226 



ihil tloolhopi^^ Uaturali^fs' Jdd djlu^ 



MEETING AT BUILTH, 



August 24th, 1866. 



The fourth field meeting of the 'Woolhope Club for the present season 

 was appointed to be held at Builth, on Friday last, the 24th nit., and most 

 attractive programme showed that the energetic President of the Club (Dr. 

 Bull) was resolved that none of the meetings during his year of office should 

 be deficient in interest. Carlyle has well remarked that "a man will see as 

 much as he brings power to see" ; and it may also be observed, that a man 

 will get over as much ground as his legs give him power to do in sufficient 

 time. This is too often forgotten when the programme of an expedition is 

 made out, and thus it often happens that many beautiful parts of a projected 

 excursion have to be "omitted in the representation," as players say. But 

 Dr. Bull had too much foresight to be upset in his plans by this miscalcu- 

 lation, and a rehearsal the day before soon pointed out what was impossible 

 to accomplish, and the route varied accordingly. Still, as it was all nearly 

 done by the President, in company with a botanical friend, we shall give our 

 readers the advantage that would have accrued to them and the Club had 

 they taken the entire route indicated. 



We have been favoured by the Rev. D. P. Davies and others with some 

 notes on the history of Builth, which we shall take advantage of in due course, 

 but in relating the transactions of a Naturalist's Club, it may be well to give 

 early prominence to natural objects— the rocks, wood, and water— that equally 

 invite the pencil of the artist and the descriptive powers of the lovers of 

 nature. 



The scenery surrounding Builth is very attractive and distinguished for 

 its richly diversified and picturesque character. The sportive Wye, here 

 still in its infancy, has all the varied charms that a river possesses before it 

 entirely leaves the rocks that have encompassed its mountain home, and 

 according to the fulness of the stream is the rapidity with which it flows. 

 At times stiU and sedate, at others it rushes over or plays among rocks of all 

 sizes, forming numerous eddies and little cascades, or it spreads out widely 

 in sparkling gravelly shallows, ever amusive and exciting, and it receives 



