200 



vital energy. The oak could neither produce this stream of fresh wood, mor 

 throw out these adventitious leaves at places so far removed from the growing 

 points of the tree. 



On the conclusion of the President's remarks, the Rev. Mr. Bulmer invited 

 the members into his house, and there hospitably entertained them with refresh- 

 ments. The intense heat of the day rendered this little episode by no means the 

 least agreeable part of the day's proceedings. 



About I p.m. the party left Westhide, Mr. Bulmer guiding them, visited 

 several quarries, and penetrated through the wood to the summit of the hill. 

 Here for a while they regaled their eyes with the glorious landscape, not less 

 powerful in its suggestiveness to the geologist than admirable for its picturesque 

 beauty. The view ranged from the Syenitic peaks of Malvern and the Basalt of 

 Titterstone to the Upper Ludlow hills of northern Herefordshire, the Cornstone 

 ridges of Dinmore and Burghope and Credenhill, and the Old Red of the broad 

 campaign and of the long dark range of the Black Mountains — while the lofty 

 Pen-y-fal, the dimly seen Blorenge, and the peaked Scyrrid suggested the immense 

 Carboniferous district of South Wales which lay behind them ; and the eye 

 returned from the vast range along the Cornstone ridge which runs up the county 

 from the Graig and Garway to Dinedor and the Wye. 



Having crossed the summit the party made its way to the immense section 

 on the south side, which is conspicuous from a great distance, like a scar upon a 

 giant's forehead. Here they spent some time pleasantly with their hammers, 

 but no new fossils were disinterred — if that word may be properly applied to the 

 extrication of fossils from a bed of rock. 



The ne.xt point made for was the Trap dyke at Bartestree. Here the party 

 were received by Mr. J. Radcliffe, of Hagley House, along with whom they 

 descended into this very striking chasm — solemn in its stillness, the lofty walls 

 of rock at the sides, and the thick coppice at the foot, shutting out all the outer 

 world save the soft blue of the sky overhead, or the masses of fleecy clouds which 

 sailed slowly across it. Here the conical jet of Toadstone — the least compacted 

 form of lava — was traced through the sandstone rock, which still bears unmistake- 

 able marks of the fiery heat of the matter so forced through it. It is evident 

 that the molten matter cooled as it reached the surface, and did not overflow. 

 It was noticed that the Old Red beds lie almost horizontal on each side of this 

 miniature volcano, which fact was explamed by Mr. T. T. Davies of this city as 

 suggesting the conclusion that the eruptive force came into action suddenly ; had 

 the process been a slow one it must have tilted up the beds, but being sharp and 

 sudden it broke through them. 



From the Trap-dyke the party proceeded to Hagley House on their way to 

 the dome in the Park. At the house Mr. Radcliffe very hospitably set a luncheon 

 before the party. After a short stay they visited the dome, an upheaved mass 

 of Old Red, Downton Sandstone, and Upper Ludlow, the scene of the discovery 

 of the celebrated fish-bed made by the late lamented Hon. Sec. of the Club, Mr. 

 M. J. Scobie, F.G.S. The excavation having been partly filled up however, the 

 members were unable to trace the fish-bed. 



