Colymbus arcticus (Black-throated Diver.) { T Anser segetum .... . (Bean Goose.) ....... Two shot on Askern Askern-scarce. (Wigeon.) Ditto-not ditto. (Little Grebe.) Ditto-rare. Of the MAMMALIA we have here no peculiar distribution. The collections of animals nailed as trophies on barns and other outhouses, furnish abundant evidence of the existence of such vermin, as the Pole-cat, Weasel, and Stoat: I have seen a specimen of what I believe to be the genuine Wild Cat; but many are so called, which are nothing more than the Domestic Cat, broken loose from restraint, and roaming about for prey. The Fox being encouraged for the purpose of hunting, is frequently met with; twelve cubs were reared, in Campsall Park alone, the winter before last, and many find shelter in the woods at Smeaton Crags. The Hare and Rabbit abound in and near the adjoining preserves. The Mole is very common in spite of the vigilance of its destroyers. The Urchin or Hedge Hog is often observed in the woods and fields. Of the Bats, I have seen but the long-eared Bat, and the Noctule; a nest of nine of the latter species was taken from an old tree at Sutton. The Squirrel at one time lived, in great numbers, on the Beech-trees at Campsall, but it is now seldom if ever seen there; it is, however, very abundant at Smeaton. The common species of the Shrews and Mice are plentiful, as also the Brown Rat, and water Campagnol. The Stag or Red Deer, in its wild state, has long since disappeared; but, its remains in the peat and gravel attest its former existence here. CHAPTER IV. HISTORY AND ANALYSIS OF THE MINERAL WATER. SECTION I. HISTORY OF THE SPA. WE have no authentic account of the time when the water of Askern was first used medicinally; but it probably possessed a local reputation long before it became an object of interest to strangers. One of the earliest writers upon this water was Dr. Short, of Sheffield, who published in 1734, “A Natural, Experimental, and Medicinal History of the Mineral Waters of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire." The following is the Doctor's account of the water: "We meet with one of much greater note at Askeron, five miles from Doncaster, in Campsel parish, seven miles from Pontefract. It is exceeding clear water: it has a fine stone basin, and is H inclosed by a round walk. Its stream is full of white thick sludge, which ropes like a decoction of Althæa. It smells and tastes very strong of sulphur: it curdles soap and milk; turns silver black, brass a blue copper colour. It retained its sulphur smell to a third degree of heat. It becomes muddy and curdles in boiling. It is a very diuretic light water. The farmers find it of notable service to them in curing chafed feet, saddle galling, horses or oxen galled in the yoke, or by loading, &c., mangy dogs, scabbed horses, &c. It has done some notable cures in inveterate strumous, and other ulcers, scab, leprosy, &c. It's muddy white, with solution of silver; a clear sky blue, with tincture of verdigrease; light yellow, with tincture of rhubarb; it's first white, and then curdles, and lets fall a large brownish sediment with sugar of lead; with oil of tartar and spirit of hartshorn, it is whitish, curdles, and lets fall much sediment. It makes a strong ebullition with the acid spirits; with tincture of logwood a beautiful deep red; with tincture of galls, a muddy white. Five quarts of it exhaled, left three drams of white sparkling sediment, a dram whereof was a fine salt, which crackled on a hot iron; turned syrup of violets, green; fermented little with the acid spirits, but struck the nose with a pungent smell. The rest of the salt dissolved and set to crystallize, projected very fine crystals of nitre and marine salt; the last was the largest. The sediment here is to the water, as 1 to 426; the earth to the salt as 2 to 1." "This Spaw is within a few yards of Askeron Pool side, the water whereof is very hard, curdles soap into hard flakes, yet bleeches exceeding fine, stinks in summer, abounds with pike, perch, &c. It has several profound pits in it, the depth whereof are not known. It is constantly supplied with water from these pits; never is less in the greatest drought, nor overflows in the greatest rain, except the mill dam below is stopt with sludge and grass. The soil on one side is all lime-stone; on the other side a white clay, half a foot deep; and below that a very fine white sand.” At The next writer who mentioned the Askern water, was Pennant, the celebrated naturalist, who published a Tour through England, in 1771. this early period, Askern seems to have undergone those vicissitudes, which it is the lot of all watering places more or less to experience; for the "fine stone basin," with its "enclosed walk," mentioned by the worthy Dr. Short, were gone, and had become, says Pennant, "an irregular puddle, chiefly used for the washing of mangy dogs and pigs." So long as the basin remained, the water was perhaps not used externally; but, after its destruction, a facility was afforded for washing animals, and hence probably originated the trial of this water as a bath for the human body. Baths were at first |