magnesium Limestone.

The plant must be regarded as a post-glacial invader which came north in the wake of the

retreating ice and found suitable niches in Sesleria grassland and dry banks in east Durham. The

importance of the plant is recognised by its inclusion on the cover of the Bulletin of the Durham

County Conservation Trust Ltd. It is not listed in Winch's Flora of 1838 or in Baker and Tate

(1868); or Harrison and Temperley (1939). It is described as local and rare on limestone by

Clapham, Tutin and Warburg (1952). It was said to occur in odd places from Sussex northwards

to Sutherland; even in the Inner Hebrides. Nilsson (1979) refers to its strong wine or purple

colour, or even brownish dark red. Found in limestone areas on exposed cliffs and screes, among

ash scrub or open ground it nearly always grows on dry land exposed to the sun.

The events leading to the discovery (or re-discovery) of E. atrorubens are as follows.

It seems that the herbarium of a deceased amateur naturalist had come into the possession of a Dr.

G. W. T. H. Fleming who passed one sheet to Dr. D. P. Young of Sandstead, Surrey, a well

known BSBI orchid expert. This sheet carried a specimen of E. atrorubens and the locality and

date were 'Silam Bank, Co. Durham, 1911 ', Dr. Young's knowledge of its distribution told him

Durham was not a known place for E. atrorubens. Had it got into the herbarium with what

appeared to be a false locality? He decided to check this and wrote to Professor D. H. Valentine at

the Botany Department of the Durham Colleges to see if he could throw any light on the mystery,

and, in the winter of 1955, Valentine passed his letter on to me. Was it possible, I asked Harrison

and if so, where? 'Well, on the Magnesian Limestone for a start; in short turf or screes for

another', was his reply. But where was Silam Bank on the Magesian Limestone tract?

A careful scrutiny of the 1 in. O.S. map failed to reveal any such place, but on the

21/2in. map there was a Silent Bank shown. It was on the A181 road to Hartlepool, five miles

from Durham and it runs by the side of Witch Hill (named as Strawberry Hill on the 1in. O.S.

map). In July 1956 after several visits to the place I found the first plants of E. atrorubens on a

dry limestone bank only a footpath's width from the busy trunk road. There were 43 plants, about

half in flower, and three spikes were sent at once to Dr. Young. He confirmed that the plant was

indeed the dark red helleborine and the find was duly recorded (our record in the Vasculum

(1956) gave the location correctly as Shadforth Parish, Dr. Young in Watsonia gave Cassop, and

for this mistake he received the predictable rebuke from Harrison (1956). Since then additional

locations (including Cassop!) have been found, and to the writer's knowledge there are seven

flourishing colonies at present.

30

Thrislington Plantation

You could always tell, if you had worked with hi for a few years, when Professor

Harrison had something new in mind or if he was onto something fresh as he would put it: We

were sitting by the side of the Highland Quarry relaxing after a morning spent listing the plants

there and on the waste heaps nearby. He had been poring over the 21/2in. map for some time

when all at once he threw it aside and lay back; characteristically, he locked his hands behind his

head crossed a leg over a knee and slowly moved the supported limb up and down. I didn't have

lonq to wait. He smiled, then he grinned, and I then knew he was on to something fresh.’You

carry on with your work at the Highland Quarry, he said, I’ll just have a rest and then stroll along

the track of the old waggonway to the quarries of Cornforth'. When I met up with him later his

grin was even broader and told me he had something special to show me. The following morning

we were at Thrislington Plantation before the dew was off the grass to examine the unique

assemblage of plants he had found himself amongst whilst on his stroll. Harrison had such a

marvellous eye for habitats and for species; and, as he explained, he struck Sesleria grassland at

just the right place and he followed his nose!

The site proved to contain the most important example of Magnesian Limestone

grassland in Britain. Over three pieces of ground of about 1.4 ha. (3.5 ac.) the grassland is

dominated by Sesleria. In a small area where there had been either light tree cover, or none at all,

was discovered a grouping which until then only existed in Durham on the uplands on

Carboniferous limestone. This group comprised the following species:-

Antennaria dioica (mounta in everlasting)

Carex ericetorum

Helianthemum chamaecistus (rockrose)

Primula farinosa (bird's eye primrose)

Sesleria albicans (blue-moor grass)

Thymus drucei (wild thyme)

At Widdybank Fell on 28th May 1954 this combination of species was observed and

a few days later it was found at Thrislington, a fact of considerable phytogeographical

significance (Harrison, 1954).

Linum anglicum (blue flax), a species of southern distribution which reaches its

northern limits on the Durham Magnesian Limestone was found at the foot of the slopes on which

the group of northern species listed above was growing.

From old records and maps it is known that this area of Thrislington was grassland or

arable in 1840; and by 1856 it had been thinly planted according to the then current procedure

used for game coverts. It seems that the species were larch, pine, oak, ash, sycamore, and birch

and they were planted with six to eight m. between trees. The plantation probably remained

without major interference until 1916 when in common with many of our woodlands it was felled

to meet the urgent need for timber. No replanting was undertaken, and for a time the vegetation

was allowed to develop naturally. However, in 1920, before the invading scrub' could establish

itself, it became the practice to use it for exercising and grazing the ponies employed in the

nearby collieries during the periodic rest from their labours underground. Although in the past ten

years, grazing has been extremely light and sporadic, there is a strong possibility that the presence

of grazing animals is the chief reason for the floristic composition which exists today. Indeed, in

those parts of the plantation where grazing

31

has always been lightest, and has now ceased altogether, a tangle of hawthorn, rose, bramble,

elderberry, ash and sycamore is rapidly developing. In contrast however, there are still large

stretches which are without a single shrub and are dominated by the grasses Sesleria albicans

with Zerna erecta and Festuca ovina plentiful in places. Two questions arise from these

investigations, The first, how has the ground, formerly occupied by woodland, developed into

grassland rather than into scrub, has been answered in part by reference to the grazing of large

numbers of young ponies. The second, why is it that the grassland consists of a Sesleria

dominated consociation, is not so easily solved. The possibility exists that at least part of the area

was originally clothed by Sesleria grassland which covered the hard dolomite now only a few

inches below the surface. It was where the soil was deeper that trees were planted towards the

middle of the 18th century. Owing to the light nature of the tree canopy in some places, or to the

absence of trees on several rocky outcrops in others, it is likely that the colonies of the original

grassland plants were able to survive during the years from say 1850 to 1916. Old quarries may

also have provided refugia where stocks were maintained.

The evidence from investigations carried out in the quarries (Richardson et al. 1980)

that, given suitable soil conditions and a high local seed intensity, Sesleria can adopt an

aggressive role to the exclusion of other similarly placed species. Thus, when the trees were cut

down, there are grounds for thinking that Sesleria was free to move outwards from its confined

refugia to occupy large areas around the stumps of fallen trees. This tentative explanation raises,

of course, the question of the suitability of the ground from the standpoint of pH value and

carbonate content, Also in mind is the question of whether it is likely that the ground flora under

trees today would give way to Sesleria after felling had taken place. A more likely explanation is

that Sesleria grassland survived many years under woodland as it is known to have done on

limestone soils in parts of Europe. The critical factor seems to be .pH value rather than light

intensity.

Today there are vigorous encroachments occurring in parts of the grassland and in

places a dense hawthorn scrub is building up. The fact that this species-rich vegetation possibly

existed on rocky ledges, banksides and thin soils during the years of the plantation does not mean

that similar refugia will be available a second time. Another and potentially more serious threat to

this site may come from the extension eastwards of the large-scale quarrying operations now

taking place nearby.

Ponds and Marshes

Professor Harrison first remarked on the effect on the adjacent vegetation of alkaline

drainage water in 1918 when he studied the ecology of the Lower Tees marshes. The effect was

particularly marked in the so-called Trollius bog at Billingham.

The Magnesian Limestone of east Durham is so well jointed, fissured and honey-

combed that everywhere water has a free passage downwards, and the occurrence of stretches of

standing water is extremely rare. There are no natural lakes, but here and there, where the soil is a

clay, ponds and marshes occur. Marshes are more common than ponds, and they were found at

the foot of the Permian escarpment, e.q, at Moorsley, Pittington, Sherburn, Coxhoe, Fishburn,

where the clay soils were heavily charged with calcium and magnesium carbonate carried down

from the Magnesian Limestone plateau.

Whereas the ponds and lakes in west Durham, fed by water from the Millstone

32

Grit, are generally poor in dissolved minerals, the standing water caused by drainage from the

Magnesian Limestone, is relatively rich in minerals i.e. it is 'hard' water. The table below shows

how the hardness of these two Durham waters compare with the two extreme conditions found

elsewhere in England. (Hardness in parts per million is taken as the weight of mineral salts in

grains per million grains of water).

Hardness (p.p.m.)

Ennerdale Burnhope Sprucely Baintree

(Cumber/and) (Durham) (Durham) (Essex)

20.4 33.4 409 1098

Two of the aquatic habitats we discovered in 1954 were in the parish of Bishop

Middlesham between East House and Sprucely. They are notable because they contain an

assemblage of plants uncommon in northern England and which can be related both to the high

calcium carbonate content of the substratum, and to the history of the Durham flora (Richardson,

1956). The group of related habitats comprised the Sprucely pond, two ponds at East House (East

House A and East House B) and the marsh at East House.

It appears that most stretches of still water in the area have been artificially made in

the course of land improvement during the 1860's. This group of ponds probably owe their

existence to the excavating operations that were carried out during the draining of the marshes

that formerly extended intermittently from the foot of the Permian escarpment to the River Tees.

The work involved changing the course of the River Skerne at points and it is possible that a

number of isolated back- waters were formed. These appear to have acted as refugia for species

that were in danger of dying out elsewhere due to the effects of improved drainage. It is

remarkable that until recently (see Wheeler, 1980) at no other point was it possible to discover

plant communities comparable with the ones found at Sprucely and East House.

The main substances present in the pond at Sprucely are given as p.p.m. in the

following table:-

Calcium 128 Carbonates 192

Magnesium 22 Sulphates 45

Potassium 1.5 Chlorides 21

Sodium 0.6 Nitrates trace

Organic matter 51 Phosphates trace

pH = 7.6

As one might expect, the drainage water from the Magnesian Limestone tract has

many of the properties of the rock itself. The base status is high and so is the pH value; although

the nitrate, phosphorus and potash content is low, nevertheless a luxuriant community of

flowering plants was achieved.

Because of periodic disturbances in the ponds and in the marsh (see below) there was

no definite zonation of the vegetation in all of them, and only the Sprucely pond will be

mentioned in this connection. This pond, the smallest of the three, was circular with a diameter of

10m. and a depth of 0.6m. in the centre. The dominant plant in the centre of the pond was

Potamogeton polygonifolius and this was surrounded by a dense band of vegetation in which the

co-dominants were Berula erecta and Hippuris vulgaris. Adjoining this zone and nearer the edge

was a third zone in which dominance was shared by Alisma plantago-aquatica, Glyceria fluitans

and Oenanthe fistulosa. Finally at the edge of the pond, where the water was frequently

33

below the soil surface the dominants were Agrostis stolonifera and Ranunculus

repens. The noteworthy species contained in the four aquatic habitats are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Plants of four wet places between Sprucely and East House (NZ 346314) near Bishop Middleham

(see text) Species Sprucely Pond East House A Pond East House B Pond East House Marsh

Agrostis stolonifera + + + +

Alisma plantago-aquatica + + +

Apium inundatum +

Alopercurus geniculatus + +

Berula erecta +

Blysmus compressus +

Caltha palustris + + + +

Cardamine pratensis +

Carex disticha +

Carex diandra + Carex dioica +

Carex echinata +

Carex flacca + +

Carex nigra + +

Chara hispida + +

Cirsium palustre +

Cynosurus cristatus +

Eleocharis palustris +

Eleocharis uniglumis +

Epilobium hirsutum + + +

Epilobium palustre + + +

Epilobium parviflorum + + + Equisetum limosum +

Equisetum palustre +

Eriophorum angustifolium +

Galium uliginosum +

Glyceria fluitans +

Hippuris vulgaris + + +

Holcus lanatus + + +

Hottonia palustris +

Juncus articulatus + +

Juncus bufonius +

Juncus glaucus + + Juncus subnodulosus +

l.vchnis flos-cuculi +

Mentha aquatica + +

Menyanthes trifoliata +

Montia verna +

Myosotis caespitosa +

Nasturtium officinale + +

Oenanthe fistulosa +

Orchis mascula +

Parnassia palustris +

Phleum pratense + +

Pinguicula vulgaris + Polygonum amphibium +

Potamogeton polygonifolius +

Prlmula farinosa +

34

Ranunculus flammula +

Ranunculus repens +

Ranunculus trichophyllus +

Rumex hydrolapathum + +

Senecio aquaticus + +

Sparganium ramosum + + Triglochin pelustris +

Valeriana dioica +

Veronica beccabunga + +

Of particular interest was the occurrence of Hottonia palustris at Sprucely because,

until it was discovered there in 1954 (see Vasculum 39, 25), there was no current record of the

plant in Durham. The discovery in the marsh of Primula farinosa added another locality for the

plant to the east Durham list. This plant has a pronounced discontinuous distribution in the

county, occurring on the Magnesian Limestone in the east and on the Carboniferous Limestone in

the west, and avoiding the intervening Coal Measure and Millstone Grit tracts. The presence of

Menyanthes trifoliata here was notable because this plant usually prefers more acid conditions in

Durham. This was the only station we could find on the Magnesian Limestone. Also notable in

this connection were Carex diandra, C. dioica, Eriophorum enqustifolium and Montia verne,

which are all generally considered to be calcifuge species. Parnassia palustris occurs in coastal

pastures on the Magnesian Limestone, and at Billingham Bottoms at Teesmouth (see above); after

that it was not found before the wet moors and riverside pastures in the western uplands. This was

the only record for an intermediate station.

Finally, this short section, touching on the influence of the Magnesian Limestone

rocks on the composition of pond and marsh communities, might appropriately include an

observation on why these communities have survived so long. The impression gained by careful

inspection of the ground was that only because there is regular disturbance of the habitats taking

place do the present assemblage of plants persist. If outside interference was suspended for a

prolonged period the sere would run through to grassland.

In every paper Harrison wrote there were proposals for further investigation, and his

papers (see Royal Society Biographical Memoirs 14, 243-70, 1968) are still a fascinating source

of ideas and projects for the enterprising worker. We shall not see his like again.

References

Baker, J. G. & Tate G. R. (1868). A New Flora of Northumberland and Durham. Natural History

Transactions of Northumberland and Durham, 2, 1 - 316.

Booy, M. E. (1975). Botanical studies in land reclamation after Magnesian Limestone quarrying.

Thesis, Newcastle University.

Clapham, A. R., Tutin, T. G. and Warburg, E. F. (1952). Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge

Univ. Press.

Dunn, T. C. (1983). Mainly entomologists. In A History of Naturalists of North East England pp.

36-44. Ed. A. G. Lunn, Newcastle University pub.

Harrison, J. W. H. (1937). An old pit heap. Vasculum, 23, 53.

Harrison, J. W. H. (1950). Book Review. Vasculum, 35,32. 34

35

Harrison, J. W. H. (1954). Grassland at Cornforth (Thrislington). Vasculum, 39, 15-25.

Harrison, J. W. H. (1959). Derelict pit heaps. Vasculum, 44, 9.

Harrison, J. W. H. & Richardson J. A. (1953). The Magnesian Limestone area of Durham and its

vegetation. Trans. Northern Naturalists' Union. 2, 1-28.

Harrison, J. W. H. & Richardson, J. A. (1954). Further investigations in the flora of the

Magnesian Limestone area of Durham. Proc. Univ. Durham Phil. Soc. 12, 35·42.

Harrison, J. W. H. & Richardson, J. A. (1956). Discovery of Epipactis atrorubens. Vasculum, 41,

24 and 31.

Harrison, J. W. H. & Temperley, G. W. (1939) Flora. In The Three Northern Counties of

England, pp. 207-279. Ed. C. Headlam. Northumberland Press, Gateshead.

Nilsson, S. (1979). Orchids of Northern Europe. Penguin (Nature Guide) Books Ltd.

Richardson, J. A. (1956). The ecology and physiology of plants growing on spoil heaps in clay

pits and quarries in the Coal Measure and Magnesian Limestone areas of County Durham. Thesis,

Durham University.

Richardson, J. A. (1976). Pit heap into pasture. In Environment and Man, Vol. 4 Reclamation, pp.

60-93. Ed. J. Lenihan & W. W. Fletcher. Blackie, Glasgow.

Richardson, J. A. (1977). High performance plants on pit heaps. In Landscape Reclamation

Practice, pp. 148-172. Ed. B. Hackett. I.P.C. Science Press, Guild- ford.

Richardson, J. A., Davies, B. N. K. & Evans, M. E. (1980). Vegetation of quarries. In The

Magnesian Limestone of Durham County, pp. 61-68. Ed. T. C. Dunn. Durham County

Conservation Trust, Durham.

Shimwell, D. W. (1968). The phytosociology of calcareous grasslands in British Isles. Thesis,

Durham University.

Symthe, J. (1925). Observations on a burning pit heap. Vasculum, 12,5-10.

Wheeler, B. D. (1980). Vegetation of Wetlands. In The Magnesian Limestone of Durham County,

pp. 53-60. Ed. T. C. Dunn, Durham County Conservation Trust, Durham.

Winch, N. J. (1831). Flora of Northumberland and Durham. Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc.

Northumberland, Durham and Newcastle, 2.

THE BIRDS OF CASTLE EDEN DENE

by M. E. BLUNT, WARDEN, CASTLE EDEN DENE L.N.R.

Various aspects of the biology of Castle Eden Dene have been described in a number

of previous issues of this Journal, and also in Monck (1980).

The Dene can be divided by the ornithologist into two distinct sections, Dene-

Mouth, from the sea inland to the railway viaduct, and the main wooded part of the dene which

extends from the railway viaduct westwards to the A19 trunk road.

36

The coastal strip at Denemouth, because of the variety of habitat particularly the

scrub areas, the river and pond, attracts the greatest range of species for the small area involved.

The larger scale immigrations of bird into Durham are more detectable in the rest of the dene

rather than at Denemouth due mainly to the draw effect of the dense woodland areas on the

species which usually make up the majority of birds present in these 'falls'.

The wooded part of the dene, with its more varied and far more natural woodland,

contains the majority of the common birds as well as unusual breeding species e.g. Nuthatch and

Redstart.

From 1970 new species have been admitted to the reserve list on the basis of landing

in the dene or on its trees or feeding in dene airspace, e.g. Swift. Birds on migration over the

dene, or offshore, are briefly included here, denoted by an asterisk, *, to give a more complete

picture.

The nomenclature used is that of Voous, (1977).

Aythya marila, Scaup

One in August 1982 at Denemouth.

*Somsteria mollissima, Eider

Occasional offshore migrant.

Melanita nigra, Common Scoter

'Obtained' at Denemouth 1875. Regular offshore migrant.

*Melanita fusca, Velvet Scoter

Occasional offshore migrant.

Bucephala clangula, Goldeneye

'Obtained' Denemouth 1875. One on pool at Denemouth, October and December

1980, and two there December, 1982.

Mergus serrator, Red-breasted Merganser

One on pool at Denemouth, April 1979. Occasional offshore migrant.

Mergus merganser, Goosander

One male dead on the beach, February 1979.

*Circus aeruginosus, Marsh Harrier

One flying North in May 1982.

Accipiter gentilis, Goshawk

One shot in 1872 is the only record.

Accipiter nisus, Sparrowhawk

Resident breeding birds seen frequently. Occasional migrants in autumn.

Buteo buteo, Buzzard

One in July 1971 thought to be this species.

Bueto lagopus, Rough-legged Buzzard

One female, shot January 10th, 1876, is the only record.

*Milvus milvus, Red Kite

One flying west over Well Wood on March 15th, 1982, is the only record.

Falco tinnunculus, Kestrel

' ... up to nine pairs have bred', (1876). Recently only one pair, not necessarily every

year.

Falco columbarius, Merlin

One caught in a pole trap 11.8.1876, at Denemouth. (Singles over Denemouth in

March and October 1979).

37

Falco peregrinus, Peregrine

Nested annually circa 1810, in Gunners Pool Cliff. (Records in 1981 and 1982 of

birds flying over the sea).

Perdix perdix, Grey Partridge

Frequently enters the Dene from fields.

Phasianus colchicus, Pheasant

Reared as a game bird by the Dene's previous owners. Recently infrequent records of

singles.

Rallus aquaticus, Water Rail

Occasional winter visitor to the river at Denemouth.

Crex crex, Corncrake

'Commoner here now than I have ever known it'. Zoologist, 1876. No longer found.

Gallinula chloropus, Moorhen

Occasional visitor to Denemouth and to the stream in the western end of the Dene.

Haemotopus ostralegus, Oystercatcher

Occasional visitor at Denemouth.

Gavia stellata, Red-throated Diver

One female shot on the beach in 1874. Regular offshore migrant.

Tachybaptus ruficollis, Little Grebe

An irregular visitor in autumn and winter.

Podiceps grisegena, Red-necked Grebe

One found dead in November 1874. (One flying North offshore in February 1979).

*Podiceps cristata Great-crested Grebe

Occasional offshore.

Fulmarus glacialis, Fulmar

One found dead on the beach November 1872. Common offshore migrant.

Puffinus puffinus, Manx Shearwater

Recorded by Tristram 1905. Regular offshore migrant.

Sula bassana, Gannet

One found dead on the beach March 1979. Regular offshore migrant.

*Phalacrocorax carbo, Cormorant

Regular offshore.

* Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Shag

Regular offshore.

Ardea cinerea, Grey Heron

August 1875 ... 'almost every year stragglers visit a small trout stream running into

the dene'. Currently an occasional autumn visitor.

*Cygnus olor, Mute Swan

Occasionally seen flying over.

*Cygnus cygnus, Whooper Swan

Occasionally seen flying over.

Anser anser, Greylag Goose

Occasionally seen flying over.

Branta canadensis, Canada Goose

One flying over, June 1980.

38

*Brante leucopsis, Barnacle Goose

One flying North offshore October 1980.

Tadorna tadorna, Shellduck

A pair prospecting for a nest site in 1982 returned and raised several 1983. Usually

an occasional visitor or offshore migrant only.

Anas penelope, Wigeon

'Obtained' at Denemouth in 1875. Common offshore migrant.

Anas crecca, Teal

Records at Denemouth most years in June, July and August. Maximum 18 in August,

1978.

Anas platyrhynchos, Mallard

Often seen flying along the coast. One on the pool at Devils Scar, April, 1970. One

female with ten ducklings November, 1980. Occasional singles in most years.

Anas clypeata, Shoveler

One female on Denemouth pool August 1st, 1979.

Aythya ferina, Pochard

'Obtained' at Denemouth in 1875. No current records.

Recurvirostra avosetta, Avocet

Two feeding on the pool at Denemouth and the surrounding shoreline 15th- 17th

June, 1980.

Charadrius hiaticula, Ringed Plover

Regularly seen at Denemouth where one or two pairs sometimes breed.

*Pluvialis squatarola, Grey Plover

Occasional overhead migrants at Denemouth.

Vanellus vanellus, Lapwing

Occaional visitor to Denemouth. Common overhead and offshore migrant.

Calidris canutus, Knot

One on September 18th, 1975. One on August 27th, 1982. One for five days in

August, 1983.

Calidris alba, Sanderling

In winter seen regularly; to late March in 1979, but not since. Frequent offshore

migrant.

Calidris minute, Little Stint

One on September 25th, 1975 is the only record.

Calidris ferruginea, Curlew Sandpiper

One on 5th August, 1977 is the only record.

Calidris maritima, Purple Sandpiper

Rarely as singles on the beach at Denemouth, although a regular winter visitor to

Blackhall Rocks.

Calidris alpina, Dunlin

Small flocks regularly at Denemouth.

Philomachus pugnax, Ruff

One on August 8th and 9th, 1982 at Denemouth.

Lymnocryptes minimus, Jack Snipe

One killed on wires in November, 1876 is the only record.

Gallinago gallinago, Snipe

Occasional visitor, especially to Denemouth.

39

Scolopax rusticola, Woodcock

Breeding status unknown. Occasionally heard roding. Many autumn and winter

visitors.

*Limosa lapponica, Bar-tailed Godwit

One at Denemouth on October 11th 1982 provides the only record. (Small flocks are

occasionally seen over the sea).

Numenius phaeopus, Whimbrel

'More common than I have known it here', John Sclater, 1975. A frequent overhead

or offshore migrant.

*Numenius arquata, Curlew

Offshore and overhead migrant.

Tringa erythropus, Spotted Redshank

One on October 3rd, 1982 is the only record.

Tringa totanus, Redshank

Regular in small numbers at Denemouth.

Tringa nebularia, Greenshank

Occasional singles in autumn. On July 4th, 1963, one was seen on the river at the

Garden of Eden.

Tringa ochropus, Green Sandpiper

One on 14th and 17th August, 1979, one on April 6th and August 10th, 1981.

Tringa glareola, Wood Sandpiper

One at Denemouth from 30th July to 1st August, 1980, when it was caught and

ringed. The only record.

Tringa hypoleucos, Common Sandpiper

Regularly in summer from May to October, with a maximum number present of 18.

Arenaria interpres, Turnstone

Occasionally at Denemouth.

*Stercorarius pomarinus, Pomarine Skua

Occasional offshore migrants.

Stercorarius parasiticus, Artic Skua

One sat on the beach on August 18th, 1982, which was unusual. Many offshore

migrants, few ever land.

*Stercorsrius skua, Great Skua

Occasional offshore migrants.

Larus melanocephalus, Mediterranean Gull

One on Denemouth pool on 10th September, 1983 is the only record.

Larus minutus, Little Gull

A regular autumn flock built up from the mid 1970's to a maximum of 300 in

September 1980. Up to 200 in most years. One ringed at Denemouth in 1980 was

recovered in N.W. France in 1981.

Larus ridibundus, Black-headed Gull

Common. Large numbers on the coast for most of the year.

Larus canus, Common Gull

Very common. Very large numbers on the coast for most of the year.

Larus tuscus, Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common on the coast.

40

Larus argentatus, Herring Gull

Common on the coast.

Larus hyperboreus, Glaucus Gull

Three shot in March 1873.

(One over Denemouth on March 1979).

Larus merinos, Great black-backed Gull

Common on the coast.

Rissa trydactyla, Kittiwake

Common offshore migrant with occasional large flocks on the beach in autumn.

Sterna sandvicensis, Sandwich Tern

Large numbers on the beach, especially in autumn.

Sterna dougallii, Roseate Tern

One on 1 st August, 1975. (One south at sea in August 1982).

Sterna hirundo, Common Tern

Large numbers on the beach, especially in autumn.

Sterna paradisea, Artic Tern

Regular on the coast hut rarely separated from the previous species.

Sterna albifrons, Little Tern

The only record is of two on the 11th June, 1975.

Chlidonias niger, Black Tern

One shot October 1872. One or two in August and September, 1975, two at the

sewage outfall August 1979.

Uria aalge, Guillemot

Occasional live birds on the beach after severe storms. Common offshore migrant.

Alea tarde, Razorbill

Occasional live birds on the beach after severe storms. Another common offshore

migrant.

Plautus elle, Little Auk

One found dead on the beach in December, 1876. One found alive at 'Fall of Biafra'

in March, 1980, died next day. Several on the beach including Denemouth in

February, 1982 after large Auk wreck.

*Fratercula arctica, Puffin

Regular offshore migrant.

Columba oenas, Stock Dove

First county record thought, by J. H. Gurney, to be May 1876. Common breeder in

the Dene.

Columba palumbus, Wood pigeon

Very common resident. Numbers are boosted by winter visitors.

Streptopelia decaocto , Collared Dove

Very infrequent visitor to those parts of the Dene near to Peterlee Town Centre.

Streptopelia turtur, Turtle Dove

Rare summer visitor.

Cueulus cenorus, Cuckoo

Regular summer visitor and breeder.

Tyto alba, Barn Owl

Former C19th, breeder. One at Denemouth in December, 1965. One found dead near

A19 in May, 1975.

41

Athene noctus, Little Owl

One record for the mid 1970's.

Strix aluco, Tawny Owl

Common resident breeder.

Asio otus, Long Eared Owl

One in Gunnerspool area in January and February, 1979, and one at Denemouth

October 11th, 1982.

Asio flammeus, Short Eared Owl

One in September, 1976, one in February, 1979, one in March and October, 1982.

One in the field by Oakerside Dene Lodge in the winter 1982/3. Occasionally seen

flying over.

Apus apus, Swift

Common summer visitor. Does not breed.

Alcedo atthis, Kingfisher

One flying over the Dene in June, 1973, and December, 1975. One released in the

Dene in March, 1977 after stunning itself on a school window. One caught and

ringed at Denemouth in August, 1981.

Picus viridis, Green Woodpecker

One on 16th October, 1874 was described by John Scalter as ‘…. only the third I

have met with here in 15 years'. Described as 'quite common' by Brian Unwin (pers,

com.) until the winter of 1963 after which only occasional single birds are recorded.

Dendroeopus major, Great Spotted Woodpecker

In C19th John Scalter says, 'only twice met with in 16 years here'. Now a few pairs

breed regularly.

*Jynx torquilla, Wryneck

One found dead September, 1905. Two seen in August, 1980. One caught and ringed

at Denemouth in September, 1982.

Alauda arvensis, Skylark

Regular breeder in fields on the edge of the Dene. Common overhead migrant,

especially in autumn.

Riparia riparia, Sand Martin

Common in summer, especially on the coast. Does not breed.

Hirundo rustica, Swallow

Common summer visitor. Does not breed. One caught on the beach in September

1980 was recovered in South Africa in February, 1982.

Delichon urbica, House Martin

Common summer visitor. Does not breed.

Anthus novaeseelandiae, Richards Pipit

One bird at Denemouth on November 13th, 1983 is the only record. (Awaiting

Anthus trivialis, Tree Pipit

A few pairs breed each year in woodland clearings.

Anthus pretensis, Meadow Pipit

One or two pairs breed on the cliffs at Denemouth. Many overhead migrants in

spring and autumn.

Anthus spinoletta, Rock Pipit

Singles in March and April, 1979, one in October 1982.

42

Motacilla flava, Yellow Wagtail

One pair resembling M.f. beema, an eastern race, bred in 1971. One male Blue

headed seen in April 1975. Occasional singles of typical race at Denemouth and

overhead.

Motacilla cinerea, Grey Wagtail

One or two pairs breed in some years, otherwise regular singles on the stream most

of the year.

Motacilla alba, Pied Wagtail

One pair breed in The Castle grounds most years. There are regular migratory birds,

especially at Denemouth.

M.a. alba, White Wagtail

Usually singles in spring at Denemouth.

Bombycilla garrulus, Waxwing

In 'Irruption' years numbers can be as high as several hundred. Otherwise usually

singles occur.

Cinclus cinclus, Dipper

One female shot January 1875, one in the Gorge at Trossachs on March 17th, 1963

and another seen there on 12th January, 1976.

Troglodytes troglodytes, Wren

Common and widespread, this species is badly affected by severe winters.

Prunella modularis, Dunnock

Common and widespread resident. Some migrants in autumn at Denemouth.

Erithacus rubecula, Robin

Common and widespread resident. Some migrants in autumn at Denemouth.

Phoenicurus ochruros, Black Redstart

Single females at Denemouth on 22nd and 27th September 1980 are the only records.

Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Redstart

A few pairs breed in the western half of the Dene each year with a maximum of

seven pairs in 1982. A few migrants occur in spring and autumn at Denemouth.

Saxicola rubetra, Whinchat

Bred in the C19th, but only two recent breeding records. Occasional migrants at

Denemouth only.

Saxicola torquata, Stonechat

Occasional passage and winter visitor to Denemouth only. Formerly bred in Cl9th.

Oenanthe oenanthe, Wheatear

Occasional passage visitor to Denemouth and the field surrounding the reserve.

Cyanosylvia svecica, Bluethroat

One female, caught and ringed at Denemouth on May 12th, 1981, is the only record.

Turdus torquatus, Ring Ouzel

Singles occasionally, mainly in Mayor October, usually at Denemouth.

Turdus merula, Blackbird

Common resident breeder with many migrants in autumn and early winter.

Turdus pilaris, Fieldfare

Common winter visitor which prefers open fields and the tops of tall trees.

43

Turdus philomelos, Song Thrush

Common resident breeder and autumn and early winter visitor.

Turdus iliacus, Redwing

Common autumn and winter visitor. Mainly found feeding on Yew berries.

Turdus viscivorus, Mistle Thrush

Resident, with a few breeding pairs. Occasional flocks occur in autumn.

Zoothera dauma, White's (or Golden Mountain) Thrush

Extremely rare vagrant with only one county record. One wounded by Rowland

Burdon on 17th January 1872 was 'captured' two weeks later.

Locustella naevia, Grasshopper Warbler

One or two pairs breed annually at Denemouth, usually leaving before August. One

very late migrant was caught and ringed at Denemouth on October 22nd, 1982, one

of the latest ever records in the country.

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, Sedge Warbler

One or two pairs breed annually at Denemouth. Occasional passage birds in spring

and autumn.

Sylvia curruca, Lesser Whitethroat

Irregular passage migrant and summer visitor, usually only at Denemouth. Only one

or two breeding records.

Sylvia communis, Whitethroat

Summer visitor breeding at Denemouth and in some parts of the Dene edges. In 1963

10-20 pairs were present in the Garden of Eden area alone. Now only five pairs breed

at Denemouth.

Sylvia borin, Garden Warbler

Common summer breeder and passage visitor with occasional October records. One

found dead at Denemouth in January 1975 had been ringed at Spurn Bird

Observatory in October, 1974. Only the second ever British January record.

Sylvia atricapilla, Blackcap

Common summer breeder, regular in autumn to mid-October, occasional November

and winter records.

Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Wood Warbler

Occasional singing males are thought to occasionally breed.

Phylloscopus collybita, Chiffchaff

One to four pairs breed each year. Regularly present into October with occasional

December records.

Phylloscopus trochilus, Willow Warbler

Common summer breeder. Migrants at Denemouth occur occasionally into early

October.

Regulus regulus, Goldcrest

Common resident all year. Migrants occur in autumn.

Muscicapa striata, Spotted Flycatcher

Common summer breeder. Migrant birds regularly seen at Denemouth into early

October.

Ficedula hypoleuca, Pied Flycatcher

Occasional passage birds only.

Aegithalos caudetus, Long-tailed Tit

Common resident breeder, more noticeable in flocks in winter.

44

Parus palustris, Marsh Tit

Common and widespread resident. Thought to have been present in much larger

numbers before 1963 winter. (B. Unwin, pers. corn.).

Parus montanus, Willow Tit

Resident in small numbers, now mainly at Denemouth.

Parus ater, Coal Tit

Common resident in or near any conifer plantation in summer. Seen in most flocks of

tits in winter.

Parus caeruleus, Blue Tit

Very common resident. Single ringed migrant birds from Blaydon and Elwick caught

here in 1979. One Dene ringed bird moved to Hartlepool in 1983.

Parus major, Great Tit

Very common resident which gathers in very large flocks in winter.

Sitta europaea, Nuthatch

Common resident breeder at the Northern edge of its range.

Certhia familiaris, Treecreeper

Common resident.

Oriolus oriolus, Golden Oriole

A male heard singing in the Oakerside area on 24th June, 1978 is the only record. (A

bird reported on the edge of Blunts Plantation in late June 1980 was almost certainly

of this species).

Lanius collurio, Red-backed Shrike

One female caught and ringed at Denemouth on 5th June 1982 is the only record.

Lanius exubitor, Great-grey Shrike

One on 10th October, 1968. Occasional winter singles in the 1970's but none

recently.

Garrulus glandarius, Jay

Very common, but shy, resident.

Pica pica, Magpie

Common resident.

Corvus monedula, Jackdaw

Common resident.

Corvus frugilegus, Rook

Very common resident. There is a large rookery at Castle Eden village, part of which

is in the Dene.

Corvus corone, Carrion Crow

Common resident.

Corvus corone cornix, Hooded Crow

Reported as 'Royston Crow' on C19th. Not seen for many years in this area except

for one on 4th April, 1976.

Sturnus vulgaris, Starling

Very common resident.

Passer domesticus, House Sparrow

Common in fields and Dene edges, especially in autumn feeding on stubble.

Passer montanus, Tree Sparrow

Resident; found in all parts of the Dene in small numbers. Large flocks assemble in

nearby fields in autumn.

45

Fringilla coelebs, Chaffinch

Common resident. Large numbers of migrants can occur in winter.

Fringilla montifringilla, Brambling

Frequent autumn and winter visitor, which joins Chaffinches to feed under beech

trees in good 'Mast' years.

Carduelis chloris, Greenfinch

Common resident.

Carduelis carduelis, Goldfinch

Frequent autumn and winter visitor either in open areas in autumn feeding on thistle

heads, or in winter in the tops of Larch trees feeding on cones.

Carduelis spinus, Siskin

Frequent winter visitor feeding on larch cones.

Carduelis cannabina, Linnet

A few pairs breed at Denemouth. Commonly autumn flocks occur at Denemouth and

in surrounding fields.

Carduelis flammea, Redpoll

Usually an autumn and winter visitor only, with occasional summer records. Migrant

flocks in autumn can contain birds of the continental race Mealy Red- poll (c.f.

flammea).

Loxia curvirostra, Crossbill

Rare visitor to the Dene. One on 29th September, 1962. Seven on 19th November,

1979. Fourteen from 18th October, 1982 to month end.

Pvrrhulla pyrrhulla, Bullfinch

Resident in all parts of the Dene.

Coccothraustes coccothraustes, Hawfinch

Temperley, 1951, states, 'by 1917 C. E. Milburn reported that it was seen breeding at

... Castle Eden'. No recent records.

*Calcarius lapponicus, Lapland Bunting

One over Denemouth landed in nearby fields in early winter, 1982.

Plectrophenax nivalis, Snow Bunting

Uncommon autumn and winter visitor to Denemouth. Occasional overhead migrants.

Emberiza citrinells, Yellowhammer

Common breeder in scrub areas of the Dene, flocks form in surrounding fields and

hedges in winter.

Emberiza schoenicutus, Reed Bunting

One or two pairs breed at Denemouth.

Emberiza calandra, Corn Bunting

Formerly frequent in surrounding fields and Dene edges. With recent building works

this species is now rarely met with.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Brian Unwin for access to, and discussion of, his records.

Especial thanks are due to Bill Monck for his encouragement and advice on the preparation of this

paper.

REFERENCES

Ashby K. R., (1969), Studies on the Vertebrates of Castle Eden Dene (11). A Population Study of

Birds in Spring. Proc. Univ. Newcastle upon Tyne. Phil, Soc. Vol. 1, No. 15, 178-188.

46

Durham Bird Club Report, 1970-1981.

Monck W. J., 1980. Castle Eden Dene-an illustrated guide. Peter lee Dev. Corp., Peterlee.

Sclater, J., Letters to Zoologist 1873-76.

Temperley G. W., 1951. A History of the Birds of Durham. Transaction of the Nat. Hist. Soc. of

Northumb. Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne. Vol. 9.

A SURVEY OF TRITURUS CRISTATUS (WARTY, OR GREAT CRESTED NEWT),

AND OTHER AMPHIBIANS IN NORTHUMBERLAND

J. DURKIN & J. A. COOKE

BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, THE POLYTECHNIC, SUNDERLAND SR1 3SD

INTRODUCTION

Triturus cristatus (Laurenti) is believed to be declining nationally (Cooke & Scorgie,

1983, and is now protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Up to 1981, only one

site was known in Northumberland. In 1982 a preliminary on-site survey and a questionnaire to

members of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust established a total of 19 sites, 16 in vice county

67 and three in VC 68.

The work presented here represents a further extensive survey which had two main aims:

(i) to test the effectiveness of various survey methods; and

[ii] to collect further distribution and habitat data, which may facilitiate the

conservation of this species.

In addition this survey will provide further information on the relative distributions of other

amphibian species in Northumberland.

SAMPLING METHODS AND SELECTION OF PONDS

A total of 152 ponds were surveyed in the summer of 1983 (July-Sept.). The survey cover was

reasonably good except for north western Northumberland, parts of which are military ranges

with restricted access. The total number of ponds in Northumberland was estimated from 1

:25,000 Ordnance Survey maps to be 1450, (although a significant number of these may have

been drained or infilled, see below). The survey sampled, therefore, at least 10.5% of the possible

sites. Pond density in Northumberland is 0.26 per sq. km, which is low for an English county. The

normal range is 0.6 to 1 per sq. km with some areas (such as the Wirral) having up to 10 per sq.

km. The 19 previously recorded sites were surveyed using four basic, non-trapping, methods to

evaluate their effectiveness. These four methods are described below.

1. Visual, by day

Individual adult newts were counted from the edges of the pond during one 15 minute circuit.

Some of the smaller ponds could be completely overlooked from the banks. No pond was too

large for a 15 minute circuit to be thought inadequate.

47

2. Netting by day

Using sweeps of a 32cm by 26cm frame net for a total of 15 minutes per pond. Sites were chosen

to reflect the possible different habitats present, for example, open water, edges of areas

dominated by different aquatic vegetation, and under overhanging trees.

3. Land search by day

This was carried out by overturning rocks, logs, debris, and dense vegetation on the banks. Each

of the ponds could be investigated adequately in 15 minutes.

4. Visual search by torchlight at night

As in method 1, following a daylight visit for familiarisation of the terrain. At some of the larger

ponds more than 15 minutes was required.

A further 133 ponds were surveyed and details are given below.

1. The two nearest ponds to each previously recorded site (or group of sites if close

together), were identified from the 1 :25,000 Ordnance Survey map and investigated.

2. A large number of ponds in each of six areas of the county were investigated. The six

areas were chosen to cover the different landscape types in the county.

3. A selection of other ponds was covered where local records indicated sites with

amphibians present.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

The most effective method was the visual search by torchlight after dark, which

revealed T. cristatus at 18 of the 19 previously recorded sites (Table 1). The three daytime search

methods, even combined, were less effective, than the survey after dark, confirming the presence

of the species at only 15 out of the 19 sites. The numbers of adult newts found were much greater

at night, and would seem to indicate that the animals are more active during the night particularly

around the margins of the ponds. The visual search by torchlight, therefore, was used as the main

survey method subsequently. One previously known site did not show the presence of T. cristatus

by any of the four methods. (Site 9- Table 1). This site was visited a second time, but again no

newts were seen. The pond has recently lost about one third of the surrounding scrub habitat to a

housing development. The failure to find T. cristatus here could be due to this recent habitat loss,

or could possibly be due to a low population density, which may not be revealed by these survey

methods.

Thirty-four ponds were investigated in the 'nearest pond' survey. These ponds were

selected from the O.S. map, but it was found that 13 had been infilled or drained. Of the

remaining 21 ponds T. cristatus was found at four sites. The general pond survey revealed T.

cristatus at only two other sites, out of the 99 ponds surveyed. Thus a total of 25 ponds were

found to have populations of T. cristatus.

Table 2 summarises the occurrence of each amphibian species in the total number of

ponds included in the survey. In general terms the relative occurrence of each species is similar to

its national status (Cooke & Scorgie, 1983) although caution is needed in interpretation of these

data because of the biased method of sampling which does not reflect the relative occurrence if

the ponds had been chosen randomly. In particular, the presence of T. cristatus in 16% of the

ponds is likely to be a considerable over estimate for Northumberland as a whole.

Figure 1 shows the distribution of sites with T. cristatus present. Comparison with

the 'All Amphibians' map, i.e. all the ponds in the survey, Fig. 2, shows that

48

T. cristatus is restricted mainly to two localised areas in the eastern part of the county. This is

generally a lowland, mixed agricultural area, with most of the sites at less that 90m, though the

two northmost sites are at a higher altitude, 165m and 210 ss T. cristatus appears to be absent

from the Tyne Valley, a large area of lowland further· to the west. This easterly distribution

pattern does not appear to be associated with the underlying solid or drift geology, or other

obvious factors. However the areas in which T. cristatus ponds occur were found to have a high

pond density, at over 40 per 10 km square compared to the county average of 25.

Distribution maps for the other four recorded species are given in figures 3 4 5 and 6.

Rana temporaria (L.) (Common Frog), was found throughout the county in almost every pond

with amphibians present (fig. 3). Bufo bufo (L.) (Common Toad) was found mainly in the lower

altitude ponds in the river valleys and on the coastal plain (fig. 4). Triturus vulgaris (L.) (Smooth

Newt) was well distributed throughout the county, though generally absent from the higher

altitude sites (fig. 5). Triturus helveticus (Razoumowski) (Palmate Newt) was more sparsely

distributed, but found in most parts of the county (fig. 6). It was the only species of newt found in

the four highest altitude ponds but, in contrast, it also occurred in two sand dune pools on the

coast.

T. vulgaris occurred in all but one T. cristatus site and confirmed the similarity in

their distribution nationally (Arnold, 1973) and although the water chemistry was not assessed

here may indicate their preference for hard water of pH>6.0 (Cooke & Frazer, 1976). T. cristatus

occurred in ponds exhibiting a wide size range from 20 sq.m-23,000 sq.rn, and range of depth,

0.4m to 2.0m including four ponds which completely dried out in summer. Thus, this survey

provided no evidence to suggest that T. cristatus prefers deeper, larger ponds relative to T.

vulgaris as has been suggested by others (Beebee, 1975; Beebee, 1977; and Cooke & Frazer,

1976).

T. vulgaris also occurred in 27 of the 31 ponds in which T. helveticus was found.

This is somewhat surprising in that the general view (Cooke & Frazer, 1976) is that these two

species are ecologically separated by differences in preference for hard (T. vulgaris) and soft (T.

helveticus) waters. However, it may be that the majority of ponds in this survey were of

intermediate status with regard to water hardness. Also the occurrence of T. helveticus may have

been underestimated because of the relatively few acidic ponds sampled in the upland areas of N.

W. Northumberland. .

In conclusion, the survey has identified a number of key sites which are important

for the conservation of T. cristatus in Northumberland and has indicated that further research is

needed to understand its ecology and in particular its specific habitat requirements.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial assistance of the British

Ecological Society.

REFERENCES

Arnold, H. R. (1973). Provisional Atlas of the Amphibians and Reptiles of the British Isles.

Abbots Ripton: Biological Records Centre.

Beebee, T. (1975). Changes in status of the great crested newt Triturus cristatus In the British

Isles: British Journal of Herpetology 5, 481·490.

49

Beebee, T. (1977). Habitats of the British amphibians (1): Chalk uplands. Biological

Conservation 12, 279-293.

Cooke, A. S. & Frazer, J. F. D. (1976). Characteristics of newt breeding sites. Journal of Zoology,

Lond. 178, 223-236.

Cooke, A. S. & Scorgie, H. R. A. (1983). Focus on nature conservation No. 3: The status of the

summer amphibians and reptiles in Britain. Nature Conservancy Council.

Table 1. Numbers of individuals of T. cristatus found by four survey methods at 19 previously

recorded sites.

Site No. Grid Ref. Day Day Day Night

Visual Netting Land Visual

Search

1 45/178819 1 0 2 1

2 45/178819 2 4 1 11

3 45/224754 0 0 0 9

4 45/194735 3 0 1 7

5 45/218716 0 0 0 3

6 45/245718 0 0 1 7

7 45/258717 1 2 0 14

8 45/258717 3 2 0 9

9 45/312696 0 0 0 0

10 45/293759 1 2 1 4

11 45/250835 0 4 0 6

12 45/304764 0 1 3 10

13 45/304764 3 8 6 31

i4 45/206764 3 3 1 18

15 46/284027 0 2 1 5

16. 46/243240 1 3 4 4

17 46/250224 0 0 2 2

18 46/108248 1 0 5 14

19 46/088303 0 0 0 4

Totals 19 31 28 159

Table 2. The occurrence of each species of amphibian in a survey of 152 ponds.

Species Occurrence (% of total number of ponds)

Rana temporaria 67.1

Bufo bufo 30.9

Triturus vulgaris 52.0

Triturus helveticus 20.4

Triturus cristatus 16.4

50

51

SOME OBSERVATIONS OF THE VARIATIONS OF THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE

LIMESTONES OF THE PENNINE DALES

IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

GEORGE EVANS,

8 Dipwood Way, Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear

During twenty years as organising secretary of the summer outings of the Vale of

Derwent Naturalists' Field Club, I noticed that many of the members were bewildered by the

different names by which the limestones were known. This paper, therefore, is an attempt to

correct the confusion that I know exists. It is not really aimed at what I call the academics of the

N.N.U., but is for the large number of associates and specialists in other disciplines, but with a

passing interest in our geology.

For many years I attended the meetings of both the Consett and the Annfield Plain

Clubs, together with 23 years as an active member and class secretary of the Consett tutorial class

in Geology. This class was arranged by the Extra Mural Studies Department of Durham

University under the tutorship of Dr. W. Hopkins and was very

52

successful for many years. I made many notes of the activities of the class, most of which I put

into typescript under the title of The Geology of the North Pennine Dales' illustrated by diagrams

and photographs. Members of the two clubs have borrowed this folder from time to time and

much of the following information has been taken from it.

It is easy to understand how the Great Scar and Melmerby Scar limestones got their

names, as they form great scarps or scars in many parts of the Pennines. Both limestones are

actually the same, the latter taking its name from the village of Melmerby where it forms a

conspicuous scar. To make the situation more difficult we find that the same limestone in the

Orton district is named the Knipe Scar Limestone, and in the Clitheroe district it is named the

Pendleside Limestone. In the Bolton Abbey area it is named the Draughton Limestone, from a

village of that name where it is prominent. It is best seen (very much folded) in the old quarry

near the now disused Bolton Abbey railway station.

This is something we have to live with, so I have made out a table of the strata of the

North Pennine Dales where one can see at a glance the various names of the limestone and

associated strata.

Figure one shows a section from the Cross Fell range to Shap Wells, a distance of

approximately 10 km. The only part of this section which I shall deal with is the area between

Orton and Appleby, the other parts being outside the scope of this work.

At Burrells about 31/4 km. from Appleby on the road to Orton, the Lower Brockram

can be seen about 90 metres from the road. This stone has been used for building some of the

houses in Appleby. About 200 metres across the field from the Brockram can be seen the outcrop

of the Great Strickland Limestone. As can be seen from the table of strata this is the equivalent of

the Main Limestone of Wensleydale and the Great Limestone of Alston and Weardale. At

Burrells the Great Strickland Limestone rests on a sandstone and makes a good geological

photograph.

The main road from Appleby to Orton passes over the outcrops of the Lower

Brockram and the Carboniferous limestones right down to the Orton sandstone at the village of

Orton. This is a switch back road which rises up the dip slope of the limestones, the ridges of

which are approximately on the line of strike, and can be seen stretching out across the landscape

on both sides of the road. In this district the limestones have different names from their

equivalents in the Askrigg and Alston areas. Some of them take their names from the places at

which they outcrop. The following is a description of the limestones in descending order as they

outcrop on the Orton road.

Great Strickland limestone

This as stated before, is the Great Limestone of the Alston area and the Main

Limestone of the Wensleydale district.

Mauld limestone

This is the equivalent of the Scar Limestone.

Meaburn Edge limestone

This is the equivalent of the Cockle Shell Limestone.

Johnnie Hall's Tree Limestone

Is the Single Post Limestone. The latter three limestones join together at Reigill

where it outcrops and becomes known as the Reigill Limestone.

Little Strickland Limestone

Is the equivalent of the Tyne Bottom Limestone.

53

Maulds Meaburn limestone

Is the equivalent of the Jew Limestone. It is exposed in a quarry by the side of the

road mid-way between Appleby and Orton. In this exposure can be found the fossils

Gigantoproductus, Corals and Crinoids.

Bank Moor limestone

This is the Lower Little Limestone and outcrops near an old lime kiln on the left

hand side of the road.

Askham limestone

Is the equivalent of the Smiddy Limestone and is exposed as a pavement on the right

hand side of the road. Clints and grikes are well exposed.

Knipe Scar Limestone

This is the Melmerby Scar Limestone of the Alston area and the Great Scar

Limestone of the Craven district. The base of this limestone is well exposed on the right hand side

of the road about 1 km. before reaching Orton village. This section is well known as the

Gastropod bed because of the presence of this fossil. It also contains the fossil Syringoporo. From

here we go to Orton village which lies on the Orton sandstone.

At Skipton the castle stands on a precipice of folded limestone 90 metres high of

Upper Clitheroe Limestone brought up by a small fault. Nearby is the base of the Embsay

Limestone and shales, Embsay Valley being cut in the shales, and the lime- stone forming the

valley sides. The village of Eastby is built on the Draughton Limestone which is the equivalent of

the Great Scar Limestone of other parts of the dales (see Table of Strata).

On the north side of the Askrigg Block or uplift the Melmerby Scar Limestone is

split by the Ashfell sandstone. The lower part of the limestone beneath the sand- stone is known

as the Ravenstonedale Limestone. South of the Craven fault system with its associated reef

limestones, the Great Scar Limestone merges into the Clitheroe Limestone Group with a number

of limestones separated by shales, the most important being the Clitheroe, Haw Bank and Embsay

Limestones.

Above the Upper Limestone Group is the Millstone Grit series. These are coarse

sandstones and shales, the deposits of sand banks and mud flats of a great delta and were carried

there by the rivers which flowed from the northern part of the continent. These deposits are

approximately 1,700 metres thick in South Yorkshire but get thinner to the north and are only

approximately 100 metres or so in the Tyne area. There are only three main grits in the Tyne area,

but these increase to six in the Nidderdale and Skipton area of the Pennines. These grits are

separated by shales and form nearly all the high ground between the dales.

We find a similar state of affairs in the naming of Millstone Grit as we find in the

limestones, and this also occurs in the Upper Carboniferous with the naming of the coal seams. In

the North of England the N.C.B. now use the letters of the alphabet as the names of the seams,

such as S seam for the Brockwell seam and the K seam for the Low Main.

With regard to the names of the Millstone Grit Series, the grits in the North of

England are three in number and are usually called the Top Grit, Middle Grit and the Bottom Grit,

but in the Harrogate and Skipton area where there are six grits they are named as follows:-

1. The Rough Rock.

2. Middle Grit Group.

54

3. Kinderscout Grit Group.

4. Middleton Grit Group.

5. Silsden Grit Group.

6. Skipton Moor Grit Group.

In the Table of Strata I have shown the names of 1. Pendle Top Grit, for Clitheroe

and Bowland. 2. Grassington Grit for Skipton and Bolton Abbey, and 3. Ten Fathom Grit for

Wensleydale and Swaledale, whereas the name Millstone Grit is used at Settle, Malham, Alston,

Weardale and Orton.

There is such a variation in the strata of the dales, that it has become necessary in

academic circles to use the fossils as a form of zoning of the strata. Zoning was first used in the

spectacular Avon Gorge at Bristol, where each zone was given the name of a particular fossil

common to that strata. Each zone represents a sub-division of time, and the first letter of the fossil

was used to name the zone. If smaller divisions were needed in each zone, this was given a

number after the letter, such as Dl or D2 etc.

Local geologists, lead miners and quarrymen often gave names to the various strata.

In the Table of Strata I have given the zonal letters and local names for the various strata. I,

personally do not think the local names of the strata will ever die out as seems to be happening

with the coal seams in the North of England. The magnificent scars of the limestones will always

stand out and keep their names for many years to come.

55

56

THE ECOLOGY OF COLLIERY WASTE DEPOSITED ON THE DURHAM

COASTLINE AT HAWTHORN HIVE

SIMON F. FORSTER & JOHN A. COOKE

Biology Department, Sunderland Polytechnic, Sunderland SR1 3SD

INTRODUCTION

Eight miles of the Durham coastline from Seaham to Blackhall are affected by

colliery waste (Fig. 1). Waste from local deep mines is tipped on the shoreline at Nose's Point and

carried out to sea. Longshore drift then carries the material southwards where it accumulates in

large elongated submarine mounds. These are located parallel to and within one mile of the

coastline. The incoming tide collects a proportion of this material and deposits it on the beaches.

Waste has been tipped at Nose's Point since shortly after 1907 but the rate has increased since

1947 when mechanisation and long-wall mining techniques were adopted (Fig. 2). This also

produced coal with a higher proportion of 'dirt' and as a result a coal washing plant was built in

1959. This produces a slurry of water and fine waste particles which is also pumped onto the

beach at Nose's Point.

Hawthorn Hive (National Grid Reference NZ 422 462) is a coastal bay and has an

area of approximately three hectares above the high water mark (HWM). Prior to the tipping of

coal waste the beach was covered in shingle and was part of the inter- tidal zone. From the mid-

1920's onwards the amount of waste on the beach began to accumulate to such a depth that the

HWM was moved seawards. This raised beach has, in the last 20 years, become naturally

colonised by plants. The cliffs surrounding the bay are composed of horizontal beds of re-

crystallized granular and oolitic dolomite limestones which have been extensively brecciatted by

collapse.

This study represents an attempt to analyse this unique coastal environment with

regard to the physical and chemical nature of the substratum and its natural colonisation by plants.

METHODS

Vegetation and soil sampling was based upon a preliminary survey of the site in

which nine zones were determined based upon their vegetation and the physical characteristics of

the substrate. Sampling sites within each zone were selected randomly. At each of a total of 32

sampling sites the species present were recorded and soil samples were collected from the top

5cm for chemical analysis. In addition soil samples were collected at equal vertical intervals from

the sides of a hole 80cm deep which was excavated in Zone B.

A transect of the beach from the cliffs to the sea was surveyed. The depth of the

colliery waste and shingle was measured at three locations using a Portable Facsimile

Seismograph.

To assess the soil from each zone as a suitable medium for plant growth a bioassay

was performed using Agrostis tenuis (cv Highland Bent). Pots (Mono con-tainer 10/12), with

drainage holes, were filled with samples of soil. Half the pots were treated with NPK fertiliser

(22: 11 : 11, equivalent to 1000 kg ha-1). In addition the soils from zones A, B, C and D (south)

were treated with ground limestone, at differing

57

rates, to give pH 6.5. The amount of lime added was based upon lime requirement tests

(Shoemaker et el, 1961). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with additional

horticultural lighting. After 50 days the shoot material was harvested and dried in an oven at 60

degrees C.

RESULTS

The site shows a wide diversity of plant species and plant communities. Eighty- six

species were recorded in this survey (carried out in August 1981) and included species from dry

calcareous grassland, e.g. Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Blackstonia perfoliata, scrub vegetation, e.g.

Crataegus monogyna, Anthriscus sytvestris, Dryopteris felix-mas, as well as coastal species, e.g.

Armeria maritima, Ononis spinosa. The site was delimited into nine zones which were orientated

approximately parallel to the sea from the cliffs to the HWM (Fig. 3). The vegetation abruptly

ceases at about 40m from HWM and here two zones were recognised based upon the physical

nature of the surface material (zone A and B). The seven vegetation zones (C to I) were delimited

by height, density and cover of vegetation and the species present. A more detailed description of

the vegetation and substrate is given in Table 1.

In general terms, the vegetation cover decreases from cliff to sea. Between zones D

and B and E and C there are abrupt boundaries and suggests major factors limiting the

colonisation further seawards.

Fig. 4 shows the topography of the bay and the approximate depth of the waste/

shingle derived from three seismographic 'runs'. The seismic survey did not allow the distinction

between colliery waste and the original shingle. A noticeable feature of the cross-section is that

the back of the bay is below the level of the centre. Also it appears that the action of the sea has

been to deposit waste in ridges parallel to the shoreline. The cause of these ridges is uncertain,

they may coincide with severe storms, sudden increases in the tipping of waste, or follow the

original contours of the beach shingle. The shallower depth at the back of the bay is probably

because there was a shallow lagoon here separated from the sea by a shingle ridge.

The physical structure of the beach substratum is variable and no overall pattern of

marine deposition could be detected. On a beach composed of sediments of various particle sizes,

the coarse material is usually found at the top of the beach and finer material nearer the sea (King,

1972). However, it would seem that at Hawthorn Hive the weathering of the colliery waste since

deposition has altered the surface particle sizes such that any original deposition pattern has been

obscured. However, normal marine sorting may explain the high fireclay content of the more

recently deposited colliery waste near HWM.

There was a wide range of soil pH values (1.8-7.2) and salinities (23-0.9m Siemens

cm-1 ) for the site (Table 2). The acidity and salinity of the soil would appear to be major limiting

factors to plant growth in Zones A, B, C and a lesser extent D and E (Bradshaw and Chadwick,

1980). The extreme acidities are derived from the chemical weathering of Pyrite (FeS2) in the

deposited colliery waste. The increase in pH with depth to 25cm (Fig. 5) in Zone B is typical for

pyritic colliery spoil because oxygen from the air and moisture are required for the chemical

breakdown of the pyrite and the release of sulphuric acid (Costigan et al, 1981). The increased

salinity near the surface is also probably due to sulphates and other soluble salts produced

58

from the weathering of pyrite and not due to the retention of seawater. Where salinity arises from

seawater it would be expected to steadily increase with depth (Ward, 1967). Also over the site as

a whole the pH and salinity of the surface soil were significantly negatively correlated (r = -.74, p

0.05, n = 32).

The low pH and high salinity together with the high clay content probably explains

the absence of vegetation from zones A and B. This was further confirmed by the performance of

Agrostis tenuis grown in soil from each of the zones (Table 3). Thus seed on the untreated spoil

from zones A, Band C failed to germinate. Increased growth was obtained in all soils by treatment

with fertiliser and lime (where necessary). The liming and fertiliser did produce substantial

growth in the soils from zones C and D (south). However, similar treatments of the soils from

zones A and B produced thin but healthy growth with poor root system development. It is

probable that salinity is the cause of poor yield in that as well as the original soluble salts further

salinity will have been caused by the addition of lime to neutralise the weathering products.

There was a steady increase in shoot biomass of the plants on the untreated soil from

zones E to H which generally reflects the increases in natural vegetation density in these zones

(Table 1). However, fertiliser addition greatly improved the performance on these soils and would

indicate that nutrient deficiency is widespread on the site and the presence of leguminous species

such as Anthyllis vulneraria and Lotus corniculatus further indicates nitrogen deficiency.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the colliery waste which has accumulated on the beach at

Hawthorn Hive places major constraints on the colonisation by plants. It presents similar

problems to many other inland sites where colliery soil has been directly tipped onto the land-that

is extreme acidities, salinities and adverse physical structure. This latter problem may have been

accentuated at Hawthorn Hive because of the marine sorting of the waste leading to high clay

contents near HWM (zones A and B). However, where the soil conditions are less severe a wide

variety of plant species is found forming a number of different types of plant community.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks are due to Laura Forster, Janet Balk and David Morrey for help with this work.

REFERENCES

Bradshaw, A. D. & Chadwick, M. J. (1980). The Restoration of Land. Black well.

Costigan, P. A., Bradshaw, A. D. & Gemmell, R. P. (1981). The reclamation of acidic colliery

spoil 1. Acid production potential. J. Appl. Ecol. 18, 865-878.

Gemmell, R. P. (1981). The reclamation of acidic colliery spoil 11. The use of lime wastes. J.

Appl. Ecol. 18, 879-887.

King, C. A. M. (1972). Beaches and Coasts. Edward Arnold.

Shoemaker, H. E., Mc Lean, E. O. & Pratt, P. F. (1961). Buffer methods for deter-mining lime

requirements of soils with appreciable amounts of extractable aluminium. Proc. Soc. Sci. Am. 25,

274-277.

Ward, R. C. (1967). Principles of Hydrology. McGraw·HiII.

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

BIRD POPULATION IN THE GREEN BELT AT LOW GOSFORTH, TYNE AND WEAR

C. J. GENT

30 Berkeley Square, Broadway West, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne

The area of open country at the north of Newcastle upon Tyne immediately south of

the Melton Park Estate and Gosforth Park Nature Reserve was formerly part of the Low Gosforth

Estate. It consists of arable land formerly worked from Low Gosforth Home Farm and several

plantations of mixed woodland notably Fencer Hill Wood and Black Plantation. Although

regarded as Green Belt the westerly portion was purchased by a firm of builders whose periodic

applications for planning permission were declined by the Local Authority.

A recent application by Wm. Leech to build upwards of 300 houses was vigorously

opposed by local residents and declined by both Newcastle upon Tyne and Tyne and Wear

Councils, but following appeal and a subsequent public inquiry the Secretary of State for the

Environment has overruled the Councils and authorised the builders to proceed with the

development of an estate to be known as Whitebridge Park and consist of executive-type houses.

The area is traversed by two narrow lanes known as the Bridle Path and Heathery Lane, which

connect the A6125 Great North Road (former A 1) by way of Broadway East with the A 189,

Salters Lane, which leads from South Gosforth to West Moor, a distance of approximately 3/4

mile. A building estate has recently been completed on the site of the former Burnstead Nursery

on the north side of Broadway East.

The Bridle Path crosses the Ouseburn at the White Bridge adjoining the Gosforth

Golf Club House and also the burn draining Gosforth Park Lake near the Home Farm. On the

north side there is a small market garden between Burnstead and the Ouseburn the remainder

being farmland with the plantations to the rear. The fields are planted with winter wheat, root

crops and grass on a rotational basis, the laneside being bordered by hawthorn hedges which have

periodically been trimmed. On the south side there is a school and playing field as far as the Golf

Club House which is situated in a small clump of trees, thereafter being bounded by the Golf

Course which is fenced but has one or two patches of overgrown hawthorns.

The Heathery Lane has grass verges. It has no heather nowadays but I was informed

it did so in my grandfather's day. Since the erection of Newcastle Corporation's Longbenton

Estate there have been problems with the dumping of motor cars, television sets and other general

rubbish despite the erection of notices by North Tyneside Council prohibiting this. The verges

were quite interesting botanically containing amongst other items a small colony of Saw-wort

(Serratula tinctoria) but I have not seen this for some years. The Meadow Brown butterfly

(Maniola jurtia), however, still survives.

In 1979 in view of the continued pressure for housing development I decided to take

a census of bird life in the area. The Bridle Path and Heathery Lane were walked approximately

once each month during the years 1979 to 1982 and the numbers of each species of bird seen or

heard recorded. The presence of gulls and rooks and jackdaws depended in the main on ploughing

being in progress whilst

66

skylarks preferred the fields which were under grass. I have known the area since I came to live

in Gosforth in 1925. At that time the Whinchat was a regular summer visitor. I am of the opinion

that the numbers of Yellowhammers have declined in recent years.

The kestrel does not appear in the recent census but I have observed it hovering

during past years, and I recently observed one visiting a redundant building at Low Gosforth

Home Farm where the swallow also nests. Kingfishers have been seen on several occasions in the

past on the Ouseburn, and one winter a short-eared owl frequented the Golf Course for some

weeks.

Recent changes have included the removal of a hedge bordering the burn draining

Gosforth Park Lake, and the erection of gates near the Home Farm and adjoining the Golf Club

car park making the intervening portion of the Bridle Path pedestrians only. Tyne and Wear

County Council has also established a right of way through the field from the Home Farm to

Melton Park.

The results of the survey are as follows:-

Resident Birds No. of visits on which

recorded

Maximum Number

House Sparrow 50 61

Blue Tit 47 10

Blackbird 47 15

Dunnock 42 5

Chaffinch 34 6

Greenfinch 29 7

Skylark 27 6

Carrion Crow 26 4

Robin 23 5

Great Tit 23 5

Rook 19 50

Linnet 16 20

Song Thrush 15 4

Magpie 15 2

Starling 15 20

Jackdaw 14 6

Yellowhammer 14 4

Redpoll 9 2

Wren 8 1

Partridge 8 4

Pheasant 7 1

Woodpigeon 7 50

Pied Wagtail 6 1

Common Gull 5 6

Mistle Thrush 5 2

Herring Gull 4 60

Reed Bunting 4 2

Collared Dove 2 1

Black-headed Gull 2 50

67

Lesser Black·backed Gull 1 1

Meadow Pipit 1 1

Sparrow Hawk 1 1

Lapwing 1 3

Summer Visitors

Swallow 12 3

Willow Warbler 7 2

Swift 4 4

Whitethroat 1 1

Winter Visitors

Redwing 2 1

Fieldfare 1 1

ENTOMOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF THREE NORTHUMBERLAND WILDLIFE

TRUST RESERVES

J. D. PARRACK,

1 Woodburn Drive, Whitley Bay

Following preliminary investigations during 1982, it was decided to examine the

insect fauna of three Northumberland Wildlife Trust Reserves in more detail during 1983, to

obtain some idea of their entomological value. The sites chosen, Beltingham Gravels,

Coacklawburn Beach and Holystone Burn, were sufficiently compact to be relatively easily

worked for the larger Lepidoptera-the main purpose of the survey-whilst at the same time offering

more or less typical examples of three of the main types of natural habitat of ecological

importance in Northumberland, i.e. mineral-rich river gravels, extensive sand dunes and moorland

verge respectively.

The Reserves were worked at weekends, in rotation, during April-October 1983,

such that each site was visited at least once a month during the season. Bad weather hit early

visits to Beltingham Gravels (which fortunately had been worked in early spring 1982) and

Cocklawburn Beach (which had to be revisited in 1984), but apart from this, coverage for the

Macrolepidoptera seems to have been fairly thorough, Heath traps at each site taking over 100

spmns. on several occasions. Micro· lepidoptera, Diptera and some of the Hymenoptera were

collected casually, as time allowed. For night work, two portable Heath traps were employed,

together with some 'sugaring', and collecting at the headlamps of our motor caravan. During the

daytime, casual netting and occasional beating in suitable areas were employed, but due to

visiting other sites etc., less time was available for daytime activity, and the records for groups

other than the Macrolepidoptera are in no sense comprehensive.

68

Beltingham Gravels (NY 78.64)

This small (10 acres) Reserve consists in the main of sandy riverbank covered with

alder, birch, willow, sallow and young conifers, with some patches of gorse scrub. The gravels are

mineral-rich, and support small areas of the characteristic flora of this habitat, including Epipactis

spp.

So far, seven species of butterfly and 159 species of the larger moths have been

found, including one new record for Northumberland-the Broom-tip (Chesias rufata Fabr.). Other

interesting records include Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina CL), Clouded Brindle (Apamea

epomidion Haw.), Butterbur (Hydraecia petasitis DoubL) and Dark Spectacle (Abrostola

trigemina Werneb.)-four species seldom recorded in Northumberland.

In addition four species of Diptera and one of Hymenoptera new to Northumberland

and Durham were obtained and four more species of Diptera new to Northumberland alone, while

one further species new to VC 67 was obtained. Whilst there is doubtless casual infiltration into

the site by insects moving along the river, and from nearby stands of mature woodland, it seems

evident that the Reserve is a site of considerable entomological value.

Cocklawburn Beach (NU 03.47/8)

Consisting of a coastal strip of 15 acres of species-rich herbaceous vegetation

developed in part on the calcareous waste from old lime kilns, and fronted by a young dune

formation, this Reserve was selected as being fairly typical of the vegetation of the Northumbrian

coastline, with the addition of a few more essentially calcicolous species such as the Carline

Thistle, of more restricted distribution in the County. Taller vegetation is limited to bramble

thickets, a few stunted hawthorns, and the outline remains of two small gardens with elder and

rose spp., and some of the larger garden Compositae.

The site provided 13 butterfly species, including a flourishing colony of at least 150

Graylings (Hipparchia semele Linn.), and considering the general lack of cover and the absence

of trees, the larger moths were well represented with a total of 92 spp. Most of the typical coastal

species were encountered, though lack of mature dune formations within the actual boundaries of

the Reserve may have accounted for the absence of Shore Wainscot (Mythimna litoralis Curt.)

and Small Elephant Hawk (Deilephila porcellus Linn.) in the catches, both of which occur

elsewhere on this stretch of coast. However, their absence was compensated for by the presence

of a strong colony of Heart & Club (Agrotis clavis Hufn.), providing the only County record of

this century, and possibly the only coastal colony between the Humber and Forth. In addition, a

good colony of the Confused Brindle (Apamea furva D. & S., ssp britannica Cock.) was present,

apparently the only coastal colony in the Coun- ty, while individual records of the Flame (Axylia

putris Linn.). only the sixth this century, and White Colon (Sideridis albicolon Hb.) the first this

century for VC68, were very pleasing. The Brown Crescent (Celaena leucostigma Hb.) was also

taken on the site of the Reserve by I. Wallace and B. Watson on 24.8.1970-the only County

record for the present century.

VC 68 has been little worked for Diptera, so the obtaining of 16 new records for this

vice-county came as no surprise, but there were in addition four new records for Northumberland

and an additional new record for Northumberland and Durham.

69

Yet the area was relatively lightly worked, due to frequent visits to Bamburgh Ringing Station

during the daytime, so that no doubt much more awaits discovery here.

Holystone Burn (NT 94.02)

This is a larger (67 acres) Reserve, containing stretches of heather moorland, with

birch and sallow, conifer plantations in various stages of growth, a few old hardwood trees,

mainly oaks, a few surviving stands of old juniper, and patches of bog myrtle together with some

interesting areas of base-flush flora: little natural grassland now remains, however.

Eleven spp, of butterfly and 140 spp. of the larger moths were recorded, but it is

doubtful if the latter list is near completion, partly due to some indifferent weather at the height of

the season. Most of the typical moorland verge species were present, or have been recorded fairly

recently, and the presence of both Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia D. & S.) and

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (X. ferrugata CL) is of interest. Neither the Chestnut-coloured

Carpet (Thera cognata Thunb.) nor the rarer Juniper Carpet (T. juniperata Linn.) were found,

despite thorough searching, but Common Bordered Beauty (Epione repandaria Hufn.) and Lilac

Beauty (Apeira syringaria Linn.-very scarce away from the Tyne valley) deserve mention, and a

strong colony of the Neglected Rustic (Xestia castanea Esp.) was pleasing. The Suspected

(Parastichtis suspecta Hb.) is quite a rare moth in Northumberland, as is the Purple Thorn

(Selenia tetra/unaria Hufn.): both are characteristic of undisturbed moor-verge habitat.

Though relatively few species of Diptera were obtained, these contained five new

County records, and one further new species for Northumberland and Durham. A better season

should produce many more records.

Conclusions

All three Reserves have produced much of entomological interest (additionally M. D.

Eyre & M. A. Walker, Vascu/um, 67, 2, pp. 15-16 give a list of 63 spp. of Coleoptera for

Beltingham Gravels). Of the three, Beltingham Gravels proved the most rewarding, possibly

because of its ability to attract insects from neighouring habitats. The list of Macrolepidoptera

given for this Reserve could well serve as a standard of comparison for assessing the

entomological potential of other riverside Reserves of similar nature.

The Cocklawburn Beach Reserve, however, is not quite typical of a Northumbrian

coastal site: it is possible that it could be improved entomologically by extending it to encompass

some of the more mature dune formations to the south. It might pay to encourage greater growth

of Bird's-foot Trefoil, the preferred foodplant of the Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus Rott.)

and Lady's Fingers (which might attract the Small Blue (Cupido minimus Fuess.) should it still

survive within the County), at the expense of more rank vegetation: Rockrose could likewise be

encouraged.

The Holystone Burn Reserve, with its greater diversity of vegetation might have

been expected to harbour the greatest diversity of species. Whether the rather unexpectedly low

numbers in fact obtained was a reflection of the weather conditions at the .time (unlikely, since

the overall totals were quite high) or the fragmentation of habitat produced by the ingress of

stands of close-growing conifers is not clear: this is a habitat-type that requires much closer

entomological investigation, but at least

70

there is the suggestion that it may prove deleterious to the entomological fauna of a moorland

reserve to permit conifer belts to approach too closely to the stretches of grassy woodland that

often line the drainage burns.

Acknowledgements

I should like to express my thanks to the British Ecological Society for financial assistance

towards the expenses incurred in performing the survey, and to

Dr. S. Bell .for identification of the great majority of the Diptera, and comments on their status;

Dr. D. A. Sheppard for identification of the Hymenoptera;

T. C. Dunn, M.B.E., M.Sc., for assistance in identifying the Microlepidoptera

Dr. A. Garside for identification of the Trichoptera.

LEPIDOPTERA B.& FI.

No.

Species Beltingham

Gravels

Cocklawburn

Beach

Holystone

Burn

HEPIALIDAE

0014 Hepialus humuli Linn. Ghost Swift +

0017 Hepialus lupulinus Linn. Common Swift + + 0018 Hepialus fusconebulosa DeG. Map-winged

Swift

+ +

ZYGAENIDAE

0169 Zygaena filipendulae Linn. Six-spot Burnet +

TINEIDAE

0216 Nemapogon cloacella Haw. Cork Moth +

CHOREUTIDAE

0385 Anthophila fabriciana Linn. - + +

YPONOMEUTIDAE

0410 Argyresthia brockeella Hb. - +

0424 Yponomeura evonymella Linn. Bird-cherry

Erm.

+ +

0464 Plutella xylostella Linn. Diamond-back Moth + +

0465 Plutella porrectella Linn. - +

COLEOPHORIDAE

0566 Coleophora sternipennella Zett. - +

ELACHISTIDAE

0609 Elachista cerusella Hb. - +

OECOPHORIDAE

0647 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Stt. Brown

H.M.

+

0663 Diurnea fagella D. & S. - + +

0672 Depressaria pastinacella Dup. Parsnip Moth + 0695 Agonopterix alstroemeriana Cl. - +

0697 Agonopterix arenella D. & S. - +

0698 Agonopterix liturella D. & S. - +

0701 Agonopterix ocellana Fabr. - +

0702 Agonopterix assimilella Treit. - +

0710 Agonopterix conterminella Zell. - +

GELECHIIDAE

0770 Teleiodes proximella Hb. - +

0855 Acompsia cinerella Cl. - +

MOMPHIDAE

0885 Mompha conturbatella Hubn. - +

71

COCHYLlDAE

0937 Agapeta hamana Linn. - +

0954 Eupoecilia angustana Hb. - +

0960 Falseuncaria ruficiliana Haw. - +

TORTRICIDAE

0970 Pandemis cerasana Hb. - + 0974 Argyrotaenia pulchellana Haw. - +

0986 Syndemis musculana Hb. - +

0988 Aphelia viburnana D. & S. - +

0989 Aphelia paleana Hb. - +

0990 Aphelia unitana Hb. - +

1029 Eana osseana Seop. + +

1042 Acleris rhombana D. & S. Rhomboid Tortrix +

1048 Acleris variegana D. & S. Garden Rose Tortrix +

1076 Oletbreutes lacunana D. & S. - + +

1083 Hedya nubifera Haw. Marbled Orchard Tortrix +

1089 Apotomis semifasciana Haw. - +

1093 Apotomis betuletana Haw. - + 1134 Epinota ramellana Linn. - +

1150 Epinota abbreviana Fabr. +

1186 Epiblema farfarae Fletch. - +

1187 Epiblema costipunctana Haw.- +

1200 Eucosma hohenwartiana D. & S. - +

1272 Cydia aurana Fab. - +

1281 Dichrorampha simpliciana Haw. - +

PYRALlDAE

1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella Linn. - +

1301 Crambus nemorella Hb. - +

1302 Crambus perlella Seop. - + 1304 Agriphila straminella D. & S. - +

1305 Agriphila tristetle D. & S. - + +

1316 Catoptria falsella D. & S. - +

1331 Acentria nivea Ol. Water Veneer + +

1332 Scoparia subfusca Haw. - +

1333 Scoparia pyralella D. & S. - +

1334 Scoparia ambigualis Treit. - + +

1356 Evergestis forficalis Linn. Garden Pebble + + +

1388 Udea elutalis D. & S. - + + +

1392 Udea olivalis D. & S.- +

1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Seop. Mother of Pearl + 1428 Aphomia sociella Linn. Bee Moth +

1451 Pyla fusca Haw. - +

PTEROPHORIDAE

1501 Platyptilia gonodactyla D. & S. - +

1504 Platyptilia pallidactyla D. & S. - +

1508 Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla Seop. - +

1513 Pterophorus pentadactyla Linn. - +

PIERIDAE

1549 Pieris brassicae Linn. Large White + + +

1550 Pieris rapae Linn. Small White + + +

1551 Pieris napi Linn. Green-veined White + + +

1553 Anthocharis cardamines Linn. Orange-tip + + LYCAENIDAE

1561 Lycaena phlaeas Linn. Small Copper + +

1574 Polyommatus icarus Rott. Common Blue + +

72

NYMPHALlDAE

1590 Vanessa atalanta Linn. Red Admiral + + +

1591 Cynthia cardui Linn. Painted Lady + +

1593 Aglais urticae Linn. Small Tortoiseshell + + +

1597 Inachis io Linn. Peacock +

SATYRIDAE 1621 Hipparchia semele Linn. Grayling +

1626 Maniola jurtina Linn. Meadow Brown + + +

1627 Coenonympha pamphilus Linn. Small Heath + +

1629 Aphantopus hyperantus Linn. Ringlet +

LASIOCAMPI DAE

1631 Poecilocampa populi Linn. December Moth +

1637 Lasiocampa quercus Linn. Northern Eggar +

1638 Macrothylacia rubi Linn. Fox + +

1640 Philudoria potatoria Linn. Drinker +

1643 Saturnia pavonia Linn. Emperor +

1648 Drepana falcataria Linn. +

1651 Cilix glaucata Scop. Chinese Character + 1652 Thyatira batis Linn. Peach Blossom +

1657 Ochropacha duplaris Linn. Common Lutestring + +

1659 Achlya flavicornis Linn. Yellow Horned +

GEOMETRIDAE

1663 Alsophila aescularia D. & S. March Usher +

1666 Geometra papilionaria Linn. Large Emerald + +

1693 Scopula floslactata Haw. Cream Wave +

1694 Scopula ternata Schr. Smoky Wave +

1702 Idaea biselata Hufn. Small Fan-footed Wave + +

1707 Idaea seriata Schr. Small Dusty Wave +

1708 Idaea dimidiata Hufn. Single-dotted Wave + + 1713 Idaea aversata Linn. Riband Wave + + +

1722 Xanthorhoe designata Hufn. Flame Carpet + +

1724 Xanthorhoe spadicearia D. & S. Red T-s Carpet +

1725 Xanthorhoe ferrugata Cl. Dark-barred T-s Carpet +

1727 Xanthorhoe montanata D. & S. Silver-ground Carpet + + +

1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Linn. Garden Carpet + +

1732 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Linn. Shaded B-b. + + +

1734 Scotopteryx luridata Hufn. ssp. plumbaria Fabr. July Belle + +

1737 Epirrhoe tristete Linn. Small Argent & Sable +

1738 Epirrhoe alternata Mull. Common Carpet + + +

1742 Camptogramma bilineata Linn. Yellow Shell + + + 1744 Entephria caesiata D. & S. Grey Mountain Carpet +

1746 Anticlea badiata D. & S. Shoulder Stripe +

1747 Anticlea derivata D. & S. The Streamer + +

1750 Lampropteryx suffumata D. & S. Water Carpet + +

1752 Cosmorhoe ocellata Linn. Purple Bar + + +

1755 Eulithis testata Linn. The Chevron + +

1756 Eulithis populata Linn. Northern Spinach +

1758 Eulithis pyraliata D. & S. Barred Straw + + +

1759 Ecliptopera silaceata D. & S. Small Phoenix +

1760 Chloroclysta siterata Hufn. Red-green Carpet +

1761 Chloroclysta miata Linn. Autumn Green Carpet + +

1762 Chloroclysta citrata Linn. Dk. Marbled Carpet + + 1764 Chloroclysta truncata Hufn. C. Marbled Carpet + +

1765 Cidaria fulvata Forst. Barred Yellow +

73

1766 Plemyria rubiginata D. & S. Blue-b. Carpet +

1767 Thera firmata Hb. Pine Carpet + +

1768 Thera obeliseata Hb. Grey Pine Carpet + +

1769 Thera variata D. & S. Spruce Carpet +

1773 Eleetrophaes eorylata Thunb. Broken-b. Carpet +

1775 Colostygia multistrigaria Haw. Mottled Grey + + 1776 Colostygia peetinataria Knoch. Green Carpet + + +

1777 Hydriomena fureata Thunb. July Highflyer + +

1778 Hydriomena impluviata D. & S. May Highflyer +

1795 Epirrita dilutata D. & S. November Moth +

1797 Epirrita autumnata Borkh. Autumnal Moth +

1798 Epirrita filigrammaria H.-S. Small Autumnal Moth +

1800 Operophtera fagata Scharf. Northern Winter Moth +

1802 Perizoma affinitatum Steph. The Rivulet +

1803 Perizoma alehemillata Linn. Small Rivulet + +

1808 Perizoma flavofaseiata Thunb. Sandy Carpet +

1809 Perizoma didymata Linn. Twin-spot Carpet + +

1828 Eupithecia satyrata Hb. Satyr Pug + + 1831 Eupithecia goossensiata Mab. Ling Pug +

1834 Eupithecia vulgata Haw. Common Pug + +

1837 Eupithecia subfuseata Haw. Grey Pug +

1838 Eupithecia ieterata ViiI. Tawny Speckled Pug +

1846 Eupithecia nanata Hb. Narrow-winged Pug +

1849 Eupithecia fraxinata Crewe. Ash Pug +

1852 Eupithecia abbreviata Steph. Brindled Pug +

1854 Eupithecia pusillata D. & S. Juniper Pug +

1865 Chesias rufata Fabr. Broom-tip +N

1867 Aploeera plagiata Linn. Treble-bar +

1870 Odezia atrata Linn. Chimney-sweeper + 1873 Venusia eambriea Curt. Welsh Wave +

1881 Triehopteryx earpinata Borkh. Early Tooth-striped +

1887 Lomaspilis marginata Linn. Clouded Border + +

1894 Semiothisa elathrata Linn. Latticed Heath + + +

1902 Petrophora ehlorosata Scop. Brown Silver-line +

1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Linn. Brimstone +

1907 Epione repandaria Hufn. Common Bordered-beauty +

1910 Apeira syringaria Linn. Lilac Beauty +

1913 Ennomos alniaria Linn. Canary-shouldered Thorn + +

1917 Selenia dentaria Fabr. Early Thorn + +

1918 Selenia lunularia Hb. Lunar Thorn + + 1919 Selenia tetralunaria Hufn. Purple Thorn +

1920 Odontopera bidentata Cl. Scalloped Hazel +

1921 Croeallis elinguaria Linn. Scalloped Oak +

1923 Colotois pennaria Hb. Feathered Thorn + +

1926 Apoeheima pilosaria D. & S. Pale Br. Beauty +

1931 Biston betularia Li nn. Peppered Moth + +

1932 Agriopis leueophaeria D. & S. Spring Usher (+)

1933 Agriopis aurantaria Hb. Scarce Umber +

1934 Agriopis marginaria Fabr. Dotted Border +

1935 Erannis defoliaria Cl. Mottled Umber +

1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria D. & S. Willow Beauty +

1941 Aleis repandata Linn. Mottled Beauty + 1947 Eetropis bistortete Goeze. The Engrailed +

1952 Ematurgia atomaria Linn. Common Heath +

1955 Cabera pusaria Linn. Common White Wave + + +

74

1956 Cabera exanthemata Scop. Common Wave + +

1961 Campaea margaritata Linn. Light Emerald + +

1962 Hylaea fasciaria Linn. Barred Red + +

SPHINGIDAE

1981 Laothoe populi Linn. Poplar Hawk Moth + +

1991 Deilephila elpenor Linn. Elephant Moth + NOTODONTIDAE

1994 Phalera bucephala Linn. Buff-tip +

1995 Cerura vinula Linn. Puss Moth +

1998 Furcula furcula Cl. Sallow Kitten +

2000 Notodonta dromedarius Linn. Iron Prominent +

2003 Eligmodonta ziczac Linn. Pebble Prominent +

2006 Pheosia gnoma fabr. Lesser Swallow Prominent + +

2008 Ptilodon capucina Linn. Coxcomb Prominent + +

2011 Pterostoma palpina Cl. Pale Prominent +

2020 Diloba caeruleocephala Linn. Figure of Eight +

ARCTIIDAE

2038 Nudaria mundana Linn. Muslin Footman + 2057 Arctia caja Linn. Garden Tiger + +

2059 Diacrisia sannio Linn. Clouded Buff (+)

2060 Spilosome lubricipeta Linn. White Ermine + + +

2061 Spilosoma luteum Hufn. Buff Ermine +

2064 Phragmatobia fuliginosa Linn. Ruby Tiger +

2069 Tyria jacobaeae Linn. Cinnabar +

NOCTUIDAE

2081 Euxoa tritici Linn. White-line Dart +

2082 Euxoa nigricans Linn. Garden Dart +

2083 Euxoa cursorie Hufn. Coast Dart +

2085 Agrotis vestigialis Hufn. Archer's Dart + 2087 Agrotis segetum D. & S. Turnip Moth +

2088 Agrotis clavis Hufn. Heart & Club +

2089 Agrotis exclamationis Linn. Heart & Dart + +

2098 Axylia putris Linn. The Flame +

2099 Ochropleura praecox Linn. Portland Moth +

2102 Ochropleura plecta Linn. Flame Shoulder + + +

2107 Noctua pronuba Linn. Large Yellow Underwing + + +

2109 Noctua comes Hb. Lesser Yellow Underwing + + +

2111 Noctua janthina D. & S. Lesser Broad-border + + +

2114 Graphiphora augur Fabr. Double Dart + + +

2117 Paradiarsia glareosa Esp. Autumnal Rustic + 2118 Lycophotia porphyrea D. & S. True Lover's Knot + +

2120 Diarsia mendica Fabr. Ingrailed Clay + + +

2121 Diarsia dahlii Hb. Barred Chestnut + +

2122 Diarsia brunnea D. & S. Purple Clay +

2123 Diarsia rubi View. Small Square-spot +

2126 Xestia c-niqrum Linn. Set. Hebrew Character + +

2128 Xestia triangulum Hufn. Double Square-spot +

2130 Xestia baja D. & S. Dotted Clay + + +

2132 Xestis castanea Esp. Neglected Rustic +

2133 Xestia sexstrigata Haw. Six-striped Rustic + +

2134 Xestie xanthographa D. & S. Square-spot Rustic + + +

2135 Xestia agathina Dup. Heath Rustic + 2136 Naenia typica Linn. The Gothic + +

2138 Anaplectoides prasina D. & S. Green Arches +

2139 Cerastis rubricosa D. & S. Red Chestnut + + +

75

2147 Hada nana Hufn. The Shears + +

2152 Sideridis albicolon Hb. White Colon +

2158 Lacanobia thalassina Hufn. Pale-shouldered Brocade + +

2160 Lacanobia oleracea Linn. Bright-line Brown-eye +

2162 Papestra biren Goeze. Glaucous Shears +

2163 Ceramica pisi Linn. Broom Moth + + + 2166 Hadena rivularis Fabr. Campion +

2171 Hadena confusa Hufn. Marbled Coronet +

2173 Hadena bicruris Hufn. The Lynchnis +

2176 Cerapteryx graminis Linn. Antler Moth + + +

2178 Tholera decimalis Poda. Feathered Gothic + (+)

2182 Orthosis cruda D. & S. Small Quaker +

2186 Orthosia graCilis D. & S. Powdered Quaker + +

2187 Orthosia stabilis D. & S. Common Quaker + + +

2188 Orthosis incerta Hufn. Clouded Drab + + +

2189 Orthosia munda D. & S. Twin-spotted Quaker +

2190 Orthosis gothica Linn. Hebrew Character + + +

2192 Mythimna conigera D. & S. Brown-line Bright-eye + 2193 Mythimna ferrago Fabr. The Clay + + +

2198 Mythimna impura Hb. Smoky Wainscot + + +

2199 Mythimna pal/ens Linn. Common Wainscot + +

2205 Mythimna comma Hb. Shoulder-striped Wainscot +

2216 Cucul/ia umbratica Linn. The Shark +

2225 Brachylomia viminalis Thunb. Minor Shoulder-knot + +

2229 Oasypolia templi Thunb. Brindled Ochre +

2231 Aporophyla lutulenta D. & S. Northern Deep-brown Dart +

2232 Aporophyla nigra Haw. Black Rustic +

2241 Xylena vetusta Hb. Red Sword-grass +

2245 AI/ophyes oxyacanthe Linn. Green-br. Crescent + 2250 Blepharita adusta Esp. Dark Brocade + +

2254 Antitype chi Linn. Grey Chi + + +

2258 Conistra veccinii Linn. The Chestnut + +

2262 Agrochola circel/aris Hufn. The Brick +

2263 Agrochola Iota Cl. Red-line Quaker + + +

2264 Agrochola macilenta Hb. Yellow-line Quaker + +

2266 Agrochola litura Linn. Brown-spot Pinion + + +

2268 Parastichitis suspecta Hb. The Suspected +

2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Haw. Lunar Underwing +

2273 Xanthia togata Esp. Pink-barred Sallow + + +

2284 Acronicta psi Linn. Grey Dagger + + 2286 Acronicta menyanthidis Esp. Light Knot-grass (+)

2289 Acronicta rumicis Linn. Knot-grass + +

2293 Cryphia domestica Hufn. Marbled Beauty +

2299 Amphipyra tragopoginis Cl. Mouse + + +

2303 Rusina ferruginea Esp. Brown Rustic + + +

2303 Thalpophila matura Hufn. Straw Underwing +

2305 Euplexia lucipara Linn. Small angle-shades + +

2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Linn. Angle-shades + +

2321 Apamea monoglypha Hufn. Dark Arches + + +

2322 Apamea lithoxylaea D. & S. Light Arches + +

2326 Apamea crenata Hufn. Cloud-bordered Brindle +

2327 Apamea epomidion Haw. Clouded Brindle + 2329 Apamea furva D. & S. ssp, britannia Cock. Confused +

2330 Apamea remissa Hb. Dusky brocade + +

2331 Apamea unanimis Hb. Small Clouded Brindle +

76

2334 Apamea sordens Hufn. Rustic Shoulder- knot + +

2337 Oligia strigilis Linn. Marbled Minor +

2339 Oligia latruncula D. & S. Tawny Marbled Minor +

2340 Oligia fasciuncula Haw. Middle-barred Minor + + +

2341 Mesoligia furuncula D. & S. Cloaked Minor +

2342 Mesoligia titerose Haw. Rosy Minor + 2343 Mesapamea secslis Linn. Common Rustic + + +

2345 Photedes minima Haw. Small Dotted Buff + +

2350 Pbotedes pygmina Haw. Small Wainscot + +

2353 Luperina testecee D. & S. Flounced Rustic + + +

2357 Amphipoea lucens Freyer. Large Ear + +

2359 Amphipoea crinanensis Burr. Crinan Ear +

2361 Hydraecia micacea Esp. Rosy Rustic + + +

2362 Hydraecia petesitis Doubl. The Butterbur +

2364 Gortyna f/avago D. & S. Frosted Orange +

2367 Celaena haworthii Curt. Haworth's Minor +

2368 Celaena leucostigma Hb. The Crescent (+)

2375 Rhizedra lutose Hb. Large Wainscot + 2382 Hoplodrina blanda D. & S. The Rustic +

2387 Caradrina morpheus Hufn. Mottled Rustic + +

2389 Caradrina clavipalpis Scop. Pale Mottled Willow +

2394 Stilbia anomala Haw. The Anomalous + + +

2399 Pyrrhia umbra Hufn. Bordered Sallow +

2434 Oiachrysia chrysitis Linn. Burnished Brass + + +

2439 Plusia festucae Linn. Gold Spot + + +

2441 Autographa gamma Linn. Silver Y + + +

2442 Autographa pulchrins Haw. Beautiful Golden Y + +

2443 Autographa jota Linn. Plain Golden Y + +

2444 Autographa bractea D. & S. Gold Spangle + 2447 Syngrapha interrogation is Linn. Scare Si Iver Y (+)

2449 Abrostola trigemina Werneb. Dark Spectacle + + +

2450 Abrostola triplasia Linn. The Spectacle + + +

2462 Callistege mi Cl. Mother Shipton +

2469 Scoliopteryx libatrix Linn. The Herald +

2470 Phytometra viridaria Cl. Small Purple-barred (+)

2477 Hypena proboscidalis Linn. The Snout +

DIPTERA

SIMULlIDAE

Smmulium letipes spp. gp. +

Simulium ornetum Mg. +

ANISOPODIDAE Sylvicola fenestralis Scop. +

Sylvicola punctetus F. +

BIBIONIDAE

Bibio anglicus Verr. +ND

Bibio johannis L. +

Bibio lanigerus Mg. +67

Bibio marci L. +

Oilophus hebrilis L. +

STRATIOMYIDAE

Beris chalybeata Forster +

Chloromyia formosa Scop. + +68

Microchrysta cyaneiventris Zett. +

77

RHAGIONIDAE

Chrysopilus cristatus F. +

A therix ibis F. +

Rhagio notatus Mg. +

Rhagio lineola F. +

Rhagio tringarius l. +68 ASILlDAE

Philonicus albiceps Mg. +N

EMPIDIDAE

Platypalpus ciliaris Fa!. +N

Hybos culiciformis F. +

Ocydromia glabricula Fa!. +

Rhamphomyia sulcata Mg. +

Rhamphomyia tibialis Mg. +N

Empis punctata Mg. +68

Empis stercorea l. +

Empis trigramma Mg. +

Empis livida L. + +68 Empis opaca Mg. +

Empis tessellata F. +

Hilara chorica Fal. +

Hilara litorea Fal. +

Hilara lundbecki Frey. +ND

Hilara maura F. +

Hilara quadrivittata Mg. +

DOLlCHOPODIDAE

Dolichopus pennatus Mg. +

Dolichopus plumipes Seop. +68

Dolichopus popularis Wied. + Dolichopus simplex Mg. +N

Dolichopus ungulatus L. +68

Scellus notatus F. +N

Rhaphium consobrinum Zett. +ND

Argyra argyria Mg. +68

Argyra diaphana F. +

Sympycnus desoutteri Parent. +68 +

LONCHOPTERIDAE

Lonchoptera furcata Fal. +

SYRPHIDAE

Syrphus ribesii L. + + Syrphus vitripennis Mg. +

Dasysyrphus venustus Mg. + +

Leucozona loco rum L. + + +

Melangyna lasiopthalma Zett. +68

Episyrphus belteetus Deg. + +

Sphaerophoria scripta l. +

Baccha elongata F. + +

Melanostoma mellinum l. +

Platycheirus albimanus F. + +

Platycheirus clypeatus Mg. +

Platycheirus manicatus Mg. +

Platycheirus peltatus Mg. + + Cheilosia illustrata Harris + +68

Cheilosis impressa Loew. +

Cheilosia paganus Mg. +

Rhingia campestris Mg. + +

78

Ferdinandea cuprea Seop. +

Chrysogasrer chalybeara Mg +N

Volucella bombylans l. +

Volucella pellucens l. + +

Sericomyia silentis Harris + +

Xylots segnis L. + Criorhina asilica Fal. +N

Helophilus pendulus L. + + +

Erisralis borticote Dag. + + +

Eristelis intricsrius l. +

Erisralis nemorum l. +67

Erisralis pertinax Seop. +

Erisralis tenax l. +

CONOPIDAE

Sicus ferrugineus l. +N

TEPHRITIDAE

Xyphosia mititeris Sehrank. +68

Urophora spp. + MICROPEZIDAE

Calobara cibaria L. +

DRYOMYZIDAE

Oryomyza analis Fal. +

LAUXANIIDAE

Minettia plumicornis Fal. +ND

Lyciella rorida Fal. + +

COELOPIDAE

Coelopa frigida FI. +

HELEOMYZIDAE

Heleomyza affinis Mg. + SEPSIDAE

Sepsis cynipsea l. +

Sepsis punctum F. +

SCIOMYZIDAE

Limnia unguicornis Seop. +68

Tetenocree ?elara F. +N +N

SPHAEROCERIDAE

Copromyza atra Mg. + +

AGROMYZIDAE

Ph vtornv re ilicis Curtis +

TACHINIDAE Linnaemyia vulpina Fal. +

CALLIPHORIDAE

Calliphora vomitoria L. +

Lucilia caesar l. + +

Lucilia iltustris Mg. +

Pollenia rudis F. + +

Pollenia varia Mg. +

SCATOPHAGIDAE

Scarophaga furcara Say. +

Scatophaga stercorarea L. + + +

Scarophaga suilla F. +

FANNIIDAE Fannia armata Mg. +

Fannia rondanii Strobl. +

79

MUSCIDAE

Dasyphora cyanella Mg_ +

Dasyphora cyanicolor Zett, + +

Orthellia cornicina F. +68

Morellia hortorum Fal. +

Marellia simplex Loew. + Thricaps hirsutula Zett. +N

Thricops semicinerea Wied. + +

Alleastylus diaphanus Wied. +

Hydrataea irritans Fal. + +68

Phaonia basalis Zett. +

Phaania palpata Stein. +

Phaonia zugmayeriae Schnabl. +N

Helina fratercula Zett. +ND

Helina impuncta Fal. +

Helina laetifica R.-D. +68

Helina maculipennis Zett. +ND

Mydaea urbana Mg. + Macrarchis meditata Fal. +N

Caenosia lineatipes Zett. +

Caenasia trigrina F. +68

HYMENOPTERA

TENTHREDINIDAE

Dalerus puncticollis Thomson +

Dolerus sanguinicollis Klug +

Empria klugii Steph. +

Aglaostigma aucupariae Klug. +

Tenthreda atra L. +

Tenthredo ferruginea Schrank. + Tenthredo mesamelas L. +

Tenthreda viridis L. +

Tenthredo livida L. +

Tenthredapsis nassata L. +

Eriacampa avata L. +

SPHECIDAE

Argagarytes mystacaus L. +

ANDRENIDAE

Andrena clarkella Kirby +

Andrena praecax Seop. +

Andrena ruficrus Nyl. + + APIDAE

Bombus lucarum L. + + +

Bombus pascuarum L. +

Apis mellifera L. + + +

TRICHOPTERA

PHRYGANEIDAE

Phryganea striata L. +

Phryganea absoleta MeL. +

LlMNEPHILIDAE

Limnephilus marmoratus Curt. +

Limnephilus sparsus Curt. + +

Limnephilus stigma Curt. + Stenophylax lateralis St. +

Stenophylax permistus MeL. +

80

Drusus annu/atus Steph. +

Grammotau/ius atomarius F. +

SERICOSTOMATIDAE

Goera po/isa F. +

LEPTOCERIDAE

Mystacides azurea L. +

Mystacides /ongicornis +

Triaenodes reuteri McL. +

HYDROPSYCHIDAE

Hydropsyche siltalai Doh. + +

RHYACOPHILlDAE

G/ossosoma boltoni Curt. +

Agapetus fuscipes Curt. +

(N.B. Due to some large moth catches, the Holystone Burn Trichoptera were largely ignored).

OSMOTIC POTENTIAL VARIATION IN RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION OF ASTER

TRIPOLlUM L. (SEA ASTER) AT TIMBER BEACH SALT MARSH, SUNDERLAND

J. A. BURGESS AND I. COPELAND, DURHAM SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION

Timber Beach (Grid. Ref. NZ369584) is a D.C.C.T. reserve leased from Sunderland

Borough and although it is small (4.4 acres) it represents one of the very few salt marsh habitats

in Co. Durham. It supports a variety of halophytes and salt-tolerant plant species including:-

Family Chenopodiaceae

Suaeda maritima (L.) Dum. Herbaceous seablite.

Atriplex hastata L. Hastate orache

Salicornia dolichostachya Moss. Glasswort.

Family Plumbaginaceae

Armeria maritima (Mill.) Willd. Sea pink Family

Family Plantaginaceae

Plantago maritima L. Sea Plantain

Family Primulaceae

Glaux maritima L. Sea Milkwort

Family Graminae

Puccinellia maritima (Huds.) ParI. Sea poa

Agropyron pungens (Pers.) Roem. & Shult. Sea couch-grass

Phragmites communis L. Reed.

Festuca rubra L. Creeping fescue

81

Family Juncaginaceae

Triglochin maritima Sea arrow grass

Figure 1 shows the west end of the marsh, sea asters tend to be more plentiful west of

the sewage pipe. It has been known for many years that salt marsh plants show zonation-some

species can withstand immersion in salt water for longer periods than others. Triglochin maritima

has a higher osmotic potential than Puccinellia maritima, which grows further down the shore

line. How much can osmotic potential vary within a species however? A.tripolium was selected

for this study.

METHOD

Samples of rootstock (A.tripolium is a perennial) and also adventitious roots were

taken from plants from the two zones '1' and '2' marked in Fig. 1. The plants growing in zone 2

were on ground which was 0.5m above that of zone 1 in the muddy creek. Rootstock samples

were collected in the spring of 1983 and their osmotic potentials were determined by immersing

samples in sucrose solutions of different molarity. The experiments were performed the same day

as collection as the tissues need to be alive. Losses and gains in mass in different solutions reflect

net water loss and net water gain due to osmosis. Where zero change occurs then it is assumed

that the concentration of cell sap is equivalent to the outside concentration of experimental

sucrose solution. Figure 2 illustrates the results.

DISCUSSION

Rootstocks of A.tripolium from the low ground have an osmotic potential equivalent

to 0.98 molar sucrose. This is equivalent to @ 33 atmospheres pressure. Rootstocks from the high

ground, however, seem to have osmotic potentials equivalent to 0.85 molar sucrose and also a

range between 0.5 and 0.6 molar, equivalent to @ 27 atmospheres and between 14 and 18

atmospheres respectively.

The apparent ambiguity of the results for the high ground may reflect the fact that

natural variation persists between individual plants within the zone. What is striking, and highly

significant is that plants from the low ground in the creek take up more water throughout the

range of solutions, reflecting their higher osmotic potential, itself indicated by where the line cuts

the x-axis on the graph. Baron (1967) gives figures for salt marsh plants worked out using a

similar technique.

CONCLUSION

Within a halophytic species such as A.tripolium, there seems to be an ability to adjust

to large variations in soil solution concentration. The study did not include any water analyses,

but we would predict that the differences between the plants of the two zones reflect marked

differences in salinity. Although the approximate m?lar.ity of seawater is marked in Fig. 2 (and is

roughly equivalent to 20 atmospheres), this figure is highly variable in a salt marsh where the

evaporation of water (especially on hot days) would result in far higher osmotic potentia Is being

generated, (see Hepburn, 1952).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our thanks to Durham County Conservation Trust for

permission to carry out this project, and, in particular, to Mr. J. Bainbridge, Convenor of the

Management Committee.

82

REFERENCES

Baron, W. M. M. (1967). Organisation in Plants. (2nd ed.) Pub. Arnold.

Hepburn, I. (1952). Flowers of the Coast. Pub. Collins.

83

84

NATURE CONSERVATION ON

THE DURHAM COAST - THE FUTURE

JOHN A. COOKE & SUSANNAH GRAY Biology Department, Sunderland Polytechnic

The importance of the flora and fauna of the magnesian limestone cliffs has been

recognised for many years and now almost the whole of the Durham Coast has been designated a

Site of Special Scientific Interest and is recognised as being a nationally important coastal habitat

(1). In particular, the most significant feature is the extensive species-rich calcareous grassland

which has developed on the boulder clay covering the sea banks and cliffs (see ref. 2 for a

detailed description). The importance of this area for nature conservation is also indicated by the

presence of nature reserves at Hawthorn Dene, Blackhall Rocks and Castle Eden Dene.

In contrast to this in discussing 'the unspeakable beaches of Britain' Pearce (3) said,

'perhaps worst of all is the Durham coastline where, over the years the sands have been taken over

by the National Coal Board ... (it is) probably the worst example of wasted coastline in England'.

Tipping of colliery waste began in 1858 and since that time it has been calculated that some 40

million tonnes of colliery waste have been dumped with approx. 2.5 million tonnes being tipped

annually at the present time. Even though 85% has been removed by wave action and tidal

currents the remainder is spread over approximately eight miles of coastline from Dawdon to

Blackhall. Not surprisingly these beaches are predominantly comprised of colliery waste and in

some areas like at Hawthorn Hive there may be smelly sulphurous deposits, pools of brown mine

drainage water and be very acidic due to the weathering of iron pyrites in the waste (4). Durham

County Council and Easington District Council have taken a fresh initiative to change this

situation and have drawn up a variety of ambitious plans which are aimed at improving the

landscape value and quality of the coastline (5). It is hoped that the beaches will become an

important recreational 'magnet' and attract an increasing number of visitors. These plans for the

future obviously depend upon 'cleaning-up' the beaches of which the important prerequisite is the

cessation of tipping or as is currently proposed and is really second best, that the waste should be

piped out to sea and released about 500m offshore.

If the tipping of waste does stop what will happen to the beaches and what are the

consequences for nature conservation? It may seem incredible that anyone should ask such a

question but it is possible to speculate that the outcomes of such a clean-up may not all be good

for nature conservation. To explore future changes it is necessary to go back to the middle of the

19th century. It is likely that in 1858 almost the whole of the limestone cliff between Dawdon and

Crimdon was exposed to wave attack at high water and the lower foreshore was in general, wide,

flat and sandy. The coastline at this time was eroding but as waste was tipped in increasing

quantities increased accretion took place. The beaches became 'raised' and steeper and the high

water mark moved seawards, in some places by as much as 120m (6). Thus the tipping of waste

has undoubtedly helped to stabilise the beach materials and protect the upper shore and cliffs from

erosion. Would severe erosion again take place if tipping ceased? Figure 1 attempts to summarise

the factors which may tend to increase or decrease erosion.

85

Evidence from what happened after the tipping of waste stopped at Blackhall in 1974

suggests that quite rapid erosion occurs through natural wave action particularly if winter storms

are severe (7). Thus it has been estimated that a large proportion of the waste already deposited

may be removed in ten to twenty years. This erosion will, of course, be accelerated if there is

mechanical removal of sea. coal or colliery waste from the beaches. There are, however, a number

of factors which may increase the trend towards beach erosion (Fig. 1). Sulphur in the shales of

the waste reacts with seawater to form a 'cemented' material which often forms hard ridges and if

left may prevent further erosion. However, this 'cemented' material was broken up mechanically

at Blackhall to improve the appearance of the beach. Thus the idea of the 'protectiveness' of this

material has not been tested. It has been estimated that 26 million tonnes, the majority of the

waste which has been transported offshore over the last 100 years, has not been widely dispersed

but has accumulated on the seabed within 2km of the coast. This 'reservoir' of small coal particles

is likely to cause intermittent pollution on the beaches for many years to come even if all tipping

stopped tomorrow (6, 8).

Beach erosion has a number of possible implications for nature conservation and

these are outlined in Fig. 2. It would seem that the secondary plant communities which have

become established on the colliery waste and may contain some interesting species and

communities (4) would be lost. Eventually, it may be that a shingle/sandy raised beach would

develop and although this could be relatively labile a more typical flora for such habitats may be

encouraged.

If extensive beach erosion occurred then the cliffs would come under wave attack.

This would increase cliff erosion, perhaps causing the extinction of some plant species on the cliff

face and altering geological exposures of importance. On the other hand, the exposure of fresh

soil and rock surfaces would provide a mosaic of new habitats for colonisation which is an

important factor in maintaining the species rich nature of the vegetation. However, plant

colonisation is relatively slow and certainly could be quickly overtaken by rapid and extensive

erosion.

The landward movement of the high water mark and the consequent, increasing

maritime influence would be of benefit to cliff top grassland through the action of salt spray. The

action of salt spray is important in preventing the encroachment of grassland by scrub, especially

Sycamore in this case, and would also encourage maritime herbs to invade (re-invade?) the

grassland (9).

It would seem that protection of the cliffs to prevent excessive erosion is essential for

many safety reasons as well as for conservation arguments. However, the return to 'normal'

(slow?) rates of erosion would seem worthwhile to return the beach and cliffs to the more natural

condition which existed prior to the tipping of waste. This would seem to suggest allowing

erosion by natural wave action to occur but that any artificial removal of waste from the beaches

would not be advisable as it could lead to a period of rapid erosion at a faster rate than the

biological system could deal with. In conclusion therefore, when definite action for the alteration

in mine waste disposal practices is taken, it would seem imperative that the rate of erosion of the

beaches be carefully monitored. With this knowledge, the situation can be reviewed regularly, any

subsequent management options be debated and management strategies imp emented.

The authors would like to thank Durham County Council, Easington District

86

Council, N.C.B. and Dr. J. Hopkins of the Nature Conservancy Council and the Editor for helpful

discussion.

REFERENCES

1. Ratcliffe, D. A. (1978). Ed. A Nature Conservation Review (The selection of

biological sites of national importance for nature conservation), Cambridge

University Press.

2. Doody, J. P. (1980). Grassland. The Magnesium Limestone of Durham County p44.

Durham County Conservation Trust.

3. Pearce, F. (1981). The unspeakable beaches of Britain. New Scientist, 91, 139-143.

4. Forster, S. F. & Cooke, J. A. (1984). The Ecology of Colliery waste deposited on the

Durham coastline at Hawthorn Hive. Vasculum 69 in press.

5. Durham County Council and Easington District Council (1982). The Durham Coast.

A fresh look at its problems and its future.

6. Hydraulics Research Station (1970). Colliery waste on the Durham coast. A study of

the effect of tipping colliery waste on the coastal processes. Report No. Ex.521.

7. Hydraulics Research Station (1971). Colliery Waste disposal on the Durham Coast.

Beach changes near Blackhall - a continuation study. Report No. Ex765.

8. M.A.F.F. (1978). Working party on colliery waste tipping on Durham beaches. The

dispersal of colliery waste away from the South Durham beaches: Interim report on

a survey of the effects of the disposal of colliery waste by pipeline at Horden, County

Durham. MAFF Fisheries Laboratory, Burnham-on-Crouch.

9. Malloch, A. J. C. (1972). Salt-spray deposition on the maritime cliffs of the Lizard

Peninsula J. Ecol. 60, 103-12.

87

ERRATA

The Vasculum Vo167, No. 3, October 1982

Page 36, Table 7, should read 'Weekly sampling data for the four one square metre quadrats at

Miss Mary's Walk', (not Beech Grove).

A STUDY OF PLANT LITTER PRODUCTION

AT HERRINGTON WOODS AND CASTLE EDEN DENE

DENNIS HALL Pennywell School, Sunderland

INTRODUCTION

As part of an investigation into the nutritional needs of fungi in relation to toadstool

production in three beech-woods in the autumns of 1970 and 1971, a study was made of the

autumnal leaf-fall as well as ground litter and the decaying vegetation (Hall,1975).

The complex environments of the decaying woodland litter and the soil humus

involve chemical, physical and biological factors interacting in numerous ways. The soil pH,

mineral content, aeration and extreme wetness modify the nature of the

88

vegetation as well as the soil microflora and fauna which bring about the decay processes. Litter

differences can be conditioned by edaphic factors whilst the species composition rather than the

soil may influence the chemical composition of the leaves. Climatic conditions also modify the

decay processes as well as the micro- organisms causing them. The chemical nature of the plant

remains also determines the nature of the humus formed from them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SITES.

1. Castle Eden Dene. This is a local nature reserve and is the largest and finest of

several coastal ravines in the area which cut into the underlying Lower Limestone of the Permian

dolomite.

Beech Grove. (Grid Ref. NZ 424388). The vegetation and soil characteristics were

briefly described in a previous paper (Hall, 1978). Summarising, the site has a dense beech

canopy, an acid soil discouraging much field layer, and a litter layer in late summer at least 2cm

deep, consisting mainly of beech leaves.

Miss Mary's Walk. (Grid Ref. NZ 429389). This site is 500m to the west of Beech

Grove. The vegetation and soil characteristics were described in a previous paper (Hall, 1982). In

summary, the site is locally elevated and hence drier than Beech Grove, although the mineral soil

is more moist. Like Beech Grove, the site is of mature beechwood, the dense canopy as well as

the acid soil discouraging most of the nearby field layer. The mor soil resembles the more acid

parts of Beech Grove whilst the litter is deeper and contains more twigs and beech masts in later

summer.

2. Herrington Hill Woods. (Grid Ref. NZ 345524). The site, vegetation and soil

characteristics were described briefly in a previous paper (Hall, 1978). The soil is a dark

calcareous mull containing small limestone boulders. The wood is a plantation with Acer, Fagus

and Fraxinus co-dominant and with a sparse ground flora. In late summer there is much twig litter

and very little leaf litter. Raw humus is virtually missing.

METHODS

(i) Wooden tomato boxes, 40cm x 30cm x 8cm, were sunk just below the soil surface

near to experimental quadrats of 83.5 sq.m (100 sq.yds.) set up in connection with the toadstool

study. The boxes were to collect freshly-fallen litter from the trees for weekly analysis. Four

boxes were dug in around each of the three Herrington quad rats and five boxes around each of

the three Beech Grove quadrats in the summer of 1970. Four similar boxes were sunk into the

ground on the slope above the small 4 sq.m quadrats set up at Miss Mary's Walk in the summer of

1971. Litter was col- lected from early September until mid-December in 1970, by which time the

boxes were virtually empty. The collecting in the following year at Miss Mary's Walk

commenced in mid-August. The litter was classified and air-dried at room temperature. The

aggregate totals were adjusted to give a reading representing litter-fall per sq.m of box area. The

data obtained was perhaps only of relative value due to wind blowing some leaves into the boxes

from the neighbourhood on very windy days.

(ii) The previous season's litter was sampled randomly by taking handfuls at a time at

the three sites in later summer. The litter was collected into seven large bags from about 1 sq.rn of

ground near to all six marked-out 1970 quad rats as well as from 1sq.m ground at Miss Mary's

Walk in 1971. All of the damp ·Iitter, including dead herbage and grass was collected, spread out

on paper and then exposed to the air in

89

a warm room. The litter was frequently turned, over a period of ten days or so until it ws 'dry'. It

was then classified into categories as far as possible. Some of the twigs were well-decayed and

were not recognizeable,

(iii) Leaf and small-twig litter was randomly collected from within the toadstool

quadrats at fortnightly intervals to determine their moisture content. It was tightly packed into

plastic containers of about 300cm.3 fitted with tight lids, one container full being collected from

each quadrat. Much of this litter was weighed into tared 260cm.3 beakers and then oven-dried at

1000C. to give a constant weight. The water content was expressed as a percentage of the wet

weight. The rest of the litter was collected in bags and air-dried as a preliminary to analysing its

constituents.

(iv) The nearby herbage growing in 1 sq.m quadrats was cut down in the late summer

and collected. The aerial herbaceous vegetation annually returned to the soil as litter was therefore

estimated by weighing the air-dried classified herbage which had had the litter in it removed

before drying. The old litter removed was also air-dried and classified.

(v) Litter and dead herbage were collected from three 1 sq.m quadrats set out on

adjacent ground at both Beech Grove and Herrington Woods in January 1971. It was air-dried as

detailed above and the 'dry' weight determined.

RESULTS

(i) Litter from boxes. Tables 1 and 2 show the weekly analysis of freshly-fallen

litter from the three sites, collected in the autumns of either 1970 or 1971, expressed as air-dry

weights in g./sq.m. The data is illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 and the cumu lative litter

weights are shown in Figure 3. The percentage, based on dry weights, of beech, ash and sycamore

leaves in the leaf litter at Herrington Woods in the autumn of 1970 is shown in Table 3 and

illustrated in Figure 4.

(ii) Random sampling of old litter and small twig litter lying on the ground in

later summer. The analysis of the data collected is shown in the three histograms in Figure 5,

which also shows how the old litter remaining compares with the litter deposited in the autumn, as

well as the litter remaining in the following January at two of the sites.

(iii) The average percentage of water in the litter at Beech Grove and

Herrington Woods. This was calculated as a percentage of the wet weight of the litter and is

illustrated in Figure 6.

(iv) The air-dry weights of herbage, in g./sq.m, cut down in later summer. The

data for the three sites is shown in the three histograms in Figure 7. This data rep- resented the

amount of herbage returned to the ground as litter annually.

(v) Litter and dead herbage from ground adjacent to the quadrats in winter.

An analysis of the litter and dead herbage collected from three quadrats of 1 sq.rn in Janu.ary

1971 at both Beech Grove and Herrington Woods was attempted and is set out In Table 4 after

aggregating and averaging the figures. The data was compared with the data for the litter still

lying in the previous late summer as well as with the data or the autumnal leaf-fall and is shown

in Figure 5.

CONCLUSIONS

Litter quantity. In the autumn of 1970, more than 50% more litter fell at Herrington Woods

compared with the Beech Grove site (figure 3). The cumulative figure for Herrington Woods was

27,874 Kg/ha over 18 weeks and for the Beech

90

Grove it was 17,014 Kg/ha over 19 weeks. At Miss Mary's Walk in the following autumn there

was well over twice as much litter falling compared with Beech Grove and over a third more litter

again compared with the Herrington site. The cumulative figure for the site was 37,415 Kg/ha and

this fell in just 13 weeks, with no litter falling in the preceding or following weeks.

The timing of the leaf-fall followed the same pattern in all three sites with the peak

time being late October and early November. At Herrington Woods in 1970, 62% of the autumnal

litter fell in the last two weeks of October and the first week of November whilst at Beech Grove

69% of the total litter fell in these three weeks. In late September/early October there was a minor

peak in one week at Herrington accounting for another 10% of the litter. In the last week of

October and the first three weeks of November 67% of the litter fell at Miss Mary's Walk in the

following autumn.

Litter quality. Beech leaves predominated in the Beech Grove and Miss Mary's

Walk litter whilst sycamore leaves were relatively more important at the Herrington site as shown

in tables 1a, 1b, 2 and 3 and figure 4. As the autumn advanced, ash leaves made up progessively

less of the newly-fallen litter at the latter site whilst beech leaves made up more.

In the peak three weeks for litter fall both leaf litter and twig litter attained the

maximum fall. At both Herrington and Beech Grove around 47% of the twig litter fell in these

three weeks. 72% of the leaf litter fell at Beech Grove then, and this was predominantly beech

litter, whilst at Herrington 64% leaf litter fell then, made up of 38% sycamore, 14% beech and

12% ash.

At Miss Mary's Walk in the following autumn, 73% of the leaves fell in the four-

week period covering the last week in October and the first three weeks in November, but the

peak time for twig-fall was in the last week in November when 47% fell, all being beech.

Old litter. There was a preponderance of leaves in the old litter at Beech Grove and

at Miss Mary's Walk and of twigs at Herrington (figure 5). Considering that there was much more

litter at the Herrington site than at Beech Grove in the autumn season and that a higher percentage

of this was of leaf litter, then the loss of leaf litter at Herrington Woods was remarkably quickly

achieved. Compared to the cumulative litter total for 1 sq.m ground over the previous autumn,

much less than a half of the litter remained at Beech Grove by January but only one seventh

remained at Herrington (41% and 14% respectively). By January, over 60% of the litter remaining

at Herrington was twiggy material whilst only 10% of the leaf litter had vanished at Beech Grove.

The rapid leaf decay at Herrington could be attributed to the more- varied tree litter and the more-

abundant microfauna and microflora found there, especially earthworms, whilst the soggy, acid,

tannin-rich nature of the predominant beech leaves at Beech Grove led to slow decay.

The Herrington litter was generally much drier with a mean water percentage of 42%

whilst the Beech Grove mean was 61% water (figure 6). There was a greater range in litter

moisture at Herrington than at Beech Grove. The air above the Herrington litter was generally

damper and there was less fluctuation in soil moisture and in air temperature there than at Beech

Grove.

In later summer at both Beech Grove and Miss Mary's Walk less than one third

remained of the previous autumn's litter whilst at Herrington it was mostly twigs still remaining at

the surface.

91

Herbage contribution to litter. The histograms shown in Figure 7 representing the potential

amount of herbaqe that could be retwrned annually to the ground as litter clearly show that

Hernngton Woods had a very sparse ground flora consisting mainly of wood avens and wood

sanicle with very little grass. At Beech Grove there was a much more varied flora although there

was much tufted hair grass and wood sorrel. The vegetation at Miss Mary's Walk was sparse,

mostly soft-grass, wood sorrel and the moss Mnium hornum. Only one half of the weight of

herbage was cut down there compared to Beech Grove but it was still twelve times greater than

the return for Herrington Woods. However, as much of the vegetation is perennial much of the

data is probably meaningless as much would not die down annually.

DISCUSSION

The litter and dead trees contain a large proportion of the total nutrients in the

woodland eco-system. Over 80% of the nitrogen, over 40% of the potassium and 66% of the

phosphorus were calculated to be locked-up in this way in a Scots Pine plantation (Ovington and

Madgwick, 1959). Hence, litter breakdown releases large amounts of nutrients that become

available to the total flora and fauna.

Various methods have been used to assess the amount of falling litter. Chandler

(1941) used one sq.m wire frames although the sampling was done infrequently and no account

seems to have been taken of the wind. Falling litter was collected in suspended cheesecloth bags

by Witkamp (1960) and Witkamp and van der Drift (1961). The findings of various workers who

had recorded the amounts of the different litter components for a variety of forest stands were

tabulated by Jensen (1974). Clear variation was shown between them. Variations in litter

production by a single species were found to be almost as large as variations between species. The

age of the woodland, except when very young, is not too important apparently. Chandler (1941)

found that 30-60 year old trees deposited only a little more litter than 60-90 year old trees. (The

plantation at Herrington was about 60 years old and the beeches at Castle Eden would be up to 90

years old, or more).

The difference in decomposability between different litter species has been tound to

be most prominent during the initial stages of decay and the species in- fluence has been found to

decrease with progressing decay and increased contact with the soil and soil fauna. The

importance of the phylloplane in starting off decay as well as animal activity in the canopy was

stressed by Jensen. These activities were stated to be responsible for up to 15% mechanical

disintegration which led to easier decay when the litter fell to the ground. Jensen also stressed the

importance of non-leaf material.

Improved productivity had been found by Moller (1945) to lead to more twigs and

branches which improved the physical structure of the litter and so favoured decay organisms, as

was found at Herrington Woods. The decay of lignin and cellulose has been well-studied. Soil

basidiomycetes can break down lignin, a feat which most other microbes are unable to perform.

Genera such a Mycena, Marasmius, Collybia, Clitocybe, Clavaria and Stropharia are the most-

active litter decomposers (Mikola, 1958).

The concentration of plant nutrients in litter material is important because of its

influence both on the rate of decomposition of the litter and on the amounts of nutrients liberated

during the decomposition. Whereas beech and oak litter only yielded 4-8% ash, non-fagaceous

litter recorded 4-14% ash (Bray & Gorham, 1964).

92

Litter of species on mor sites (such as occurred at Castle Eden) was found by Handley (1954) to

have low amounts of minerals usually compared to the litter of species on mull sites (as at

Herrington Woods). Great variations between species and within a species were found for the

mineral contents of fresh litter by Plice (1934). The results of similar mineral determinations by

other workers were tabulated by Jensen (1974).

Litters that are rich in nitrogen and soluble carbohydrates and poor in polyphenols, such as ash

and elder litter, both found at Herrington, are known to decompose rapidly whereas litters of

beech in particular and also oak, both dominant at the Castle Eden sites, are relatively resistant.

The microfauna tend to have food preferences and beech leaves tend to be the least palatable,

whilst ash is very palatable. Practically all mull litter is thought to pass through the intestines of

the fauna which tends to be rich, as at Herrington. This occurs during the early stages of

decomposition. Mor litter consumption, as at Castle Eden, may not affect the original structure for

years. The mechanical breakdown by fauna was found by Frankland (1974) to be just as

important as the digestive breakdown. The different rates of litter breakdown in mull and mor

soils are related to differences in faunal composition and this will be the subject of a separate

paper.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The project was suggested and ably-directed by Dr. C. H. Dickinson as part of an M.Sc. thesis.

Thanks are also due to Mr. W. Monck for his assistance in selecting sites at Castle Eden as well as

to the Lambton Estate for permission to work at Herrington Hill plantation.

REFERENCES

Bray, J. R. and Gorham, E. (1964). Adv. Ecol. Res. 101-157.

Chandler, R. F. Jr. (1941). The amount and mineral nutrient content of freshly- fallen litter in the

hardwood forests of Central New York. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agronomy 33,859-871.

Frankland, J. C. (1974). Decomposition of lower plants. In 'Biology of plant litter decomposition,

l'. (C. H. Dickinson and G. J. F. Pugh eds.) pp. 3-36. Academic Press.

Hall, D. (1975). Thesis. University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Hall, D. (1978). Experiments with NPK fertilisers in relation to the growth of fungi in

beechwoods. I. Preliminary Study. Vasculum 63 (3), 25-41.

Hall, D. (1982). Experiments with NPK fertilisers in relation to the growth of fungi in

beechwoods. 11. Further Studies. Vasculum 67 (3), 26-37.

Handley, W. R. C. (1954). Mull and mor formation in relation to forest soils. Bull. For. Comm.

Lond., 23.

Jensen, V. (1974). Decomposition of angiosperm tree leaf litter. In 'Biology of plant litter

decomposition, I'. (C. H. Dickinson and G. J. F. Pugh, eds.) pp. 69-104. Academic Press.

Mikola, P. (1958). Studies on the decomposition of forest 'litter by basidiomycetes. Commun.

Inst. Forestry. Fenn. 4B, 2.

Molier, C. M. (1945). Thesis. Copenhagen.

Ovington, J. D. and Madgwick, H. A. I. (1959). Distribution of organic matter and plant nutrients

in a plantation of Scots Pine. Forest Sci. 5, 344-355.

93

Plice, M. J. (1934). Acidity, antacid. buffering and nutrient content of forest litter in relation to

humus and soil. Mem. Comell. Univ. Agric. Exp, Stn. 166.

Witkamp, M. (1960). Seasonal fluctuations in the fungus flora in Mull and Mor of an oak forest.

Medem. Inst. Toegep. on. Derz. Nat. 46, 1-51,

Witkamp, M. and Drift, J. van de. (1961). PI. Soil 15, 2.95-311.

94

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96

97

98

99

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101

THE SPIDERS AND HARVESTMEN OF SOME PEAT AREAS AND UPLAND

GRASSLANDS

IN CO. DURHAM AND ADJACENT AREAS OF CUMBRIA

J. C. COULSON, J. E. L. BUTTERFIELD & R. UNGPAKORN Zoology Department,

University of Durham

INTRODUCTION

As part of a survey of the invertebrates of peatlands and upland grasslands in the

north of England, ten sites (two grasslands and eight peat soils) were investigated in Co. Durham

and thirteen (four grassland, four peat and five on the steep west facing slopes of Great Dun Fell)

in Cumbria. Over 15,000 spiders and 3,400 harvest- men were collected and identified from these

sites and their distribution and abun- dance are reported in this paper. A harvestman, Mitopus

ericaeus Jennings, has recently been described as a new species to science and locailities of this

species are recorded from Co. Durham and Cumbria.

METHODS

All of the material was obtained by pit-fall trapping (10, 45mm diameter bottles sunk

into the ground at each site). The traps were placed in a line 2m apart so the area trapped was

relatively small. However, each trapping area was selected as being typical of much larger areas

in the same locality. Sampling took place between June 1976 and the end of November 1977. The

peat sites ranged from a small basin mire at Bearpark, near Durham, to high altitude peat moors at

Kilhope, Langdon Common, Grass Common and at Cow Green. Details of the 23 sites are given

in Table 1.

The identity of a specimen of each species recorded was confirmed by Dr. Peter

Merrett and all of the names used correspond to the check list in Locket, Millidge and Merrett

(1974). Harvestmen were identified by the key of Sankey and Savory (1974) and the description

of Mitopus ericaeus is given by Jennings (1982).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

A hundred species were recorded in this survey in Co. Durham and their distribution,

together with an indication of abundance, is shown in Table 2. A total of 40 of these species are

additions to Vice-county 66 (Co. Durham) since the preparation of the distribution maps produced

by Locket, Millidge and Merrett (1974) but since that time, 17 of these species have been

recorded elsewhere in Vice-county 66 by Horsfield (1980).

The capture of Lepthyphantes insignis from high altitude sites at Grass Common,

Moor House, Great Dun Fell and Tailbridge is interesting since this species has only been

recorded previously south of the Wash. The present records up to 674m are well beyond its

previous known distribution in Britain both in latitude and altitude. Other rare species taken

include Macrargus cerpenteri, previously known from one locality in Northumberland, two in

Cumbria, and a very small number of sites in Scotland; Porrhomma campbelli, a local species in

England with only one locality in Scotland; Oreonetides vaginatus, which is near the southern

limit of its distribution In Co. Durham and Hilaira nubigena from Moor House extends the

distribution of this northern species.

102

In a classification of thr spider communities of peatlands, Coulson & Butterfield (in

prep.) have identified four main communities. The peat sites at Langdon Common, Kilhope, Cow

Green, Tailbridge and Grass Common all belong to the same group, upland blanket bog, but

lacked the numbers of 'wet' moor species such as Piratus pirsticus, Gonatium rubens and

Bathyphantes gracilis, which are common on the wetter blanket bog closer to Cross Fell.

Waskerley, Sunbiggin and North Plantation are good examples of dry heath-like moors and differ

from the higher sites in having, for example, a greater abundance of Robertus lividus. The basin

mire at Bearpark has clearly lost some of the characteristic species of such areas, including

Piratus uliginosus and P. hygrophilus but produced over three times more spiders than any other

sites. It has acquired a number of common species which are most associated with mineral soils,

e.g. Oedothorax and Erigone species, and it is obviously a degraded site, no doubt influenced by

the close proximity of intensively cultivated agricultural land.

There are considerable differences between the species of spiders recorded from the

upland grassland sites and we believe that these probably represent several different communities.

There is need for more extensive surveys of the spiders on upland grasslands and such studies are

likely to reveal several new species for the county.

The harvestmen are listed in Table 3. This is the first time the species associated with

the high altitude moorlands have been examined in detail. None of the species is new for Co.

Durham or Cumbria. Mitopus ericaeus has been recorded at 21 of the 23 sites, but in every case

except one, it was less abundant than the ubiquitous M. moria. It has not been found outside

Britain but it would appear to be widespread on the higher 'moorlands' in northern England. In

general, fewer harvestmen species were present on the mineral soil, grassland sites than on peat

areas, but this may only reflect the short, close cropped grass offering a less favourable habitat.

REFERENCES

Horsfield, D. (1980). Cleveland spiders 1978-79. Vasculum 65:17-25.

Jennings, A. L. (1982). A new species of harvestmen of the genus Mitopus in Britain. J. Zool.

Lond. 198:1-14.

Locket, G. H., Millidge, A. F. and Merrett, P. (1974). British Spiders Vol. Ill. Ray Society,

London.

Sankey, J. H. P. and Savory, T. H. (1974). British Harvestmen. Linnean Society of London.

London.

103

TABLE 1

The characteristics of the sites sampled for spiders in Co. Durham and Cumbria Co.

Durham

Grid Ref. Alt.

(m)

Rain fall

(mm)

Peat depth

(mm)

pH Vegetation

1 Grass Common

(limestone)

NY

827357

674 1700 0 5.5 G

2 Cow Green

(limestone)

NY

814303

500 1750 0 6.1 G

3 Bearpark NZ 252442 91 670 500 3.8 G/C

4 North Plantation NZ 083455 274 840 80 3.7 C

5 Waskerley A NZ 016447 411 950 70 4.0 C

6 Waskerley B NZ 014446 411 950 1000 3.5 C/E

7 Kilhope NY

800432

627 1480 60 4.2 E/C

8 Grass Common

(peat)

NY

825357

674 1700 1000 3.6 C/E

9 Cow Green (peat) NY

814302

500 1750 500 3.8 C/E

10 Langdon Common NY

863349

625 1510 1000 3.7 E

Cumbria

1. Sunbiggin (peat) NY

680083

274 1420 100 3.9 C

2. Sunbiggin

(limestone)

NY

687090

335 1420 0 6.1 G

3. Tailbridge (peat) NY

811043

518 1500 1000 3.7 E

4. Tailbridge

(limestone)

NY

810042

518 1500 0 6.6 G

5. Moor House

(Juncus)

NY

764332

549 2000 1000 4.0 Js

6. Moor House

(Heather)

NY

765333

551 2000 1000 3.9 C/E

7. Moor House

(limestone)

NY

756328

561 2100 0 5.3 G

8. Moor House

(alluvial)

NY

755332

533 2100 0 5.7 G

9. Great Dun Fell

830m

NY711319 823 1900 120 3.9 E

10. Great Dun Fell

630m

NY713307 625 1700 0 5.9 G

11. Great Dun Fell

580m

NY

708302

579 1650 550 3.9 Js

12. Great Dun Fell

520m

NY

702298

518 1500 300 4.0 Js

13. Great Dun Fell

430m

NY

697295

427 1400 60 4.2 Js

E = Eriophorum vaginatum; G = Grasses; C = Calluna vulgaris; Js = Juncus squarrosus

104

105

106

107

108

109

113

ISSN 0049-5891

THE VASCULUM

DECEMBER 1984

Vol. 69. No. 4 Price £3.00 per annum, post free

Edited by:

T. C. DUNN, M.B.E., M.Sc.,

The Poplars, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham.

BY THE WAY

Secretaries of Societies and other contributors to ‘The Vasculum’ should send

their notes to the Editor before 15th March, 1985.

BUTTERFLY MAPS

The wildlife recording centre set up at Sunderland Museum some years ago is now in

a position to think about the construction ofv.c.66 (the old Durham County) maps showing the

distribution of our butterflies. There are, however, still many parts of the county that are very

much under-recorded or indeed without any records at all. It is inconceivable that some of the

ubiquitous species like Pieris napi and Coenonympha pamphilus would not be present in any of

these blank spots if looked for.

To fill in the spaces as far as possible, would all keen entomologists in the Durham

County area keep as complete a record as possible of ail butterflies seen during 1985? Facts

required are place, of course, with O.S. Grid Reference, date, number of specimens seen and the

weather. The important bit of information is the O.S. Grid Reference. We mention this so that it

can be converted to either 1km squares, 4km squares or 10km squares, whichever seems to be

most appropriate in the light of the number of records collected. Full data should be sent to the

Editor or to Mr. John Bainbridge at Sunderland Museum, Borough Road, Sunderland, preferably

at suitable intervals like once a month or whenever you feel would be appropriate. The maps will

eventually appear in one of the October editions of the Vasculum.

IMMIGRANT BUTTERFLIES

Because of the beautiful weather conditions during the whole of the spring and

summer of 1984, we could have been forgiven for expecting a bumper year for immigrant insects

generally. Judging from our own observations together with

114

reports arriving from other parts of the North East, this has not been so, and can only be described

as a disappointing year. Movements there have been, but these have been both few in species and

small in numbers of individuals. We have seen a fair number of Red Admirals (Vanessa atalanta).

The first recorded was on July 21st when a party of Gateshead Trust Group members were able to

watch a large female apparently feeding on exuded sap on birch leaves on Waldridge Fell. On the

same day Martin Finney reported a Humming Bird Hawk moth in his garden in Sunderland. The

same observer had already found a dead Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) on July 1st on

an old railway line near Seaburn Station, Sunderland. You will recall that two Swallowtails were

reported from Durham City last year. Was this Sunderland example in any way connected?

Many more Red Admirals were seen later in the year in September and October.

They could be expected to turn up almost anywhere but they were never very plentiful. A single

Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui) was observed by Mr. Bowman his garden at Wooler on 18th

September, the only example of this species reported in 1984.

The Humming Bird Hawk seems to have had a fairly good year. Apart from that

observed in Sunderland, N. Cook found a caterpillar on the Roman Wall near Vindolanda and live

moths were reported from gardens in Chester-le-Street and Bishop Auckland.

The one Lepidoptera species that did very well was the Silver Y moth (Autographa

gamma) which swarmed in late September, through October and into November. Several species

of Ladybirds were commoner than usual in the autumn and some of these may have been

immigrants. All, however, were residential species and the large numbers may have been due to

the favourable breeding season. The same remarks could apply to the hordes of the hover fly

Syrphus ribesii which appeared in our gardens at about the same time.

THE SOCIETIES

NORTHERN NATURALISTS' UNION

The Junior Field Meeting to the seaside was held at Cullercoats this year on June

16th. The weather was perfect with warm sunshine, when Peter Davis led about a dozen senior

and junior members over the rocks on the north side of Cullercoats harbour. The colours of the

marine plants and animals were enhanced by the brilliant light and a very useful morning was

spent examining the zonation of the flora and fauna down to the low tide level.

The 168th Field Meeting was held in Upper Teesdale on July 1st, 1984. This was an

additional meeting held to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Union as well as to encourage

young naturalists to join. The party of 50 members and friends were met by Mr. Dennis Coggins

at High Force Hotel, Middleton-in-Teesdale on a beautiful summer's day and led to the iron age

site at nearby Force Garth. Mr. Coggins pointed out the artifacts that had been excavated by

himself among others, with great enthusiasm and pointed to what still remained to be done. On

the way to the site large numbers of small ermine caterpillars (Yponomeuta evonymella) in their

silk houses were seen festooning the bird cherry trees.

115

David Bellamy, who was to be the leader for the rest of the day, then joined the party

and after lunch a special bus took us to Widdybank Fell. Professor Bellamy explained with his

usual enthusiasm the special geology and the flora as well as the importance of drainage, felling,

flooding, erosion, burning and grazing in determining the balance of species. The swampy sikes

and the unique sugar limestone were looked at and several interesting plants including some of

the Arctic-alpine relicts were seen and commented on. These included the sedges such as Carex

dioca, C. echmata, C. pulicaris, C. lepidocarpa, C. flacca, C. nigra, Trichophorum cespitosum

(deer grass), Eriophorum angustifolium (cotton grass), Equisetum variegatum (variegated

horsetail), Selaginella selaginoides (least club-moss), Antennaria dioica (mountain everlasting),

Minuartia verna (spring sandwort), Sesleria albicans (blue moor grass). Viola lutea (mountain

pansy), Tofieldia pusilla (Scottish asphodel), Narthecium ossifragum (bog asphodel), Polygonum

viviparum (alpine bistort), Plantago maritima (sea plantain), Kobresia simpliciuscula,

Helianthemum camaecystis (rock rose), Juncus squarrosus (heath rush), Thalictrum alpinum

(alpine rue), two bedstraws Galium saxatile and G. sterneri, Pinguicula vulgaris (butterwort),

Linum catharticum (purging flax), as well as Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell), and Thymus

drucei (thyme). No trace could be seen of the earlier-flowering spring gentians.

The party then passed the dam at Cow Green and proceeded along the crags of

Falcon Clints to the Pennine Way. Here the flora changed to acid-loving species such as heather,

(Calluna vulgaris), bell heather (Erica cinerea), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), crowberry

(Empetrum nigrum), wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa), as well as many ferns and isolated

bushes of birch, rowan and juniper. The yellow mountain saxifrage, (Saxifraga aizoides), northern

bedstraw (Galium boreale), and fir club-moss (Lycopodium selago) were noted as well as

abundant plants of sundew (Drosera rotundifolia).

The boggy pastures near Widdybank Farm were rich in northern fen orchid

(Dactylorchis purpurella), meadow orchid (Dactylorchis incarnata), grass of Parnassus

(Parnassia palustris), bird's eye primrose (Primula farinosa), Scottish asphodel, marsh marigold

(Caltha palustris), lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), and the semi-parasites yellow rattle

(Rhinanthus sp.), red rattle (Pedicularis palustris), and lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) although

no trace could be found of alpine bartsia.

After tea the party headed for Romaldkirk Old Kettle Holes to look at the undulating

field which had been partly excavated to reveal where the two ice-age glaciers from Upper

Teesdale and Stainmore had converged and pushed masses of deposits into the ground. Shallow

excavation revealed soggy peat, not soil, which was apparently rich in elm pollen from post-

glacial times. This was a most interesting end to a perfect field meeting and several youngsters

enquired about joining the Union.

The 169th Field Meeting was held at Durham in the University Botanic Gardens and

the Zoology Department's Field Station. This was a day of conducted tours in splendid weather,

but we did have time to inspect ‘Badger City' in Hollinside Woods afterwards.

The 170th Field Meeting was held on 8th September in Thornley Woods and South

Paddock Woods near Rowlands Gill. This was a venue which had been postponed from 1983

because the original date had been a complete washout. This time

116

the long dry summer had left the woods extremely parched when Mr. M. Eyre and a colleague

led the party from the car park.

The woods proved to be very interesting, consisting as they did of pure stands of one

species of tree, followed by a different one and then another, both deciduous and coniferous being

represented. This presented a number of different habitats for the mycologists and the

entomologists. Cow-wheat (Melampyrum pratense) was quite common. In addition a splendid

marshy area produced Devil's bit scabious (Succisa pratensis), very tall Lotus corniculatus (not

the marsh L pedunculatus), and marsh willow-herb (Epilobium palustre) which appeared in a

number of unusual variations which could prove more interesting after a closer look in spring and

early summer.

In spite of the drought the following fungi were identified:— Russuia atropurpurea,

R. cyanoxantha, R. emetica, R. rosea, R. heterophyla. Lactarius quietus, L subdulcis, Collybia

confluens, C. peronata, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Mycena galericulata, Hypholoma

fasciculare, Hebeloma saccharioleus, Amanita rubescens, A. muscaria, Laccaria amethystea, L.

laccata. Boletus badius, B. elegans, Hydnum rufescens, Calocera cornea, Piptoporus betulinus,

Stereum hirsutum, Thelephora terrestris, and Gloeoporus adustus.

This is quite a number considering the prevailing conditions. In a year of normal

rainfall a really high total could be expected.

The Junior Fungus Foray on September 22nd in Hollinside Wood, Durham, also

suffered from the previous drought although the weather that day was very wet, curtailing the

numbers attending. The only species seen were Amanita rubescens, Paxillus involutus, Mycena

fibula, Stereum hirsutum, Scleroderma aurantium and an indeterminate Colybia species. It was

also interesting to see the moss Orthodontium lineare on the tree stumps. This is a New Zealand

species which has taken up residence in the U.K. and appears to like its adopted country for it is

now quite common everywhere.

The 17th Harrison Memorial Lecture was held in the Gray Art Gallery and Museum,

Hartlepool, by kind invitation of the Hartlepool Natural History Society. After the introductory

welcoming speeches. Dr. Burtt introduced the speaker. Professor G. A. Swan, who spoke about 'A

Botanist in the Alps'. After a few pictures to set the scene, he showed slides of the mountain-side

vegetation at increasing altitudes until he was above the tree line. Then came the studies of the

high altitiude flowers in alpine meadows, scree, rock cracks, moraines and even growing through

the snow in springtime. These were all most beautiful and their botanical affinities were

discussed.

In the latter part of the talk we saw typical alpine mammals such as ibex and marmot,

finally finishing with panoramic photographs from high mountain summits.

After a vote of thanks from Mrs. Jennifer Watt, President of Hartlepool N.H.S., we

were given a splendid tea, kindly provided by the ladies of the host society. Meanwhile members

and friends were able to look at the exhibits of plants by Dennis Hall, and a story about a

caterpillar of the Grey Dagger moth and its parasites presented by Dr. Burtt, while Mr. Dunn sold

old natural history books and slides of flowers from the camera of Dr. Todd.

From the tea a collection produced £30.32, and sales of books and slides yielded a

further £12.01. This was an enjoyable and profitable afternoon.

117

ANNFIELD PLAIN AND DISTRICT NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB

A very successful season of summer outings was enjoyed this year in the prolonged

sunshine.

On 26th May the venue was Wreay and Great Corby in the Eden Valley. The spring

flowers were beautiful throughout the coach journey and also by the River Eden. The visit to St.

Mary's Church at Wreay was particularly interesting.

June 9th was Cheviot day. We journeyed to Wooler and then Cocklawfoot for lunch

before splitting into two parties. The young and fit climbed to the summit of Cheviot itself, while

the rest walked by stream, wooded and grassy paths, and country lanes by Earle Mill, Wishing

Well and Waud House to Wooler.

June 23rd was a fine but very windy day as we proceeded to Grasmere and Far

Easdale. Again one party enjoyed some climbing whilst the others were equally impressed by the

views as they climbed by the side of the waterfall to Easdale Tarn.

On 7th July we broke new ground by travelling to Dalbeattie in South Scotland.

Lunch was taken at Sandhills Bay and from there we walked the cliff tops to Rockcliffe. This was

a day for viewing the seabirds like kittiwakes and shags and various gulls.

Back on our home ground on July 21st, we took the bus to Craster from whence we

enjoyed the cliff walk to Dunstanburgh and Embleton. In places we were able to look at the sea-

shore and dune life as well as seeing many lovely flowers and the sea-cliff birds at Dunstanburgh.

On 4th August we went to Wensleydale, some walking along the tops from Cotton

End via Hell Gill to Outhgill and Pendragon, the rest disembarking at Hawes to talk to Hardrow

Waterfall.

Kirby Lonsdale and Barbon were chosen for 18th August when we enjoyed a circular

walk by woods, fells and field tracks.

In Upper Teesdale on 1st September we walked from Langdon Beck to High Cup

Nick and down to Dufton, the outstanding feature being the tremendous variety of flowers en

route.

On 15th September we were back in Lakeland where the "A' party climbed High

Stile and Red Pike from Buttermere and were rewarded by a rare sight known as the "Brocken

Spectre'. This consisted of a double rainbow on which the shadows of the climbers could be seen.

On the Solway on 29th September we enjoyed the wildlife on the mudflats starting

from Drumburgh.

The end of season walk on 13th October was somewhat nearer home, from Slaley to

Blanchland, finishing at Carrick's picnic site after a lovely sunny day, an excellent finish to a fine

season.

NOTES AND RECORDS

NOTES

Some Bird Observations. I was most interested to read in the latest Vasculum (Vo. 69 No. 2),

Mrs. Johnson's comments about the House Martins in Durham City. Last year around my former home in

Billingham there were many martins' nests, in some roads every house seemed

118

to have a nest. I have no quantitative data but my impression last year, 1983, was that the house martins in

Billingham had more nests than usual and that there were many young, more so than for some years.

Around this part of Lichfield where I now live, there are many swifts but I have seen few martins

or swallows. A week or so ago I watched a flock of black headed gulls catching insects in the air, something I had

not noticed before. I watched them for some while through binoculars. There were ants on the wing at the time.

F. M. Tayler.

Durham Argus at Thrislington. On 5th July, 1984, we volunteered to help David Park collect

ripe Sesleria albicans seeds as part of the project to re-establish Sesleria grassland with its associated rich flora at

an adjacent site. The fauna associated with Helianthemum camaecystis at Thrislington includes the Durham Argus

butterfly, Ancia artaxerxes ssp salmacis. Our impressions were that the turf which was moved in the winter of

1983/4 supported a reasonable population of the adults this summer. While walking to the main reserve area,

which is to be preserved in situ, we disturbed a number of the Durham Argus and noticed that they came from fox

faeces at the side of the path. We paused to establish that the butterflies were the Argus and meanwhile 11

individuals returned to stand on the faeces which was fresh, but not noticeably moist. We were able to photograph

the group but could not see for certain what they were doing without disturbing them. It was hot and dry at the

time of our visit although there had been some rain within the previous week. Three days later the faeces were still

there but not the butterflies. We assumed, but could not establish, that the butterflies were drinking from the

surface of the droppings and wonder if anyone else has noticed similar behaviour in this species or has any other

explanation to account for a concentration of insects on this scale.

Valerie Standen, Andrew Dorin, Matthew Spencer, Durham Un.

(This kind of behaviour is well known in the Purple Emperor butterfly, indeed dung is often used

as bait to catch them, but as far as we are aware this observation is unique for the Argus. Ed.)

Snowgeese on Holy Island. Whilst my wife and I were staying on Holy Island between 29th

August and 5th September, we observed 12 North American Snowgeese (Anser caerulescens) each day and at

times as near as 50 yards from the village cottages. Although they did not appear to be ringed they were not very

wary. I feel sure they were genuine vagrants and not escapes.

R. Hall.

Big-headed Digger Wasp, Ectemnius cavifrons. On August 15th 1984, a dead Digger Wasp was

found on a windowsill in my house at West Gosforth. This was forwarded to Dr. D. A. Sheppard who kindly

identified it as the above species.

In his letter he states, 'Only a few days before receiving your specimen I read a note in the

Entomologists' Magazine which suggested that this species is a relatively recent colonist in the North of England.

It was not known in Yorkshire until 1935, and in Scotland until 1982. The Northumberland wasp records date

from 1926, there being no specimens in the collections of either T. J. Bold or J. E. Ruxton. I shall place your

specimen in the Hancock Muesum where this species is only represented by three specimens, probably caught in

the South of England in the 1850's, and one caught in the grounds of the Hancock Museum by J. W. H. Harrison

in July 1956'.

C.J. Gent.

Humbleton Dene, near Wooler. Like other lavas, the Cheviot andesites vary in texture. Plant

species of more limited occurrence elsewhere thrive on the more friable varieties, accessible outcrops of which

have often been quarried for roadstone etc. This does less harm than might be thought, and may create new

habitats such as rockfaces and detritus, and ponds where insects and amphibians may breed, ducks amd moorhens

nest. The tipping which so often follows destroys all this. An outstanding example lies on the western outskirts of

Wooler, a little beyond the housing estate called High Fair.

Just west of this quarry is a mound (GR 36/981.278) locally called the Cup and Saucer. it is

actually a motte, which perhaps guarded the approach to the long decayed medieval township of Old Humbleton.

Between the quarry and the motte lies Humbleton Dene, a narrow cleft where the tiny burn plunges over the

andesite outcrop in a miniature cataract. Rocks adjacent support many ferns, extensive pure stands of Polypody

being prominent, while the slopes nearby have similar stands of Shining Cranesbill. It is a place of natural beauty,

of easy access fifty years ago, but now so encumbered with barbed wire, blackthorn and gorse that commando

tactics are needed

119

to reach or even see it. The land here appears to be put to no use whatever, and along its eastern margin is

scattered the overflow of rubbish from the quarry, which for years was used as a council tip, and is now a

scrapyard with house-high heaps of old cars louring over the dene, contrasting starkly with the area's other signs

of human activity which span more than three millenia.

After the tipping ended, had the area been grassed over it could have become an adjunct to a

popular local walk, affording fine views of the dene and its surroundings, instead, an area of natural beauty rich

with archaeological, geological, and biological interest, has been so defiled as to look like the mark of a society

without regard for its past or hope for its future.

From a botanist's point of view there is more. About 150 years ago Dr. George Johnston found the

Spindle Tree in the College Valley, and his friend the Rev. A. Baird found it in Humbieton Dene. At the former

locality it was confirmed as extant in 1981 (Vasculum 66(4) :51) and at the latter in 1958 (G. A. & M. Swan,

Vasculum, 43(1):8). These are the only two sites on the Cheviot andesite ever recorded for this species, here

apparently near its northern limit, for though it flowers and fruits quite well, very few fruits ripen to the bright

orange-red colour which would attract birds to assist in seed dispersal. Search has so far revealed no young plants.

In the College Valley only a single tree survives, but it grows well: it has clean air. In Humbleton Dene the tiny

group of smaller trees is frequently blasted with foul dust from the scrapyard only a few metres away. Sadly this

also was one of the local records received by the compilers of the Atlas of the British Flora which fail to appear in

it.

The area could well serve conservationists and planners as a first-class example of what should not

be allowed to happen.

J. T. B. Bowman.

What happened to the Common Wasp? The two species of common wasps, Vespula vulgaris

and Vespula germanica have been conspicuous by their almost complete absence during late summer and autumn

this year. One normally expects to be pestered by these insects at these times, especially by invading our kitchens

when making jam or cooking other fruit concoctions. I have talked to many people and all have the same

experience. I spent a lot of time picking wild berries such as brambles this autumn and I can't remember a single

interruption from their attentions. Is there an underlying cause resulting from the continuous long hot and dry

summer?

R. Pirt.

Dragonflies at Annfield Plain. On 31st August 1984 I captured, by hand, a pair of Green Lestes

damselflies (Lestes sonsa) and a specimen of Sympetrum danae. D. McCutcheon confirmed the identity of the

damselfly and identified the Sympetrum.

The two species were caught within minutes of each other at about noon at the edge of a small

pond (only about four metres in diameter) at what is being called by D.C.C.T. Derwentside Group members 'the

Dodd Terrace site', GR NZ 166 509. Also seen on a previous visit, a single Aeshna juncea and a few Sympetrum

striolatum (common Sympetrum).

L Moore.

Another bumper mushroom year. In 1981 we had an amazing crop of mushrooms. They erupted

everywhere and were found in fields that had never before produced a single mushroom. This year weather

conditions were somewhat similar with temperatures averaging 70 degrees for long periods. Such

conditions„appear to suit the mycelium, enabling it to metabolize sufficient food materials to produce the sporing

bodies which provide we humans with such tasty dishes.

R. Pirt.

RECORDS

FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS

Impatiens parviflora DC. Small Balsam 66

Black Banks plantation, near Wolsingham, August, September and October 1984. About 50 plants.

Lathyrus nissolia L. Grass Vetchling 66

Growing amongst grass near the bridge over the River Wear at Witton-le-Wear, 27th June, 1983. Further search in June, 1984

revealed plants flowering along both sides of the A68 some 200 yards south of the original site. It is most abundant in the

cuttings along the roadside embankment which was reseeded in 1969, suggesting that it may have been introduced with that

seed at that time. The first record for v.c. 66.

G. Donald.

120

Corydalis claviculata (L.) DC Climbing Corydalis 66

Covering large stretches of the woodland floor in the coniferous plantation in Beamish Hall estate, on the opposite side of

the road from Pockerley Farm Pond Nature Reserve.

T.C.D.

COLEOPTERA-BEETLES Saperda scalaris L. 66

This rare longhorn beetle was seen and identified near the administrative buildings in Hamsterley Forest, GR NZ 092 314.

Fowler (1981) in 'Coleoptera of the British Isles' notes that it has been recorded rarely in Durham.

B Walker

ODONATA-Dragonflies

Sympetrum danae Sulzer. Black Darter 66

A single insect beside pond near Annfield Plain GR NZ 166 509, 31st August, 1984.

L. Moore.

Enallagma cyathigerum Charp. Common Blue Damselfly. 67

Big Waters, Seaton Burn, July 17th, 1984.

C J Gent

LEPIDOPTERA- BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS Thymelicus sylvestris Poda. Small Skipper. 66

A single specimen taken on Oxford Ragwort in Preston Park, Stockton-on-Tees, 10.7.84. Not mentioned in Robson's

Catalogue and, as far as I am aware, the first good record for v.c. 66.

J. P. Warbrook.

Apamea scolopacina Esp. Slender Brindle. 66

The first record for v.c. 66. Not previously recorded north of the Peak District in Derbyshire, so this represents a

considerable extension to its northwards distribution. One in the Rothamsted Trap at Hamsterley Forest on 19th August,

1984.

Hydrelia flammeolaria. Hufn. Small Yellow Wave 66

A few in the Hamsterley Forest trap during late July, 1984.

Zanclognatha tarsipennalis Treit. The Fan Foot. 66 One on 28th July in the Hamsterley Forest trap. Not shown in Robson's Catalogue nor known to have been recorded in

Durham, although shown on the distribution map in Heath,Vol. 10.

Deileptenia ribeata Cl. Satin Beauty. 66

First recorded in Hamsterley Forest trap in 1982 when two specimens appeared in late July and again in 1983, it was very

abundant this year through the last week in July and all through August with a maximum of 31 on August 2nd and the same

number again on August 22nd. This appears to be the only recorded site in V.c. 66.

Pseudoterpna pruinata Hufn. Grass Emerald 66

Several in late July in the Hamsterley Forest trap. Robson could only record a few examples round Darlington and at

Hartlepool, and commented that in his opinion it is at its northern limit in Durham.

Hydraecia crinanensis Burr. Crinan Ear. 66

A few in late August in the Hamsterley Forest trap. Not recognised in Robson's time. The second record for v.c.66, several recorded in Northumberland. A northern species reaching its southern limit here.

Lithomoia solidaginis Hb. Golden-rod Brindle. 66

One in the Hamsterley Forest trap on 22nd August, 1984, the first record for Durham. Another northern species.

T.C.D.

Eulithis prunata L. The Phoenix 66

Not often recorded in v.c. 66, but this year has been somewhat of an exception. Two in the Hamsterley Forest trap in

August,-a few from the Westgate trap run by Rev. D. Nixon also August; one in August 1983 and another in June at light at

Shildon by D. Kipling.

Pterostoma palpina Cl. Pale Prominent 66, 62

Another species seldom recorded in v.c. 66. One in Hamsterley Forest trap 18.8.84; rare but comes to light from June to

August at Yarm (J. Warbrook).

T.C.D. Rhyacia simulans Hufn. Dotted Rustic 66

One on 4th August and another on 6th September 1984 at light, Shildon.

D. Kipling.