27 



GEOLOaiCAL NOTES.— COAST EROSION. 



On March 30, 190i), a considerable fall of the West Cliff took place near the boundary stone on 

 the Shakespeare Cliff. Mr. Gatehouse states that the dust was carried a long way out to sea and 

 along the coast. The fall extended for about one hundred yards along the coast, and two hundred 

 and fifty in a seaward direction. The cliff here is about three hundred feet in height, eonsistinc of 

 Lower Chalk about one hundred feet Holaster sxibglobosus zone. Four feet of the Belemnitellu zone 

 And the upper two hundred feet or so of the Middle Chalk, the TerreliratiUinar gracUis zone. 



It is worthy of note that at the same time a fall took place from Cape Blancnez on the French 

 coast. 



The distance to which the dust was carried is remarkably like the fall mentioned by Mr Ham- 

 brook, of Dover, in lS.5:t, occurring from the cUff near Holy Trinity Church, the dust on that 

 occasion covering the pavement, and objects in the market place half a mile distant and sj to speak 

 round the corner. ' ' 



J. GORDON McDAKIN. 



A WINTER BLOOMING HAWTHORN. 



A severe and prolonged attack of rheumatism has put an end to my long botanical rambles in 

 this county, so I am unable to send many notes of interest with regard to our Kent plants but I 

 should like to record the finding, on November 13th, 1908, in a hedge along a meadow and near a 

 stile on Neale's Farm, in the parish of Harbledowu, an old Hawthorn bush in full bloom, and putting 

 out young leaves. It continued in bloom for a long time, and I gathered a good spray on Christmas 

 morning. The bush flowered again in the Spring, and on the 1st of November of the current year it 

 was again in bloom, and also in fruit from the Spring flowers. The flowers are rather smaller than 

 those of the common hawthorn, and the leaves nearly entire. 



This find at once brought to my mind the legend of the Glastonbury thorn, so I referred to the 

 back volumes of Science Gossip for information. 



In the volume for ISH.^), Page 11, wo read: "There are three theories in connection with the 

 history of this shrub. According to some, it originated with Joseph of Arimathea, who is reporter! to 

 have visited England, and having struck his staff into the ground, the celebrated thorn of Glaston- 

 bury grew from it. It is also alleged that the same shrub was planted by St. Peter from a staff 

 formed from the Jerusalem plant, whence the ' crown of thorns ' was made. The third version is that 

 it was planted originally by St. Patrick." 



__Tradition says that the bush invariably blooms on Christmas day. In the volume of S.G. for 

 18/7, p. 97, we have this : " For several years past the tree, or small bush, has been visited at mid- 

 night on old Christmas Eve by people who vow that the bush actuaUy blossomed while they were 

 watching it, and became bare again shortly afterwards, On Friday night the number of pilo-rims to 



this shrine was at least 200 They say that at half-past eleven not a sign of flowlr could 



be seen, but that at midnight every twig of one side of the bush was covered with delicately tinted 

 blossoms. "^ 



I have found records of other early blooming thorns in other parts of Somerset, slips from the 

 original bush ; also one at Eomney Marsh, and at Nantwich, which flowered both at May and Christ- 

 mas ; also one at Ipswich. 



Our " Canterbury Thorn," which has borne flowers on three consecutive Winter months Vovem- 

 ber December, and January, is a far greater wonder than that of Glastonbury, which could only make 

 a show for one night I 



From the accounts I received during the Summer of the finding of the Lizard Orchis it seems 

 to have become quite a "common object" of our county. I dread its extinction a^i-ain from over 

 attention, and too much bottling and pickUng. In future let all finders of the plant join in a com- 

 petition, chief honours to go to the one who leaves most plants to go to seed. 

 Several specimens of Ophrys hybrida were shown to me Ust Spring. 



The Winter fruit, or perithecia of the oak mildew, has not yet been found, so the species remains 

 undetermined. '^ 



W. H. HAMMOND. 



REPORT FOR THE FIFTY-SECOND YEAR, ENDING SEPTEMBER 30. 1909. 



During the past year the Society has lost by resignations and removals 2 members and 4 new 

 members have joined, making the total membership 81. Of these 8 are correspondino- members 7 

 associates, 1 1 honorary members, and 5.5 ordinary members. " 



We are sorry to record the death of Mr. T. G. Peckham, D.L., of Harbledown, who was formerly 

 an active member of our Society. 



This year we were fortunate in being able to arrange and carry out a more attractive winter 

 programme than we have had for several years. We regret to say that this did not result in a much 

 better attendance at the meetings. The papers, however, were highly appreciated by those fortunate 



