236 



By the courtesy and great kindness of Mr. Lorraine and Lady Frances 

 Baldwin, some of the members and visitors were allowed to inspect their charming 

 residence and gardens of St. Anne's, near to the Abbey. It contains such a 

 collection of rare and interesting articles of vertu as is not easily to be found else- 

 where, all arranged with most exquisite taste and judgment. The view of the 

 Abbey ruins, and the woods in the rear, from the gardens, is most charming and 

 beautiful ; and, judging from the healthy -growing state of the many choice shrubs 

 and flowers, the climate must be very mild and genial. 



Punctual to the time fixed, those who had gone to the Wyndclifl returned 

 to dine at the Beaufort Arms Hotel, where a most excellent dinner was provided 

 by Host Garrett, of which the members and visitors (68 in number) partook with 

 good appetites. After dinner, the usual toast of "The Queen" (the only one 

 allowed by the rules of the Club) was given by the President, and loyally received. 



Dr. Yeats then gave an excellent address on " The river Wye as a source 

 of interest to Naturalists, "and also on " The Cistercians, or Monks of Tinterne, as 

 Naturalists, i.e., as lovers of Nature and interpreters of Nature." 



This very interesting address was exceedingly well received. It embraced 

 some account of the salmon fisheries of the Wye ; historical notice of the parti- 

 cular Foundation of Tintern ; and a description of the economic value to the 

 country of the Monasteries in general, from the attention given by the monks to 

 the cultivaticm both of fields and gardens, the introduction by them of new 

 varieties of plants and flowers, &c. 



Dr. Yeats exhibited a model of a boat and fish-net, still used at Tintern, 

 and possibly old enough in design to have served the Cistercian Fraternity. 



As the address was extemporaneous, tlie following are no more than some 

 brief notes taken from memory. Had it been possible to secure it verbatim, it 

 would have been a valuable addition to The Transactions of the Club ; and it is 

 much to be desired that Dr. Yeats will some day kindly put his valuable and 

 learned remarks into the shape of a paper for ajjpearance in our Transactions. 



THE RIVER WYE (Welsh, Gwy ■W&ter). 

 The River Wye is 148 miles long ; it winds considerably, is turbid, is a tidal 

 stream and descends probably 450 feet to the sea : (see Nature III. and IV., 1879). 



The value of a salmon fishery depends on the extent of its breeding-grounds: 

 the area of the Wye Catchment basin is computed at 1655 square miles, of which 

 775 are lost to the fish ; only 880 are accessible and available for economic pur- 

 poses. A great misfortune to the nation. 



Seventeen rivers are mentioned on the statute of 1714, — the united area of 

 their Catchment basin was 18,247 square miles, and there are now only 6,607 

 square miles left accessible for the fish ; a large portion of which being nearer the 

 mouths of rivers than at their upper waters, is not fitted for breeding purposes ; 

 there is, therefore, only about one-third of the area left that formerly existed. 



