32 Anniversary Address. 



After dinner Mr. Buckman gave us an account of a species of 

 fungus {Ayaricus Prunulus), a dish of which we had eaten at 

 breakfast, and which forms the " fairy rings " on the grass field 

 in front of the Royal Agricultural College. By means of an 

 accurate plan of these rings, executed by the Teacher of Survey- 

 ing at the College, he hopes to be able to determine precisely 

 the changes which may occur in the shape and size of the circles 

 and their rate of increase. Mr. Strickland explained the process 

 of Papyrography or Anastatic printing, which is applicable to 

 the cheap production of many sorts of drawings of objects of 

 natural history. 



Some specimens of popular meteorology or prognostics of the 

 seasons were related by the Rev. E. Meyrick, couched in the fol- 

 lowing rhymes. One points out the season for sowing barley : — 



When the elmen leaf is as big as a mouse's ear, 

 Then to sow barley never fear ; 

 When the elmen leaf is as big as an ox's eye, 

 Then says I to my boys, hie, boys ! hie ! 



Another gives a prognostic of a mild winter : — 



D'if before Martin-mas 



The ice will bear a duck, 

 The rest of the winter 



Will be as wet as muck. 



To these we may add a Kentish adage : — 



If you have grass in Janivere, 



You '11 have no more the rest of the year. 



The second meeting for last season took place on June 26th, 

 for the events of which, and of the subsequent ones, I am in- 

 debted to the graphic notes of our President. The following 

 party sat down to breakfast at the Bell at Gloucester : Messrs. 

 Ball, Barker, Jones, Phelps, Rumsey, Strickland, Wilton, Baker, 

 and Dr. Daubeny, members, and Dr. Evans, the Rev. — Stackpool 

 and Mr. H. Clifford as friends. A portion of these gentlemen 

 after breakfast proceeded in a break under the conduct of our 

 President towards May Hill, performing a journey which sounds, 

 when described in scientific language, rather formidable, for 

 Mr. Baker says that " he succeeded in driving the party down 

 the lias escarpment at High-wood, across the new red marl to 



