118 



was widely reflected, and immediately in the foreground the colour ami shapes 

 of the rocky shoulders of the hilh, as receding in the distance they overlapped 

 each other, completed a picture of mountain scenery that will not readily be 

 forgotten by those who sat quietly by those murmuring streams to enjoy it. 



A little diversion was now made by a few of the more scientific members 

 to those beds of rock which aro remarkable for preserving the traces of the 

 Arenicola or Sand-worms, from that remote period of time when these hard rocks 

 were soft sand. The traces are very abundant and there was no difficulty in pro- 

 curing good specimens. Raindrop marks, too, are to be recognised by the faithful, 

 and on one stone was the outline of what might seem to be a trilobite though it 

 wasn't. 



Leaving the palasontologists at work the members now began to ascend the 

 mountain side, so steep, dry, and slippery, that they were only too glad to avail 

 themselves of any portions of rock projecting through the surface, and willingly 

 stopped from time to time to admire their purple colour, with a zeal for geological 

 observation that anyway had its immediate reward in the restoration of breath 

 and courage. By dint of perseverance the broad undulated service so character- 

 istic of the top of the Longmynd range, "the table land" of Talford, wa3 

 reached, and the " Pole" — a veritable pole — which marks the highest point, 

 became visible. About half a mile of thick heather and whinberry bushes, knee 

 deep, yet intervened, and by the time this was passed over, a higher appreciation 

 was felt for the labours of the renowned Mr. Briggs on "his native heath." 

 A lease of black game was flushed, and several brace of grouse were actually 

 walked up from the heather, as they were enjoying their mid-day siesta. Hawks 

 were observed too wheeling round high in the air, and Master La Touche caught 

 sight of some ring ousels that breed in the dingles of the Longmynds. 



The view from the Pole is very varied and extensive, but since on the 

 present occasion, the distance was not very clear, we prefer to give a few hard 

 facts presented by the Ordinance Survey. 



The summit of the Longmynd itself is pronounced to be 1680 feet above 

 sea level, and the principal hills seen from it, with their several heights, are as 

 follows : — 



FEET. 



Malvern Worcestershire 1,395 



Stowe Hill Herefordshire 1,417 



CleeveHill Gloucestershire ... 1,134 



MayHill Ditto 973 



Ashley Heath Staffordshire 803 



Axedge Derbyshire 1,751 



Mow Copt Cheshire 1,091 



Bardon Hill Leicestershire 853 



Cradle Mountain Brecknockshire 2,630 



Brecon Beacons Ditto 2,910 



Radnor Forest Radnorshire 2,166 



