Woolbope Naturalists’ Field Club. 
Juty 12TH, 1881. 
RHAYADER AND CWM ELAN. 
*Clos’d is the pink-eyed Pimpernel, 
Twill surely rain. I see with sorrow 
Our jaunt must be put off to-morrow.” 
Ar one meeting during the year, ladies are specially invited to aid the scientific 
proceedings of the Woolhope Club. This year a very attractive programme was 
issued by the committee to visit the beautiful scenery of the river Elan, near 
Rhayader, on Tuesday, the 12th, and the acceptances were very numerous. The 
weather is always an element of uncertainty, and most people awoke to discover a 
cloudy sky and a pouring rain. Botanists never neglect the “shepherd’s weather 
glass,” which grows too much unobserved in every garden, and those who did so 
on the present occasion were rejoiced to find that the pretty pink blossoms of the 
Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) were widely open, and so they said “the rain will 
lay the dust for us, cool the temperature, and clear the air.” The Pimpernel was 
right, for the weather cleared up by nine o’clock, and the day turned out beauti- 
fully fine. 
The carriages reserved at the Barton Station were soon filled, additional 
members and visitors joined en route, and on the platform of the Three Cocks 
Junction, the scientific phalanx was a hundred strong, save only one. The river 
Llynfi from Llangorse Lake runs close by the station, and under the pleasant shade 
of the oak trees on its banks, sundry papers were to be read, but there were a 
hedge, and a ditch, and a five-barred wire fence to be surmounted. These serious 
obstacles were somehow or other got over—what won’t the enthusiasm of science 
accomplish !—and the President read to a large group assembled around him, a 
paper on “‘Some of the Rare Pond-weeds of Herefordshire,” and exhibited many 
carefully-prepared specimens of the family of Potamogeton to illustrate it. When 
the President had finished, and his efforts had been duly acknowledged, a carefully 
prepared and interesting paper, entitled ‘‘ Book Notes about Rhayader,” was read 
by Mr. J. E. Norris. The President gave the thanks of the Club to Mr. Norris, 
and called upon Mr. Alfred Purchas, to read his account of *‘ The Little Green 
Moth—Tortrix viridana,” which has been so destructive to the foliage of the oak 
tree during the present spring. The little moths were exhibited, and their life- 
history very interestingly given. 
By this time it was necessary to regain the platform for the 11.15 train, and 
proceed up the Valley of the Wye, by the Aberedw Rocks and Builth to Llechryd 
Junction, and on, thence, by special train, to Rhayader, which destination was 
reached about half-past twelve. 
