3 



soen since we first met hero, there is scarcely any from which is seen 

 so well the field of our exertions and pleasures. 



After breakfast the Club separated into two parties ; the one a 

 professedly botanical section — but mainly incited by a love of 

 archaeology — proceeded eastwards, towards Brimafield, and the truly 

 curious and beautiful church of Elkstone. But what they did, and 

 what they saw, must remain unchronicled, as Mr. Bayly, who 

 undertook to furnish notes of their proceedings, has not, I fear, 

 porformed his part, and their transactions are thereby lost to the 

 world. Of the other section, however, it is recorded that they — 

 leaving the south-westerly route, which was followed at our first 

 meeting in July, 1846, to Witcombo Woods, the Roman Villa, and 

 Cooper's Hill — now struck northward towards Leckhampton, and 

 meeting Mr. Brodie near the top of the hill, and Mr. Lycett and 

 Dr. Humble soon after, we had a most interesting discussion on the 

 beds of the Inferior Oolite, which, though not seen here in any 

 one section, may be examined in detail by following the Cotteswold 

 range from S. to N. from the Great Oolite which caps the summit, 

 to the Pisolite ; and in one spot Mr. Brodie detecting the blue colour 

 of the lias, and some workmen's tools lying opportunely at hand, 

 Mr. "Wilson and Mr. Holland soon succeeded in uncovering sufficient 

 to shew the junction of the base of the Inferior Oolite with the 

 upper Lias. .Returning, we followed the edge of the hill, crossing 

 the valley of Crickley Hill, in the springs on the side of which we 

 found many fresh-water mollusks, and several specimens of the newt 

 or eft, Lacerta Lacustris. We returned to Birdlip in time to meet 

 the rest of our party, now greatly increased, who, in the exercise of 

 their botanical studies, had collected a large quantity of a species of 

 agaricus, which was forthwith cooked pro bono publico ; but, on its 

 appearance at table, Mr. Buckman entertaining some doubt as to 

 whether it was an edible or poisonous species, and having an argu- 

 ment thereon with some of his neighbours, the dish was detained 

 till the point — and the fungi too — were discussed, when it was at 

 length simultaneously decided that the mushrooms were wholesome 

 and excellent, and that — the dish was empty. 



After dinner we drank the health of the Berwickshire Naturalists' 

 Club, on whose model we had formed our own Club on this spot 

 four years before — and separated to meet at Gloucester, on the 18th 

 of June. 



On this day we met to breakfast at the Spread Eagle, at Gloucester, 

 and thence walked to Mr. Brodie' s, at Down Hatherly, to see — I 

 will hardly say his collection of fossils, for that would have taken 

 us nearer a week than a day to examine, but — such small part of it 

 as the time would allow. We then saw the school — largely endowed 

 by the munificent Mr. Page Wood, to whose unassuming liberality 

 the county is in many ways deeply indebted (the state of the school 

 reflecting great credit on its master), and proceeded to the banks of 

 the Severn. 



Wainlode Hill, our next point, is a small eminence on the bank 



